The attention surrounding alcohol-infused products has not ended with the banning of Four Loko. Taking its place in the media spotlight is a new line of products dubbed “whipahol,” or vodka-infused whipped cream.
Public health officials and regulators fear that this new concoction will become a product that will appeal to young binge drinkers, according to an article by the Boston Herald. The Herald reports that a source at the Massachusetts Alcohol Beverage Control Commission informed them that regulators are going to keep a close eye on the product to make sure it is in compliance with state law.
However, the buzz surrounding this trendy new alcoholic product has not yet reached the level of controversy caused by Four Loko. Whipahols, which contain around 15 percent alcohol by volume and come in an aerosol container, have little in common with Four Loko besides the fact that both contain alcohol. Furthermore, whipahols contain no caffeine and cost considerably more than a Four Loko. A call to Liquors 44 in South Hadley revealed that a canister of “Cream,” a brand of whipahol, costs $12.99.
Some manufacturers of whipahols, like “Cream” and “White Lightning,” don’t feel as though their products get abused the way that Four Loko had been.
“It’s meant to dress up your cocktail, coffee, or dessert of choice,” said Chris Utter, the brand manager of Cream. Utter also iterated that Cream is not put out as a quick way to catch a buzz. The companies market the product with flavors such as cherry, orange, raspberry, chocolate, vanilla, and caramel to complement desserts and drinks.
Some University of Massachusetts students, such as senior communications major Pat Cain, say that the product is nothing like Four Loko. In a Wednesday interview Cain stated his belief that whipahol could never fill the void left by the banned beverage.
“I loved Four Loko because it was a quick, cheap way to get a buzz going,” he said, “This whipped cream stuff just doesn’t do it for me. [Because of] the fact that it’s whipped cream, I think people only like to have a squirt or two while Four Loko is a 20-ounce can of madness.”
Kate Welton, a senior social thought and political economy major, also cited the lack of caffeine in whipahol as a reason for its lacking popularity compared to the banned drinks, among others.
“I don’t think whipahol is comparable to Four Loko because it doesn’t have a stimulating agent other than sugar,” she said. “It’s only gaining popularity because it’s unique and cool to have. Also it’s expensive and out of most students’ alcohol budget.”
Lindsay Arduino, a senior economics major, stated her dislike of whipahols in general .
“The stuff is disgusting [and] I can’t imagine people going ‘loko’ for it,” she said. “Even the popular Boston sports blog Barstool Sports posted about whipahol saying, ‘There is no rhyme or reason to what is legal and what isn’t.’ If you ask me this is 100 times more dangerous than little old Four Loko.”
Although few seem to anticipate whipahol causing enough outrage to constitute a ban, Lauren Donahue, a senior journalism major, sees the media as a force that could potentially cause that to happen.
“I think the fact that [whipahol] over-covered in the media leads to exaggerated popularity and exaggerated views of its dangers,” she said. “It can’t be ignored that a major factor in banning FourLoko was the excessive media coverage it drew.”
Indeed, Donahue said that she had never heard of whipahol until she saw it covered on the news.
Alex Waldman can be reached at [email protected].
