Few things bring the joy of a funfair to life quite like a brightly coloured, ice-cold slush drink. Whether you know it as a slushie, a slush, or the nostalgic Slush Puppie, this chilly treat has been cooling us down and colouring our tongues for decades. But where did it all begin? And how did this humble icy concoction become a global fairground favourite?

Let’s take a stroll through the frosty history of slush drinks and discover just how many wild flavours are out there today.

🏁 The Origins of the Slush Drink

Slush drinks, in their earliest form, trace back to the 1950s and 60s in the United States. Like many great inventions, they were born from a happy accident. It’s believed that a convenience store owner, Omar Knedlik of Kansas, accidentally created the prototype slushie when his soda machine broke and he started chilling soft drinks in the freezer. The drinks would emerge semi-frozen and slushy—customers loved it.

Seeing the popularity, Knedlik developed a machine that could carbonate and partially freeze a flavoured liquid, creating a consistent, slushy drink. In 1965, this became known as the ICEE machine—the first commercial slush drink system.

🐶 Enter the Slush Puppie

In 1970, Will Radcliff launched the now-iconic Slush Puppie brand in Ohio, USA. His twist? Using non-carbonated syrups for a smoother, fruitier taste and slapping on a cute cartoon dog as the mascot. The Slush Puppie quickly became a hit, especially with kids, thanks to its wacky flavours and tongue-staining colours.

The brand spread to the UK in the 1980s and 90s, where it became a staple at cinemas, leisure centres, and, of course, funfairs. That’s why many in the UK still call any slush drink a “Slush Puppie”, regardless of brand—much like how “Hoover” became a stand-in for vacuum cleaner.

🌍 Different Names Around the World

Slush drinks may be universally loved, but they go by different names across the globe:

UK: Slush, slushie, Slush Puppie

USA: Slushie, ICEE, frozen drink

Canada: Slush or slushy

Australia: Slushie or frozen drink

Japan: フローズンドリンク (Frozen Drink)

Mexico: Granizado

Italy: Granita (usually more refined, made with real fruit)

Puerto Rico: Piragua

India: Gola or Chuski

Some versions are fizzy, some flat; some are smooth, while others are crunchy and more ice-heavy. But the essence remains the same: cold, sweet, colourful refreshment.

🍹 How Were Slush Drinks Originally Flavoured?

The earliest slushies used artificial syrups mixed with water and sometimes carbonation. The syrup was pumped into the slush machine’s mixing tank, where it would be frozen into tiny ice crystals while continuously stirred. This gave the drink its signature texture—not quite solid ice, but not liquid either.

Most slush machines still use this method today, although modern machines now support a wider range of ingredients, from natural fruit concentrates to alcoholic bases for adult slush cocktails.

🎨 The Evolution of Flavours

Back in the early days, there were just a couple of classic options—cherry and blue raspberry were the reigning champs. These bright, bold, often neon colours became instantly recognisable.

But oh, how things have grown!

Today, you can find slush drinks in dozens—if not hundreds—of flavours, including:

🍓 Fruity Flavours

These are the most common and popular slush syrup options:

• Strawberry
• Raspberry (often blue raspberry)
• Cherry
• Blackcurrant
• Orange
• Pineapple
• Mango
• Watermelon
• Grape
• Lemon
• Lime
• Lemon & Lime
• Passionfruit
• Peach
• Apple (green apple or sweet apple)
• Pear
• Kiwi
• Melon (cantaloupe or honeydew)
• Banana
• Coconut

🍭 Classic Sweetshop / Candy-Inspired Flavours

• Bubblegum
• Cola
• Cotton Candy (Candy Floss)
• Cream Soda
• Marshmallow
• Toffee Apple
• Sherbet Lemon
• Sour Cherry
• Sour Apple
• Sour Blue Raspberry

🍹 Tropical / Exotic Blends

• Tropical Punch
• Pina Colada (pineapple + coconut)
• Bahama Mama (banana + coconut + pineapple)
• Fruit Punch
• Caribbean Crush
• Dragon Fruit
• Guava
• Lychee
• Papaya

☕ Dessert / Beverage-Inspired Flavours

• Vanilla
• Chocolate
• Mocha
• Coffee
• Caramel
• Root Beer
• Lemonade
• Iced Tea (e.g., peach or lemon)
• Cream Soda
• Cola Float (vanilla + cola)

🎂 Novelty / Unusual Flavours

• Energy Drink
• Red Bull-style
• Unicorn (typically bubblegum + candy floss mix)
• Rainbow (multi-flavour layers)
• Toxic Waste (super sour)
• Monster Melon (extra strong melon)
• Arctic Blast (mint + blue raspberry)
• Fire & Ice (spicy cinnamon + menthol)

🍷 Adult-Inspired (Alcohol-Flavoured Syrups – No Alcohol)

These are designed to taste like cocktails, but without alcohol:

• Mojito
• Margarita
• Daiquiri (Strawberry, Mango)
• Pina Colada
• Cosmopolitan
• Gin & Tonic (non-alcoholic syrup)
• Whiskey Cola
• Rum Punch

🌈 Colour-Based Blends (often for kids or party themes)

• Blue Lagoon (blue raspberry + lemonade)
• Purple Power (blackcurrant + grape)
• Red Thunder (cherry + raspberry)
• Green Goblin (apple + lime)
• Sunset Slush (orange + mango + strawberry)
• Iceberg (mint + bubblegum)

And yes, there are even sugar-free and natural fruit juice options now available for the health-conscious crowd.

🏖 Where Slushies Became Popular

While the USA may have birthed the slush, the UK embraced it with full force, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s. It became a childhood rite of passage—picking your favourite colour at the local shop or waiting patiently at the fairground stand for your icy treat and dose of brain freeze.

Cinemas, bowling alleys, skate rinks and seaside arcades helped cement the slush’s popularity. It became the drink of summer holidays, school trips, and Saturday afternoons.

🧊 From Nostalgia to Home Use

Slushies are no longer just an occasional treat. With the rise of affordable home slush machines, it’s now possible to bring the fairground fun into your own kitchen. Whether you’re hosting a children’s party or mixing up frozen cocktails for a BBQ, there’s a machine for every occasion.

And let’s not forget the accessories—retro cups, crazy straws, layered drinks, rainbow syrups—the possibilities are endless.

🧠 Fun Facts

• The word “slush” originally referred to melting snow or ice in the 1600s. It wasn’t associated with drinks until the 20th century.
• Slushies rely on a process called supercooling. The mixture is cooled below freezing but kept moving to prevent it from forming solid ice — resulting in that perfect icy texture.
• The “blue raspberry” flavour was invented purely for slush drinks—it doesn’t exist in nature!
• The Slush Puppie dog has a name – “Chilly Dog”. He is a white puppy wearing a blue shirt with the letter “S” and a knit hat
• Slushie Brain Freeze Is Real. The cold hits the roof of your mouth, triggering blood vessel constriction and expansion — causing a sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia (yes, that’s the scientific name for brain freeze).
• Some professional machines can freeze a full tank of slush in under 20 minutes.
• No Two Machines Make the Same Slush – The taste and texture of a slushie can vary based on machine speed, syrup-to-water ratio, and ambient temperature — making it a bit of a “frozen art.”
• You Can Make Them With Just a Freezer Bag. Add juice or soda to a ziplock bag, put that bag inside a larger bag filled with ice and salt, and shake — voila, instant DIY slush!
• They Can Be Healthy (Sort Of). Slushies made with 100% fruit juice or natural fruit purées offer a refreshing treat without added sugars — although traditional versions are definitely more of a sweet treat.

🏁 Conclusion: A Timeless Classic with a Bright Future

From its quirky American beginnings to becoming a beloved British tradition, the slush drink has come a long way. Whether you call it a slush, slushie or Slush Puppie, this frosty favourite continues to evolve, delight, and refresh—one colourful sip at a time.