Analog photographers love trying new and unusual things. Whether it’s shooting on expired film, skipping film altogether, or developing film using odd ingredients. Sweet Lou Photography opted for this last type of experimenting and developed his film inside a Jägerbomb. Did it work?

For those who have not had the displeasure of drinking a Jägerbomb, it is a bomb mixed drink that combines a shot of the alcoholic German digestif, Jägermeister, into an energy drink, typically a Red Bull. This is not Sweet Lou’s first rodeo with using an energy drink concoction to develop film, either, as he successfully developed film using G-Fuel a few years ago.

This time, as spotted by DIY Photography, Sweet Lou’s “drunken darkroom” escapades used nearly 500mL of Red Bull, one shot of Jägermeister, a tablespoon of vitamin C powder, and 3.5 tablespoons of washing soda. Plus, in Sweet Lou’s words, “prayers” to the “god of tones.”

“The microplastics in my bloodstream practically demanded that I developed black and white film using one of the most cursed beverages of my college years: the legendary Jägerbomb,” Sweet Lou says.

Sweet Lou took his Fujifilm GA645Zi, loaded with Ilford HP5 black-and-white film, and shot his friends performing in the band Durieux.

The photographer says that Ilford HP5 has proven to be a relatively reliable choice when it comes to developing in “non-traditional developers,” including G-Fuel and Hard Mountain Dew.

After combining the ingredients listed above, sans the Jägermeister, and heating to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), the developer is nearly ready. Then it’s time to emulate the Jägerbomb experience by dropping a shot of Jägermeister in last and then agitating the solution for almost 18 minutes. However, Sweet Lou recommends photographers who “hate themselves” and want to try this at home develop their film for less time.

Although the photographer admits that he “overcooked” his development, the results are not bad, albeit very grainy. The Jägerbomb developer definitely works, although the final results are “kinda gross to handle.”

And, of course, photographers not of legal drinking age in their area should not try this experiment. Developing black-and-white film with coffee is a better option for younger analog photographers. As a bonus, it should smell better.

Image credits: Sweet Lou Photography (Instagram, YouTube)