A Flaming Dr Pepper is a bar shot, not a soda: a shot glass of amaretto with a thin layer of high-proof liquor floated on top, set on fire, then dropped into half a glass of beer. The beer puts the flame out and you drink the whole thing at once. There is no Dr Pepper in it. It is named for tasting surprisingly like the soda, thanks mostly to the almond in the amaretto.
The usual ratio is three parts amaretto to one part high-proof liquor, per Wikipedia's write-up of the drink. Who invented it is disputed: Punch tells the story of Dave Brinks, who says he created it at the Gold Mine Saloon in New Orleans in 1986, while Texas A&M fans claim it for College Station. The no-flame version, amaretto dropped straight into beer, is usually just called a Dr Pepper shot or drop shot, and it tastes nearly the same without the fire.
This is the standard bar method, written up rather than one I have put through my own kitchen, and the recipe card leads with the no-flame drop shot because that is the version I would make at home. Lit high-proof alcohol is how people lose eyebrows. Please drink responsibly, and only if you are of legal drinking age.
Why does it taste like Dr Pepper?
Amaretto carries almond and a cherry-pit sweetness, beer adds bitterness and fizz, and together they land in the same neighborhood as Dr Pepper's dark-fruit-and-almond profile. That is the same almond note fans put on the 23 flavors of Dr Pepper list as "amaretto". If you want the real soda in a glass instead, the Dr Pepper cocktail and Jack and Dr Pepper both use it.
Frequently asked questions
Is there Dr Pepper in a Flaming Dr Pepper?
No. It is amaretto, high-proof liquor and beer. It is named for the taste, not the ingredients.
What is the difference between a Dr Pepper shot and a Flaming Dr Pepper?
The fire. A Dr Pepper shot, or drop shot, is amaretto dropped into beer. The Flaming Dr Pepper floats a layer of high-proof liquor on the amaretto and lights it before the drop.
Is a Flaming Dr Pepper safe to make at home?
It can be done safely, but it is genuinely risky: you are lighting a high-proof spirit in a glass. Keep the bottle away from the flame, use a heat-safe glass, keep a lid nearby, and if you have any doubt, make the no-flame drop shot instead.
What can I use instead of high-proof rum?
Any high-proof spirit that lights easily works for the top layer, but you only need it for the flame. Leave it out and you have the drop shot.
