A Strong Zero is a chūhai, which is shōchū—a traditional Japanese liquor made from potatoes, barley, or grains—mixed with carbonated water and different flavors. They are pleasant and easy to drink. They come in various fruit flavors like lemon, lime, grapefruit, and more, and you don’t taste the alcohol as much. You could go on drinking it without realizing it’s alcoholic.
Strong Zeroes are named as such for its “strong” alcohol content of 9% and “zero” in that it has “zero” sugar in it. Though 9% might not sound like a lot, a single can is roughly equivalent to two beers. On top of that, it’s carbonated, and the carbonation helps transfer alcohol into your bloodstream faster; you’ll feel the alcohol kick in quicker. This is a mixed drink carefully designed to mess you up. Some have likened it to the American Four Loko.