The All-Portland Artisanal Irish Car Bomb

Why settle for second-rate Irish car bombs with imported ingredients?

By Parker Hall

In college I had a friend friend nicknamed "Blackhole" who fell in love. With a drink—the Irish car bomb.

It was a love he shared with everyone he met, demonstrating how to drop the shot of Irish cream and whiskey into a pint of Guinness and chug like a madman (or madwoman) before the delicious alcoholic milkshake curdled in the glass from the beer's acidity.

But now I am getting older, and I tire of Bailey's, bottom-shelf Irish whiskey and mediocre dark Irish beer. Why settle for less than the creme-de-la-creme of drop shots? This St. Patrick's Day, we thought we'd do Portland proud and make an artisanal Irish car bomb from all-local products.

Setting out on my journey for shamrock perfection, I was pretty optimistic. The Rose City has fresh access to delicious Irish stouts at places like Breakside and Kells, and we have delicious Irish whiskey like Edgefield Distillery's 5-year port-barrel-aged Devil's Bit, which they were kind enough to send us in the mail.

We have everything—except local Irish cream. The only Oregon-made Irish cream we could find was, oddly enough, a recipe from three years ago on Fox 12's website. A recipe that looked terrible.

So, in order to contribute to what I consider to be a seminal achievement in mildly offensive beverage crafting, I put together a better Oregon Irish cream. One made with care and love. One with the 92-proof Devil's Bit whiskey and cream from Garry's Meadow Fresh.

Then we poured our cream into shot glasses with some extra Devil's Bit on top and dropped it into our pints of Breakside Irish Stout—available in growlers, unlike the nitro-only Kells.

The result was the smoothest, creamiest, most delightful version of an Irish car bomb I have ever had the privilege to chug while spilling slightly on my shirt, in front of my boss. It may have been best moment of my tongue's life.

And now it's your turn to follow the rainbow road to shamrock gold. You (probably) have the technology.


Willamette Week's Irish Cream

  • 1 1/4 cups Irish whiskey (Devil's Bit)
  • 1 tablespoon melted dark chocolate (Pitch Dark)
  • 14 ounces (1 can) condensed sweetened milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream (Garry’s Meadow Fresh)
  • 1 tablespoon espresso powder (dehydrate pre-brewed espresso from Stumptown)
  • 1 tablespoon real vanilla extract (Savory Spice Shop)
  • 1 teaspoon real almond extract (Savory Spice Shop)
  • 2 tablespoons honey (Bee Local Willamette Valley)
  • Blend all ingredients together, adding whiskey slowly a little bit at a time. Store refrigerated for up to 40 days.


Willamette Week’s Artisan Irish Car Bomb

  • In a 2-oz shot glass pour in 75% Willamette Week Irish Cream and float 25% Devil's Bit whiskey on top.
  • Pour 8 to 12 ounces of Breakside Irish Stout in a pint glass.
  • Drop shot glass into pint glass.
  • Drink briskly.
  • Enjoy the holiday.


WWeek 2015

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