A short-lived product that allowed people to purchase alcoholic slushies while on Instagram is now being investigated. The drink known as “Phrosties” is now being blocked and might be considered illegal.
The “Phrosties” arrived in New York via Instagram, offering the product at $10 a pop, with a long list of delicious sounding flavors like Irish Bomb, Hero, Dragonfruit Colada and La Phiesta.
As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. The beverage attracted major attention, and because of that the company is currently under investigation. During its short time in New York, the drink managed to get profiles on popular eatery websites like Grub Street and Swimmingly.
According to IBS Times , the State Liquor Authority and New York Senator Charles Schumer are currently directing their attention to the popular beverages . Senator Schumer even held a press conference to address the alcoholic slushies. The crackdown on the popular drink is because of its accessibility to minors. Also, it doesn’t seem to come with a label listing its contents either.
According to the NY Post , Schumer addressed the dangers of the alcoholic “Phrosties” if it got into the wrong hands.
“A 12-year-old can probably buy these ‘sloshies’ online, get it and enjoy it because it’s filled with fruit juice and fruit punch and all the things that taste sweet and nice.”
In what would have been the worst business move ever, Phrosties Instagram account was allegedly regramming photos of what appeared to be people under 21 enjoying the alcoholic beverage. Now, the Instagram account is all cleared out.
Throughout its brief time here, the Phrosties Instagram account gained 7,000 followers. Now the account only has 400 followers, and it deleted most of its photos and contact information.
The banning of Phrosties is spawning several unique responses across different social networking sites:
which brooklyn bar will be the first to offer phancy phrosties with organic moonshine? http://t.co/EwflyoJhRU
— matt (@mattbuchanan) May 27, 2014
First they came for the Phrosties, but I did not speak up because I do not have Instagram — Caroline Golum (@carolineavenue) May 27, 2014
New York doesn’t care about Phrosties or Nemos or Nutcrackers being sold to the kids. They just don’t like businesses without tax payments.
— RA$ THE RENEGADE (@AYATOLLAH_RAS) May 27, 2014
Some people had the chance to experience the beverage first hand and reactions vary.
Molly Fitzpatrick reviewed the drink on Swimmingly:
“We were tanked. I was gnawing chunks off a plain bagel that had been left out in the kitchen since morning.” She also said that the effects were “borderline hallucinogenic.”
New York magazine’s food critic Adam Platt described the drink and seemed to have a much tamer experience:
“This is just pure sugar and grain alcohol. It tastes like Kool-Aid-meets-Red Bull, mixed with 150-proof Everclear.”
At least it’s not alcoholic infused powder .
[Image via ABC]