Fireball was recalled due to concerns it contained an ingredient used in antifreeze. This ingredient is propylene glycol, otherwise known as part of the mixture used to de-ice airplanes. In 2014, Fireball was recalled in European countries because propylene glycol levels were deemed too high.
"Unfortunately, Fireball shipped its North American formula to Europe and found that one ingredient is out of compliance with European regulations." While strictly monitored in Europe, both the FDA and CDC have approved the use of propylene glycol in the U.S. in limited quantities.
Ethlene glycol binds to toxic compounds in the body. ethylene glycol has a significant effect on the central nervous system (CNS), heart, and kidneys as a result of its toxic byproducts. Ingesting an excessive amount of food can lead to death. There is no odor in ethylene glycol.
A fact so unsettling to Europeans that sales of the sickly sweet booze were "temporarily halted" in Norway, Sweden, and Finland, which Fireball says was "due to a small recipe-related compliance issue." The chemical coming under fire is propylene glycol, which supposedly enhances flavor by absorbing water.
Fireball does not contain any antifreeze at all, and the suggestion is ridiculous. Sadly, this is the media's way of crafting attention grabbing headlines, but it simply is not true.
Although it is reported that Fireball has not contained propylene glycol in any of its products since 2018, the association with severe lactic acidosis needs further research.
Fireball Cinnamon contains no whiskey at all. Instead, it's a malt liquor flavored with sweeteners and natural whiskey flavor, along with other natural flavors (like cinnamon). It's also half as strong as Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, rating at just 33 proof as opposed to 66 proof.
There's no whiskey in bottles of Fireball Cinnamon, so customers are suing for fraud. Smaller bottles of Fireball do not contain whiskey, but a blend of malt beverage, wine and additional flavors and colors. Customers are suing the company for fraud, alleging the packaging is misleading.
The difference between the two drinks is that Fireball Cinnamon is actually a malt-based beverage with 16.5% alcohol by volume (ABV), while Fireball Cinnamon Whisky is whisky-based and has an ABV of 33%. “The labels look almost identical,” he wrote. “That is intentional.”
One shot of Fireball is enough to make a beginner feel drunk. New drinkers have lower alcohol tolerance. Since their bodies are not ready to resist the effect of alcohol, a shot of whiskey having only 33% ABV can intoxicate them quite easily.
A lot of alcohol in the body can cause fatality, even cancer or death. FDA cleared Fireball with the Propylene Glycol issue, but it is still harmful when not consumed moderately.
7) It's higher in calories than regular whiskey — This shouldn't come as a shock, given Fireball's high sugar content, but one Fireball shot contains 108 calories. If you're counting calories and comparing that to regular whiskey, the average shot has 70 calories and is 86 proof, compared to Fireball's 66 proof.
As Businessweek explained in its essential Fireball history, the booze started out as part of Seagram's line of flavored schnapps in the mid-1980s. It was called Dr. McGillicuddy's Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, named for the mythical Aloysius Percival McGillicuddy, and it was only made in Canada.
The Sazerac Company purchased the brand rights and formula from Seagram in 1989. It was marketed as "Dr. McGillicuddy's Fireball Whisky". Later, in 2007, the product was rebranded as "Fireball Cinnamon Whisky".
Of all the brands, Jack Daniels and Fireball cinnamon whisky have the most presence regionally, with mainly good Old No. 7 reigning supreme in the South around Georgia and Florida, and Fireball warming up drinkers and liquor stores in the Northeast.
According to The New York Times, Sazerac Company is being sued because their labeling of “Fireball Cinnamon” is misleading people to think they're drinking a “whisky” product when they are not.
Due to its malt- or wine-based ingredients, the alcohol content in Fireball Cinnamon is lower. Per Fireball, the malt-based Fireball Cinnamon is 33 proof or 16.5% ABV, and the wine-based version is 42 proof or 21% ABV.
It turns out that if you're buying a bottle of Fireball at your local liquor store, you are indeed purchasing whiskey, but if you see it elsewhere — like, say, your local grocery store — the bottle instead contains “a malt beverage flavored to taste like whiskey.”
Fireball Cinnamon Whisky is made with Canadian whisky, natural cinnamon flavors, and sweeteners. Its warm palatable zing and versatility have contributed significantly to make it a favorite drink among many whiskey drinkers. Love it or hate it, Fireball Cinnamon Whisky has made a name for itself in the spirits world.
So again, why so popular? The jury is out on any single factor that can account for the massive growth. One reason could be that at only 66 proof, it's much easier to take a shot of Fireball than of your more traditional (read: actual) whiskeys.
Fireball is made with Canadian Whisky which, like your favorite 90's sitcom star, ages gracefully. It is aged in used American bourbon barrels, and the whisky proof makes it perfect to store and pour straight from the average freezer.
You may be surprised to learn that Coca-Cola contains propylene glycol. Propylene glycol is an ingredient that's used as a preservative in Coca-Cola. It also has many other uses, including being used as an anti-freeze. It's not just used in Coke though—it can be found in many other foods and cosmetics as well.
Therefore, energy drinks quickly found a very receptive market because they offer both stimulant energy and vitamins. Fireball is an energy drink which supplies the body with Taurine, Caffeine, Vitamins and Carbohydrates. It is specially formulated to provide a delicious taste for energy drink lovers.