Apenshot
The Brabant shot that brings banana and licorice together. Everything you need to know about the alcohol content, sizes, how to serve it ice-cold, and the right glass.
Banana and licorice in one shot glass
Apenshot is a Dutch shot made by ABND Drinks Company in Breda. The combination is unusual: banana and licorice, two flavors you wouldn't normally expect to find together in a bottle. In practice, the soft, creamy banana complements the salty edge of the licorice, making the overall taste sweet without becoming syrupy.
At 14%, Apenshot has a low alcohol content for a shot: Dropshot is 20%, Kleiner Feigling is 20%, and Jägermeister is 35%. The low percentage is intentional, since the bottle is meant to be passed around. It also makes a difference to the taste: the lower the percentage, the more the banana and licorice come through instead of the alcohol.
In brief
Apenshot and similar shots
Apenshot comes in one flavor and three sizes. These other Dutch shots are the closest in style.
Apenshot
The standard bottle: banana and licorice, smooth and sweet. Put it in the freezer for a few hours to make it syrupy and much less sweet.
Apenshot 3 liters
The party-size three-liter bottle. Enough for over a hundred shots; just make sure to chill it, because it won't fit in most people's freezers.
Apenshot minis
Eight 2 cl mini bottles. Handy for sharing, taking along, or adding to a gift set.
Dropshot
The best-known Dutch licorice shot, without banana and considerably stronger at 20%. This one should also be served ice-cold from the freezer.
Flügel
Vodka with energy drink in 2 cl bottles, at 10%. Sharper and more sour than Monkey Shot, and the best-known little bottle in Dutch bars.
Monkey Shot if you want something sweet and smooth; Dropshot if you’re mainly after licorice.
Smooth banana with a salty hint of licorice
Banana & licorice
Ripe banana up front, with sweet licorice underneath. Smells sweeter than it tastes.
Sweet and creamy
Full and smooth, almost creamy, with banana and a salty hint of licorice coming through at the end. At 14%, the alcohol is barely noticeable.
Short and sweet
Short, sweet finish with a slight salty edge from the licorice. Served ice-cold, that edge is stronger and the sweetness is lower.
Monkey Shot flavor profile. Dropshot scores lower on fruitiness and higher on strength; Flügel is much more sour and less sweet.
Three ways to drink Monkey Shot
With a sweet 14% shot, temperature makes all the difference. Straight from the cupboard, it’s syrupy sweet; from the freezer, it’s much better balanced.
Ice-cold from the freezer
Put the bottle in the freezer for at least four hours and pour 2 cl into a shot glass. The cold makes it thicker and brings out the salty licorice more, while reducing the sweetness. This is how it was made to be drunk.
Glass: shot glass →With cola or Sprite
4 cl Monkey Shot with 150 ml cola or Sprite over plenty of ice in a highball glass. The banana remains easy to recognize and the whole thing becomes lighter; a great way to finish a bottle with more people.
Glass: highball glass →With milk as a dessert shot
3 cl Monkey Shot with 3 cl cold whole milk in a small glass, stirred briefly. The banana makes it creamy, and the whole thing tastes almost like a milkshake. Surprisingly good after a meal.
More shot recipes →Shots and cocktails with Monkey Shot
Shots
The complete collection of shot recipes, from layered to ice-cold from the freezer.
Jägerbomb
A shot glass dropped into a glass of energy drink. Works with any sweet shot.
Apple pie shot
The Dutch dessert shot with apple and cinnamon. Same idea, different flavor.
Rocket
Three colors in one glass, like the popsicle. Fun to experiment with.The right glass for Apenshot
A straight-sided shot glass that can take a knock, because more glasses get knocked over at a party than you'd think. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.
Everything else you wanted to know about Apenshot
Can't find your question here? Check out our cocktail recipes or get in touch.
See the cocktail recipes →What percentage alcohol does Apenshot contain?
What does Apenshot taste like?
Should Apenshot go in the freezer?
Who makes Apenshot?
How many shots do you get from a bottle?
How long does an opened bottle of Apenshot keep?
Buy Apenshot
Want the bottle delivered straight to your home? Order Apenshot online at Gall & Gall.
Prices as of November 3, 2026, as reported by Gall & Gall. You can check the current price and availability at Gall & Gall. Glazen.nl receives a small commission if you buy something through these links; you pay nothing extra. No 18, no alcohol.
