Discontinued Kool-Aid Flavors We'll Probably Never Drink Again

Edwin Perkins hit on something tasty with his liquid concrete product called Fruit Smack. Inspired by the powdery magic of Jell-O, he set out to improve upon Fruit Smack with a powder mix drink originally called Kool-Ade, which he brought to market in 1927.

This affordable soft drink, renamed Kool-Aid, stirred up a lot of business with kids then, and still to this day. What once started with only six flavors, has ballooned to over 20 on shelves today. In those ensuing decades, there have seemed like a zillion other flavors introduced, some with wild combinations, and others with tricks up their sleeves. Sadly, many of these memorable flavors have been lost to time. That hasn't stopped collectors from paying a pretty penny for some of those bygone packets, or for The Takeout to celebrate and re-examine these discontinued sugary treasures. There is power in powder: Drink up my friends.

Kids have long loved sipping apple juice, so it's no surprise that Kool-Aid tapped a similar taste for its own drink. A Candy Apple flavor started making rounds by at least 1975, and a more straightforward Apple flavor debuted six years later.

Apple Kool-Aid came in a green package, and the mixture was a golden liquid. It contained ingredients to both "provide tartness and also to "regulate tartness." It was advertised as having "great apple taste that's crisp and light." For those looking for a trace of Apple Kool-Aid, the closest one can get is Green Apple.

"The Flintstones" worked its commercial prowess. The show debuted in 1960 and has given the world namesake vitamins, as well the Peebles line of cereal by Post.

In 1988, boxes of Pebbles briefly came not with a toy, but a packet of Kool Aid with familiar favors, but with Flintstones-esque names that truly rocked — Bedrock Orange / Yabba Dabba Do Berry. Bedrock Orange was just the standard Kool Aid Orange flavor sold in stores, and Yabba Dabba Do Berry the equivalent for the Strawberry flavor. The flavors may live on, but those Stone Age flavor names sadly are now just precious fossils people snatch up on eBay.

In the 20th century, the thought of the year 2000 sounded both distant but also almost within reach. When the year actually became 2000, Kool Aid counted down to launch a line of Blast-Offs flavors.

Blast-Offs used an aerodynamic font that replaced its hyphen with a star in its place, and its spacey packaging featured Kool-Aid Man hovering above earth in an astronaut suit. The two flavors that were supposedly out of this world were Strawberry Starfruit and Blue Moon Berry. They orbited stores for at least three years, before falling back to earth and retiring from service.

To kick off summer 1991, Kool-Aid introduced its Cherry Cracker flavor, which borrowed the bombast of the nostalgic candy Pop Rocks. It came in a special set that where the packaging's design spanned four packets, featuring Kool-Aid man getting into the Independence Day spirit by riding a red firework across the New York skyline.

Advertised as "the punch that pops," Cherry Cracker was a novelty that set off its aural fireworks show once water was added to the mix in a pitcher. Sounds of popping and sizzles then endured for up to two minutes and would be intensified if the mix was further stirred.

As Kool-Aid is a very global brand, some of the more interesting flavors to see the light of day have come from abroad. One such flavor mystifies the mind that it even existed for a period of time in the mid-'90s — Cola.

Under the banner "Traviescura" (which means "mischief" in Spanish), this Kool-Aid, like actual cola, was also caramel colored, but unlike the drink, wasn't carbonated. The packet shows Kool-Aid man at perhaps his coolest, wearing a leather jacket and riding a motorcycle, like he was Marlon Brando or The Fonz.

Kool-Aid briefly got into the iced tea mix business starting in 1973, before quietly quitting sometime around 1977. Apparently, the company couldn't leaf that idea alone and introduced a tea-inspired line called FruitTs in 1999 and came in the "Tea" flavors Strawberry, Lemonade, and Wildberry.

This caffeine-free drink lasted at least two years and promoted tea and fruit bona fides on the front of the package. However, on the backside, revealed it contained neither of them in the actual mix. Syndicated columnist Mr. Tidbit hilariously remarked at the time that he "is afraid that their next product could well be CoffEs KoolAid, in cappuccino and latte flavors, possibly co-branded with Starbucks (contains no coffee or milk or shame)."

Back in the day, when the flavors were simple and had simple names to match, Golden Nectar stood out. It debuted in 1957 alongside such regular-sounding flavors as Pink Lemonade and Raspberry.

In print ads, it was promoted as a "delightfully different cool-off drink with just a touch of tang!" Not much is known about its actual flavoring, and it didn't stay "Golden" for long, as it stopped being advertised for sale sometime after 1960.

Like the great magician Harry Houdini, Kool-Aid's own Great Bluedini flavor had tricks up its own (packet) sleeve. It debuted in 1992, and the powder mix was light green. When water entered the picture, it magically turned aqua blue. The flavor consisted of the talents of white grape, Concord grape, cherry, strawberry, and plum. It was also available in the premixed, ready-to-drink Bursts bottle, and popsicles, which mildly spoiled the illusion.

This flavor had its own mascot, a top hat donning blue octopus of the same name. He and his drink started fading away from shelves sometime around 2003, although returned briefly for an encore in 2014.

When you think of Halloween and Kool-Aid, the first flavor that comes to mind is the ubiquitous Ghoul-Aid. For Canadians, at one point had their own line of spooky flavors called Hallowe'en Cool.

Hallowe'en Cool came in two of its own unique hi flavors — Scary Black Cherry and Eerie Orange. They were on Canadian shelves by Halloween 1996, but apparently didn't scare enough business to warrant many returns. The name Scary Black Cherry resurfaced by an entirely different brand — a pitch black frozen Fanta slushie sold at Burger King in 2018.

In 2004, Kool-Aid rolled out a new line of drinks that not only changed color, but also delivered a tingling sensation. Ice Cool was this line, and the two flavors that captured the magic were Arctic Green Apple and Lemon Ice. Both started as a snow-white powder before the water changed the color into frosty green and yellow respectively.

The flavors got mixed reviews in the press, for having unappetizing color, and funny aftertastes. Kool-Aid no longer found this line of flavors all that "Cool" anymore and they disappeared from shelves sometime in or after 2006.

What's mightier than one berry? Two berries! That was the thinking behind the super-hero-like Kool-Aid flavor Incrediberry, which united the flavoring of strawberry and raspberry. It even has its own happy, yet slimy red mascot who seemed to be a real close buddy of Kool-Aid Man.

This one hit shelves in 1994, and not only was a unique flavor that was self-proclaimed "Super Fruity," but also one of those special color changing ones. In powder form, it begins as a yellow, but when the water is poured over it, it blushed red. It was also available in the premixed Kool-Aid Bursts bottles, where it "looks yellow, tastes red."

Crystal Pepsi and Tab Clear dared to be different as transparent drinks, but people weren't buying it. Kool-Aid gave it the old college try in 2005 with its Invisible line, which initially came in Raspberry, and Watermelon Kiwi, and later Cherry, Grape, and Lemon & Lime.

The Invisible mixes began as a white powder and then apparently lost any trace of color when it met the water. Adult drinkers and reviewers didn't know what to make of it, with some suggesting it was a way to hid you're drinking Kool-Aid, and others applauding that it won't cause stains, which could actually be a tricky thing, as you won't be able to tell where a kid spilled it. With no visible flavor, it kind of plays tricks on the senses, and reviewer Russ Lane of The Sun News said it was "a rather nice treat you didn't see coming."

Hawaiian Punch had long emitted island vibes with its beverage, and Kool-Aid got topical with tropical flavors of its own when it launched the Island Twists line in 1995. A trio of flavors were introduced to start, each doubling up on fruit flavors — Kickin' Kiwi-Lime, Man-O-Mango-Berry, and Oh Yeah Orange-Pineapple.

Slammin' Strawberry-Kiwi joined the fun a year later, and in 1998, Island Twists welcomed Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade to the line-up. These flavors remained a cool breeze for drinkers through at least 2006.

Early in the 21st century, companies got playful with coloring food. Heinz released a green ketchup, Kraft Blue's Clues blue-pawed Macaroni & Cheese, and Kool-Aid dropped a neon-bright line with the punny name Mad ScienTwists. For one short year, in 2003, Mad ScienTwists turned drinkers' glasses into laboratory experiments. The two flavors under the line were Wild Watermelon Kiwi, and Raspberry Reaction. Both flavors started off with a packet of rainbow-colored crystals, and then the water brought out a bright neon green and blue hue respectively.

In Canada, that same year, the Raspberry Reaction flavor got a special release, branded with Spider-Man's good name and image. These powder crystals started blue, and with the water "reaction," turned red.

Kool-Aid made drinking a real mind and sense-bending experience with its set of Magic Twists flavors. Launched in 2001, it came in two flavors — Grape Illusion and Changin' Cherry. The grape one started as a gold powder, which water turned red, but tastes like its promised flavor. The cherry one began green, turned blue, and also delivered the promised name fruit taste.

A year after launch, Magic Twists made a new twist by not outwardly spelling out the flavor on the front of the package with "Switchin' Secret." However, the mystery flavor was literally spelled out on the back, in a jumbled word form. The show for Magic Twists lasted until at least 2010 before disappearing with all its secrets in tact.

Kool-Aid was really into "twist"ing flavors, and, starting in 1997, scaled new heights with its line of Mega Mountain Twists. The initial T.V. ad played up its "wild," and "extreme" nature, and the flavors had names just as rad — Soarin' Strawberry Lemonade, Grape Berry Splash, and Roarin' Raspberry Cranberry.

A fourth flavor, Blastin' Berry Cherry, joined the line-up soon after, and the brand pushed a lot of incentivized "freebies" like slick sunglasses, a camera, and even a CD-ROM game called "Beyond the Limit." Mega Mountain Twists hung around until at least 2003.

Pineapple is one of the best of all the citrus fruits on earth, and on the opposite end of that spectrum has got to be the grapefruit. Not to slack the tarty-sour magic of a grapefruit, but its flavor that doesn't lend itself well for byproducts. Well, in 1959, the fine folks over at Kool-Aid figured something special might happen if the two flavors met in the middle.

As an odd combo, Pineapple Grapefruit didn't last long, but another strange pairing, Lemon Grape appeared to be more appealing to drinkers. It came into this world around 1962 and stayed around until at least 1969.

No Kool-Aid flavor and mascot name may have been more fun to say than Pink Swimmingo. Everything about this flamingo-inspired flavor, which swam to shore in 1993, was set up to be "Pinkcredible" as the ads promised. It was a pink powder that looked vibrant when water drowned it.

Kool-Aid expert Dinosaur Dracula tore open a packet decades later to reveal the taste to be akin to pink lemonade with a dash of fruit punch, and cherry. Pink Swimmingo left the Kool-Aid pool of flavors sometime in or after in 1996, but briefly resurfaced in 2014 alongside buddies Rock-A-Dile Red, Purplesaurs Rex, Great Bluedini, and Sharkleberry Fin.

The Kool-Aid Man may have been at his happiest when he had a beautiful six-banded rainbow either shooting out of his pitcher's head, or funneling into it, depending on your point of view. Literally, one of the most colorful packets in the brand's history belongs to Rainbow Punch, which debuted in 1984, and even had an early T.V. ad that starred future "Full House"-er Candace Cameron.

This flavor incorporated six unspecified others, and YouTube reviewer Bakersmerch who tried an old pack of the pink powder noted hints of cherry, orange, lemonade, and a dash of lime and a dash of grape. The end of this Rainbow came about sometime in or around 1992.

When Kool-Aid launched in stores back in 1927, it came in only six flavors — grape, lemon-lime, cherry, orange, strawberry, and good old raspberry. Out of that core group, the only one today that cannot be found on shelves or online is raspberry.

Raspberry actually had a very long run, and disappeared from the catalog sometime in or around 1999. Sure, there are variations of it to be found in packets, like Blue Raspberry, but the standard flavor has yet to mount a comeback.

In 2011, Kool-Aid used the emblematic colors of America to create a "Summer Punch." It went by the name Red, White n' Blue, and had a striped package to match, with cartoony images of oranges and limes along for the ride.

The powder mix was red, and when it hit the water, turned instantly to blue, although not necessarily invoking the same Old Glory Blue color found in the U.S. flag. The white wasn't a part of the actual mix, but could join the party anytime with a spoonful of sugar.

Rock-A-Dile Red was a crocodile who could play a mean sax and a Kool-Aid flavor starting in 1991. Kool-Aid put Rock-A-Dile Red on a farewell tour around 1994, and didn't bother to renew his trademarked name by 2003.

Rock-A-Dile Red returned from the dead for a limited run in 2014, and again in 2021 as a "Retro" flavor in Jammers and Zero Sugar packet form. In his return, he dropped the sax and picked up the drums. Kool-Aid enthusiast Dinosaur Dracula reviewed the Zero Sugar one, noting, "it's somewhere between Kool-Aid Cherry and Kool-Aid Tropical Punch, and it's absolutely going to stain my tongue red. I am really really happy with this."

In the 1930s, Kool-Aid and Root Beer were two popular drinks that were often advertised together. By 1940, Kool-Aid started pedaling its own take on Root Beer with powder mixes, which sold six packages for a mere $0.25. By the end of the decade, it even came in bottled form. It was promoted as, "old fashioned as a game of post office and twice as fascinating."

Surprisingly, this foam-less Kool-Aid Root Beer mix had quite the long run in stores. It remained on shelves until at least 1978.

In 1986, Kool-Aid expanded its "Punch Bunch" flavors by adding Strawberry Falls Punch. It joined the crowded field that included Tropical Punch, Mountain Berry Punch, Rainbow Punch, and Sunshine Punch. While the obvious flavoring of strawberry was a part of this mix, the lesser known partner was that of banana.

The T.V. ad for Strawberry Falls Punch played up its wild nature, and included the punny statement that "it's the taste you're going to fall for." Apparently that wasn't really the case, as it petered out sometime in or around 1989.

Tang and Sunny Delight had cornered the market on bright orangey-yellow fruity drinks, but that didn't stop Kool-Aid from making their own shiny brew with the introduction of Sunshine Punch in 1982. While the flavors within Sunshine Punch weren't ever specified, they were advertised as containing five fruity flavors in one.

Kool-Aid believed in the flavor so much that it was one of the few picked to help launch its Sugar-Free line in 1983, as well as be boxed up in the ready-to-drink Kool-Aid Koolers, which dropped a year later. The sun no longer shined on this flavor in or around 1987. The name lives on today in a more spirited way — as a bottled rum cocktail by another company.

In addition to the Island Twists line, Kool-Aid's Surfin' Berry Punch was another stab at taking on rival Hawaiian Punch. This flavor debuted in 1987, was advertised through at least 1994, and may have even survived to see 1997.

After Pop culture enthusiast Dinosaur Dracula finally secured a rare packet of this bygone flavor, he mixed it together and remarked the following, "Ridiculously good. I've tasted blood and I want more. I'd say it's 80% cherry, 15% raspberry and 5% mystery flavor." He added, "This was basically second grade sangria."

Starting in the mid-1930s, Kool-Aid sold a series of ice cream mixes, with the obvious flavor choices of Chocolate, Strawberry, and Vanilla. The back of the package pointed customers to the way to make ice cream using the Chocolate, Strawberry or Vanilla mixes, either with milk and cream, or evaporated milk and water. For those who wanted to make Neapolitan ice cream, they also spelled out the separate steps to bring this holy trinity together.

These mixes were available for sale until at least the early 1950s. Kool-Aid returned to the frozen dessert genre in the late 1980s with the introduction of fruity Kool-Aid Pops, but sadly with no Chocolate or Vanilla in sight.