Powdered alcohol: what it is and what it is eaten with

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

In this article, you will not find boring preachings and hidden advertising. Only interesting information for thinking about what powder alcohol is, where it came from and what kind of hype is brewing around it.

Even on the bottomless internet, there is not much information about powdered alcohol. Both domestic and American online media know little about him, so the information had to be collected bit by bit. Let's start with a little chemical introduction.

Powdered alcohol is a molecularly encapsulated alcohol. The powder produces an alcoholic beverage when mixed with water.

According to food chemistry expert Udo Pollmer (European Institute for Food and Nutritional Sciences in Munich), alcohol can be absorbed into cyclodextrins, a sugar derivative. Thus, they are encapsulated in small capsules and the liquid can be made into a powder. Cyclodextrins can absorb about 60% of their own weight in alcohol. The process was patented in the United States back in 1974.

Wikipedia

How harmful is dry alcohol to the body compared to regular liquid alcohol? There is no such information, as well as any global research on this topic. I hope that there will be chemists among you who will explain the structure of the powder and come up with their verdict with feeling, sensibly, with arrangement.

History

Powdered alcohol got its name from the English Powdered Alcohol, which means "powdered, dry alcohol". The term first gained widespread publicity last year when US upstart Lipsmark LLC announced its intention to begin selling "powdered powder" in the US market. The manufacturer managed to get preliminary approval from national regulators, although the permission was later revoked.

But Lipsmark LLC did not give up and in February 2015 achieved the green light for its products. Roughly the start of deliveries is scheduled for the coming summer. Remark: the authorities of individual states opposed the permission of the national leadership, imposing a ban on powdered alcohol at the local level.

Photo posted by @coup_aloop on Mar 23 2015 at 3:53 PDT

Although Lipsmark LLC cannot be called an innovator. Before the Americans, powdered alcohol was pushed in Germany, Japan, and the Netherlands. An interesting game was played out in the land of tulips. Several local students of the Faculty of Food Technologies of the Helikon Professional Institute realized that powdered alcohol does not fall under the laws that apply to liquid alcohol, and, accordingly, it can be bought even before reaching the cherished 18 years. It happened back in 2007. I have not been able to find more recent information on Dutch youth rescue. Apparently, the shop was closed due to the legislator's response or low popularity.

Palcohol

Palcohol is the common name for the Lipsmark LLC product line, which so far includes four varieties of drinks: rum, vodka, Cosmopolitan cocktails and Powderita. A little later, at least two more cocktails will be added. The powder is packed in bags in 29 gram portions. With the addition of 200 ml of water, one sachet gives one serving of a low alcohol drink. Although no one forbids stirring several doses to increase the degree.

According to the manufacturer, cheap powdered alcohol is the right alternative to the usual alcohol sold at concerts, in theaters and at any other public events at an unnecessarily high price. There is no need to cash in on the desire to relax! In our area, "alcopudra" should not arouse suspicion among the vigilant guards of nightclubs and police cordons, which could potentially be interesting.

Photo posted by thepartysnake (@thepartysnake) Apr 23 2014 at 12:55 pm PDT

But this position received sharp criticism in the American media, so Lipsmark LLC had to abandon it and come up with something else. Now Palcohol is positioned as a great way to relax for people from the world of amateur sports and outdoor activities.

There is no need to carry bulky breakable bottles and glasses with you, because small bags will not take up much space and will not be damaged on the road. I opened it, added water and ice and, if I didn't want to finish drinking, I glued it up again.

There is no limit to convenience! Again, with our traditions of immeasurable libation in the bosom of nature, such marketing also works.

Pros and cons

Of course, the appearance of such an ambiguous product could not but cause a storm of indignation and protests demanding a ban on the production of powdered alcohol. The manufacturer Palcohol understands the breaking of stereotypes and is trying in every possible way to calm the audience, refuting the most common myths that have shrouded in powdered alcohol. For this, the head of Lipsmark LLC even made a video in the spirit of MythBusters under the laconic but juicy title "The Truth About Palcohol".

The video is long enough, so I will put its essence on the shelves.

First, it comes down to moral and legal aspectspowdered alcohol:

• While the proponents of the prohibition of powdered alcohol never tire of repeating about its dangers, it would be useful for them to know the other side of the coin. Psychological research shows that a prohibited product is always in high demand. Prohibition is a vivid confirmation of this.
• By prohibiting Palcohol, the state creates and maintains an uncontrolled black market. The situation is comparable to the illegal trade in marijuana. A fifteen-year-old teenager will not be able to buy powdered alcohol on a par with liquid alcohol due to age restrictions at points of sale, but at the same time on the street he will calmly take "foolishness".
• In an attempt to "decapitate" Lipsmark LLC, the government of the country will lose a lot of money and will not receive significant tax deductions.
• Banning Palcohol will not solve the problem of alcohol abuse. It is necessary to educate the population of the culture of consumption of alcoholic beverages.
• No one has the right to impose on a person what to drink and what not to drink. The government should protect the rights of citizens, and not produce endless restrictions.

Further, we are talking about Palcohol itself, more precisely about its state of aggregation and methods of use:

• Do you think someone will sniff powdered alcohol like drugs to get drunk quickly? You lost your mind! First, it hurts. Alcohol will "burn" your respiratory system. Secondly, it is impractical. You will need to strain very hard (for about an hour!) To sniff out a portion equivalent to one shot of vodka. There is little alcohol in the powder, it is not a concentrated alcohol for dilution. So-so pleasure, it's easier to drink a glass in a couple of seconds.
• Powdered alcohol as a way to deceive everyone and everything? How to look! Palcohol has a volume of four times its liquid equivalent. Try to hide 100 ml of vodka and its dry counterpart - the latter is much more difficult to hide.
• A quick way to drink? By no means, only dissolving the powder will take about a minute. In the meantime, you pour out and fill Palcohol with water, someone nearby has time to pretty much get a lot of classic alcohol.

At the end of the speech, the speaker lists those that are not obvious for an ordinary person the pros of dry alcohol:

• We have already talked about the benefits for travelers. Light sealed packaging will not cause unnecessary trouble for those who want to relax with their favorite drink far from civilization.
• The hospitality and catering business will benefit from the low weight of powdered alcohol. Its transportation will be much cheaper due to less fuel burned. The question is especially relevant for remote resorts, where alcohol is delivered by air.
• Some ice cream makers are eager to expand their assortment with an unusual adult option. The simple addition of powder can attract new customers. Thus, business opens up very promising horizons for itself.
• Surprisingly, medical schools have expressed their interest in powdered alcohol as an easily transportable antiseptic.
• Already, livestock farms are looking closely at Palcohol, they are echoed by manufacturers of windshield wipers. There are opinions that powdered alcohol can act as a source of energy or fuel both in civilian life and in the military industry.

Since powdered alcohol is the most revolutionary product, its scope of application has no boundaries.

Conclusion

Surely, many readers of Lifehacker during the article remembered their youth or youth, which saw the boom of instant drinks with fruit flavors. There were few vitamins in them, or rather there were none at all - only dyes and flavors. But what was the effect!

Birthday was not like a holiday. Was boring, colorless, joyless.

Until Yupi came along! It's celebration and fun, Yupi!

Advertising from the 90s

A round of life has passed, and our children are faced with a new poisonous temptation that meets the norms of the time. It is not for nothing that powdered alcohol is replete with the names of glamorous cocktails, attracting the attention of the most active and daring part of society to experiment.

Plump is not cool. Everyone knows that. Mixing alcohol in a shaker is cool! Perhaps this is how the masters of manipulation of the consciousness of the masses will try to instill in us the fashion for powdered alcohol in the presence of a reliable patron.

Already in the Russian-language segment of the Web, you can find advertisements for the sale of the coveted sachets. They are rare and are unlikely to be in great demand due to the low awareness of the potential audience. If Palcohol is successful in the USA, there is no doubt that the fresh movement will spread here as well. It is difficult to say how the domestic legislator will behave in relation to a completely new product. Surely there will be entrepreneurs who will take advantage of the imperfection of the regulatory documents and try to “blow up” the market. In general, there is still a lot of ambiguity.

What do you think of the prospects for powdered alcohol? Have you ever tried it?