Give a shot at the shotgun; beer head… bleep bleep bleep. Where’s the can? And who can make it before the shotgun explodes? All competitors, you ready?
How to shotgun a beer?
Does Shotgun Beer Taste Better?
Have you ever thought, why would you even shotgun a beer can? Saving on time, that’s easy to say, but what’s the rush?
When you pop open a can and drink it upside down, the bottom part usually tastes thicker and tangier. A shotgun can, on the other hand, balance out this change of taste. Better still, if you shake the can before drinking, the carbonation is homogeneously dispersed without worrying about the beer head.
Another reason might be by drinking downside up; the beverage flows smoothly without the chug volumes hitting up fast. If you can shotgun a can perfectly, it can be depleted within 5 seconds flat!
Emptying a beer can from below essentially means that you are gravitating toward the beverage. Creating a gravitational pull with an aperture at the bottom has to do with its alcohol content. The fermented barley drink is broadly classified into strong and light/session categories. The strong stuff consists of a higher alcohol content, and so its density difference is greater. So, it’s called high-gravity beer.
Stronger beers are lighter in density (but the intoxication is stronger). Alcohol floats over water and mixes up when stirred. The watery part consists of hops, malts, and other compounds created in the fermentation process.
When you drink a ‘strong beer’ from below, it tastes lighter (the water comes first), so you can drink more of it.
Beer Can Shotgun Process
It’s easy, but at first, you might need some practice. The basic idea is to set a small opening at the base in such a way that the air bubble inside the can does not obstruct it.
How to shotgun a beer?
Step 1: Place the can horizontally
Beginners would need a flat surface to place the can before making it drinkable. A pro can shotgun a can by imagining a flat surface in the air. Remember, it has to be perfectly horizontal. Any lateral shift will cause a gravity distortion, and the air bubble will inevitably block the opening. Hold it steady.
Step 2: Feel the air bubble
Just to be sure, you need to feel the air bubble, which will be typically at the front part, near the tab. Place your finger there with the hand that you are not using to make the opening. Keep your finger steady, and apply slight pressure. This point acts as the fulcrum as you move on to the next step. Again, an expert can arrange her fingers to do it without the support of a solid base. But, in the beginning, you must practice on a flat surface.
Step 3: Decide on the shotgun point
You will have to imagine a straight line from the point where your fulcrum finger rests down to the bottom edge of the can, just above the rim. The opening will be slightly higher than the bottom rim, approximately half inches above. The beer that is supposed to flow freely might not get enough pressure from the base of the can if the opening is exactly at the edge of the bottom rim.
Step 4: Make a slight lateral slit
Most people think that they have to create a dime-sized hole. Wrong! It would be too large, and you will only waste the beer. Focus on the depth of the proverbial dime (in between the flat surfaces) to understand the extent of the aperture.
You don’t have to create an opening so wide that the beer will spill from the edge of the mouth. Keep it simple. You can use your nails, or a sharp metallic object will do. Car keys and pocket knives are usually the best instruments to get this done.
Drinking from the Shotgun Can
Now that your can is ready, here’s how to shotgun a beer. Hold the can with both hands. Use the right hand to support the back of the can. This is the same hand with which you set the fulcrum point above. The other hand will also be at the back, just behind the lateral slit you made.
The technique is to place your lips at the slit first by slightly lifting the can. Use your top hand to lift the can. The beer should be flowing without any spillage. Now, when you drink the beer, lift the can from horizontal to vertical at the same pace.
To enjoy beer from the downside and fast, you will have to open your throat. Apply suction with your lips, and your throat should follow the rhythm.
Want to take a break?
Simply place a finger at the aperture, carefully parting your lips, and catch your breath.
As you drain the beer can empty, you will have to tilt your head slightly backward so that the liquid flows freely.
Cheers!!!
A Few Tips on Responsible Beer Drinking
Most shotgun macho clubs focus on drinking as much beer as they can since this process is a shortcut to drinking beer without the alcohol coming up first. Apparently, more of it can be consumed.
Well, don’t push it.
You were warned.
When you are competing, you probably will keep in mind that more of the fermented beverage is equal to more dissolved carbon-di-oxide count in your bloodstream.
Carbon-di-oxide (CO2)
It is toxic, and an escalation of even 0.5% in your blood can lead to nausea, headaches, drowsiness, and even fatalities. It is better to try your beer competition at a bar with CO2 sensors and alarms.
Listen to the bar girl. She knows it best when to warn you, lest you black out from carbon-di-oxide poisoning. It is a usual misconception that beer is a relatively safe drink, and you can keep drinking it as much as you want.
Hell, even too much coffee can be harmful!
It’s good to listen to the warnings when they still count. Your arrogance at the counter won’t sustain when you pass out and have to depend on the management to decide what to do with your senseless body.
Before everything, make sure you are of the drinking age and have the required ID proofs.
Ready for the shotgun?
Boom!
David is a well-known news writer, investigative journalist, and author, featured on CNN, MSNBC, and ABC News. His work focuses on truth and justice, tackling societal issues directly. Through clear investigations and compelling storytelling, he challenges the norms of journalism.
