If Red Bull claims the original version of their product is supposed to gives you wings, I wonder what their Red Bull Cola is supposed to give you. I’ve consumed four cans and the only things they’ve given me was gas and the ability to burp the first six letters of the alphabet. I was hoping to get either a halo above my head, x-ray vision, or the patience to solve a Rubik’s Cube.
For years, there were only two types of Red Bull — original and sugar-free. But last year they decided to get a little kinky and introduced a cola version of their product. Besides probably being a good mixer, what’s interesting about Red Bull Cola is that it’s all-natural. It doesn’t contain artificial flavors, colors, and phosphoric acid like the mainstream colas — Coke and Pepsi.
If it doesn’t have artificial flavors, how does it get its flavor? It does it with an ingredients list that reads like the McCormick spices section at your local supermarket. Along with caramel, sugar, and lemon juice concentrate, Red Bull Cola also contains vanilla, mustard seed, lime, kola nut, cacao, licorice, cinnamon, lemon, ginger, coca leaf, orange, corn mint, pine, cardamom, mace, and clove.
Just like having sex for the first time, the first sip from the can is a little weird, but it gets better after that. Its flavor reminded me of a less sweet RC Cola with a bit of a citrus taste. It’s not bad, but I honestly prefer the taste of Coke or Pepsi, even with the high fructose corn syrup in them.
The most disappointing thing about Red Bull Cola was that it had only 45 milligrams of caffeine per can, which is more than Coke or Pepsi, but nowhere close to the 80 milligrams found in a regular Red Bull. If you’re a caffeine addict, you probably won’t notice the 45 milligrams, unless you count having a headache or becoming very cranky due to the lack of caffeine it provides as something noticeable.
If you’re not a regular caffeine consumer because you think your body is a temple and the caffeine might disrupt the inner peace of that temple, it will probably give you a nice boost to go along with the disruption of your temple. The coffee beans included in the beverage not only provided the caffeine, but they also seemed to be the source of some sediment in the Red Bull Cola, which I like to think of as the worm at the bottom of the tequila bottle.
(Nutrition Facts – 1 can – 130 calories, 0 grams of fat, 10 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 31 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.)
Item: Red Bull Cola
Price: $1.69
Size: 12 ounces
Purchased at: 7-Eleven
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: Reminds me of RC Cola with a citrus twist. Easy to drink. Natural ingredients. No artificial flavors. Uses real sugar and not High Fructose Corn Syrup.
Cons: Sadly, I think Coke and Pepsi taste better. Not as much caffeine as regular Red Bull. Possible sediment from coffee beans. Might be hard to find.
Sounds kind of interesting. I guess since they’re keeping it natural they won’t offer a sugar-free version…unless they make it with stevia, which actually sounds like an interesting idea.
My favorite soda is Dublin Dr. Pepper (made with cane sugar) but I don’t know what the caffeine content is. Probably the same as for Coke/Pepsi.
Seeing that ingredients list makes me want to enter a baking contest or create a full course Indian dinner. I doubt that was the effect the Red Bull Cola makers were going for, however.
One tiny thing you forgot to note is the lofty price tag of Red Bull, including this one. At 1.69 each, that comes out to a bull-kickin’, take that bear market $10.14 (+ tax and recycle deposit fee) per six-pack. Ouch.
At least this Cola flavor is a full 12 ounces, unlike regular Red Bull.
So when is 7-Eleven gonna’ offer Red Bull Slurpees? Even better question, when is 7-Eleven gonna’ figure out how to make their Slurpee machines work properly? Every time I go in there, half the flavors come out as some bastardized concoction of syrup and semi-carbonated water. Always blows the deal. ICEE rules.
Hm, considering I’ve never had a Red Bull, and don’t like any cola that isn’t Pepsi, I don’t think this would be up my alley. Thanks for trying it so I don’t have to! 😀
See I liked the redbull cola AND I got my bf to like it…though I wish it had the same amount of caffeine…seems like a rip off of the name w/o the same amount of “kick”
Interesting…
Coke removed the coca leaf from its cola decades ago because of the cocaine it put into the drink…
Interesting…
I tried this last year and liked it.
As for colas, this is where I stand.
Coke is for mixin’ drinks.
Pepsi is for refreshment.
And Red Bull cola is for both.
Rockstar cola was good. It came in a red can, they no longer make it 🙁
I tried Redbull Cola when they were passing out free samples in Atlanta a couple of months back and it was nice. It was hot outside and it refreshed me enough to jump around at a concert. I don’t think I’d buy it for myself though… but free is always good.
Im a cola crazed nut I once went to wamart in below zero weather at 4:15 am to get pepsi and coke and sams cola
I will try red ull cola right away
Oh, I tried that a few months ago! I LOVE the stuff, though it’s pricey. My first thought, actually, was “I sure hope Marvo tries this stuff”, but figured you wouldn’t have it on the good ol’ island, so never emailed. Now I feel silly.
My first impression was that it was like a chai tea soda (Though all I remember of chai tea is that every time I take a sip of a friend’s, I burn my mouth and start yelling, SORTA remembering the spices.) due to the spices. LOVE IT.
I’ve had this stuff and don’t think it’s good at all. Too much cinnamon flavor if you ask me!
@Chuck – I don’t think I would like a sugar-free version. I would like a double the sugar version and see if it’s strong enough the polish a penny.
@Heidi – Your comment makes me want a full course Indian dinner. Mmm…nan.
@Pomai – The 7-11 near my place has hit or miss Slurpee machines too. I think you have to look at the mixing container above the spout. If it’s mixing at a slower pace, then it’ll turn out good.
@Noble Arc, The Lazy Canadian – Trying things so others don’t have to is what we do best.
@Heather – I wish it had more caffeine too. I think Vivarin needs to come in powder form so that we can add it to think. Because not everyone has a pestle and mortar.
@Ken H – So if I drink enough of this stuff I could get high? Geez and here I was thinking that the only way for someone to get high with Red Bull Cola is by using the can as a bong.
@AL – And all three are great for attracting ants.
@Bunny – Rockstar came out with a cola? Cola is so not rock.
@Tommy Arcade – Atlanta, eh? I’m surprised assassins from Coca-Cola didn’t come out and kill the people passing out the free samples.
@Neil – I probably would not do that. I would walk in 75 degree weather to the 7-11 down the street.
@Michelle – Sadly, I bought a four-pack on eBay for $20 because it wasn’t here on this rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, but on the day this review was posted, the 7-Eleven down the street had them in stock.
@wine blog – Speaking of cinnamon, I miss Holiday Spice Pepsi.
Marvo, thanks for the link to BevReview off your review. Good to see that I wasn’t crazy in thinking that this drink wasn’t all it could have been. What was Red Bull thinking?