Alcohol has managed to find itself mixed with a number of different drinks, such as coffee. However, a recently popular option these days is the “alcopop”. These drinks can be an appealing choice for drinkers, especially if you’ve got a bit of a sweet tooth…
Alcopop: Sweet and Boozy
What are they?
Depending on where you’re from, you might not be familiar with the term alcopop. In fact, many in the alcohol industry don’t even use the phrase themselves. Instead, members of the public use the term as a sort of catch-all for a specific type of drink. Usually, it’s for single-serving drinks with about 4-12% ABV, mixed with sweet drinks like soda or juices.
There’s many different kinds of alcopop out there. For example, wine coolers are a blend of wine and juices or soda, making them fit the bill. The same goes for drinks like hard lemonades and other malt liquor-based mixes. There’s even spirits-based options, which are basically like cocktails in a bottle or can.
Who drinks them?
An alcopop can appeal to many different kinds of drinkers. For starters, they’re a good choice is you like a little something sweet in your drinks. Still, even those who are fans of these drinks mention they can only drink a few before the sugar becomes too much. If you’re not big into sugary drinks, then these might not be up your alley.
Initially, when alcopops were first introduced, they got a reputation as being “girly” drinks. As a result, many older, male drinkers will avoid these drinks. However, these days, they’re becoming much more popular with both younger men and women, especially in college scenes.
Controversies
While the alcopop idea is relatively new, it hasn’t been without controversy. Many times, there drinks are so sweet, it’s hard to tell they have any alcohol in them. Combined with their bright colors and initially low prices, many critics felt that these drinks appealed directly to underage drinkers.
As a result, many countries began introducing some changes. Labels on these drinks now make it much more clear that they contain alcohol. Additionally, the prices of these drinks also increased as they became classed with other alcoholic drinks. These measures have helped to keep these drinks out of the hands of those who are underage.
