Tequila Slammer
Tequila and lemon-lime soda in a shot glass, covered, slammed on the bar and drunk while it fizzes. The 1970s party shot — also made with champagne as the 'tequila boom-boom'.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Pour the tequila into a sturdy rocks or shot glass.
Add the lemon-lime soda.
Cover the glass with your palm or a napkin, slam it flat on the bar once so it foams.
Drink it in one while it is still fizzing.
A thoughtful finish
- A thick-bottomed glass; a thin one breaks.
- Slam it once, firmly, and drink immediately.
- Cava or prosecco in place of soda makes the European 'tequila boom-boom'.
Common mistakes
- A thin shot glass.
- Waiting after the slam; the fizz is gone in seconds.
- Too many; the carbonation speeds the tequila.
A few good questions.
What does a Tequila Slammer taste like?
Fizzy sweet lemon-lime with a hit of tequila — gone before you taste it.
Why slam it?
To release the carbonation so the drink foams and goes down fast.
What is a tequila boom-boom?
The same slam with sparkling wine instead of soda.
Does it get you drunk faster?
Carbonation speeds alcohol absorption, so yes, somewhat.
Variations
- Tequila Shot — Tequila with salt and lime.
- Lemon Drop Shot — Vodka, lemon and sugar.
- Green Tea Shot — Irish whiskey, peach schnapps and sour.
- Jägerbomb — Jägermeister dropped into an energy drink.
Where it comes from
c. 1970s · Mexico / United States
Contested. More than one origin is claimed for this drink. We show the competing accounts rather than pick one.
The slammer — equal parts tequila and a sparkling mixer, the glass covered with a hand or napkin, banged on the bar so it foams, then drunk in one — is a 1970s bar trick that spread from Mexico and the American Southwest to Europe, where it became the ‘tequila boom-boom’ with champagne or cava. It is a ritual, not a recipe: the slam releases the carbonation so the drink foams up and goes down fast, and the fizz speeds the alcohol. Lemon-lime soda is the usual mixer, ginger ale and champagne the alternatives. It is the drink of student bars and beach towns, and it is better with a decent blanco than the mixto it was born with.
Sources
- Difford's Guide, Tequila Slammer, 2010 (reference)
- Gary Regan, The Joy of Mixology, 2003 (book)
- Liquor.com, Tequila Slammer, 2019 (reference)
Strength. About 0.67 US standard drinks at an estimated 20% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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