Food - Drink
What Was Aftershock Liqueur And Why Did It End Up Disappearing?
By AUTUMN SWIERS
With an electric hue, candy-like flavors, and gnarly ABV, Aftershock liqueur was the lifeblood of the early-2000s party scene, but today the infamous spirit has all but vanished.
Aftershock came in five flavors — cinnamon, citrus, berry, orange, and a Red Bull and apple combination — with cinnamon as the most popular thanks to its icy-hot sensation.
The liqueur was first launched by the Jim Beam group in the late '90s and quickly became popular as a late-night fuel, thanks to a marketing strategy targeting younger consumers.
The liqueur touted an extremely high ABV of 30-40% — comparable to a standard full-proof liquor — with a thick, syrupy texture and syrupy-sweet flavor to match.
There was even a rumor that the drink crystallized in the stomach and dissolved again before digestion, getting drinkers drunk twice, but the rumor was scientifically unsound.
After just a short while, Aftershock was discontinued in 2009. While no official reason was given, it likely didn’t stand a chance with caffeine alcohol like Four Loko on the rise.