AG Coakley Calls on Pabst Brewing Company to Stop Selling or Alter New Product Blast by Colt 45
Known as “Binge-In-A-Can,” Drink Offers Equivalent of Five Beers in One Serving
(Boston, MA) – Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, along with 18 other Attorneys General, today called on Pabst Brewing Company to stop selling or alter its new malt drink beverage, Blast by Colt 45, because of its high alcohol content and marketing tactics. The drink, known as “binge-in-a-can,” offers the equivalent of five beers in one serving. The Attorneys General also are concerned that the product is being marketed and packaged in a way that targets underage youth.
Earlier this month, Pabst introduced its Blast by Colt 45 as a flavored malt beverage in fruit flavors of grape, strawberry lemonade, strawberry watermelon, and blueberry pomegranate, with an alcohol concentration of 12% in brightly colored 23.5 ounce single serving cans. This means that each single serving contains the equivalent of nearly five servings of alcohol. Anyone who consumes a can of Blast within an hour will have engaged in binge drinking as defined by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Attorneys General are concerned that its marketing of the product targets underage youth. As part of its marketing, it has enlisted celebrity hip hop/rap music artist Snoop Dogg, and Blast is being promoted largely through social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Pabst is also marketing the product through launch parties, some of which are designated as 18 plus.
“At a time when we’re fighting to prevent underage drinking and binge drinking, we are urging Pabst to rethink the dangers posed by Blast,” said AG Martha Coakley. “We also believe the promotion of this ‘binge-in-a-can’ is aimed at the youngest of drinkers as well as underage youth.”
Last fall, after urging by Attorneys General and a review by the Food and Drug Administration, the popular alcohol energy drink Four Loko was pulled from the market after reports surfaced that children as young as 13-years-old were drinking the product, which also had a 12% alcohol concentration in a 23.5 ounce single serving can. The drink also had a caffeine additive, which the FDA later banned, that allowed users of the product to stay awake and drink more.
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UGH. OH!
That means the the CDC can define MANY well-loved craft beers as immediate binge-drinking as well.
At 18, I can buy cigarettes and be shipped off to Iraq. But at 21, as a consumer, I can’t chose what to drink. Liberals are cancer.
Good point John Stark! Nevermind that it was (very republican, very bible thumping) Elizabeth Dole and the teetotaler group MADD that is responsible for the drinking age.
The should go after the original 11% ABV sweet grape drink. Manischewitz!
Coakley please find something better to waste tax dollars on.
This is a fermented malt beverage, which is beer! no caffeine in four loko anymore so they have to find another scapegoat! the economy sucks so leave the people alone! I work at the brewery that makes this as well as loko
This is sheer stupidity, I call foul on you. You take every delicious drink away from the people. Because you know, only underage minors can enjoy fruit flavours. You will never stop people from making 12% malt liquors. Just, just stop. Get a life. Stop ruining ours.
wow! this is the best fruit bevarege iv had ..and its exceptional pricing…its for adults of age…did it say somewhere on the can ” kids love it”?…didnt think so
why does colt 45 Blast turn your stool green. I drink it two times and it tuned my stool light green. I have the blueberry pomegranante.
The food coloring they use in the blueberry flavor is crazy strong, turned my poo green too. Nasty stuff, not sure why I even purchased it.
Can I find blast any where now