What Energy Drink Had Alcohol in It?

October 21, 2025 •

4 min read

Before 2010, Four Loko was a notorious energy drink that had alcohol, along with a cocktail of stimulants, before a wave of controversy and regulatory action forced its reformulation. Its potent mix and brightly colored cans appealed to young consumers, leading to numerous health and safety incidents and attracting widespread public scrutiny.

Quick Summary

Several popular beverages, including the original Four Loko, Sparks, and Joose, once contained a potent and dangerous mixture of alcohol and stimulants like caffeine, taurine, and guarana. Health incidents led the FDA to classify caffeine as an unsafe food additive in alcoholic drinks, forcing these products off the market or compelling manufacturers to remove the stimulants in 2010.

Key Points

Four Loko is the most well-known example: The original Four Loko was a prominent caffeinated alcoholic energy drink that was banned and reformulated in 2010 due to health concerns.
Caffeine masked intoxication: The combination of caffeine and high-proof alcohol caused consumers to feel less intoxicated, leading to higher levels of consumption and increased risky behavior.
Federal action in 2010: The FDA ruled that caffeine was an unsafe additive to alcoholic beverages, forcing manufacturers to remove stimulants from their products.
Other drinks were also affected: Several other brands, including Sparks, Joose, and Tilt, were also part of the caffeinated alcoholic energy drink market and were either reformulated or discontinued.
Modern products have been recalled: A 2025 recall of Celsius energy drinks, due to a mix-up that resulted in some cans being filled with vodka, highlights ongoing risks with manufacturing processes.
Modern versions are stimulant-free: Today, many of these brands still exist, but they no longer contain the controversial combination of stimulants and alcohol found in their original formulas.

The Rise and Fall of the Caffeinated Alcoholic Energy Drink

The era of caffeinated alcoholic energy drinks (CAEDs) was a short but impactful chapter in the beverage industry, characterized by rapid popularity followed by significant public health concerns and regulatory bans. The most infamous of these was the original Four Loko, but it was not the only player in the market. The combination of stimulants and depressants created a unique and risky effect, masking the signs of intoxication and encouraging binge drinking among young adults.

The Original Four Loko and its Ingredients

Launched in 2005 by Phusion Projects, the original Four Loko was a malt beverage that quickly gained a reputation for its powerful, disorienting effects. The name "Four Loko" referred to its original four main ingredients: alcohol, caffeine, taurine, and guarana. Its alcohol by volume (ABV) typically ranged from 6% to 14%, depending on state regulations. A 23.5-ounce can of the original formula could contain as much alcohol as four standard beers and as much caffeine as several cups of coffee.

Original Formulations: The earliest versions even included wormwood oil, an ingredient famously associated with absinthe, before it was removed.
High Potency: The mix of high-proof alcohol and intense stimulants created a "wide-awake drunk" effect, where consumers felt less of the alcohol's sedating effects, leading them to drink more and engage in risky behavior.
Target Market: With bright, colorful cans and sweet, fruity flavors, the product was accused of marketing directly to young, underage drinkers.

Other Contenders in the CAED Market

While Four Loko dominated the headlines, it was not the only beverage manufacturer combining alcohol and energy drink components.

Sparks: This was one of the earliest entries into the market, introduced by MillerCoors. The original Sparks contained stimulants, which were removed following a settlement with attorneys general in 2008, well before the 2010 FDA action.
Joose: Manufactured by United Brands, Joose was another caffeinated alcoholic malt beverage that received a warning letter from the FDA in November 2010. Its recipe was subsequently reformulated to remove the stimulants.
Tilt: A product from Anheuser-Busch, Tilt was also a part of the trend and was discontinued before the official FDA ruling on caffeinated alcoholic beverages.
Core High Gravity HG: From Charge Beverages Corp., this brand also received an FDA warning letter in 2010 due to its combination of caffeine and alcohol.

Comparison of Early Alcoholic Energy Drinks


Drink Brand	Manufacturer	Notable Characteristics	Original Key Stimulants	Alcohol By Volume (ABV)	Fate in 2010	Status Today (Post-2010)
Four Loko	Phusion Projects	Infamous, high-potency, brightly colored can	Caffeine, Taurine, Guarana	6–14%	Reformulated, stimulants removed	Still sold, but non-caffeinated
Sparks	MillerCoors (Initially)	One of the original "alcoholic energy drinks"	Caffeine, Taurine, Ginseng	6–7%	Stimulants removed early (2008)	Discontinued (Anheuser-Busch removed product)
Joose	United Brands	Wide variety of flavors	Caffeine, Taurine	6–12%	Reformulated, stimulants removed	Still sold, but non-caffeinated
Tilt	Anheuser-Busch	Marketed as an alcoholic energy beverage	Caffeine	Unspecified	Discontinued	Discontinued

Why the Change? The FDA's Ruling and Public Outcry

In 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made a landmark ruling, declaring that caffeine was an "unsafe food additive" for malt alcoholic beverages. This decision followed widespread reports of alcohol poisoning, risky behavior, and death linked to the consumption of these products, particularly among young people. The core issue was that the stimulant effects of caffeine masked the depressant effects of the alcohol. Consumers felt less drunk and alert, leading them to consume dangerously high levels of alcohol.

The FDA's warning letters to manufacturers like Phusion Projects and United Brands effectively banned the sale of the original caffeinated formulas. This forced companies to either discontinue their products or reformulate them to remove the stimulants. Four Loko was back on shelves within weeks, but without the original mix of caffeine, taurine, and guarana. While the infamous "wide-awake drunk" formula is no longer legally sold, the product's legacy serves as a potent reminder of the dangers of mixing alcohol and high levels of stimulants.

Recent Incidents and Ongoing Risks

While intentionally combining alcohol and caffeine in a single beverage is now banned, recent events prove that accidents can still happen. In July 2025, several news outlets reported that certain cans of the non-alcoholic energy drink Celsius were mistakenly filled with High Noon vodka seltzer due to a packaging error. This incident resulted in a product recall, serving as a modern reminder of the ongoing risks associated with product mislabeling or manufacturing mistakes involving alcoholic beverages.

Conclusion

The history of alcoholic energy drinks like the original Four Loko is a cautionary tale about the dangers of combining stimulants and alcohol. The federal ban in 2010, driven by health and safety concerns, reshaped the beverage industry and underscored the serious public health risks associated with masking the effects of intoxication. While modern, non-caffeinated versions of these drinks exist, the infamous legacy of the "blackout in a can" remains a powerful lesson in responsible beverage manufacturing and consumption.

Longbranch Recovery: Alcoholic Energy Drinks – The Rise and Fall of a Dangerous Substance Marketed to Young People

Frequently Asked Questions

In 2010, the FDA issued a warning letter to the maker of Four Loko, declaring that the combination of caffeine and alcohol was an unsafe food additive. This action forced Phusion Projects to reformulate the drink, removing the caffeine, taurine, and guarana.

The stimulant effects of caffeine counteract the depressant effects of alcohol, making consumers feel less impaired than they actually are. This often leads to binge drinking, alcohol poisoning, and an increased likelihood of engaging in risky behavior, such as impaired driving.

Yes, several other drinks were part of the caffeinated alcoholic beverage trend, including Sparks, Joose, and Tilt, all of which were either reformulated or discontinued in response to regulatory pressure.

Yes, Four Loko is still sold today, but it is no longer the original caffeinated alcoholic drink. The current products are non-caffeinated malt beverages.

In July 2025, some cans of Celsius energy drinks were accidentally filled with vodka seltzer due to a manufacturing error involving a shared packaging supplier with High Noon Spirits, leading to a recall.

In the United States, the intentional mixing of caffeine and alcohol in malt beverages is effectively banned by the FDA's 2010 ruling. While some products with natural caffeine might still exist, the high-stimulant, high-alcohol formulations are illegal.

The potent combination of alcohol and stimulants delivered a unique buzz, while the sweet, fruity flavors and brightly colored packaging made them particularly attractive to college-aged and underage drinkers.