The Irish Trash Can drink is a potent mixture.
It’s big, blue and has a can of RedBull floating out of the top.
Ingredients wise, it requires a fair few spirits, but if you’re after a drink that packs a punch, this is it!
Below, you’ll find an easy-to-follow Irish Trash Can recipe along with a warning or two.
Some quick need-to-knows before making the Irish Trash Can drink
Before you look at how to make the Irish Trash Can, it’s worth taking 10 seconds to read the below points, first, as it’ll make the process a bit easier for you.
1. You don’t have to stick the can in
The Irish Trash Can drink is one that’s usually served up at parties and, to be fair, it looks kind of cool with the can sat on top. However, you can also just pour it in.
2. Pick premium gin and vodka, if you can
Gin and vodka make up a good chunk of this cocktail. If you can, avoid getting the cheapest bottles on the shelf as they tend to be more severe on the palate.
3. Garnish to taste
If you, like me, don’t fancy sticking the can of RedBull in the glass, you might want to garnish the glass with a slice of lemon (or a twist of lemon) to brighten it up a little.
Irish Trash Can ingredients
Photos via Shutterstock
There’s a lot of ingredients in the Irish Trash Can drink, but you should be able to grab most of them in any good corner store with a drinks section. You’ll need:
- 1/2 an ounce of gin (see our Irish gins guide)
- 1/2 an ounce of light rum (like Bacardi)
- 1/2 an ounce of vodka (we like Dingle vodka!)
- 1/2 an ounce of peach schnapps
- 1/2 an ounce of Bols Blue Curacao Liqueur
- 1/2 an ounce of Triple Sec (Cointreau also works)
- 5 ounces of RedBull
The Irish Trash Can recipe
Photos via Shutterstock
Although there’s a heap of ingredients, the Irish Trash Can recipe is very easy to follow and only takes a minute or so to get it ready to rock:
Step 1: Prep your (tall) glass
As there are a lot of ingredients in this Irish Trash Can recipe, you’ll need a nice, tall glass, then it’s time to chill!
You can pop it in the fridge for 10 – 15 minutes or you can 1/2 fill it with ice and then swirl the ice around the glass until the glass is nice and cool.
Drain out any excess water and then top up the glass with more ice until it’s 1/2 filled.
Step 2: Assemble your cocktail
Pour 1/2 an ounce of gin, 1/2 an ounce of light rum, 1/2 an ounce of vodka, 1/2 an ounce of peach schnapps, 1/2 an ounce of Bols Blue Curacao Liqueur and 1/2 an ounce of Triple Sec into the glass and give it a quick stir.
Step 3: Either stick in the can of RedBull or gently pour
So, the regular Irish Trash Can recipe involves resting the can of RedBull in the glass and letting the liquid slowly enter the mixture. It looks cool, as the yellowy-green RedBull starts to seep into the blue mixture.
However, you can also just gently pour the RedBull into the glass, and it’s just as good. Garnish with a slice or twist of lemon and you’re ready to rock!
Discover more Irish cocktails like this
Photos via Shutterstock
Looking to sip away on some other cocktails like the Irish Trash Can? Here’s some of our most popular drink guides to hop into:
- Best St Patrick’s Day Drinks: 17 Easy + Tasty St Patrick’s Day Cocktails
- 18 Traditional Irish Cocktails That Are Easy To Make (And Very Tasty)
- 14 Delicious Jameson Cocktails To Try This Weekend
- 15 Irish Whiskey Cocktails That’ll Tantalise Your Tastebuds
- 17 Of The Tastiest Irish Drinks (From Irish Beers To Irish Gins)
FAQs about our Irish Trashcan Recipe
We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘Is this cocktail very strong?’ to ‘Does the can have to be in the glass?’.
In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.
What ingredients are in an Irish Trash Can?
Is the Irish Trash Can drink very strong?
Irish Trash Can Recipe
The Irish Trash Can drink is one you'll usually see served up at rowdy parties. It's potent, high in caffine and it can be a bit messy, but it's a popular pre-going-out tipple.
Ingredients
- 1/2 an ounce of gin
- 1/2 an ounce of light rum
- 1/2 an ounce of vodka
- 1/2 an ounce of peach schnapps
- 1/2 an ounce of Bols Blue Curacao Liqueur
- 1/2 an ounce of Triple Sec (Cointreau also works)
- 5 ounces of RedBull
Instructions
Step 1: Prep your (tall) glass
Take a nice, tall glass and stick it in the fridge for 10 - 15 minutes. Or, if you're stuck for time, 1/2 fill it with ice and then swirl it around the glass until the glass gets chilled.
Step 2: Assemble
Pour your Irish Trash Can ingredients into your chilled glass (there's no order - just fire it all in) and give it a good stir.
Step 3: Introduce the Red Bull
Take your (clean!) can of Red Bull, open it and slowly tip it into your glass. When it starts to float in the mixture, take your hand away and it's good to go.
Notes
The Irish Trash Can drink is a potent mix, so please make sure to drink responsibly.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
16ozAmount Per Serving: Calories: 373
Keith O’Hara has lived in Ireland for 35 years and has spent most of the last 10 creating what is now The Irish Road Trip guide. Over the years, the website has published thousands of meticulously researched Ireland travel guides, welcoming 30 million+ visitors along the way. In 2022, the Irish Road Trip team published the world’s largest collection of Irish Road Trip itineraries. Keith lives in Dublin with his dog Toby and finds writing in the 3rd person minus craic altogether.