FOOD NEWS
Ranking Energy Drinks That Aren't Red Bull From Worst To Best
BY Koko Paranteau
15. Bucked Up
Although Bucked Up doesn't offer a flagship flavor, it seems like its team felt liberated to launch the vaguest flavor ideas possible, including Rocket Pop and Miami.
Bucked Up's Miami attempts to imitate a piña colada but instead delivers a drink that is quease-inducing, malty like a cheap beer, and chalky like Smarties.
14. Monster
Monster is one of the earliest energy drinks to enter the market; however, that doesn't mean it's one of the best. The drink somehow tastes like a burp of itself.
It's musky yet indistinct and masks the flavors of its energy-giving components. Acrid, unwelcoming, and indistinct beyond its unpleasantness, Monster is a relic of another era.
13. Ghost
Having partnerships with brands like Sour Patch Kids, Warheads, and Swedish Fish, Ghost aspires to be the gateway energy drink of Generation Alpha.
However, the drinks tasted only like generic candy, like the Sour Patch Kids blue raspberry flavor missing the candy's signature citric acid zing.
12. BeGOAT
BeGOAT considers itself a "clean" alternative to other energy drink brands, with its antioxidants, polyphenols, and a healthy dose of stevia for sweetness.
Unfortunately, the stevia has an unpleasant flavor that distracts from the rest of the beverage, and its caffeine content is lower than many other brands.
11. C4
Despite its athletic branding, C4's flavor catalog consists mainly of collaborations between candy and treat brands, like Jolly Rancher, Skittles, and Popsicle.
C4 does have its proprietary flavors, like blood orange yuzu. Unfortunately, C4's reading of yuzu overplays its sweetness, delivering a slightly tropical and foul-tasting drink.