kickapoo (juice), n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

kickapoo (juice) n.

also kickapoo joy juice, kikipoo

[coined in 1941 by cartoonist Al Capp in his strip L’il Abner, in ref. to patent medicines of 1900s named after the Kickapoo, the Algonquian Indians; the ingredients, according to the strip, included ‘a barr’l o’ kerosene, two dozen chicken haids, a bucket o’ somethin’ sloppy we swiped off a passin’ truck, a motorman’s glove, three pairs o’ old socks, a dash o’ axlegrease, turpentine’]

(US) strong alcohol, esp. home brewed.

1945		Eddie Kilfeather [song title] Kickapoo Juice.
1953		L. Uris Battle Cry (1964) 325: The kikipoo hit me fast.
1958		(con. 1945) L. Atwell Private (1961) 386: Tubby’s kickapoo juice was finished, steaming hot. He poured out a generous shot all the way round. [Ibid.] 422: Charley Heydt, Tubby and Jimmy McDonough had been drinking kickapoo juice.
1972		D. Pearce Pier Head Jump 173: What do you say we make up a batch of Kickapoo Joy Juice? [HDAS].
a.1981		‘K. Rollins’ Fighter Pilots 102: Charles gives him our secret formula for kickapoo [HDAS].
1983		R. Aven-Bray Ridgey-Didge Oz Jack Lang 33: Kickapoo Joy Juice Gaol liquor.
2000		(con. WWII) C.M. Pergolizzi Terminal Private 93: I swore I’d never touch that kickapoo juice.