在台灣的便利商店，你買不到這瓶飲料；但在所有的工地福利社或檳榔攤（Betel Nut Stands），它卻是絕對的銷售冠軍。它是保力達B（Paolyta B）。它被包裝在像藥水一樣的棕色玻璃瓶裡，標籤上寫著「提神飲料」。對於台灣數百萬的藍領勞工來說，這不是酒，而是每天上工前必須服用的「精力湯」。有趣的是，近年來許多長居台灣的外國人（Expats）也開始愛上這種獨特的味道，因為那是他們融入台灣在地社交圈的一種儀式。然而，這瓶飲料背後藏著一個公開的秘密：大家以為它提供的是力量，但其實它提供的是酒精帶來的麻醉。
You won't find this drink in typical convenience store fridges, but at any construction site canteen or Betel Nut Stand, it is the undisputed bestseller. This is Paolyta B. Packaged in a brown glass bottle that looks like medicine, it is labeled as an "energy drink." For millions of blue-collar workers in Taiwan, this is not liquor; it is the "Vitality Soup" they must consume before starting work. Interestingly, in recent years, many long-term foreign residents have also fallen for this unique flavor, viewing it as a rite of passage to becoming truly "localized." However, there is an open secret behind this bottle: people think it gives them strength, but what it actually provides is the numbness of alcohol.
力量的幻覺：是補藥還是烈酒？The Illusion of Strength: Medicine or Liquor?
- 保力達B 最神奇也最危險的地方，在於它讓飲用者產生「體力變好」的錯覺。這其實是生理學上的障眼法。它含有約 10% 的酒精（濃度比啤酒高，接近葡萄酒），酒精能暫時麻痺肌肉痠痛與疲勞感；配合配方中的咖啡因、糖分與維他命，能在短時間內創造出精神亢奮的爆發力。許多勞工覺得喝了它就能搬更重的重物，但醫學真相是：它只是讓你暫時忘記身體的警訊。長期大量飲用，其實是在透支明天的健康，這也導致了許多勞工面臨肝臟受損的風險。它是一把雙面刃：支撐了台灣的基礎建設，卻也磨損了建設者的身體。
The most magical yet dangerous aspect of Paolyta B is the illusion of "increased strength" it gives the drinker. This is essentially a physiological trick. It contains about 10% alcohol (stronger than beer, closer to wine), which temporarily numbs muscle pain and fatigue. Combined with caffeine, sugar, and vitamins in the formula, it creates a short burst of euphoria and energy. Many workers feel they can lift heavier loads after drinking it, but the medical truth is: it simply makes you forget your body's warning signals. Long-term heavy consumption is essentially borrowing energy from tomorrow at the expense of liver health. It is a double-edged sword: it supported Taiwan's infrastructure boom but wore down the bodies of its builders.
融入在地的儀式：外國人的「台式洗禮」A Rite of Passage: The "Taiwanization" of Expats
- 過去人們認為這種帶有濃厚藥草味（Herbal taste）的飲料，外國人絕對無法接受。但事實證明，許多長居台灣的外國人，在台灣朋友的帶領下，反而愛上了這種獨特的風味。對他們來說，接過台灣朋友遞來的一杯保力達（通常是用塑膠杯裝著，混了莎莎亞椰奶或維大力汽水），是一種神聖的社交儀式。這代表你不再被視為「觀光客」，而是被當作「自己人（One of us）」。這杯黑色的液體，成為了跨越語言與文化隔閡的催化劑，儘管大家心裡都知道，這東西喝多了並不好。
In the past, it was assumed that foreigners would never accept this drink with its strong herbal taste. However, reality has proven otherwise. Many long-term expats, guided by their Taiwanese friends, have come to love this unique flavor. For them, accepting a cup of Paolyta (usually served in a plastic cup, mixed with Sasaya coconut milk or Vitaly soda) is a sacred social ritual. It signifies that you are no longer seen as a "tourist" but as "one of us." This black liquid has become a catalyst bridging language and cultural gaps, even though everyone silently knows that drinking too much of it is not good for you.
工地調酒學：解構三種靈魂特調Construction Site Mixology: Deconstructing the Three Soul Cocktails
- 單喝保力達B，那股濃烈的中藥味、高甜度的糖漿感以及酒精的灼熱，對初次嘗試的人來說確實是一記重擊。然而，台灣勞工發揮了驚人的味覺創意，透過混搭（Mixing），將這瓶藥酒變成了極易入口的美味飲品。以下是 CORE 為您整理的三種最經典的工地特調。
Drinking Paolyta B straight delivers a heavy punch of medicinal herbs, cloying syrup, and alcoholic heat that can be overwhelming for first-timers. However, Taiwanese workers have displayed amazing culinary creativity. Through mixing, they have transformed this medicinal liquor into surprisingly palatable drinks. Here are the three most classic "Construction Site Cocktails" curated by CORE.
A. 台式貝禮詩：保力達 + 莎莎亞椰奶The Taiwanese Baileys: Paolyta + Sasaya Coconut Milk
這是台灣工地最傳奇、也最受歡迎的入門款調酒。經典比例是 1:1。莎莎亞（Sasaya）是台灣一款老字號的罐裝椰奶，當它濃郁的奶香與保力達的藥草味混合時，奇蹟發生了——原本刺鼻的藥味瞬間消失，轉化為一種帶有焦糖與草本香氣的濃郁奶酒。它的口感滑順、甜美，喝起來像極了愛爾蘭的貝禮詩奶酒（Baileys Irish Cream），但多了一分東方的神秘藥草香。
This is the most legendary and popular entry-level cocktail on Taiwanese construction sites. The classic ratio is 1:1. "Sasaya" is a heritage brand of canned coconut milk in Taiwan. When its rich creaminess meets the herbal notes of Paolyta, a miracle happens—the pungent medicinal scent instantly vanishes, transforming into a rich, creamy liqueur with notes of caramel and herbs. The texture is smooth and sweet, tasting remarkably like Baileys Irish Cream, but with a touch of mysterious Oriental herbal complexity.
B. 黃金深水炸彈：保力達 + 維大力汽水The Golden Depth Charge: Paolyta + Vitaly Soda
如果椰奶是溫柔的撫慰，那麼加了維大力（Vitaly）就是爽快的衝擊。維大力是一種台灣特有的金黃色維他命汽水。將兩者混合後，汽水的氣泡會稀釋糖漿的黏膩感，並帶走酒精的辛辣。入口時，你會先感受到氣泡在舌尖跳動，接著是保力達的藥香回甘。這款特調通常在炎熱的夏天飲用，勞工們形容喝下去有一種打通任督二脈的暢快感。
If coconut milk is a gentle caress, then mixing with Vitaly offers a refreshing jolt. Vitaly is a unique Taiwanese golden soda infused with vitamins. When mixed, the carbonation dilutes the syrup's stickiness and cuts through the alcohol's bite. Upon the first sip, you feel the bubbles dancing on your tongue, followed by the sweet, herbal aftertaste of Paolyta. This mix is typically consumed during hot summers. Workers describe it as a sensation that "unblocks the body's energy channels"—a refreshing burst of energy.
C. 工地 Highball：保力達 + 無糖綠茶The Site Highball: Paolyta + Sugar-Free Green Tea
對於不喜歡太甜的人來說，這是最高級的喝法。使用台灣市售的無糖綠茶（如茶裏王）來調配保力達。綠茶中的單寧酸（Tannins）能完美中和藥酒的澀味，而茶香則能提升藥草的層次感。這款特調喝起來清爽、不膩口，且帶有一種文人雅士的茶酒韻味。這也是許多資深勞工在年紀稍長、開始注重健康（減少糖分攝取）後首選的喝法。
For those who dislike overly sweet drinks, this is the most sophisticated option. It uses commercially available sugar-free green tea to mix with Paolyta. The tannins in the green tea perfectly neutralize the astringency of the liquor, while the tea aroma elevates the complexity of the herbs. This cocktail tastes crisp, non-greasy, and carries an elegant tea-liquor profile. It is often the preferred choice for veteran workers who are getting older and becoming more health-conscious (reducing sugar intake).
CORE 給朋友的真心建議A Sincere Recommendation for Friends
我不會輕易推薦你養成喝保力達B 的習慣，因為說到底，它依然是酒精，過量飲用絕對傷身。但如果你在台灣的旅途中，有當地的朋友熱情地遞給你一杯「特調」，請不要拒絕。試著喝一口那種混合了藥草、氣泡與椰奶的奇異滋味。你或許會驚訝地發現，自己竟然不討厭這個味道。在那一刻，你品嚐的不僅是飲料，而是台灣社會最底層、最真實、充滿汗水與人情味的生命力。
I wouldn't lightly recommend you make a habit of drinking Paolyta B, because at the end of the day, it is alcohol, and excessive consumption is harmful to your health. But if you are traveling in Taiwan and a local friend enthusiastically hands you a "special mix," do not refuse. Try a sip of that strange blend of herbs, fizz, and coconut milk. You might be surprised to find that you actually don't hate the taste. In that moment, you are tasting not just a beverage, but the raw, sweaty, and deeply human vitality of Taiwan's grassroots society.