Drink bombs are the general term for drinks that involve dropping a container of one or more ingredients into an existing beverage.

These types of drinks have been around for over a century. However, thanks to the internet, a new generation of drink bombs has arisen in non-alcoholic form.

Non-alcoholic drink bombs

Non-alcoholic drink bombs are modeled after bath bombs. They are spheres that “explode” when dropped in liquid.

hot chocolate bomb

Hot chocolate bombs are chocolate spheres filled with marshmallows and other ingredients dropped in hot milk. The sphere melts to release the “bomb” of ingredients into the drink. Then it is mixed and enjoyed.

These hot drinks became a “thing” in 2019 when they went viral on TikTok. Since then, recipes for hot chocolate bombs could be found all over the internet.

Looking for hot chocolate bombs? You can order them on Amazon here.

tea bomb

Tea bombs are the same concept as hot chocolate bombs but in tea form. You drop a sugar (isomalt) sphere containing a tea bag and other ingredients in boiling water and mix.

They were created as an evolution from hot chocolate bombs and became popular on the internet in early 2021.

Other versions of tea bombs include flower tea balls (a.k.a. blooming tea balls). These are spheres of edible dried flowers that bloom in water. These tea balls are often dropped into clear glass teapots so the “blooming” process is visible. If you’re looking for flower tea balls, you can order them on Amazon here.

Alcoholic drink bombs

Don’t get the drinks above confused with alcoholic drink bombs (a.k.a. cocktail bombs, bomb shots, drop shots or depth charges). These cocktail bombs are always made by dropping a shot glass filled with some type of alcohol in a larger glass filled with a much lower proof alcohol or non-alcoholic beverage.

Here are some of the most popular types of cocktail bombs:

Irish car bomb

Drop a shot of Irish cream and whiskey into a glass of stout.

Jäger bomb

Drop a shot of Jägermeister into a glass of Red Bull (or your energy drink of choice).

Sake bomb

Drop a shot of sake into a glass of beer.

Skittle bomb / Retreau

Drop a shot of Cointreau into a glass of Red Bull (or your energy drink of choice).

Kristina Reynolds

Kristina Reynolds is the Founder & CEO of Glutto and an alumna of the University of California, San Diego.  She writes articles & posts for Glutto Digest with insights from fellow industry experts.  Furthermore, she is the author of The Fittest Food Lovers: How EVERY BODY Can be Incredibly Fit and Still Enjoy Food, a collaborative philanthropic book with proceeds going to charities that fight world hunger.