How To Make a Flaming Moe
The Flaming Moe nearly bankrupted Moe's Tavern and ended Homer's friendship with his bartender. Good thing you're making this at home where the only friendship at risk is with your liver.
Quick Facts
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Difficulty: Easy (the hard part is not burning yourself)
- Servings: 1
- Fire Involved: Yes
A Note on Authenticity
Homer's original recipe called for whatever dregs were left in the liquor cabinet plus Krusty Brand Non-Narkotik Kough Syrup. That drink tastes like regret and purple.
This version actually tastes good while keeping the purple-ish color and, most importantly, the fire.
Ingredients
- 1 oz brandy
- 1 oz peppermint schnapps
- 1 oz sloe gin
- 1 oz blackberry liqueur
- 1 oz strawberry juice (or grenadine)
- 1/4 oz overproof rum (Bacardi 151 or similar, for the flame)
- Ice
Instructions
Step 1: Combine the Base
Add the brandy, peppermint schnapps, sloe gin, blackberry liqueur, and strawberry juice to a shaker with ice. Shake until cold.
The color should be a murky purple-red. If it looks like something you'd find in Moe's drain trap, you're on the right track.
Step 2: Strain and Prepare
Strain into a heat-resistant rocks glass. This is important. Regular glass and fire don't mix well.
Step 3: Float the Rum
Using the back of a spoon, gently float the overproof rum on top of the drink. Pour slowly so it sits on the surface rather than mixing in.
Step 4: Light It Up
Use a long lighter or match. The rum will catch a blue flame that dances across the surface.
Let it burn for 10-15 seconds max. Blow it out completely before drinking.
Do not try to drink it while it's on fire. This isn't Moe's Tavern and you don't have Barney's iron constitution.
Fire Safety (Seriously)
- Use a heat-resistant glass
- Keep the bottle of overproof rum away from the flame
- Have a lid or plate ready to smother the flame if needed
- Blow out completely before drinking
- Don't do this drunk
- Don't do this near curtains, hair, or flammable decorations
Tips
The sloe gin and blackberry liqueur give this drink its signature purple-ish hue. Skip them and you lose the visual callback.
Strawberry juice works better than grenadine for flavor, but grenadine gives you a deeper color. Your call.
If you want to skip the fire entirely, the drink still tastes good. It just won't attract Aerosmith to your home.
The Episode
"Flaming Moe's" (Season 3, Episode 10) sees Homer invent the drink using children's cough syrup as the secret ingredient. Moe steals the recipe, renames it, and turns his failing bar into Springfield's hottest nightclub.
The episode features Aerosmith, a Cheers parody, and Homer's revenge when he reveals the secret ingredient on live television: "Ordinary, over-the-counter children's cough syrup."
The whole thing is a friendship cautionary tale wrapped in a flaming cocktail.
More Springfield Drinks: Check out the Forget-Me-Shot for when you want to forget this whole experience, or pair your Flaming Moe with a Krusty Burger.
