The cocktail was invented in the US in 1979 in Wilson's Saloon inNorwich, Connecticut by Charles Burke Cronin Oat.[3] He had originally created a mixed shot drink called aGrandfather combiningBaileys Irish Cream andKahlúa. On 17 March 1977 (Saint Patrick's Day), he addedJameson Irish Whiskey to the drink, calling this drink "the IRA." In 1979, Oat spontaneously dropped this shot into a partially-drunk Guinness, calling the result a Belfast Carbomb or Irish Carbomb.[4]
The name is considered by many to be offensive, with many bartenders refusing to serve it.[8][9][10] Some people, including Irish comedians, have likened it to ordering an "Isis" or "Twin Towers" in an American bar and warned that ordering one is the "quickest way to get thrown out of a pub (or get a black eye) in Ireland".[6][11]
In 2014, The Junction nightclub inOxford included the drink in promotional material forSt. Patrick's Day.[12][13][14] This drew complaints, followed by withdrawal of the promotion and a public apology by the bar manager.[12][13][14]
The drink is known by other names, including: "Irish slammer",[15] "Dublin drop",[1] or simply the "Irish bomb"[citation needed] to avoid offending patrons.
The whiskey is layered over the Irish cream in a shot glass, and the shot glass is then dropped into a glass of stout. The drink should be consumed quickly as the acidity of the beer will cause the cream tocurdle within a short time.[7][16][17]
WhileKahlúa was part of the original recipe, it is often excluded from the drink today. Some refer to the original recipe as a Belfast car bomb.[18][19][20][21]
