Shots and shooters refer to small and potent alcoholic beverages that are meant to be drunk quickly in a celebratory setting. Shots traditionally referred to pure hard liquor in a shot glass, which was drunk quickly in order to make the potent alcohol less harsh on the throat, but nowadays there are hundreds upon hundreds of clever shots and shooters designed to delight and entertain as well as to intoxicate. Bar culture favors shots and shooters with lewd and offensive names, many of which are sexual in nature. An example of a creative, albeit potentially disturbing shot, is the "embryo" which is a shot glass full of vodka into which the bartender drizzles some tobasco hot sauce, which hovers in the center of the vodka in several red squiggles, hence, resembling an embryo.

In accordance with standard drinks practices, by which drinks of varying potencies are metered out in according volume in order to allow imbibers to better track their intake of alcohol and pace their degree of intoxication, shots are supposed to be one standard oz of any hard liquor. However, with the advent of entertaining bar shooters and creative concoctions, it is not unheard of for a shooter to actually contain over 1 standard ounce of one or more hard liquors. It is for this reason, in conjunction with the instantaneous manner in which shots are taken, that people drinking shots are particularly liable to lose control, overdose or become sick. Therefore, great care must be exercised when drinking shots, especially while mixing them with other types of alcohol.

In drinking culture, shots and shooter have a particularly celebratory association. It is common for people gathering together in honor of a great event, be it a graduation, completion of some difficulty, new baby, new house, new job, etc, to order shots and make toasts to mark the occasion.

Another popular way of drinking shots is known as a "boilermaker" or "beer bomb" among other names. This involves holding a glass of beer in one hand, dropping a shotglass full of liquor into the beer glass, and consuming the entire mess as quickly as possible. Popular variations include an "Irish Car Bomb" which involves a pint of Guinness into which a shot glass half full of Irish Whiskey and Bailey's Irish Creme liquer are dropped.

Shots and Shooters can also be regional creations meant to honor, mark and identify their provenance. Purdue is famous, for example, for its Boilermaker. Schools, sports teams, institutions and other groups may design and perpetuate their own signature shooter and drink them together as a means of team building or improving group spirit.