Like a margarita? Just pour the water on to the powder and stir

Powdered alcohol is now legal in the United States. The government Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Trade Bureau has finally given the go-ahead for four flavors of Palcohol - vodka, rum, Cosmopolitan, and Kamikaze, a.k.a. margarita.

Production on a commercial scale is yet to begin and already some state governments - Alaska, Delaware, Louisiana, Michigan, and Vermont - already banned its sale. Nearly half a dozen others are trying, reports Grub Street, including New York, where the Senate has already passed a bill.

Palcohol describes the bans as the result of the liquor industry being against it because they want to squash competition and protect their market share. "The liquor companies have lots of money to lobby for what they want and we are no match for their deep pockets. But should big money be allowed to make the laws?" says the company website.


The company intends that Palcohol will be made in two different formulations, a Beverage Formulation (ingestible) and an Industrial Formulation (non-ingestible).

Beverage Formulation: In its beverage formulation, Palcohol is for the legitimate and responsible enjoyment by lawful consumers and has several applications:

• Outdoor Activity Applications: Palcohol is a boon to outdoors enthusiasts such as campers, hikers and others who wanted to enjoy adult beverages responsibly without having the undue burden of carrying heavy bottles of liquid/

• Travel Applications: Similarly, adult travelers journeying to destinations far from home could conveniently and lawfully carry their favorite cocktail in powder format. Moderate quantities of flavored Palcohol products carried in resealable pouches are a fraction of the weight and bulk associated with traditional liquor packaging.

• Hospitality Applications: Because powdered alcohol is so light, airlines can reduce the weight on an airplane by serving powdered vs. liquid alcohol and save millions on fuel costs. An ice cream manufacturer wants to add Palcohol to their ice cream to make an "adult" version. A hotel in Hawaii is interested in powdered alcohol because it would save them so much on shipping from the mainland. That savings in shipping costs would be attractive to many resorts who rely on imported alcohol.

Industrial Formulation (non-ingestible): The industrial formulation, different from the consumer formulation, has many possible positive uses in industry. People have contacted us with several in mind. Of course, until Palcohol gets government approval, we can not know exactly what the applications will be. Examples include:

• Medical Applications: We've had medical personnel contact us about using Palcohol as an antiseptic, especially in remote locations where weight and bulk make it difficult to transport supplies. 

• Manufacturing Applications: Several companies have contacted us about using powdered alcohol in their business. A livestock supplement company wants to use it. A Swedish and a Canadian inquired about using it in their windshield wiper fluid. Because Palcohol is such a new and revolutionary product, there will probably many more uses discovered.

• Energy Applications: There has been a great interest in using powdered alcohol as a fuel source, from a lightweight alternative to powering a camping stove to an emergency fuel pouch for a vehicle. There is talk of multiple military applications from transport fuel to fuel in a soldier’s backpack.

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.