Irish Trash Can Drink

The Irish Trash Can Drink is a fun party cocktail know for it's bright green and blue color, making it a perfect drink for St. Patrick's Day!

Doesn't this drink just scream good times? The sweet and potent cocktail is a staple at college parties, bars, and of course, St. Patrick's day.

It’s a mixed drink similar to a Long Island Ice Tea or AMF, with a mix of many different types of alcohol but instead of a splash of soda, this drink is topped with a whole can of Red Bull Energy drink, often sticking out of the glass so it looks like trash in a trash can. Similar to these shamrock pretzels, it’s a simple and fun addition to your St. Patrick’s day party.

Ingredients:

This festive drink uses 6 different types of alcohol – Gin, Vodka, Light Rum, Triple Sec, Peach Schnapps, and Blue Curaçao. It's then topped with an energy drink, ideally Red Bull, for an extra boost of caffeine and sugar. The drink packs a punch, so please drink responsibly!

Red Bull Energy Drink: you can use your favorite energy drink but the yellow Red Bull mixing with the Blue Curaçao is what gives the drink its signature green color. Plus, some energy drinks such as Monster energy drink are in larger cans, so it's best poured into the drink, rather than placing the entire can in the glass.
Peach Schnapps: You can decrease the amount of peach schnapps, or even omit it.
Triple Sec: Cointreau or other orange or citrus liqueur can be substituted if desired.
Light Rum: To keep the green color of the drink, be sure to use a light rum and not dark rum.

How to Make

This drink is really easy to make. To start, pour in the Blue Curaçao into the bottom of the glass, then fill about ½ to ¾ way full of ice. Add the remaining alcohol of vodka, gin, peach schnapps, rum, and triple sec.

Then, add the Red bull by either topping off the drink with the energy drink or quickly flipping the can upside down and placing the entire can into the glass.

If keeping the can in the glass make sure the glass is big enough or else it can overflow. As the red bull empties in the drink, the yellow energy drink will mix with the blue curacao to turn the drink a fun bright green color.

Tips and Tricks

Pouring the blue curacao first gives a more layered look to the cocktail.
.75 oz equals 1.5 tablespoon of alcohol or ½ a jigger.
For larger serving glasses such as punch bowls or fish bowls, you can increase the alcohol pour to 1 to 2 oz.
For smaller glasses or a less boozy drink, you can use a .5 oz pour of each alcohol.

FAQ

Why is this called an Irish Trash Can Drink and is it actually Irish?

While the history and origin of this drink is somewhat unclear, it's typically served with the entire can of Red Bull in the drink glass. This gives the look of trash sticking out of a trash can. Plus, the mix of yellow energy drink and Blue Curaçao turns the drink green, hence the Irish in the name!

What does it taste like?

It is a very sweet drink that tastes like the tangy and citrusy energy drink with a boozy kick, and sweet and fruity flavors from the peach schnapps and triple sec.

Why is my drink overflowing?

Because we're adding a whole can of energy drink, you want to make sure the serving glass is large enough, at least 16 oz. A large collins glass or pint glass works well. If there is too much liquid, alcohol, and ice, the drink will overflow as the energy drink empties into the glass.

Always use the smaller 8.4 oz can of Red Bull. If using Monster energy drink, which are typically bigger cans, I recommend pouring it into the glass rather than placing the entire can on top . Or, use a larger serving bowl such as a fish bowl.

How to serve

There are a few different and fun ways to serve this cocktail. The first is in a large cocktail glass, such as a pint glass. For this method you can either add the entire can of energy drink on top, as shown in the pictures. Or, simply pour the energy drink on top and serve with a straw and an optional slice of lemon or orange.

The second is to use a fish bowl or punch bowl. You'll sometimes find it served this way in bars or restaurants. This will most often have the whole can of red bull on top and use 1 to 2 oz pours of each alcohol.

Looking for More Fun and Festive Cocktails? Check These Out!

WANT TO JOIN THE PARTY? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow on Tik Tok, Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook for all the latest recipes!