Like the roaring flames shooting out the back of an F15 fighter jet, this shot will help the evening take off. In a jet engine the afterburner works by injecting jet fuel into the exhaust after the turbine, producing tremendous additional thrust. For those who have tasted overproof (or 151-proof) rum, you know it bears a striking resemblance to jet fuel. At almost double the strength of traditional rum, overproof rum can pack quite a punch. Afterburners on jet engines should be used sparingly as they are inefficient and use up too much fuel. Afterburner shots should also be drunk sparingly, so you don’t crash and burn early in the evening.
THE NOTES
Make sure that the bar is free of any spilled alcohol by wiping it with a clean cloth and that all napkins and flammable items are at a safe distance. Place six 1½ fluid ounce (45ml) shot glasses on the bar and pour 4½ fluid ounces (135ml) of cinnamon schnapps equally between the glasses. Fill each to the top using 4½ fluid ounces (135ml) of overproof rum. Using a lighter or match, carefully guide the flame to the edge of the glass until the overproof rum ignites. Admire the beauty of an alcohol flame for three to five seconds before snuffing with an inverted pint glass and knocking back the shot.
The origin of the After Five shot is steeped in mystery. The most likely theory is that the name refers to the After Eight brand of afterdinner chocolate-covered mints. The eight was replaced with five because, in polite society, drinks should not be served until after 5 p.m. The mix of Irish cream, coffee liqueur, and peppermint schnapps gives the same flavor profile as the delicious chocolates. When these ingredients are carefully layered into a clear shot glass, they form the After Five shot. Of course, this same combination of liqueurs can also be shaken with ice and strained into a shot glass to create another equally sweet, but decidedly more wholesome, shot drink named after a much more well-known brand—the Girl Scout Cookie.
THE NOTES
Pour 1 fluid ounce (30ml) of coffee liqueur into a 3 fluid ounce (90ml) shot glass. Take a long bar spoon and let the edge of the spoon touch just above the coffee liqueur. Slowly pour 1 fluid ounce (30ml) of Irish cream liqueur over the back of the spoon to create a layer. Repeat this process with 1 fluid ounce (30ml) of peppermint schnapps to create a third and final layer.
The Alabama Slammer is a drink acclaimed by many. NFL quarterback Brett Favre and the University of Alabama have both been associated with the drink’s rise to fame. However, long before The Daily Iowan credited Favre, this drink featured in the 1980s Tom Cruise movie, Cocktail. Going back even further, it can be found listed in the 1971 Playboy Bartender’s Guide, albeit with a slightly different recipe. Regardless of its origins, this tasty beverage is easy to make and always a crowd pleaser—provided, of course, that your “crowd” is a frat house at the University of Alabama.
THE NOTES
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