*By Max Godnick* Remember Four Loko? If you drank enough of the stuff, you might not. The caffeine-infused alcoholic beverage, sometimes referred to as a "blackout in a can," skyrocketed to popularity in 2010. Packaged in 24-ounce cans decked out in neon-colored camouflage patterns, the drink was loaded with three kinds of caffeine stimulants and 12 percent alcohol by volume. The party quickly ended when New York lawmakers pushed the company to change its formula after widespread health concerns and a surge in underage drinking. An 18-year-old woman in Long Island died after drinking Four Loko and 16 students at New Jersey's Ramapo College were hospitalized in incidents related to consumption of the drink. "You never really realized how drunk or impaired you were getting because the caffeine and all the other stimulants were kicking in and making it harder to judge your edge," said Maxine Builder, a writer for The Strategist, who reported an [oral history] (http://www.grubstreet.com/2018/08/the-oral-history-of-four-loko.html) of the drink for GrubStreet. The creators of Four Loko unleashed their high-octane recipe on the public in 2009 with flashy flavors like Fruit Punch and UVA Berry. The company's founders told Builder that their revenue went from $4.5 million in 2008 to as much as $150 million in 2010. The drink quickly became a staple of the New York social scene and college campuses. In her article, Builder describes how the Four Loko party ended in November of 2010, when the New York State Liquor Authority reached a voluntary agreement with its producers to halt shipments of the drink and end sales by December of that year. The FDA also warned consumers about alcoholic energy drinks and specifically mentioned Four Loko had "unsafe food additive." The drink remains on shelves nationwide, but without the caffeine. "You can still buy Four Loko," said Builder. "It's still there in bodegas in that big 24-ounce can." Four Loko's legacy is alive and well with the rise in popularity of other flavored malt liquors like Bud Light's Lime-A-Rita. It also has a nostalgic appeal for anyone who was in college in the late aughts and early 2010's. "You never name drop the brand of a beer or the brand of a vodka when you have a party," Builder said. "But you remember if you had a Four Loko party." For more on this story, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/how-four-loko-took-new-york-by-storm-in-2010).

Share:
More In Business
Starbucks’ Change Flushes Out a Debate Over Public Restroom Access
Starbucks’ decision to restrict its restrooms to paying customers has flushed out a wider problem: a patchwork of restroom use policies that varies by state and city. Starbucks announced last week a new code of conduct that says people need to make a purchase if they want to hang out or use the restroom. The coffee chain's policy change for bathroom privileges has left Americans confused and divided over who gets to go and when. The American Restroom Association, a public toilet advocacy group, was among the critics. Rules about restroom access in restaurants vary by state, city and county. The National Retail Federation says private businesses have a right to limit restroom use.
Trump Highlights Partnership Investing $500 Billion in AI
President Donald Trump is talking up a joint venture investing up to $500 billion for infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence by a new partnership formed by OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank. The new entity, Stargate, will start building out data centers and the electricity generation needed for the further development of the fast-evolving AI in Texas, according to the White House. The initial investment is expected to be $100 billion and could reach five times that sum. While Trump has seized on similar announcements to show that his presidency is boosting the economy, there were already expectations of a massive buildout of data centers and electricity plants needed for the development of AI.
Load More