Does Jello help in alcoholic punches?

Factual Questions
1

Hi,

the Cecil column on Pineapple Jello: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=244359

Prompted this thread: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=244359

which sparked this question in my mind:

I recall in college that my fraternity’s signature punch, and many other punches, including the ubiquitous “hunch punch” included jello as an ingredient. The reason given was that the jello took the edge off of the alcohol. Is this true?

BTW, if you don’t see the connection, these punches also shared fruit as a common ingredient. Including … wait for it … pineapple!

2

Hmmm, I can’t say I ever made it so that it would take the ’ edge off of the alcohol’ (kinda the whole point of the alcohol :slight_smile: ) but when I made vodka /red current jello it did have that effect, meaning that one was more than likely to consume more alcohol than usual thinking it’s ‘just jello’.

3

I’ve watched people get blind drunk on Jello shots.

4

What do you mean by “takes the edge off” alcohol? An ingredient like Jell-O (yes, that’s how it is spelled) may disguise the taste of the alcohol, but it doesn’t counteract it.