The Liqueur You Need For Adorable Mini Beer Shots

When hosting a party or gathering for your loved ones, presentation is a big part of the planning. This is especially true when it comes to alcoholic beverages, which should delight all the senses. In this case, there's a playful shot that offers the look of an ice-cold beer with the rich flavors of spicy vanilla and the perfect hint of citrus. The key is a type of liqueur known as Licor 43, which features the pleasing amber color of beer.

Because no beer is complete without a frothy head of foam (keep in mind that a foamy head being a bad thing is one of many common beer myths to disregard), you'll need another ingredient to complete the look of your mini beer shots. In this case, heavy cream is just the thing, as it will also imbue the shot with some pleasant qualities. Heavy cream features a high concentration of milk fat, which means that it's rich in both taste and consistency. That makes it a winning accompaniment to Licor 43, a liqueur with an equally rich history.

A product of Cartagena, Spain, Licor 43 gets its name from the 43 ingredients included in the recipe. These ingredients cover four essential flavor categories, which are sweet, citrus, botanical, and floral. The resulting flavor makes Licor 43 quite tasty on its own. However, the liqueur also meshes nicely with dairy, including milk and heavy cream, as well as coffee. That means Licor 43 can be incorporated into delectable dessert drinks, in addition to being perfect for creating mini beer shots.

Licor 43 is claimed to have roots in Liqvor Mirabilis, an ancient tonic banned by invading Romans when they overtook Carthago Nova, now known as Cartagena. Despite the ban, the making of Liqvor Mirabilis persisted, and the drink eventually evolved into Licor 43 thanks to the efforts of the Zamora family. The exact recipe remains a closely guarded secret, but the manufacturer has revealed a meticulous production process that includes steps like maceration, fusion, resting, cold treatment, and filtration.

While mini beer shots containing Licor 43 and heavy cream are easy to make, there is an art to the technique. Licor 43 tastes excellent chilled, so feel free to put the bottle in the refrigerator or freezer before serving. If you do place the liqueur in the freezer, be sure to remove it after about two hours or it may end up frozen. Once appropriately chilled, remove the bottle and bust out your shot glasses.

Be mindful of how full the shot glasses are, as you'll need to leave a bit of room for the heavy cream. While shot glasses come in a variety of sizes, 1½ ounces is a pretty standard serving. Regardless of the size of the glass, you can't go wrong by filling it until it's about two-thirds full. At this point, you can pour the heavy cream into the glass over a spoon, which will replicate the foam that customarily forms atop an ice-cold brewski. With Licor 43, you can easily whip up a flavorful shot that is sure to delight attendees of your next big bash.