The Alta Bomb
Written by Jake Kunst
October 10, 2026
Every great ski area is known for its rite of passage: skiing Corbet's Couloir at Jackson Hole, riding the highest incorporated lift in North America at Breckenridge, catching the Fingers on a pow day at Palisades. Each resort has its own unique qualification for becoming a tried and true "champion" of the terrain it has to offer. In Alta's case, many would say that catching a run down Alf Engen's legendary High Rustler at the end of a long ski day (aka the 4:30 High Boy) is the ritual needed to make one a bona fide Alta skier. It's hard to argue with this, and I wouldn't personally say you're wrong if you agree. I would, however, insist that there is another way to fulfill the Alta traditional rite, one that doesn't involve skiing at all: the Alta Bomb.
To the unknowing, the Alta Bomb sounds like a death-defying move straight out of an old Warren Miller flick, but I can assure you it does not require any acrobatics whatsoever. It does, however, require seven dollars and a trip to the Slopeside Cafe. The infamous Alta Bomb is a curious duo: a pint of PBR coupled with, drumroll please, a double shot of espresso. The proper way to drink it is the same as any other traditional "bomb" drink. Drink your PBR down to an amount where you can comfortably drop in the shot glass of espresso, and then chug away. It truly is a polarizing combination: a cold, carbonated beer mixed with a hot, frothy espresso that tastes like heaven to some and a nightmare to others. This unlikely combo has won the hearts of Alta's core community, but may seem like a waste of a good beer and espresso to a normal patio-goer.
I can confidently say that I am a fan of the Alta Bomb. My mother, a strong advocate for skiing unadulterated, may abhor this comment, but I have to argue that the drink is the perfect re-energizer for the 4:30 High Boy after a long day of skiing. As far as taste goes, I believe the two incredibly different drinks complement each other. Together, they combine to give off an intense coffee-flavored stout, but instead of giving you the chills, the mix creates a nice, warm, fuzzy feeling in both the mind and body. Those who aren't a fan say the combo has an unpleasant flavor, and while they are certainly entitled to their own opinions, I cannot personally find any common ground with that conviction. In their defense, they have still tried the Alta Bomb, and therefore have undergone the rite of passage.
If you are planning to ski at Alta this winter, I highly recommend paying the nice folks at the Slopeside Cafe a visit to get yourself an Alta Bomb. Love it or hate it, you will have immersed yourself in an age-old tradition that started off as a grassroots ritual known only to the Alta community. Please remember to drink and recreate responsibly. Multiple bombs can be a doozy, not just because of the alcohol, but because of the multiple (double) shots of espresso. Finally, if you aren't of drinking age (and trust me, the Slopeside Cafe will know), you can still find your rite of passage via the legendary 4:30 High Boy.
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