Strong Zero

−196 °C Strong Zero (commonly referred to as Strong Zero or −196) is a brand of chūhai produced by Suntory Global Spirits. It is currently sold in Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, the United States, China, Canada and the United Kingdom. As with other types of chūhai, it is available in a variety of different flavors, and is often sold at convenience stores and through vending machines. The "strong" portion of the name comes from the fact that the drinks have relatively high alcohol content (9% ABV in Japan). The "zero" refers to what the manufacturer calls "sugar-free". According to nutrition labelling standards in Japan, a beverage product can be labelled as sugar-free as long as it does not exceed 0.5 g of sugar per 100 mL. Strong Zero is made by freezing fruit in liquid nitrogen. Liquid nitrogen has a boiling point of −195.8 °C (−320 °F; 77 K), hence the "−196 °C" in the name. The frozen whole fruit is then pulverized and soaked in beverage alcohol. The final beverage contains the fruit juice, vodka and soda. The UK and Australian versions are marketed as containing Shochu in addition while this notation is lacking from the US release and is not mentioned in the version for the Japanese domestic market. The process produces a relatively low calorie and low sugar drink. As with many food and drink products available in Japan, new flavors are often released to coincide with the seasonality of different ingredients.