Kool-Aid
A powdered drink mix that dissolves into a sweet, fruit-flavored beverage.
Origin
The United States, invented in 1927 by Edwin Perkins in Hastings, Nebraska, as a powdered version of his earlier liquid concentrate "Fruit Smack."
History
Edwin Perkins developed Kool-Aid in 1927 by figuring out how to remove the liquid from his existing "Fruit Smack" concentrate, leaving a powder that was far cheaper to ship and store, a innovation that helped it survive and thrive through the Great Depression as an affordable treat. It became a defining American childhood drink through the 20th century, and its cocktail use is largely playful and nostalgic, mixed with vodka or other neutral spirits in novelty "Kool-Aid"-themed party drinks and jungle juice-style punches.
Flavor profile
Intensely sweet and artificially fruit-flavored, varying by the specific flavor packet used.
Tasting notes
A bold, candy-like sweetness in whatever flavor and color the packet delivers, used in cocktails mostly for nostalgic, playful appeal rather than any serious mixological purpose.
Substitutes
- A different powdered drink mix brand, since the category is broadly interchangeable.
- A homemade juice-and-sugar blend, for a more natural-tasting approximation.
- Flavored syrup mixed with water, as a from-scratch substitute for a specific flavor and color.
