Casey KylerTry as a shot, spice up your beer or invent a new cocktail. According to spykeme.com “Spykes” is whatever you want it to be. Made by Anheuser-Busch, this 2 ounce malt beverage contains 12 percent alcohol content; equivalent to a bottle of wine. Infused with caffeine as well as the herbs ginseng and guarana, critics claim this beverage is directly aimed at teens.
For psychology professor Maria Hartke the idea of this beverage alone concerns her. “This beverage is seemingly very dangerous. When kids drink they make unwise decisions,” she said.
Spykes fills up a bottle the size of nail polish and comes in four flavors: spicy mango, hot melons, spicy lime and hot chocolate. According to spykeme.com, these flavors will “give your beer a kick, add flavor to your drink and are ideally perfect for a shot.”
Many concerns have been raised with the promotion of this drink and the upcoming prom season. Individuals believe some law enforcers and health advocates are only contributing to one more cause for parents to worry.
“This worries me because kids get into cars without thinking these days and I believe any adult would be against it,” Hartke said.
For Al Tompkins on Poynter.org, the promotional website for Spykes opens a night to experimentation and an opportunity for people to move outside the beverage “comfort zone.”
“This malt liquor sounds like a bad idea. People will abuse it and I believe there will be more instances of alcohol poisoning,” sophomore history and secondary education major Lauren Iannece said.
On the other hand, some Cabrini students tend to appear favorable to the idea of spykes; others feel this additive will have no effect on their lives what-so-ever.
“This really does not bother me, I personally would never drink an entire bottle of liquor,” senior graphic design major Mike Dignen said.
“I think this is a great idea; however, it does have the potential to be very dangerous,” sophomore business administration major Anthony Sessa said.
Spykes will be sold in 2 ounce bottles for roughly 75 cents to a dollar a piece. Lately, alcoholic drinks with caffeine in them appear to be the new thing. In addition to Spykes energy, drinks such as Sparks and Rock Star 21 have been introduced.
A vodka and red bull alternative called P.I.N.K. should be hitting the market soon enough.
To find out more information on the newest addition to the malt beverage department, visit www.spykeme.com.
“I have never heard of this drink, it sounds interesting and I would most definitely try it,” sophomore English and communication major Kirk Manion said.
