About Time You Tried: Powdered AlcoholBy Rosie Crossman
A few months ago, American entrepreneur Mark Phillips was granted a license to market alcohol powder in the U.S. Since the announcement, Palcohol has received a lot of negative media attention. But is the Palcohol concept a fad (and a dangerous one at that) or are the creators touching at brilliance?
Powdered Alcohol: The Idea
The concept is simple: Add water to a sachet of powder, shake and enjoy. The range includes ‘V’- vodka and ‘R’- Puerto Rican Rum, as well as four pre-mixed cocktails; Cosmopolitan, Mojito, Powderita (Margarita) and Lemon Drop.
Powdered Alcohol: The Benefits
The founders of Palcohol have produced a formula with the potential to relieve exhausted trekkers, explorers and even perhaps astronauts. Indeed, even airlines are curious to eliminate their liquid booze weight and reduce fuel usage.
Back down on Earth, cocktails are not budging from the limelight – Palcohol could be the inevitable next step. Just as there is space for fast food alongside mind boggling gastronomy, perhaps there is a gap for Palcohol alongside masterful mixology.
Powdered Alcohol: The Flipside
As with all white powders concerns over mishandling are rife. Apparently there is an immense temptation to by-pass the water and sniff the booze through a crisp bank note. Despite these concerns, due to the relatively large amount of powder per shot of booze, it would take an hour to sniff a shot. Even the most determined snorters are likely to get bored.
Powdered Alcohol: The Possibility
As far as safe drinking concerns go, Palcohol makes portion control easy. Unlike free pouring from a trusty bottle of vodka, one packet equals one shot, simple. With only 80 calories per sachet, Palcohol emits two thirds less greenhouse gases during transportation, making it practically guilt-free refreshment.
What is most exciting about Palcohol is it’s potential to cure and sanitise. Humanitarian charities have picked up on the idea and industrial alcohol is now being formulated. Powdered alcohol based antiseptics are easily transportable and could be a lifeline in war torn nations.
Powdered Alcohol: Our Verdict
What the critics seem to have missed is the real concern; smuggling. Will Class A bandits be able to conceal other illicit substances in the Palcohol wrapper, allowing them to pass into festivals and through airport security?
We can’t wait to get our hands on what could be the adult take on a Sherbet Dip Dab, the pot noodle of the booze world. Now don’t get us wrong it is unlikely that we will be sprinkling a sachet over our porridge as an early morning sharpener, but could dehydration be the new way to ensure a little light rehydration?
Palcohol will go on sale in Autumn in The States – UK watch this space…
