Going for a hike with a pack of beer or a bottle of rum seems inconceivable given the additional weight to be carried. So since the start of the 2000s, several companies are trying to develop a new branch in the alcoholic beverages sector: alcohol in powder form. Intended for adults, these powders need to be diluted with water to transform into a glass of pure rum, margarita or beer. The American brand, Pat's Backcountry Beverages, already sells beer in sachets, to be dissolved in sparkling water to obtain a pint.
In Europe, Booz2Go and Subyou have already tried out sales of pre-mixers on the internet. Whilst Subyou alcohol powders are still on sale in countries such as Mexico, the brand has concentrated on energy drinks in the European Union. The problem with this type of product is the easy access to internet for minors, and the lack of regulations in European legislation, as these articles are not considered as alcohol.
The American company, Lipsmark, on the other hand is trying to obtain authorisations for sale of its "Palcohol" powders. This time, they are strong alcohols (rum and vodka) and cocktails that change consistency to slip into your pocket, whilst retaining the same concentration of alcohol as in a bar. The range is based on "V", premium vodka distilled four times, and "R", traditional rum from Puerto Rico. There are also four cocktails: Cosmopolitan, Mojito, Powderita (margarita) and Lemon drop.
The quirky communication campaign for the first version of the company's website sparked a controversy over the brand on the Web. After numerous press articles, it had to clarify certain points, such as sniffing the powder to get drunk faster. "In order to prevent this type of consumption, we have increased the volume of powder, so you would have to sniff more than half a cup of powder to obtain the equivalent of a glass", states the team on its website. Hoping to obtain the necessary authorisations to flood the American and international markets, Lipsmark plans to launch its "Palcohol" powders next winter in the USA.
*Photo from the Pat's Backcountry Beverages website: http://www.patsbcb.com/
**excessive drinking is dangerous for your health. Please drink responsibly.
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