OH YEAH
Also, since I need to make up for those six days when I was ostensibly missing from blogland:
Today in class — well, before class actually started — I made a passing reference to Sharkleberry Fin, that pink tropical flavor of Kool-Aid that was my lifesaver during the tumultuous gangland years of the early 1990s in Wilkinsburg. It seemed my classmates, however, did not remember Sharkleberry. (The age gap is seriously not that great. I don’t know what these kids were drinking.)
So, for your enjoyment a few quick links to open up the world of Sharkleberry Fin to you, in case you are amongst those who don’t remember:
- Sharkleberry Fin on X-Entertainment (a pretty comprehensive review, though not a history as such).
- What would appear to be the definitive Sharkleberry ytmnd (I can’t hear the music because I’m at work but I trust that it is indeed from Handel’s Messiah.
- For good measure: there’s actually a Kool-Aid trading list, and photo archive.
I was always more of a Purplesaurus Rex man myself….
Yeah, strictly going by taste, Purplesaurus prevailed. Sharkleberry was the superior character, though.
Do you by chance remember a date range of when the Sharkleberry first got popular? I think it was around the same time as Purplesaurus. I’m thinking ‘91/’92, but I can’t situate it for sure.
First, notes from that Kool-Aid FAQ v7.0:
-”The young woman I spoke to told me that if they get enough complaints about a flavor being killed off, they will resurrect it. So tell everyone who loves raspberry (or any other discontinued flavor) Kool-Aid to call 1-800-367-9225 (in the USA) or 1-800-268-7808 (In Canada) between 9am-4pm EST and complain politely.”
-”Subject: POLL RESULTS!
Date: Wed, 27 May 1998 15:46:22 -0700
[ed. note - I’ve heavily edited this so that it takes up less space]
+ Here is where the original posting of this poll comes from:
+ http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Park/2070/poll.htm
Since I haven’t gotten a ballot in about 2 weeks, the poll is over and here are the results! I’ll post how the voting was broken down.
Favorite Flavor 1st 2nd 3rd Total
——————————————————-
Sharkleberry Fin 2 0 1 7
Kiwi Lime 1 1 0 5
Cherry 0 1 1 3
Orange 1 0 0 3
Orange Pineapple 1 0 0 3
Purplesaurus Rex 0 1 1 3
Rock-A-Dile Red 1 0 0 3
Tropical Punch 1 0 0 3
Grape 0 1 0 2
Mountain Berry Punch 0 1 0 2
Rainbow Punch 0 1 0 2
Strawberry Kiwi 0 1 0 2
Blastin Berry Cherry 0 0 1 1
Grape Berry 0 0 1 1
Ice Blue 0 0 1 1
Pink Swimmingo 0 0 1 1
* I guess we need to tell Kraft that Sharkelberry is still tops!”
-”XIV. Can I “recapture” lost flavors through Kool-Aid mixing?
—————————————————————
In my many experiences with K-A, I have found mixes that taste like some of the discontinued flavors.”
[…]
“Sharkleberry Fin: Donovan (donovan@misslink.net)
——————-
1/2 tsp of Lemonade(unsweetened)
1/2 tsp of Orange(unsweetened)
1/2 tsp of Strawberry(unsweetened)
1 Cup of sugar(use the full cup of sugar on this, or it will be tart)
1/2 gallon of water as usual”
This FAQ also contains a favorite flavors poll taken in 1987 in which Sharkleberry Fin finishes last with one vote, so we know it’s before then. And if you wantSharkleberry Fin in France ask for “Requin’ Drole.”
This FAQ also contains a favorite flavors poll taken in 1987 in which Sharkleberry Fin finishes last with one vote, so we know it’s before then.
HUH! I missed that one when I skimmed that page. I find that hard to believe. Maybe it wasn’t marketed big yet, but it was, er, swimming around in the shallows, waiting to make a splash.
Another possibility: ‘87 sounds too early for an internet poll too, no? Maybe that should read ‘97?
True. I think there was very little polling going on over the internet at that stage, and I also think it’s safe to say that none of it had to do with Kool-Aid. I bet that’s right. Apparently it was dropped in ‘96, I read on the FAQ (or somewhere).