Sun, Snow and The B52 Cocktail

A great after-ski drink is the B52 Cocktail: Layers of Coffee Liqueur Kahlua, Bailey’s Irish Cream and Grand Marnier or Vodka.

From what I hear on the news, they tell me it’s winter outside. Okay, but it’s hard to think about winter when it’s a sunny 75ºF sunny day outside. And, yes, we Southern-Californians do get sick of the sunshine and warm weather.

Luckily for us, a trip to see snow isn’t too far away. In San Diego, you can always visit Julian or Mount Laguna and make it a day trip. For skiing, many choose to go to Big Bear or further north, Mammoth Lakes. And since my kids are off from school for one week every February, we try to get our snow fix annually.

One thing my husband always packs when we go on a mini vacay, is his mini bar. And his favorite drink to enjoy after a day on the slopes, is the B-52 cocktail.

Why you have to try this cocktail

Peter Fich, the head bartender at the Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta (Canada) is said to be the creator of the B52 in 1977. It is apparently named after the band and not the bomber. Something about the tall beehive hair style that this cocktail resembled.

It’s a simple cocktail, a shot actually, where you layer Kahlua then Irish Cream and lastly some Grand Marnier. Because of the different densities of the three drinks, you get this lovely three-layer effect. My husband makes this drink with vodka instead of Grand Marnier.

Layered drinks like this B52 go back much further than 1977. Playing with the a variety of alcohol and their densities makes these drink pretty and potent. If want to learn more about the history of this drink, you can read more here.

I am not a big drinker. In fact, I don’t like the taste of alcohol. I do like Baileys Irish Cream. The B52 is a little bit of a sweet drink – with one heck of a kick! It makes a fabulous dessert drink.

It’s got a sweet coffee like flavor finished with a touch of orange and burn, if using Grand Marnier. If using vodka, then just the burn!

Step-by-step directions

The whole point of this cocktail is to present it to the drinker as a layered drink. The best way to serve it is in a shot glass. We love using these tall shot glasses that show off the layered look even better.

1. A coffee liqueur, like Kahlúa, is poured into the shot glass.

2. Slowly pour in Baileys Irish Cream. To keep from mixing with the Kahlúa is, it is slowly poured over the back of a cold spoon.

3. The final layer, whether it is vodka or Grand Marnier, is poured similarly over the Irish Cream using the spoon method.

Recipe tips and FAQs

The B52 cocktail should not be sipped because all you would be sipping is whatever is on top (vodka or grand marnier). You could stir the drink, but then you lose the lovely layered look of the cocktail. This drink is specifically meant to be taken as a shot.

You can enjoy this cocktail anytime of the year, but we personally love it during cold weather. Whatever the weather forecast predicts, this drink will definitely warm you up! Cheers!

Some other cocktails that I have that can be taken as a shot include my very unique and delicious finger lime kamikaze cocktail shots with mint and olive oil – don’t knock an olive oil cocktail til you try it! And of course, you can learn how to make homemade limoncello, an Italian favorite!

PS If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback.

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