Instant alcohol - just a dash of water with that

The US federal government approved this brand of powderized alcohol a few days ago, on April 8, 2014. It is one of seven approved labels.
The Palcohol website (since changed) used to say:

We’ve been talking about drinks so far. But we have found adding Palcohol to food is so much fun. Sprinkle Palcohol on almost any dish and give it an extra kick. Some of our favorites are the Kamikaze in guacamole, Rum on a BBQ sandwich, Cosmo on a salad and Vodka on eggs in the morning to start your day off right. Experiment. Palcohol is great on so many foods. Remember, you have to add Palcohol AFTER a dish is cooked as the alcohol will burn off if you cook with it…and that defeats the whole purpose.

Having caused  a little controversy with comments like that, the company is now taking a more measured approach to promoting its product.

Everything you need to know about Palcohol

1. Who created it? Mark Phillips. ...

2. Why? Mark is an active guy...hiking, biking, camping, kayaking, etc. After hours of an activity, he sometimes wanted to relax and enjoy a refreshing adult beverage. But those activities, and many others, don't lend themselves to lugging heavy bottles of wine, beer or spirits. The only liquid he wanted to carry was water.

So he thought? Wouldn't it be great to have alcohol in powder form so all one had to do is add water? Since powder is light and compact, it wouldn't be a burden to carry.

Mark searched for powdered alcohol and it wasn't available. So he began his quest to create it. After years of research, experimentation and consultation with scientists around the world, he finally came up with powdered alcohol and called it Palcohol. 

Now Palcohol is here. A great convenience for the person on the go. One package weighs about an ounce and is small enough to fit into any pocket. 

It's not just for the sportsperson. Palcohol can be transported in your luggage without the fear of bottles breaking. In any situation where weight and breakage is an issue, Palcohol provides the answer. That's why we say, "Take your Pal wherever you go!"

3. What is the alcoholic content when consuming it? Palcohol, when used as directed, by adding five ounces of liquid to it, is equal to a standard mixed drink. 

4. What's in it? It varies per version but basically, alcohol....and in the cocktail versions, natural flavorings and Sucralose as a sweetener. The ingredients of each version are listed on the front of the package. Palcohol is gluten free.

5. How is it made? If we told you, we'd have to shoot you. We are in the process of patenting it and it is currently patent pending. 

6. What flavors are there? We plan on releasing six versions sold in a pouch that is the equivalent to one shot of alcohol: 

• V which is powder made from premium vodka distilled four times.
• R which is powder made from premium Puerto Rican rum

V and R can be used two ways. One way is by adding five ounces of your favorite mixer to make a Rum and Coke, Vodka and Orange Juice, etc. Another option is adding five ounces of water to the powder and then adding a flavored drink powder to make it any flavor you want. The result is equivalent to one average mixed drink. 

The four cocktail versions are:

• Cosmopolitan
• Mojito
• Powderita - tastes just like a Margarita
• Lemon Drop

Just add water to these four flavors for an instant cocktail. 

7. Who owns Palcohol? Palcohol is owned by a privately held company called Lipsmark. There are no investment opportunities at this time nor do we plan on going public anytime soon. 

8. Are we looking for investors, distributors or employees? No, no and no but thanks for offering. For those people who want to sell it or buy packages of it, please subscribe to our mailing list to receive that information down the road. 

9. Where will it be sold? Think of Palcohol as liquor....just in powder form. It will be sold anywhere where liquor can be sold and a buyer must be of legal drinking age to buy it. It will be available both in the United States and abroad and it can also be bought online. 

10. Can Palcohol be added to food? Beer, wine and spirits are often added to dishes to enhance the flavor. When you add Palcohol to food, you're not really adding flavor to the dish, just alcohol. We've been experimenting with it like adding Powderita powder to guacamole, Cosmopolitan powder on a salad, V in a vodka sauce, etc. It gives the food a kick. 

As Palcohol is a new product, we have yet to understand its potential of being added to food. As always, please use it responsibly. Because it adds alcohol to the dish, do not serve the dish to minors.

11. Can I snort it? We have seen comments about goofballs wanting to snort it. Don't do it! It is not a responsible or smart way to use the product. To take precautions against this action, we've added volume to the powder so it would take more than a half of a cup of powder to get the equivalent of one drink up your nose. You would feel a lot of pain for very little gain. Just use it the right way.

12. When will it be available? We expect it to be for sale this fall. No samples will be released ahead of time.

14. What is the calorie content? Well, it depends on what liquid you add to it. The powder by itself is about 80 calories per bag. 

And lastly, we want to emphasize again, when Palcohol is available, to use it responsibly and legally.