While there’s nothing wrong with sticking with a classic vodka-cran, it can be fun to get a little experimental with cocktails. You could quite literally drink your way through the rainbow and barely even scratch the surface of all the unique cocktails you need to try at least once in your life. In the wacky world of interesting drinks, there’s a little cocktail named the Irish Trash Can that’s a big hit at St. Patrick’s Day parties and local watering holes alike.
An Irish Trash Can is a sweet cocktail that’s a combination of six different liquors: blue curaçao, vodka, gin, light rum, peach schnapps, and triple sec. The only mixer in this drink? A can of Red Bull. It’s fairly similar to a Long Island Iced Tea in the sense that it’s composed of majority liquor and only a splash of mixer, though with an Irish Trash Can you’re getting a mixer that has about three times the amount of caffeine than a Long Island Iced Tea. So, if you’re starting your night with this booze-packed beverage, be prepared that it’ll hit you fast and strong!
Where the Irish Trash Can gets its name
Despite its name, the Irish Trash Can isn’t Irish at all. Ask for it at an Irish pub and you’ll most likely get a funny look and a pint of Guinness instead. The name comes from the vibrant green hue the drink takes on once the Red Bull mixes with the blue curaçao. It’s called a “trash can” because of the sheer number of ingredients in the drink. The Irish Trash Can has become synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day, along with other Irish-inspired cocktails, though you might spot it at the bar down the street on a random Friday night, too.
To make an Irish Trash Can, grab a tall glass and prepare a fresh bowl of ice. Start by pouring in an ounce of blue curaçao, then add your ice. Follow this with one ounce of vodka, one ounce of gin, one ounce of light rum, one ounce of peach schnapps, and one ounce of triple sec. By the end, there should be a little space left at the top of your glass for you to top off with Red Bull. Some bartenders turn the can upside down and serve the drink as a visual masterpiece, but others simply pour in the energy drink and put the can aside. Don’t forget to stir the drink thoroughly and enjoy (responsibly, of course).
