Fireball Whisky Frequently Asked Questions (2024)

FAQs

What are some fun facts about Fireball whiskey? ›

It's not technically “whiskey.”

Whiskey is defined as a spirit that's at least 40 percent alcohol by volume. Clocking in at a lower 33 percent ABV, Fireball is more of a flavored whiskey, or, to get technical, a “specialty” distilled spirit. This is also why Fireball shots are just so easy to knock back.

The problem arose in January 2023 when a Chicago woman named Anna Marquez filed a lawsuit alleging that she purchased a bottle of Fireball Cinnamon expecting to receive a whiskey-based libation and instead she discovered what she purchased was ultimately a malt liqueur-based beverage that contained no whiskey at all.

Unopened liquor has an indefinite shelf life. Opened liquor lasts about a year or two before it goes bad, meaning it starts losing its color and flavor. Don't use a liquor for well drinks if you won't use the whole bottle within two years. It does not generally become toxic, though.

Other adverse effects include acute kidney injury, cardiac arrhythmias, skin necrosis, and hypotension. Propylene glycol is metabolized by alcohol dehydrogenase in the liver into lactic acid and then pyruvic acid.

The Sazerac Company purchased the brand rights and formula from Seagram in 1989. It was marketed as "Dr. McGillicuddy's Firewater Whisky". Later, in 2007, the product was rebranded as "Fireball Cinnamon Whisky".

For what it's worth, Fireball is 66 proof, making it much weaker than most other whiskies, which are typically between 86-100 proof.

Fireball Whisky is being pulled from shelves in Europe because it contains too much propylene glycol – an additive that prevents evaporation and is a stabilizer in foods. But it's not going anywhere in the United States.

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- It's one of the fastest growing liquor brands in America, but Fireball whiskey is now being recalled in parts of the Europe because it contains an ingredient found in anti-freeze. Last year, Fireball sold more than Jameson and Patron. But right now it is a no-go in certain countries.

It's cheap and weak so no one orders a single shot of Fireball. And since it's only ever consumed in excess, it inspires ridiculously drunk behavior—like peeing in public and starting fights with the bouncer. Hate to break it to you, Fireball, but no good story ever started with "Well, we were drinking Fireball..."

Fireball Cinnamon is a malt-based 33 proof product, whereas Fireball Whisky is a whisky-based 66 proof product. Unlike Fireball Whisky, Fireball Cinnamon can be sold in beer, malt beverage and wine stores for our fans who want a wider variety of convenient shopping locations.

Should you chill Fireball whiskey? ›

Try chilled and room-temperature to find out what you prefer. Chilled Fireball's spice hits a little later, while room-temperature Fireball immediately fills your entire mouth with the flavor. Store the Fireball in your refrigerator or freezer for an hour before drinking it if you want it chilled.

Ultimately, whether or not you refrigerate your homemade Fireball depends on your preferences and how quickly you plan to consume it. If you're going to consume it relatively quickly, storing it in a cool, dark place should suffice.

The lawsuit said that the Sazerac Company's representations of Fireball Cinnamon were “false and misleading” and that the bottles “appear similar” to Fireball Cinnamon Whisky bottles. Both bottles have a red cap, a yellow label with the word “Fireball” and a logo featuring a fire-breathing, dragon-like creature in red.

Drinkers the world over let out a collective gasp this week when Fireball Cinnamon Whisky was recalled in some European countries for containing what regulators deemed an unsafe level of propylene glycol—a chemical found in antifreeze.

Propylene glycol is used for a variety of industrial, cosmetic, and food production uses. In your Prestone Low-Tox, it's an antifreeze. In Fireball, it's used as a sweetener, its makers say. (And yes, according to the Centers for Disease Control, it's "generally regarded as safe for use in food.")

Meteors are easier to see during the lower light conditions of night. A fireball is a meteor that is brighter than the planet Venus. A meteoroid that survives falling through the Earth's atmosphere and colliding with the Earth's surface is known as a meteorite.

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. Another could be that it's readily available... and that a cinnamon after-taste is far preferable to the aftertaste of a shot of vodka.

It's a 33% ABV (66-proof) liqueur made with a mix of Canadian whiskey, sweeteners and natural cinnamon flavoring. But is it whiskey? Well, no, not really. Technically speaking, once you add sugar to a spirit and lower its ABV it becomes a liqueur rather than a spirit.

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.”