Make Caffeine Jello Shots

Whether you appreciate the benefits of caffeine but dislike the flavor of coffee, or you're just looking for a new, quick way to get a caffeine fix, you'll probably be pleased with the convenience and quirkiness of caffeinated Jello shots--provided you use them responsibly, of course, since you can overdose on caffeine, just like with any drug. With these instructions, you'll be able to make a batch, keep them in your refrigerator, and grab them on the go--or serve them to groggy guests.

Ingredients

 * Caffeine powder (can be bought as pure powder (see sources) or made from ground up caffeine pills; see Warnings) Note that pills may have a gelatin coating, in addition to binders and fillers that are always present in pills, and that these may not taste good. Pure powder is recommended.
 * Jello, multiple flavors are recommended (so different colors can represent different dosages)
 * Shot glasses (paper bathroom cups can be used, or cut down plastic cups - Ice cube trays also work well)

Steps

 * 1) [[Image:Jelloshots3_187.jpg|200px|right]]Decide on the caffeine dosage of your jello shots. Then determine how many caffeine pills you will need. A 6 oz Jello package makes about 30 shots, so work out how much caffeine you're going to need total, and divide that by the amount of caffeine per pill, which is usually 200mg. (E.g. 30 shots at 50mg each = 1500mg total, divided by 200mg = 7.5 pills needed.) In this article, 30 shots of 100mg each will be made, requiring 15 pills, but your dosage can vary by the desired intensity:
 * 2) *50mg- Mild energy rush. About equal to the caffeine in a can of cola.
 * 3) *100mg- Enough energy for 80's dance night. Equals about a 2 ounce espresso.
 * 4) *200mg- Same dose as in 2.5 cans of Red Bull.
 * 5) *300mg- Twitching starts. Jello shots begin to taste very bitter.
 * 6) *400mg- Ingesting more than 400 mg of caffeine can be dangerous, with side effects including tremors, agitation, stomach ache, and irregular heartbeat. See Warnings.
 * 7) [[Image:Pills_use_374.jpg|200px|right]]Grind the caffeine pills with a mortar and pestle if available. Otherwise place the pills on a sheet of paper.
 * 8) [[Image:Roll_571.jpg|200px|right]]Fold the paper in half, and go over it with a rolling pin or some other dense cylindrical object. Use moderate force so that you can crush them.
 * 9) [[Image:Cocaine_116.jpg|200px|right]]Keep rolling until the powder is similar in consistency to the image shown.
 * 10) [[Image:Pour_801.jpg|200px|right]]Pour the ground up caffeine into a large bowl with the Jello powder, and mix thoroughly.
 * 11) [[Image:Pour_hot_water_223.jpg|200px|right]] Add the boiling water (follow the standard Jello recipe on the box for exact amount of water) and stir thoroughly. Keep stirring until all the caffeine has completely dissolved into the solution.
 * 12) [[Image:Jelloshots2_62.jpg|200px|right]]Pour the solution evenly into 30 shot glasses (or small paper cups), and refrigerate for a few hours until jiggly.

Tips

 * Some people prefer to grind B12 pills into the mixture too. The specific amount of B12 used is not as important as the caffeine dosage. It is more of a season to taste or an auxiliary stimulant. Remember, however, that it is possible to get too much and suffer ill effects.
 * If you use pure caffeine powder (or even pills), record every action you make on paper to avoid overdosing. Chemists use this technique to ensure that their experiments are performed correctly.
 * To eliminate all risks of overdosing by using caffeine powder you can omit the caffeine and instead of using cold water to mix your Jello (as instructed on box) you can replace water with a flavored energy drink. Since many flavors are available you can mix and create new flavors for your Jitter Shots. You'll get smaller doses of caffeine and have some creative flavor options. It may also provide B12 or other vitamins for energy.
 * Raw caffeine is far cheaper than buying caffeine pills and is of a safe grade for human consumption. However, it is *very* difficult to measure accurate amounts of powdered or liquid caffeine, and it is advised to either find a precision scale or start with low amounts before slowly increasing the batch's dosage. Use much less than you think you need.

Warnings

 * Caffeine is a powerful stimulant (i.e. drug) and can be toxic at high levels. Remember, the poison is in the dose. At very high doses (about 2000 mg), the effects can be severe enough to necessitate hospitalization. Make sure you do the math right when measuring the caffeine: forgetting to carry or add a zero could be lethal. Although the lethal dosage is reported to be 150 mg of Caffeine per 1 kg of body mass, individual factors may result in lethal dosages  that are much lower or much higher.
 * People with medical conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure), coronary artery disease (heart disease) or history of cardiac arrhythmias (heart rhythm disturbances) should first consult a physician prior to using caffeine or any other stimulants.
 * [[Image:Liquid_482.jpg|200px|right]]If you purchase pure caffeine powder, be sure it is food grade (i.e. tested for human consumption).
 * The half-life of caffeine is anywhere from 3-10 hours, depending on  individual health factors. Be sure not to consume too many jello shots within a 3 hour period.
 * Label your shot trays well. You don't want someone grabbing a shot expecting plain Jello. This is an especially important if your shots are accessible to elderly or those with heart or other conditions not conducive to caffeine.
 * Remember you are adding a drug to your Jello. Keep these out of the reach of children or anyone who may be more sensitive to caffeine.
 * When using powdered or liquid caffeine, remember that unless you have a precision scale your measurements cannot be trusted as accurate. Speak with any chemistry professor and they will tell you this is *always* true. Use extreme caution and low doses - it's always possible to take another shot if the dosage is mild, but a supercharged batch can be dangerous for anyone who takes a single shot!
 * Jello is not a vegetarian dessert. Gelatin is a protein produced by partial hydrolysis of collagen extracted from the bones, connective tissues, organs, and some intestines of animals.

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Make Jello Shots
 * How to Cope With Green Tea Caffeine
 * How to Make Rainbow Jello
 * How to Make Jello Shots in an Orange
 * How to Make Jello Cake
 * How to Suspend an Object in Jello
 * How to Stay Awake at Work
 * How to Stay Awake when Driving

Sources and Citations
preparar shots de gelatina con cafeína Preparar Gelatina Cafeinada
 * Powder Caffeine - Source for cheaply buying pure caffeine powder worldwide. [US based]
 * Pure Caffeine - Source for cheaply buying pure caffeine powder worldwide. [UK based]
 * Pure Bulk - Another cheap source. [US based]
 * Instructables - Article by User:Tetranitrate. Source of original information and selected images. Shared with permission.
 * How to make a Jello shot
 * United Nuclear - sells caffeine in 2, 4, and 8 ounce bottles, as well as other interesting chemicals.