Bull Shot
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 10% ABV ∙
The Bull Shot is a savory vodka cocktail built on cold beef bouillon, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and hot sauce, shaken and served long. Savory and peppery up front, with a beefy richness underneath, a citrus edge cutting the weight, and a slow hot-sauce burn on the finish.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Rim the glass with celery salt
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Vodka 60 mlBeef bouillon/Beef consommé 120 mlLemon juice 15 mlWorcestershire sauce 3 dashesHot pepper sauce 3 dashesSalt 1 pinchBlack pepper 1 grind
- Strain into the ice-filled glass
Tips
- Chill or fully de-fat the beef bouillon before shaking; skimming any surface fat first keeps the finished drink from turning greasy and cloudy on top.
- Shake all ingredients hard with ice for about 10-12 seconds, just enough to chill and lightly aerate the bouillon without over-diluting the savory base.
- Add the Worcestershire, hot sauce, salt, and pepper into the shaker before the vodka and bouillon so the seasoning disperses evenly rather than sinking undissolved.
- Double strain into the Collins glass over fresh ice to catch any bouillon solids or fat flecks, giving a clearer, smoother-textured pour.
History
The Bullshot was invented in 1952 at the Caucus Club, a steakhouse and cocktail lounge in Detroit owned by Lester Gruber. According to cocktail historian David Wondrich, the drink emerged with the help of John Hurley, an advertising executive at the BBDO agency who was a regular at the club. Hurley had taken on the Campbell's Soup account and needed a way to boost lagging sales of the company's canned beef bouillon, so he and Gruber devised a savory cocktail that paired vodka with beef bouillon in the spirit of the already-popular Bloody Mary. The new drink, playing on the idea of a "shot" for a "bull," caught on quickly at the Caucus Club and spread through the 1950s, becoming a national fixture through the 1960s and '70s as it drew a celebrity clientele to the Detroit bar.
FAQ
What ingredients are in a Bull Shot?
Vodka, cold beef bouillon or consommé, fresh lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and a vinegar-based hot pepper sauce such as Tabasco, finished with a pinch of salt and a grind of black pepper. It is shaken and served in a Collins glass.
How do you make a Bull Shot?
Shake vodka with cold beef bouillon, fresh lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot pepper sauce, then strain into a Collins glass and finish with a pinch of salt and a grind of black pepper. The shake chills the drink and blends the savory ingredients smoothly.
Does a Bull Shot contain alcohol?
Yes, a Bull Shot is an alcoholic cocktail built on vodka, coming in at roughly 10% ABV. That is lighter than most vodka drinks because it is diluted with a large volume of cold beef bouillon.
What does a Bull Shot taste like?
It tastes savory and peppery first, like a seasoned beef broth, with vodka warmth underneath and a citrus and hot-sauce kick on the finish. It is far less tomato-forward and sweet than a Bloody Mary, leaning into pure beefy umami instead.
Is a Bull Shot shaken or stirred?
Shaken. The bouillon, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and hot sauce need the quick agitation of a shake to chill evenly and combine into one smooth savory drink.
What glass is a Bull Shot served in?
A Collins glass, which holds the full volume of vodka and bouillon comfortably and keeps the drink cold longer than a smaller glass would.
