Photo: The Wisest Wizards In 2010, Katy Perry’s “California Gurls” was the song of the summer, the iPhone 4 was cutting-edge smartphone technology, and oversized, camouflage-printed cans filled with hypercaffeinated super-booze were fueling New York’s party scene. Against all odds, that fluorescent drink — the notorious Four Loko — was completely legal and widely available, until it very quickly wasn’t.
Freeman: It was like cherry vodka. That’s what we were aiming at, though it didn’t come out that way. We had a close group of friends that were our quasi tasting panel/research group. It was really our friends and family that finally said, “This is kind of good, I might drink this, I might buy this.” And we’re like, okay, we finally got something that we think is palatable, and that we want to go to market with.
Freeman: One thing that most people don’t realize is every alcohol product is so highly regulated. First you have to get a federal approval, and then you got to get each state to approve it. We had gone through every single thing, and everyone was like, “Yeah, this is fine.” The government actually had a limit on the amount of caffeine you could have in the product. They gave us the red line. So we’re like, “Alright, so we’re good.
Josh Ostrovsky, a.k.a. The Fat Jew, Instagram personality and co-owner of Swish Beverages: I first heard about Four Loko because it was a great thing to drink if you were looking to make some memories and then immediately forget them. For me, growing up in New York in the 1990s, it was all about the 40-ounce, it was all about Mad Dog 20/20, it was all about Steel Reserve. And then, as we moved into the 2000s, the branding of Four Loko, I think, was just iconic. It popped.
Ryder Ripps, conceptual artist: It’s a good rooftop drink. Or, if you’re going to someone’s house party, instead of getting a tallboy, you got a Four Loko. The Fat Jew: I always felt like there was a Four Loko formula. One Four Loko meant you’d do something kind of stupid that was probably fixable in the morning. Two Four Lokos was a level that you chose to get on if you wanted to make some really questionable decisions.
In November, 2010, New York legislators — including Senator Chuck Schumer and Assemblyman Felix Ortiz — increased pressure to ban sales of Four Loko after a series of high-profile cases in which underage or young people were injured, including the death of an 18-year-old girl on Long Island and an incident during which 16 Ramapo College students were hospitalized in nearby New Jersey.
😂😂
GodComplexion
'They had a vigil in Union Square for Four Loko. We’re sitting there like, “What the hell is going on?” It just became surreal, like a dream. Am I going to wake up?'
sparks was better and for the first year in like 03/04maybe you could straightup drink it in class because it just looked like another energy drink.
jeffgerstmann
The Studs Terkel of our generation right here
NAShSatt
jonahallon
Meanwhile in 412, may the alliance of folks went to Prince of India for all you can eat Indian Balls and people who went to Prince of India for bootleg Four Loko after those BUREAUCRATS banned it forever stay strong.
joejanecek of course it was started by guys from OSU
asj519 Off a half a can you don’t stand a chance
Four Loko Gold is the worst drink I have ever had two of
If you've never tried this, I highly recommend you keep it that way
In 2015-19 I drank 4 or 5 of these DAILY. Got 567 days sober right now though.
CraigSJ Is this rt a recommendation Craig, cuz I just bookmarked this nonsense
ToastyRamirez
ElGatoDeFelix
These were great!
YungChad
One time I drink two cans... 🤦🏻
Last Loko I drunk was New Years 2012. drunk 1/3 of a can got sick threw up passed out on my parents couch never again
Please don’t.
They tried to make Four Loko illegal in Georgia-but that didn't work. Major grocery stores would not sell it but the small 'mom and pop' convienence stores did.
How that dangerous drink went into market still boggles me.
downright shameful that we weren't consulted for this piece courtneymaepdx maxaguirre5
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