Surfer On Acid Shot
Shake; Layer ∙ 5 min ∙ 11.1% ABV ∙
The Surfer On Acid Shot is a layered party shot of coconut rum liqueur and pineapple juice topped with a float of German amaro, served in a shot glass. A cold, silky rush of tropical sweetness gives way to a bitter, herbal snap as the float hits the palate last.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake the first 2 ingredients with ice: Coconut rum liqueur 15 mlPineapple juice 25 ml
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Float German amaro (e.g., Jägermeister) 10 ml
Tips
- Pre-chill the glass so the fine-strained shake stays cold under the room-temperature amaro float.
- Pour the amaro over the back of a spoon or slowly down the side so it floats as a distinct top layer instead of mixing in.
- Fine-strain the shaken coconut rum and pineapple juice to keep ice shards and pulp out of the small glass.
History
The Surfer On Acid shot is credited to bartender Eric Tecosky, created at a club on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood in the early 1990s. By his own account, a group of young customers came to the bar and ordered a round of drinks called "Surfer on Acid," a name he had never heard before; when he found the recipe they described unappealing, he kept the name but built his own version around coconut rum and pineapple juice, softened with a dose of Jägermeister. The shot caught on quickly around Southern California and later spread to college bars nationally and abroad. Tecosky went on to found Dirty Sue olive juice and to tend bar at Jones Hollywood, with the Surfer on Acid remaining his best-known creation.
FAQ
What is in a Surfer on Acid shot?
Coconut rum liqueur and pineapple juice, shaken and fine-strained into a chilled shot glass, then topped with a float of German amaro such as Jägermeister. The layering sets it apart from a simple mixed shot: the amaro sits distinctly on top rather than blending in.
What is a Surfer on Acid shot?
It is a layered party shot made by shaking coconut rum liqueur with pineapple juice, fine-straining that into a chilled shot glass, then floating German amaro on top. At about 11.1% ABV, the tropical sweetness hits first before the amaro's herbal bite comes through on top.
