Paul Knorr - Architecture of the Shot

PAUL KNORR iis the author of a number of books on cocktails, shots, and shooters and is the creator of Barback, a drink recipe software program for organizing recipes. His favorite shots are the Alaskan Pipeline and the Bazooka Joe.

MELISSA WOOD is an illustrator, designer, and architectural aficionado who pored over Charles Addams and James Thurbers cartoons as a child and dreamed of one day illustrating a book of her own. Melissa has three terrific children and makes a wicked Bloody Mary.

To Jill and to my children, Camryn, Colby, and Cooper.PK
For Noel, Hallie, and Coreyheres looking at you, kids.MW

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 dont 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 1 fluid ounce (45ml) shot glasses on the bar and pour 4 fluid ounces (135ml) of cinnamon schnapps equally between the glasses. Fill each to the top using 4 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 brandthe 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 drinks 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 Bartenders Guide , albeit with a slightly different recipe. Regardless of its origins, this tasty beverage is easy to make and always a crowd pleaserprovided, of course, that your crowd is a frat house at the University of Alabama.

THE NOTES

Place 6 or 7 square ice cubes into a cocktail shaker. Pour in 2 fluid ounces (67.5ml) of Southern Comfort, coating the ice. Add 2 fluid ounces (67.5ml) of amaretto, 2 fluid ounces (67.5ml) of sloe gin, and 2 fluid ounces (67.5ml) of fresh orange juice. Shake vigorously in a vertical motion for 10 seconds. Strain slowly into six 1 fluid ounce (45ml) shot glasses. To recreate the movie Cocktail , you might choose to flip the bottles over your head and catch them behind your back as you pour. Warning: potentially messy and dangerous, so practice is advised!

The Alaskan Pipeline, or more precisely, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, is a vast collection of pipelines, feeder pipes, pumping stations, and other sundry parts that together move oil from the far northern part of Alaska near Prudhoe Bay to the ship terminal in Valdez. This shooter gets its name from the fact that it looks (and, some might say, tastes) a bit like crude oil. The deep, dark green of the Jgermeister combines with the glaring fluorescent blue curaao to make a liquid that is dark indigo in color. The peppermint schnapps increases the viscosity such that it feels almost oily as it slides down the throat.

THE NOTES

Place 6 or 7 square ice cubes into a cocktail shaker. Pour in 3 fluid ounces (90ml) of Jgermeister, coating the ice. Add 3 fluid ounces (90ml) of peppermint schnapps and 3 fluid ounces (90ml) of blue curaao. Shake vigorously in a vertical motion for 10 seconds. Strain slowly into six 1 fluid ounce (45ml) shot glasses. To stay authentic to the history of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, spill some on the bar before serving.

Amaretto is a liqueur that can be found in many mixed drinks because its history stretches back for centuries. The recipe for amaretto liqueur supposedly dates back to the 1500s (see for the Amaretto Sourball recipe), and many classic cocktails make use of this sweet liqueur. This is not by any stretch of the imagination, a classic. To be frank, this shooter is all about flavor, since the color is an unappealing brownish-muck. The bitter-sweet profile of the amaretto blends here with the acidic tang of the citrus juices to form an odd but pleasing combination.

THE NOTES

Place 6 or 7 square ice cubes into a cocktail shaker. Pour in 3 fluid ounces (90ml) of amaretto, coating the ice. Add 3 fluid ounces (90ml) of fresh orange juice and 3 fluid ounces (90ml) of fresh pineapple juice. Shake vigorously in a vertical motion for 10 seconds. Strain slowly into six 1 fluid ounce (45ml) shot glasses.

Amaretto is a sweet, syrupy, almond-flavor liqueur, sometimes made from almonds, but more commonly made from apricot pits. This traditional Italian drinks roots can be traced back as far as 1525, if you believe the meet-cute love story that Disaronno, the top amaretto producer, has placed on its web site. This disputed tale tells of an artist who falls in love with his model. The woman, being of meager means, gives him a gift of a homemade mixture of apricot pits steeped in brandy. The sour mix in an Amaretto Sourball shot adds a little sour punch to this saccharine story. Sour mix (also called sweet and sour mix) can be made simply, with equal parts sugar and water, and heated in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves. While the simple syrup is still hot, add fresh lemon and fresh lime juice, as it will blend more easily with warm syrup and make for a less cloudy mix. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 weeks.