The B52 Shot recipe
for your table
Pour the coffee liqueur as the first layer into a straight shot glass, up to one third.
Hold a bar spoon with the rounded side facing up just above the coffee liqueur and let the Baileys slowly run over it.
Repeat with the orange liqueur for the third layer. Pour each time more slowly than you think you need to.
Serve immediately, while the layers are still sharply defined.
The story
The B52 is attributed to bartender Peter Fich, who worked at the Banff Springs Hotel in the Canadian Rocky Mountains in the late seventies. He named his creations after favourite bands and songs - hence the nod to the B-52s, or to the bomber the band itself was named after; both stories are in circulation. What made the shot famous is not the story but the physics: coffee liqueur contains the most sugar and is therefore the heaviest, Irish cream is in between, and orange liqueur has the highest alcohol percentage and is the lightest. That is precisely why the layers remain in place.
The right glass
For a B52, you need a straight shot glass of 5 to 6 cl - this is the one recipe where the shape of the glass determines the result. A tapered shot glass makes the layers run into each other; a narrow, straight-sided glass keeps them sharply separated and also makes them look optically thicker. Choose clear, colourless glass without embossing: every facet in the wall distorts the dividing line you poured so carefully.
RCR Opera Shot Glass 6 cl (6 pieces)
Arcoroc Vigne Shot Glass 6 cl (6 pieces)
Twelve shot glasses — together € 41,90.
The right tool
For a B52 shot, in addition to the glass, use a bar spoon for stirring and a jigger for precise measuring. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools — together € 51,85.
Variations & twists
The B52 has a whole family: with absinthe on top, it is called a B52 Bomber, with tequila instead of orange liqueur, a B51, and with blue curaçao on top, a B53. Replace the coffee liqueur with raspberry liqueur for a fruity version. In some bars, the top layer is set on fire — do not do this at home: burning alcohol spreads unpredictably and the glass becomes too hot to hold within seconds.
Serving tip
Chill the liqueurs beforehand: cold liquid is denser and stays separated more easily. Place the shot glass on the table and pour while standing — in your hand, it always moves just a little too much. Can't do it in one go? Empty the glass and start again; topping up over a disturbed layer will never turn out right.
Frequently asked questions
Which glass should you use for a B52?
A straight, colorless shot glass of 5 to 6 cl. View our shot glasses — look for models with straight sides.
How do you get clean layers?
Pour each layer over the rounded side of a bar spoon held just above the previous layer. This slows the liquid's fall and keeps the separation intact. No bar spoon? An ordinary teaspoon works too.
In what order should you pour?
Always pour from heavy to light: first coffee liqueur, then Irish cream, then orange liqueur. If you reverse the order, everything mixes immediately.
Can you set a B52 on fire?
It happens in some bars, but we do not recommend it. The glass gets hot extremely quickly, the flame is barely visible in daylight, and you should never drink from a burning glass. It does not improve the taste either.
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