Before I became a writer for Master of Malt, I was a bartender at a pub in Maidstone. We didn’t have Baby Guinness on the menu.
That didn’t stop us from serving them regularly, however. In particular, one bartender was famous (or infamous if you were counting stock) for serving them to staff who had finished their shift. Or for those on a night out. It was rare that either group ever even ordered them. Nobody complained.
I always get nostalgic for those days when I see a shot of Baby Guinness. Which is frequently. The drink has exploded in popularity in recent times. With good reason.

Baby Guinness, anyone?
Why we love the Baby Guinness
The Baby Guinness has one major asset: it tastes nice. Let’s face it, most shots don’t. They’re karmic punishments. Borderline forfeits.
A straight gut punch of Tequila after too many drinks already (please start treating Tequila better). A liqueur drowned in an energy drink. Let’s be honest, energy drinks have improved very little other than the standard of football in provincial Germanic cities.
You’ll notice that if you order a round of Baby Guinness, other people will too. It’s not just tasty, but it has the key novelty factor from its Guinness-style appearance.
Plus, it has a skill factor built in. It’s not exactly rocket science, but you need to create a separation between the two ingredients or the drink falls flat. The first couple of times you make one, you’ll probably mess it up. But that only adds to the fun, particularly in a group setting.

The Baby Guinness is typically made with Kahlúa and Baileys*
What is a Baby Guinness made of?
Anyway, I’m getting ahead of myself. You need to know what a Baby Guinness is.
Simply, it’s a layered shot that resembles a miniature version of the classic Guinness stout. And it’s made with two ingredients:
Kahlúa (or another coffee liqueur) – This forms the “body” of the shot, mimicking the dark colour of Guinness.
Baileys Irish Cream (or another Irish cream) – Poured carefully on top to create a frothy, creamy “head” resembling the foam of a pint of Guinness.
The ratio of coffee liqueur to Irish cream isn’t usually measured to an exact degree; you basically eyeball it to mimic the pint. Generally, it’s around three-quarters coffee liqueur, one-quarter Irish cream.

The shot mimics the appearance of a classic pint of Guinness
How do you make a Baby Guinness?
To make it, pour the Kahlúa (or alternative coffee liqueur) into a shot glass, then layer the Baileys on top by pouring it over the back of a spoon for a smooth separation. That separation is key; it’s what gives it the shot its novelty, fun appeal. The fact that it’s basically coffee x cream in terms of flavour takes care of the rest.
There is no Guinness stout involved at all. This is not “a wee Guinness”. Order that and you’ll probably get a half pint. With a logo on the foam.
Making a layered Baby Guinness shot can seem a bit intimidating if you’ve never done it before. But it’s pretty easy to get the hang of once you’ve tried it a couple of times. Here’s some pro-tips to help (plus a video).
3 top tips for crafting the perfect Baby Guinness
1. It’s all in the pour
Patience is key. The first mistake is to overdo it with the coffee liqueur. Add it to the glass with a smooth rhythm so it doesn’t splash about, and make sure to leave room for the “head” (the cream liqueur). Then pour the cream slowly and gently. Don’t add it from too high, that can cause it to sink. Your speed pourer/lip of the bottle should be centimetres from the spoon, which should be glancing the rim of the glass.
2. Use the back of the spoon
Some people pour the cream from an exact angle or favour a narrow spout (such as a bottle of Baileys with a fine pourer) to create separation. But keep it simple, stupid. Hold a spoon upside down just above the surface of the liqueur and slowly pour the cream over the spoon’s back, allowing it to gently cascade onto the coffee liqueur without disturbing the layers.
3. Chill everything in advance
A neat pro-tip is to make sure your glass and ingredients are thoroughly chilled before serving. This a) makes it extra delicious and refreshing and b) helps enhance the contrast between the dark liqueur and creamy top.
Bonus tip: have fun!
Outside of that, don’t be afraid to play around and experiment. We use a drop of Frangelico at my local to add some nuttiness (we call the shot a “Snickers”), but there are all kinds of directions you can go in. Try it with a shot of Tequila-based coffee liqueur, perhaps, like VIVIR Café Coffee Liqueur, or a Chocolate Rum Cream Liqueur.

The perfect shot? It’s about the closest thing to it we reckon
Recipe for the perfect Baby Guinness
Time to make the perfect Baby Guinness. Here are the bottles I’ve been going to on my bar lately. The better the ingredients, the better the cocktail. I also used some Buffalo Trace Bourbon Cream recently, but it’s not Irish, and we are in Guinness territory here after all.
Ingredients:
- ¾ part Black Twist Irish Coffee Liqueur or Café Solo Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur.
- ¼ part Five Farms Irish Cream Liqueur or Coole Swan Irish Cream Liqueur.
Method:
- Pour your coffee liqueur into a chilled shot glass.
- Lean an upside-down spoon against the rim of the shot glass, then slowly pour the cream liqueur over the back of a spoon to float it gently across the top of the coffee liqueur.
- Repeat several times to share the love with good company.
- Say “Sláinte!” and enjoy!
*Image credit: creativeculinary.com