When it comes to a quick fix of caffeine, there are few options more popular than an energy drink. Whether it is a bestselling type like Monster or Red Bull, or a more specialty one like Celsius or Ghost, there are quite a few drinks to pick from when it comes to a caffeine lift.
But the caffeine is only half of the story when it comes to these carbonated cans; the other important factor is the flavor contained within that aluminum shell.
The staff of the newspaper sampled five different brands: the standard flavor for three of the more common energy drinks, and a cherry limeade flavor for the specialty brands.
So which energy drink flavor fizzes to the top, and which comes out flat?
The flavored favorites
The flavor was definitely something that carried Monster OG, Ghost, and Celsius to the carbonated heavens, with those three getting the highest average rating.
Cherry limeade Celsius and Ghost tied for the best rating. The flavors were likened to soda, which is definitely something that helped these brands, as one of the issues with energy drinks for some is the fact that the flavors are usually a very potent chemical or citrus flavor.
Ghost had a lot more of a punchy flavor compared to the more soda-esque flavor of Celsius. Ghost’s flavor was a lot heavier on the lime aspect of the cherry limeade, which gave it a unique mixture of sour lime and sweet cherry.
Celsius’s flavor didn’t really scream cherry or lime, and more so had a fruity tasting drink flavor, one staff member compared the flavor to fruit snacks mixed into sparkling water.
OG Monster also performed well, which may be surprising, as Monster has never been praised for its “great taste.” The staff enjoyed the more mellowed citrus flavor it had, comparing it to more of an orange or apple-esque flavor.
The medicinal and mediocre
Red Bull was in the middle of the pack, with the collective results describing it as slightly medicinal but with a mix of citrus at best. The can was also notably slimmer and smaller than the rest.
Original Rockstar was the lowest ranked energy drink.
To the majority of the staff, this drink tasted like medicine, with one staff member likening it to the taste of Nyquil.
Unfortunately this Original Rockstar, despite tasting like medicine, won’t help you feel better. If anything, you might just end up feeling much worse.
It seems that the more fruity flavors are the ones that dominate the scene of cans of caffeinated carbon, and the more chemical tasting they get, the worse they seem to rank.
