The B52 Shot recipe
for your table
Pour the coffee liqueur into a straight-sided shot glass first, filling it one-third full.
Hold a bar spoon with the rounded side facing up just above the coffee liqueur, and slowly pour the Baileys over it.
Do the same with the orange liqueur for the top layer. Pour even more slowly than you think you need to.
Serve immediately, while the layers are still clearly defined.
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Send the B52 Shot recipe to your own email so you have it handy when you’re ready to make it. You’ll also get a €5 discount code on orders over €50, for the glasses that go with it.
The story
According to legend, the B52 was created by bartender Peter Fich. In the late seventies, he worked at the Banff Springs Hotel in the Canadian Rocky Mountains and named his drinks after bands and songs he liked. Hence the nod to the B-52's, or to the bomber the band was named after. You hear both stories. The B52 drink became famous not because of its name, but because of physics. Coffee liqueur has the most sugar and is the heaviest. Irish cream falls in between. Orange liqueur has the highest alcohol content and is the lightest. That's why the layers stay in place.
The right glass
For a B52, you need a straight-sided shot glass with a capacity of 5 to 6 cl. With this shot, the shape of the glass really determines whether it works. In a tapered shot glass, the layers run into each other. A narrow glass with straight sides keeps them neatly separated and also makes them look thicker. Choose clear glass without color or decoration, as every facet in the glass distorts the dividing line you've worked so hard to create.
RCR Opera Shot Glass 6 cl (6 pieces)
Arcoroc Vigne Shot Glass 6 cl (6 pieces)
Twelve shot glasses together € 41,90.
The right tools
For a B52 Shot, besides the glass, use a bar spoon for stirring and a jigger to measure precisely. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you'll find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glassware set (our pick 01) + 2 bar tools together € 51,85.
What do you need to make a B52 Shot?
For a B52 Shot, you need sambuca. Popular bottles include Salmari and Grand Marnier. On each drink page, you can read about the alcohol percentage, how it tastes, which cocktails it works well in, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
The B52 has a whole family of variations. Topped with absinthe, it's called a B52 Bomber; with tequila instead of orange liqueur, it becomes a B51; and topped with blue curaçao, a B53. Use raspberry liqueur instead of coffee liqueur for a fruity version. Once you know the B-52 shot, these are small steps. Some bars set the top layer on fire. Don't do that at home. Burning alcohol can go in any direction, and within seconds the glass is too hot to hold.
Serving tip
If you're making a B52 shot for the first time, chill the liqueurs beforehand. Cold liquid is denser and stays separated better. Put the shot glass on the table and pour while standing, because in your hand it always moves just a little too much. Didn't work? Empty the glass and start again. You can't fix a layer that's already mixed together.
Frequently asked questions
What glass do you use for a B52?
A straight-sided, colorless shot glass of 5 to 6 cl. Browse our shot glasses. Choose a model with straight sides.
How do you get clean layers?
Let each layer run over the rounded side of a bar spoon held just above the previous layer. That way, the liquid doesn't fall down and the layers stay distinct. Don't have a bar spoon? A teaspoon works too.
In what order do you pour a B52 shot?
Always pour from heaviest to lightest. First coffee liqueur, then Irish cream, and finally orange liqueur. Reverse the order and everything will run together right away.
Can you light a B52?
Some bars do it, but we advise against it. The glass gets hot very quickly, the flame is almost invisible in daylight, and you should never drink from a burning glass. It doesn't taste any better, either.
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