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08/04/2003: The Ecto Cooler Saga CONTINUES…

I promise, this is the last time I’ll ever write about Ecto Cooler. Bear with me. I’m obsessed.

You might remember this post from late June, where I mentioned Hi-C’s “Orange Lavaburst” flavor as being a reincarnated Ecto Cooler. I didn’t solve the mystery myself, but after repeatedly reading fans’ cries, I gave the fruity juice a shot and agreed. From where I sat — in a broken chair littered with cig burns and what appeared to be nail polish — Orange Lavaburst was Ecto Cooler. Or was it?

For those who’ve forgotten, “Ecto Cooler” was a Hi-C juice brand with Slimer of The Real Ghostbusters fame on the box. Though Hi-C has gotten a bit wackier with their flavor names over the years, Ecto Cooler was the first “novelty” drink in the line. Kids went nuts for the shit. This was a fad that transcended our usual young geeky interests, as children didn’t really have to be into toys or cartoons to get down with the Ecto. Regardless of what you felt about Ghostbusters, few were going to skip the one juice box with a mysteriously vague name and a green monster on the box.

The beverage outlived all other Ghostbusters novelties, delivering Slimer to a generation of kids who’d barely even heard of his offshoot cartoon. Unfortunately, like Chris Elliot sitcoms and “Quackers” snack crackers, all good things come to an end. Ecto Cooler eventually disappeared, leaving behind a legion of fans who weren’t quite ready to give up a taste they’d inadvertently become addicted to. We bought the juice because of Slimer, but somewhere along the way, we got hooked on the flavor.

That’s where it gets interesting…

I claimed that “Orange Lavaburst” was Ecto Cooler Version II, and many seemed to agree. Others were skeptical, and with good reason. They argued that Ecto Cooler was back, but not as Orange Lavaburst. No, if these naysayers were to be believed, Ecto Cooler was reborn as an entirely different brand of Hi-C juice. Today, we experiment to uncover the truth. Which current Hi-C flavor is really Ecto Cooler?

According to some, “Shoutin’ Orange Tangergreen” is the new Ecto Cooler. Their many arguments include the following:

1) Shoutin’ Tangergreen has a strong emphasis on…well, “green.” Ostensibly, “green” equals “Slimer.”

2) Many remember Ecto Cooler as having “tangerine” as part of the flavor cornucopia. Shoutin’ Tangergreen shares that trait, Orange Lavaburst does not. :P

3) Lavaburst’s “box icon” is a simple orange. Tangergreen’s icon is a ghastly, deep green “mouth.” Obviously, green mouths seem more in tune with Slimer than a silly orange.

Admittedly, I seem to recall viewing a few Ecto Cooler ads in print that played up the citrus mix of oranges and tangerines. This factored with the new flavor’s “green scheme” painted my previous posts as efforts in STUPAD IGNORAAAACE, but hey, let’s find out for sure this time. Here’s the listed ingredients for both flavors, with the differences highlighted in bold…

Orange Lavaburst: Pure Filtered Water, Sweeteners (High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sugar), Orange Juice From Concentrate, Less Than 0.5% Of Each: Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Natural Flavors, Potassium Citrate (Regulates Tartness), Citric Acid (Provides Tartness).

Shoutin’ Orange Tangergreen: Pure Filtered Water, Sweeteners (High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sugar), Orange And Tangerine Juice From Concentrate, Less Than 0.5% Of Each: Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Natural Flavors, Potassium Citrate (Regulates Tartness), Citric Acid (Provides Tartness).

So, what have we established? Aside from a modicum of tangerine juice, they’re exactly the same. I refuse to accept that the key to this mystery lies solely in a vial of concentrated tangerine juice, so our champion remains undetermined. Perhaps it’s time we compared each flavor’s color. If there’s one thing people seem to remember about Ecto Cooler, it’s the unmistakable neon green hue…

Hmmmm — virtually no difference at all. In fact, I can’t honestly say if Ecto Cooler itself was green. The ads certainly suggested that, but edibles are often “dolled up” for those campaigns. Plus, I’ve seen firsthand that even the truly “colored” Hi-C flavors lose their sheen after a given amount of time. To avoid staining rugs and clothes, Minute Maid never added the type of food dyes you’ve grown accustomed to with something like, say, M&Ms. The tint is almost always natural these days, and though I can’t prove it, it’s possible that Ecto Cooler was only “green” in our Father Time-sweetened memories. Or was it?! Again?!

The Star Trek Connection?

While I’ll solemnly admit to spending a little too much time searching for information regarding the Juice in Question, my findings were few and far between. I’ve been doing this site for a long time, and I don’t think many readers would deny that I’ve probably spent more time researching “that” generation’s fads than most people. During my travels, I’ve learned that there’s a tribute for just about anything. Even the truly obscure stuff usually has some free-hosted, five-year-old tribute if you look hard enough. Yet, there’s very, very little about Ecto Cooler. Plus, the people who have written about it contradict each other with misshapen and sometimes incorrect recollections. For a fruit juice, there’s a lot of intrigue attached to good ol’ Ecto. I did find one trivia nugget, though:

In “Relics,” an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, there’s a futuristic cocktail known as “Aldebaran Whiskey.” If the rumors are true, they used Ecto Cooler as a prop to illustrate the whiskey’s green hue.

A ha! So it was green after all! You know what this means, right? Even if Shoutin’ Tangergreen or Orange Lavaburst perfectly mimic Slimer’s sludge in taste, neither are true clones. As you can see in the above pic, they’re both pale piss yellow.

But which of the two comes the closest? Personally, I’m still siding with Lavaburst. It’s got this odd aftertaste that I just can’t overlook — if I remember my Ecto Cooler correctly, it had the exact same punch. Tangergreen seems like the natural predecessor, but in reality, the difference between the two current flavors is almost too negligible to weigh. Few would find success in naming each for a blind taste test, so in terms of championing a “new” Ecto Cooler, it’s really up to the specific person.

Mystery solved? Not quite, and maybe that’s for the best. If there’s one thing Ecto Cooler had going for it, it’s that the beverage was truly one of a kind. Us fans might love the idea of being able to still drink it whenever we want, but the real stuff took a powder right along Slimer and his ghostbusting pals. Besides, just when you think you have the answers, further research brings more questions — check out this Usenet post from early 2000; a response to an Ecto inquiry…

Subject: Re: Hi-C Ecto Cooler?
Newsgroup: alt.movies.ghostbusters
Date: 2000/05/14

“It is still made and still called Ecto-Cooler. The only difference is they have taken Slimer and replaced him with an orange surrounded by rings of some sort. I’m drinking one right now.”

The plot thickens….


Posted by Matt. E-mail me!

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Discussion Thread: 200 comments

IT WAS GREEN FOR SURE!!! I used to put them in the freezer overnight then cut them open and have SLIMER GREEN ICE BRICKS for a snack in summer. They were the best! Once Ecto-Cooler was gone I stopped drinking hi-c and started drinking caprisun and eventually sodas, many many sodas. Damn you hi-c it’s all your fault im a fat lazy bum!!!

Ghosted by heeloyd @ 08/05/2003 5:06 AM EDT


Though I don’t really have anything to add to the debate since I live in a backward country and don’t even recall ever seeing Ecto Cooler, much less tasting it (a pity, seeing how I was dangerously obsessed with TRG), I would like to point out that I think the union between Ghostbusters and Trek is a heretical affront before our universal god, Steve Guttenberg.

Ghosted by JC @ 08/05/2003 6:50 AM EDT


whos’ steve guttenburg?

in uk we only had unmubgo, it wasnt as interesting as ectoooler seems to be, but it used to give me the hypers.

vimto still does the same to me. all those coloured drink make me all giggly and enegetic. it freaks people out.

but i have made green "ecto " cocktails by using the recipes in cocktail books.

they just made me drunk

Ghosted by 'tin man @ 08/05/2003 7:27 AM EDT


I remember Ecto-Cooler being around for a while (new style packaging, etc.)….even without Slimer…TOO BAD THEY DISCONTINUED THE DRINK!

Oh well, the Tangerine flavored one seems more promising.

For some reason I can’t find Orange Lavaburst in any of the friggin’ grocery stores around here!!!!!!

Ghosted by Xavier 7 @ 08/05/2003 8:04 AM EDT


Wellp, after a long hard day of skating, I decided that it was a good idea to go to McDonalds and get some food. As my friends and I stood in line, I was ungodly thirsty. The line was so damn long so I decided to go see what drinks they had. I had just read the orignal article about Orange Lavaburst earlier in the day…and low and behold, Orange Lavaburst was at McDonalds. I told my friend to get it, which he did, and his first impression was "This is like, Hi-C but superpowered. It’s too damn flavored". My rebutal of course was, "That’s because it is Ecto Cooler". After a long drink test between me and all my friends, we decided that Orange Lavaburst is most definitly Ecto Cooler. I remember the aftertaste I would get with Ecto, and it was so very present in the Lavaburst.

Now, I’m not saying that the Shoutin’ Tangerine isn’t Ecto Cooler too, I’m just saying that the Lavaburst is most definitly Ecto Cooler.

Ghosted by Diabetic Dinosaur @ 08/05/2003 8:47 AM EDT


Check out this link for all the proof you need regarding the scandalous "Ecto Cooler".

http://tychl.txf.com/Ecto-Cooler-web.jpg

Ghosted by Arkous @ 08/05/2003 9:04 AM EDT


Arkous, I think you nailed it.

Wouldnt that mean that the shoutin’ orange tangergreen has the same UPC code as Ecto cooler, making it the re-named product?

Ghosted by PropWash @ 08/05/2003 9:51 AM EDT


Would it take all the fun out of it just to contact Hi-C’s corp comm department and see what they have to say?

They’ll probably even send you free stuff…at least a T-shirt.

Ghosted by Ubu Rex @ 08/05/2003 9:54 AM EDT


Yup Arkous I think that’s all the proof we need. If the UPC is the same, it is most definately the same product.

Ghosted by LioConvoy @ 08/05/2003 10:05 AM EDT


I’ve never had Ecto-Cooler or Hi-C so I’ll just drop a few thoughts and slink out like the non-Hi-C-drinking freak I am:

Is it just me, or does Matt look like a sexier Mulder in that picture? Well, regardless, if a man with passions is sexy, then Matt is one sexy bitch.

Once again, I’m inexplicably fascinated with something that I wouldn’t put into my body, but Matt is willing to examine in minute, entertaining detail.

Wonder if Matt can shed light on the notion that the Molten household labours under that Sunny D puts fat (in oil form) in its "OJ." Wouldn’t touch that shit again with a ten-foot…well, you know.

Who knows what evil lurks in the heart of a box Hi-C Shoutin’ Orange Tangergreen? The Shadow knows.

Ghosted by Molten @ 08/05/2003 10:14 AM EDT


I’m more concerned about Arkous’ diet. Maui Hot Teriyaki, Bugles, Funyons, Fruit by the Foot, Gushers, and Hi-C? Good God! Someone’s going to be bouncing off the walls. How about an apple or something?

Ghosted by mutton72 @ 08/05/2003 11:12 AM EDT


Sunny ‘D’ is being phased out of production, same goes for Jif (one f or 2?) Peanut butter.

Ghosted by Zappadog @ 08/05/2003 11:14 AM EDT


Molten, regarding your Sunny Delight theory, I do know that somewhere along the line the formula for the stuff went through a drastic change. At one point it was much sweeter and…well, thicker it seemed. Later it became waterier and seemed to taste more like regular orange juice. I don’t know if they just stopped adding as much sugar or what, but something definitely happened to the stuff.

Either way, you’re right, Sunny D is pretty rancid.

Ghosted by Hellpop! @ 08/05/2003 11:26 AM EDT


Completely not related, but after reading the posts up there…why is it always "First we’ll take over (city, building, objective), then…THE WORLD!"
I mean really…is it that easy? For once I’d like to hear a bad guy be like "First, I’ll take over this city….then….the surrounding cities…then infiltrate the state government…then the united states….etc etc" hehe

Ghosted by Kiften @ 08/05/2003 11:35 AM EDT


Hey Matt!

Teen witch was on HBO last night – i hope you watched it.

Ghosted by julia badtouch @ 08/05/2003 11:47 AM EDT


oops i dont want to be thought of as rogue female, so i must say "you are a stone-cold hottie matt." :::giggle:::

solid.

Ghosted by julia badtouch @ 08/05/2003 11:53 AM EDT


I love Ecto-Cooler. It’s Green like me. But Arkous, nice reciept. But….Wassupwitdat????
I mean, if you wanted to be an investigative reporter like m…. like that other guy I know, you should have just said so. I could have made you S.H.I.T. with Rosie. Beeeeeeaaaaatch!!!!

Ghosted by Step back!!!!! There's a Hurrican coming through!!!! @ 08/05/2003 12:05 PM EDT


ok so i just got back from the grocery store… i was in stocking up on my Mango Madness Snapple and taco fixins, and figured i had to get in on this Ecto-Cooler experiment. i love citrus. i love Ghostbusters. and i loved Ecto-Cooler. i’m amazed at how well i could recall the taste.

i bought the Orange Tangergreen, and the glory that is Ecto-Cooler came flooding back.

i didn’t try Lavaburst, and they didn’t have any jugs of Hi-C, but this junk is close enough for me.

don’t the juice boxes seem so SMALL now~??

YUM DANDY~! oh, and i agree the Matt’s a damn fine hottie, and i too am a girl.

Ghosted by zann @ 08/05/2003 1:05 PM EDT


I found this site

http://karks.com/surge/nl22.shtml

they say that Ecto Cooler is now Orange Tangergreen.. and they also have a recipe to make homemade Surge, since they don’t make Surge anymore.

Ghosted by punkrock101 @ 08/05/2003 1:07 PM EDT


I agree with the comments about Ecto-Cooler starting out green and then progressing to no color without slimer on the label. it was a bunch of crap.

other topic: Sunny D has a couple flavors now, and the "California Style" garbage tastes more watered down. "Florida Style" is the O.G. of Sunny-D flava

Ghosted by Archer @ 08/05/2003 1:26 PM EDT


I was poor so I only drank dirty tap water. I’m surprised I’m still alive today.

Ghosted by Basic @ 08/05/2003 2:10 PM EDT


one time i was at queens center mall (can i get a big ups to the queens center mall??) and there were these guys giving out free surge when it had just come out, and all my friends drank like 5 cans of the shit each, and then when they peed they said it burned like fire.

Ghosted by julia badtouch @ 08/05/2003 2:31 PM EDT


I read the first article and enjoyed it a lot, excepting that orange lavaburst just replaced the holy ecto cooler I grew up with. Now that there is this debate, I could probably help you guys out. For some reason in my madness, I saved a single 2nd version of ecto cooler, where it just has a saturn like planet on it and no slimer. I drank all of the carton except one which I have sitting with my he-man, pee-wee, mr. t, star wars, and thundercat figures now. Next time I remember, I ll grab the ingredients off of it if you like. The juice box is still unopened and up for sale to the highest bidder, hahaha.

Ghosted by jedivoodoo @ 08/05/2003 2:54 PM EDT


Okay, besides the receipt posted above, I have more undeniable proof.

I went to Minute Maid’s website and found their phone number (1.888.884.8952). I asked (got a guy named Steve) if the Tangergreen stuff was indeed Ecto Cooler. After a long while on hold (it apparently took some time to look up), he told me that they were indeed the same flavor. So there you go. If you don’t believe it, call yourself.

Ghosted by Redmonkey @ 08/05/2003 3:05 PM EDT


TELL US MAN!! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD SPILL IT!!! WHATS IN THE STUFF?!?!

Ghosted by The Ponderer @ 08/05/2003 3:08 PM EDT


Redmonkey, I’m at work now so I can’t call (but I can read X-E, how does that work?) but someone should call and repeat the question, replacing "Tangergreen" with "Lavaburst" to see if they say the same thing.

Ghosted by John @ 08/05/2003 3:10 PM EDT


Wow…amazing how many people remember Ecto Cooler.

If Minute Maid ever decided to start selling Ecto Cooler again, it’d be a huge success just because of the nostalgia factor…

Ghosted by Paul @ 08/05/2003 3:19 PM EDT


Yeah, John’s got the right idea — the PR people could be misinformed.

I think the evidence definitely is there for Tangergreen being EC’s spiritual successor, though — I was sold at that stunning UPC scan evidence.

How about this: Arkous, return to that store and get a can of Lavaburst and show us the receipt? That could verify once and for all that Lavaburst is NOT Ecto Cooler, as I have been maintaining.

Ghosted by J64 @ 08/05/2003 3:23 PM EDT


Matt, with his widely read Web site, has the opportunity to go through their external communications department to get answers. He’ll get a little more attention than people who merely call the consumer relations number.

Ghosted by Ubu Rex @ 08/05/2003 3:24 PM EDT


Big ups to Queen’s Center Mall, and much love to Pac, and all the other brothers, couldn’t be here, we all pour a little ecto cooler out for y’all homies. Much, much love.

Ghosted by CalmingEffect @ 08/05/2003 3:49 PM EDT


Okay, that’s quite enough. The rest of us have reigned in our inner fangirls up until now. There’s no need to turn this into a frothfest for Matt like Tim Curry’s in TWW. I think it’s pretty well established that Matt is a sexy man. Also well established that he has a special lady, who I am sure is also lovely. What is it about 80’s nostalgia that makes a webmaster so sexy?

Ghosted by squee4242 @ 08/05/2003 3:49 PM EDT


on the subject of surge…that stuff was so powerful my friend stopped drinking soda altogether. he would chug so much surge everyday then they stopped making it and he hasn’t drank soda since. It was so addictive it ruined his mind! He’s a little strange at times…

Ghosted by heeloyd @ 08/05/2003 3:52 PM EDT


"whos’ steve guttenburg?"

BURN THE HEATHEN!!

(Click me.)

Ghosted by JC @ 08/05/2003 4:07 PM EDT


Okay. So I called the number and asked the dude if he remembered Ecto-Cooler with slimer. He said yes. I said that there was a debate between Orange Lavaburst and Orange Tangergreen as to whether either one of them were the same thing. He did some typing for a second and said that indeed the Tangergreen was the same as Ecto-Cooler.
Now if someone wants final proof, you could always call back and ask "Was Orange Tangergreen called by a different name before?" But I’m satisfied with the results.

Ghosted by Big Will @ 08/05/2003 4:45 PM EDT


Well, that settles it.

Orange Tangergreen = Ecto-Cooler

The picture on the front of the box with the liquid that looks exactly like Slimer without eyes does it for me.

Ghosted by Chris @ 08/05/2003 5:34 PM EDT


tomorrow I am calling Minute Maid in order and will demand to speak with the manager to solve this mystery!

Ghosted by Jeremy @ 08/05/2003 8:47 PM EDT


Tomorrow I’m calling an English Teacher in order to learn proper sentence structure.

Ghosted by Big Will @ 08/05/2003 8:50 PM EDT


Tomorrow I’m calling Jeremy to let him know we figured it out yesterday.

Ghosted by Chris @ 08/05/2003 10:36 PM EDT


Don’t know if this adds anything but here goes:
I work for a supermarket, that carries Both products. And for some reason our shelf tags (which list the product and it’s UPC number) for Tangi-green is still labelled Ecto-Cooler. More than likely Hi-C changed the products name as Slimer died out, and lef thte UPC code the same.

Ghosted by Steve T @ 08/06/2003 12:58 PM EDT


I distinctly remember Ecto-Cooler being in the local Tops supermarket in like 2000, it had to have been that recent. I remember the straws changing color too, from orange to green, maybe that’s around the time they turned the drinks all piss-yellow. Also, if in that comic, Slimer poos in the orange vat turning it green, wouldn’t the color of the new Ecto-Cooler be orange, seeing that it’s sans the Slimer dung?

By the way, Ted Dibiase is most definetly NOT Amish OR Catholic, he’s Pentecostal. I heard him and Sting preach at an Acquire the Fire event in Cleveland.

Ghosted by GhostofEdLeslie @ 08/06/2003 3:53 AM EDT


OMG! Just ran next door to the Piggly Wiggly (http://www.thepig.net/) and bought a pack of Tangergreen… Looked at my receipt and it says "HI C ECTO COOLER"… WOW! I participated in the Ecto-Cooler mystery… Yeah!

Ghosted by sallizar @ 08/06/2003 9:29 AM EDT


They say a man who drinks ecogreen never fears for his life. They say a man who drinks ecogreen never lacks for toilet paper. They say a man who drinks ecogreen is a prince among men.

Ghosted by a @ 08/06/2003 11:54 AM EDT


Ecogreen? Wha?

Ghosted by LioConvoy @ 08/06/2003 1:00 PM EDT


I remember when I was in elementary school, I got in trouble once because people thought it had mountain dew (pop was not allowed) when, in fact, I had ecto-cooler. It was green when I had it and that was circa 1993.

Ghosted by lsdfkjdsfljk @ 08/06/2003 1:23 PM EDT


…but it was from the jug poured into a juice container. I guess im too ghetto for the boxes.

Ghosted by lsdfkjdsfljk @ 08/06/2003 1:25 PM EDT


I, as many virtually-present fans on this forum, was quite a fan of the famed Ecto-Cooler. In an effort to relieve my quenching for childhood nostalgia, I have searched eagerly for this elusive Tangergreen drink. After visiting 12 shopping marts, I have temporarily ceased my journey. I settled, however, for a jug of the ever-present Lavaburst. All I can say is this consumable, if it qualifies as such, is the most nauseating beverage I have ever consumed. I have, since drinking this poison, been hunched over in a state of dizziness and am most likely the most recent victim of acute pancreatic shock. I recall the Ecto-Cooler being a bit less potent then the Lavaburst, but until I find the Tangergreen, I will still wonder whether the liquids are closely comparable to the Ecto-Cooler, or whether I have simply developed an acquired sucrose immunodeficiency to this nectar. Or, possibly, I have gained such an appreciation of Grey Goose vodka that my capacity to enjoy such beverages has become distorted. But without the friendly Goose, how else could I justify a journey across the city for artificially colored liquid sugar tempered with a mild dose of Vitamin C?

Ghosted by GodLessAmerica @ 08/06/2003 1:29 PM EDT


I have purchased both kinds of the HI-C. While the Lavaburst has that little, werid taste after it that is familar, I must go with the Tangerine as the true. Ecto-Cooler.

*P.S. – Don’t mix them together. It was pointless and looked like I was drinking dark piss.

Ghosted by Sanjuro @ 08/06/2003 3:02 PM EDT


comments? im confused. I like potatoes. potatoes start green and then change colors too.

I think about potatoes alot.

Ghosted by vroomazoom @ 08/06/2003 3:42 PM EDT


Drink shasta. Enjoy the runs.

Ghosted by vorhees @ 08/06/2003 4:43 PM EDT


… WE’VE FOUND… THE ANSWER…

UPC labels, people, UPC labels.

As sallizar posted a few hours up, "OMG! Just ran next door to the Piggly Wiggly… and bought a pack of Tangergreen… Looked at my receipt and it says "HI C ECTO COOLER"…"

That’s the answer, folks. As those of you that aren’t stunned at the concept of lasers and math know, a UPC label contains a bunch of numbers, unique to a particular product, that ring up that particular item when scanned. Obviously, when they first put Ecto Cooler into the Piggly Wiggly computer system, they had it’s UPC stored. Then, when Tangergreen was created Hi-C used the same UPC number, but the Piggly Wiggly never noticed they new name and never changed it in the computer. Hi-C has spoken, and by using the same UPC number as Ecto Cooler, they have named the spiritual successor to it… Tangergreen.

"Ya backed the wrong horse, my friend." -Master Shake

Oh, and for the record, I don’t find you particularly attractive Matt. And I am most definately NOT a girl.

Ghosted by New Resident of Bluffton, South Carolina @ 08/06/2003 7:12 PM EDT


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