Trama

Moe claims a drink that Homer invented is his own, with the drink making the bar a local hot spot, but threatens his friendship with Homer.

Homer tells Moe the story of how he created a drink by combining several liquids (including cough syrup) and setting it on fire, which he called the "Flaming Homer." Moe serves the drink in his bar and quickly renames it the "Flaming Moe," insisting that he is the inventor rather than Homer.

After finding Lisa and her friends terrorizing Bart and Maggie during a slumber party, Homer gets out of the house quickly.

Going to Moe's Homer finds the establishment devoid of patrons and beer. Moe explains that as he was behind on payments, the distributor cut him off. When the subject turns to mixed drinks, Homer tells Moe about one he made once:

One evening while Patty and Selma were showing the family slides, Homer finds there's no more beer in the house. His remedy: mix liquor from all the other liquor bottles in the house. However, he accidentally ads some children's cough syrup. It tastes acceptable, but when the ash from Patty's cigarette falls in and ignites it, Homer finds that the fire makes it taste even better. Homer has dubbed the concoction a 'Flaming Homer.'

Moe decides to make some, and is impressed by how well it tastes. When a nearby bar patron claims that Moe's love-tester machine is busted, Moe gives him a free drink of the concoction. When the man asks what it is, Moe quickly chimes in that it's called a 'Flaming Moe.'

The drink soon turns Moe's fortunes around, and his bar soon becomes a major hotspot in Springfield. Upscale customers soon make there way there, and a waitress soon comes to work for Moe. Moe is also approached by a man from an establishment called "Tipsy McStaggers," who wants to buy the recipe for the Flaming Moe. When Moe refuses, the man sneaks one out for analysis.

Homer has been quiet about the situation for awhile, but after seeing Moe get popular and rich off a drink that he (Homer) made, Homer finally confronts his his friend. Moe claims that it's not personal, just business. Homer claims that in that case, Moe just lost a customer, and walks out.

Sometime afterward, the man from "Tipsy McStaggers" returns, willing to offer Moe $1million for the recipe. Moe refuses again, but the man says that he would be wise to take the offer, as the company has almost figured out the recipe, except for one ingredient.

Later on that evening, the waitress Moe hired tells him that he should take the offer, and give half the money to Homer, since Moe took advantage of him.

Listening to her, Moe calls up the representative from "Tipsy McStaggers" and is about to sign over the recipe, when Homer appears in the rafters of the bar, and reveals the secret ingredient to all as children's cough syrup. The rep then cancels the deal and leaves.

Shortly thereafter, every other place in town (now knowing the full ingredients list), is selling their own 'flaming' knock-off drinks. Moe's has lost it's popularity, and the bar is deserted once again. Homer goes to Moe, and the two make-up, with Moe serving Homer a 'Flaming Homer' on the house.