Irish car bomb (cocktail)

{{short description|Cocktail made by mixing stout, whiskey, and Irish cream}}

{{Infobox cocktail

| name = Irish car bomb

| image = Irish_Car_Bomb.jpg

| caption = An Irish car bomb with Baileys Irish Cream.

| type = beer

| stout = no

| irishw = no

| irishc = no

| drinkware = pubshot

| ingredients = Guinness stout, Baileys Irish Cream, and Jameson Irish Whiskey

| prep = The whiskey is floated on top of the Irish cream in a shot glass, and the shot glass is then dropped into the stout

| footnotes =

}}

An Irish car bomb, Irish slammer, Irish bomb shot, or Dublin drop{{cite web|title=Dublin Drop|url=https://drizly.com/irish-car-bomb/r-410ff775212c0eaa|work=Drizly.com|access-date=18 Aug 2020|archive-date=May 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519040005/https://drizly.com/irish-car-bomb/r-410ff775212c0eaa|url-status=live}} is a cocktail, similar to a boilermaker, made by dropping a bomb shot of Irish cream and Irish whiskey into a glass of Irish stout.{{cite web|title=Irish Car Bomb drink recipe|url=http://www.drinknation.com/drink/irish-car-bomb|work=Drinknation.com|access-date=18 November 2009|archive-date=July 21, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721051222/http://www.drinknation.com/drink/irish-car-bomb|url-status=live}}

History

The cocktail was invented in the US in 1979 in Wilson's Saloon in Norwich, Connecticut by Charles Burke Cronin Oat.{{cite web |url=https://www.delish.com/food-news/a43317806/irish-slammer-history/ |title=The Story Behind The Most Infamous St. Patrick's Day Cocktail—And Why You Should Never Order It |last=Romero |first=Gabby |date=20 February 2024 |website=www.delish.com |publisher= |access-date=25 February 2024 |quote=}} He had originally created a mixed shot drink called a Grandfather combining Baileys Irish Cream and Kahlúa. On 17 March 1977 (Saint Patrick's Day), he added Jameson Irish Whiskey to the drink, calling this drink "the IRA." In 1979, Oat spontaneously dropped this shot into a partially-drunk Guinness, calling the result a Belfast Carbomb or Irish Carbomb.{{cite web |url=https://www.barnonedrinks.com/drinks/b/belfast-carbomb-1-6989.html |title=The CARBOMB: The Creation of An Historic Cocktail |last=Burke Cronin Oat |first=Charles |date= |website=www.barnonedrinks.com |publisher= |access-date=25 February 2024 |quote=}}

Name

The "Irish" in the name refers to the drink's Irish ingredients; typically Guinness stout, Baileys Irish Cream, and Jameson Irish Whiskey.{{Cite web|title=This St. Patrick's Day Staple Is a Crowd Pleaser|url=https://www.liquor.com/recipes/the-irish-car-bomb/|access-date=2021-05-19|website=Liquor.com|language=en|archive-date=May 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517164829/https://www.liquor.com/recipes/the-irish-car-bomb/|url-status=live}}

The term "car bomb" combines reference to its "bomb shot" style, as well as the noted car bombings of Northern Ireland's Troubles.{{Cite web|last=Pardilla|first=Caroline|date=2015-03-17|title=Why the Irish Car Bomb Is St. Patrick's Day's Most Controversial Drink|url=https://www.eater.com/drinks/2015/3/17/8206609/the-story-of-the-irish-car-bomb|access-date=2021-05-19|website=Eater|language=en|archive-date=May 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519170908/https://www.eater.com/drinks/2015/3/17/8206609/the-story-of-the-irish-car-bomb|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|date=2013-03-14|title=Why You Probably Shouldn't Ever Order An Irish Car Bomb|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/irish-car-bomb-drink_n_2867367|access-date=2021-05-19|website=HuffPost|language=en|archive-date=May 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519171521/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/irish-car-bomb-drink_n_2867367|url-status=live}} The name is considered by many to be offensive, with many bartenders refusing to serve it.{{cite news|last=Dicke|first=Scott|date=March 6, 2007|title=History of Irish Car Bombs Isn't Something to Drink To|newspaper=Daily Nexus|publisher=University of California, Santa Barbara|url=http://www.dailynexus.com/2007-03-06/history-of-irish-car-bombs-isnt-something-to-drink-to/|access-date=May 18, 2009|archive-date=August 7, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807190106/http://www.dailynexus.com/2007-03-06/history-of-irish-car-bombs-isnt-something-to-drink-to/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=Detelj|first=Tina|date=July 5, 2010|title=Irish group slams cocktail|url=http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/new_london_cty/norwich-irish-group-slams-cocktail|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902145606/http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/new_london_cty/norwich-irish-group-slams-cocktail|archive-date=September 2, 2012|access-date=September 3, 2012|publisher=WTNH|location=New Haven, CT|df=mdy-all}}{{cite news|url=https://extra.ie/2022/04/25/news/irish-news/its-an-absolute-disgrace-joe-liveline-listeners-outraged-by-controversial-crossword|title=Liveline listeners outraged by controversial crossword|last=Fisher|first=Rebecca|publisher=Extra.ie|date=25 April 2022|access-date=25 April 2022|archive-date=April 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220425140508/https://extra.ie/2022/04/25/news/irish-news/its-an-absolute-disgrace-joe-liveline-listeners-outraged-by-controversial-crossword|url-status=live}} Some people, including Irish comedians, have likened it to ordering an "Isis" or "Twin Towers" in an American bar and warned that ordering one is the "quickest way to get thrown out of a pub (or get a black eye) in Ireland".{{cite web|date=24 December 2020|title=Here's Aisling Bea on Americans and their "Irish car bomb" cocktails|url=https://entertainment.ie/tv/tv-news/aisling-bea-americans-irish-car-bomb-cocktails-470502/|access-date=24 December 2020|publisher=entertainment.ie|archive-date=December 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201224111026/https://entertainment.ie/tv/tv-news/aisling-bea-americans-irish-car-bomb-cocktails-470502/|url-status=live}}

In 2014, The Junction nightclub in Oxford included the drink in promotional material for St. Patrick's Day.{{cite news|date=March 12, 2014|title=Nightclub scraps Irish Car Bomb shots poster|url=http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/11069110.Nightclub_scraps____Irish_car_bomb____shots_poster/|access-date=March 12, 2014|archive-date=March 12, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312225126/http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/11069110.Nightclub_scraps____Irish_car_bomb____shots_poster/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|date=2014-03-12|title=Junction's 'Irish Car Bomb' poster inflames local opinion|url=https://thetab.com/uk/brookes/2014/03/12/junctions-irish-car-bomb-poster-inflames-local-opinion-2701|access-date=2021-05-19|website=Oxford Brookes University|language=en-GB|archive-date=May 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519170644/https://thetab.com/uk/brookes/2014/03/12/junctions-irish-car-bomb-poster-inflames-local-opinion-2701|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|date=2016-03-17|title=The Irish Car Bomb: the controversial drink with a split reputation|url=http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/mar/17/irish-car-bomb-st-patricks-day-bars|access-date=2021-05-19|website=the Guardian|language=en|archive-date=May 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519171718/https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/mar/17/irish-car-bomb-st-patricks-day-bars|url-status=live}} This drew complaints, followed by withdrawal of the promotion and a public apology by the bar manager.

The drink is known by other names, including: "Irish slammer",{{Cite web|last=Gore|first=Makinze|date=2021-03-02|title=Celebrate St. Patrick's Day With Irish Slammers|url=https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a58568/irish-slammers-irish-car-bomb-drink-recipe/|access-date=2021-05-19|website=Delish|language=en-US|archive-date=May 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519171714/https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a58568/irish-slammers-irish-car-bomb-drink-recipe/|url-status=live}} "Dublin drop", or simply the "Irish bomb"{{cn|date=September 2023}} to avoid offending patrons.

==Preparation==

The whiskey is layered over the Irish cream in a shot glass, and the shot glass is then dropped into a glass of stout. The drink should be consumed quickly as the acidity of the beer will cause the cream to curdle within a short time.{{cite book|last=Sennett|first=Bob|title=Complete world bartender guide|url=http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780553299007|access-date=November 6, 2009|archive-date=December 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206075256/http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780553299007|url-status=live}}{{cite book |last=Charming |first=Cheryl |isbn=978-1598695908 |edition=2nd |title=The Everything Bartender's Book: 750 recipes for classic and mixed drinks |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RunguioOjJcC&q=irish+car+bomb |page=178 |date=October 1, 2007 |publisher=Everything Books}}

While Kahlúa was part of the original recipe, it is often excluded from the drink today. Some refer to the original recipe as a Belfast car bomb.{{cite web|url=http://shakenwithatwist.wordpress.com/2009/04/16/carbomb-creation/|title=Carbomb Creation|date=April 16, 2009|access-date=May 18, 2009|archive-date=April 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120421015900/http://shakenwithatwist.wordpress.com/2009/04/16/carbomb-creation/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://paganmaid-2.livejournal.com/31682.html|title=The Meaning of an Irish Car Bomb|date=March 11, 2009|access-date=May 18, 2009|archive-date=March 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310083258/http://paganmaid-2.livejournal.com/31682.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.irishcarbomb.com/|title=IrishCarBomb.com|access-date=May 18, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502113718/http://www.irishcarbomb.com/|archive-date=May 2, 2012|df=mdy-all}}{{cite web|url=http://www.barnonedrinks.com/drinks/b/belfast-carbomb-1-6989.html|title=Belfast Carbomb #1|access-date=May 18, 2009|archive-date=April 22, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120422094935/http://www.barnonedrinks.com/drinks/b/belfast-carbomb-1-6989.html|url-status=live}}