Palcohol, a new powdered alcohol product that allows consumers to mix alcohol powder with liquid to create a cocktail, has been approved by the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. Lipsmark, the company that makes Palcohol, recently announced the news on its website.

“Imagine a regular margarita on a counter,” Palcohol founder Mark Phillips said in an interview with The Times last year. “Now imagine if you could snap your fingers and the margarita turns into powder. That’s what Palcohol is ... without the magic.”

Four varieties of Palcohol were approved Tuesday that use either powder from distilled vodka or distilled Puerto Rican rum. Powdered drinks include a cosmopolitan, mojito and a “Powderita” [Palcohol’s version of a Margarita]; A lemon drop variety has yet to be approved.

The powdered cocktails are meant to be mixed with water to create a cocktail. The powdered vodka and rum (which are being marketed as “V” and “R”) can be combined with a mixer such as cola or orange juice for a traditional mixed drink.


Phillips is keeping the production details a secret until they secure a patent.

Each pouch contains the equivalent of one shot of alcohol and around 80 calories.

The product was briefly approved in April, but a discrepancy on the product’s fill level [amount of powder in the pouches listed on the label] led the company to submit new labels, which have now been approved.

Last year, concerns were raised about people abusing (snorting) the product and smuggling it into areas where alcohol is not allowed. Phillips said, “Our concern is to promote the responsible and legal use of the product.”


Lipsmark expects Palcohol to be available to consumers by summer, and to be sold anywhere liquor is available in the U.S., abroad and online to people of a legal drinking age. Some states, however, are working to ban powdered alcohol.

The first round is on me. Follow me on Twitter @Jenn_Harris