Blowjob, Slippery Nipple, Gorilla Fart. There are some things a self-respecting woman who has brought life onto this Earth might find hard to say in a crowded bar. That doesn’t mean you should avoid shots, though — shooting a drink is a freeing feeling. It just means you need a steady stable of reliable drinks that don’t sound like they were made by a pervy old boss.
Unleash yourself and become the go-to woman at the bar with VinePair’s shots list. All of the following shots are easy to remember. Plus, they get the job done, and won’t make you feel like a prepubescent child saying dirty words. Bottoms up!
Lemon Drop
You don’t have to be a sorority girl with a fake ID to enjoy a lemon drop. The ingredients are simple: chilled citrus vodka, sugar, and a lemon wedge. It’s the perfect work-around for when you want to drink vodka without the vodka taste. Depending on the bar, you’ll get a sugar rim or a sugar-coated lemon, but don’t think too much about the vessel. Sour and sweet is the natural companion for neutralizing the bite of vodka.
Cinnamon Toast Crunch
The cinnamon toast crunch shot is made with equal parts Fireball whiskey and Rumchata, a rum cream liqueur that tastes like horchata. It’s a seamless marriage of spice and texture that tastes like the milk leftover from a bowl of cereal — just with alcohol.
Gummy Bear
Flavored vodka and peach liqueur with a touch of pineapple juice and a splash of lemon. Cherry-flavored vodka is one of the more popular choices for this shot, but if you’re the type of person who enjoys the purple gummy bears everyone else avoids, feel free to experiment. Gummy Bear shots are sweet without being overwhelmingly so, just don’t down them the same way you down handfuls of Haribo Gold Bears.
B-52
This is your shot if you want something with a little more presentation. The B-52 is a layered shot, and from the bottom up is composed of coffee liqueur, Irish cream, and triple sec (orange liqueur). The cream in the middle adds a little weight to the shot and sets it apart from shots that go down like water. For an extra touch, try the flaming B-52 that’s topped with high-proof rum and fire.
Alice in Wonderland
Are you a margarita fan, but don’t want all that sugar? Get an Alice in Wonderland shot, which is tequila and orange liqueur (as opposed to a margarita, which is tequila, orange liqueur, and sweetened lime juice). A mellower tequila shot, it won’t parlay you into quite the same atmosphere as taking straight tequila shots; tequila shots are for screaming and making bad decisions, while the Alice in Wonderland is just for getting tequila-drunk without the screaming but possibly the bad decisions.
Jolly Rancher
Yes, another shot named after candy. Don’t disregard the Jolly Rancher shot, though, because it’s not just some vodka steeped in sweet hard candy. Adult-style Jolly Ranchers have vodka, melon liqueur, and cranberry juice. Is it sweet? Yes, but it’ll leave far less of the sugary aftertaste than any candy.
Red Snapper
Sometimes nothing but straight liquor is going to cut it. Unfortunately, some crowds look down on straight shots of vodka. That’s their loss. If you’re in that crowd, though, and you want some vodka, order a red snapper, which is a shot of vodka topped with a touch of grenadine. It’ll look like a fancier shot, but it’ll taste like that strong neutral spirit you really want.
