The Y Bomb: The Deadliest Drink You’ve Never Heard Of

Have you ever thought to yourself: “I really want to drink something that’ll keep me up, and I also want it to be a challenge”? If so, then the Y Bomb is the perfect drink for you.

Also known as the “Snorkel”, “Missile”, and even the “Duikboot” (“submarine” in Dutch) in parts of Europe, the Y Bomb is a Florida State University classic. It is the epitome of a college town drink.

Writing about the Y Bomb might seem odd… we understand. But really it stems from the fact that your friendly creators of Bartending License Help are FSU grads. Call it a “passion project”.

The origins of the Y Bomb are disputed. An UrbanDictionary post from 2013 claims the Y Bomb is of Tallahassee origins, and some even credit Yianni’s, a local Tallahassee bar operating since the early 90s. However others have credited Chasers Bar and Grille in Madison, Wisconsin as the originator of the drink. 

Regardless of where the drink originated from, the Y Bomb is a simple and fun cocktail that every bartender should have in their repertoire. It isn’t a typical cocktail however, drinking a one combines shotgunning a beer with drinking a vodka Red Bull. 

To make a Y Bomb, all you need is one 8.4oz can of RedBull, and 1 shot (1.5oz) of vodka (some people enjoy using flavored vodkas). Simply punch a hole in the can of Red Bull, pour out about half, pour in your vodka, and shotgun away. You probably won’t be making any of these at any sophisticated bars, but if a patron is ever looking for a drink that’s a little off-beat, try surprising them with this Tallahassee classic.

What makes the drink “deadly” is the combination of alcohol and caffeine along with the rapid consumption of the cocktail. According to a Purdue University study, mixing alcohol and caffeine could mimic the effects of cocaine in adolescents. Maybe that’s why this drink is so popular in college towns?

How to make a Y Bomb:

Ingredients:

1. One 8.4oz can of RedBull
2. 1.5 oz of vodka (can be flavored or plain)

Steps:

1. Punch out a hole in the lower end RedBull can. The hole should be about thumb-sized.
2. Without opening the tab, pour out about half of the RedBull, make enough room to pour in about 1 shot of vodka.
3. Pour your vodka of choice into the hole of the RedBull can.

Enjoy!