B52 Shot

This classic B52 Shot is perfect for a liquid dessert. Including detailed instructions, tips, and tricks for layering your shot, this stunning sweet treat is a great way to impress with minimal effort. Drink it on its own or mix this trio into a cup of coffee! You’ll be so glad you did.

It’s creamy, it’s sweet, it’s such a sip of pure heaven. Plus, look at it! It’s one of the prettiest shots you can put together. You may take a peek at the ingredient list and see a mixture of coffee and orange. This seems like such an odd combination, but it becomes a deep caramel flavor. Mixed with the Irish cream? Well it doesn’t get any better than this.

If you want to savor this drink rather than take it all in one go, you can mix the ingredients together rather than layer them. It’s your home bar, after all! The only rules that matter are your own. When the layers are mixed, you can sip the drink and enjoy it much longer.

What is a B52 shot?

This layered shot is comprised of equal parts coffee liqueur, Irish cream, and orange liqueur. The order is important for this recipe! Each subsequent layer is less dense than the last, making each ingredient float and create a perfect distinct line between the layers.

Like most drink recipes, the origin is not entirely clear. The most popular version of the story comes from Banff, a gorgeous mountain town nestled in the Rockies in my home province, Alberta! It’s believed to have been the creation of a bartender who often named his drinks after his favorite bands.

Ingredients

Keep scrolling down to the recipe card for a list of FULL ingredient amounts and instructions or click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page!

• Coffee liqueur – Kahlua is a great option. You can use any type you like best.
• Irish cream – Bailey’s, Kerrygold, Emmets; choose any type. You can even experiment with different flavors. I used a salted caramel Bailey’s and it was the bomb!
• Orange liqueur – Grand marnier, triple sec, cointreau, or even curacao.

Substitutions

You can switch out the layers of Irish cream or orange liqueur to create a new, equally gorgeous, flavor profile for your shot.

You can switch out the Irish cream for: tequila, sambuca, or peppermint schnapps.

Or try these instead of orange liqueur: hazelnut liqueur, almond liqueur, or absinthe.

How to make a B52 shot

1. Pour the coffee liqueur into a 2oz shot glass.
2. Slowly pour the Irish cream over the back of a teaspoon. Rinse the teaspoon, then repeat with the orange liqueur to create the final layer.

Tips for layering shots

1. Use speed pour spouts. This will not only give you a smaller and more easily controllable stream, but provides airflow to prevent glugging.
2. Rest the spoon with the tip touching the shot glass, right above the previous layer. This will give the slowest possible stream.
3. If you don’t have access to speed pour spouts, you can transfer the liqueur from the bottle to a liquid measuring cup for easier pouring.
4. Give the shot a few minutes to settle. If a little mixing has occurred between layers, just give them a minute or two to settle out.

Serving a B52 shot

As the name suggests, this is often taken as a shot in one swift gulp. Brace yourself! It’s quite sweet. Another great way to enjoy a B52 is poured into a hot cup of coffee. Try it with decaf as a liquid dessert after a meal! You can even have one in the morning; don’t worry, I will never judge.

Check out these homemade bar favorites:

• Irish Coffee
• Earl Grey Martini
• Negroni
• Dark and Stormy
• Mojito Recipe
• Grenadine Sunrise
• Manhattan Drink
• Grasshopper Cocktail