A caffeinated popsicle? Sign me up!

Okay, I’m actually not that fond of eating my caffeine, I love coffee way too much, but I do like drinking things flavored like other things I’m supposed to chew. The latest collaboration between a sugar-laden childhood treat and a sugar-free energy drink company comes courtesy of C4 Performance Energy and Popsicle. A 16-ounce can contains 200 milligrams of caffeine, some beta alanine for muscle endurance, and one of three nostalgic flavors — Cherry, Grape, and Hawaiian Pineapple. All three drinks use no coloring and have a middle-of-the-road carbonation that isn’t too aggressive but doesn’t feel flat — nice, tight, sharp bubbles that let their impact be felt without a trail of trapped gassiness.

Cherry is undoubtedly the most classic of the three, with a sweet and slightly muted cherry flavor that delivers on the Popsicle theme really well. Eating an actual Popsicle as an adult, you realize how much less rich and more watery they are than an ice cream bar, and this drink has that slightly diluted watery finish after the initial cherry rush. It’s a good drink, but for me, it’s held back by its dedication to the bit. I’m left wanting a bit more flavor, especially when compared to C4’s already available best-in-class Midnight Cherry energy drink. Still, I have to commend C4 for making a drink that honors the collaboration and isn’t just a simple rebrand of something that already exists.

Hawaiian Pineapple is a Popsicle I’m not sure I have ever had, but I am delighted it was chosen as one of the flavors for this line — it is excellent. The flavor starts off very smooth and juicy pineapple that finishes with just a touch of orange. It seems exceedingly rare to find a nearly pure pineapple drink, as it’s often paired with coconut for a piña colada flare, and this one stands out as not only the most unique in the line but one that warrants repeat purchases and a permanent spot in the C4 lineup.

Grape is another classic and iconic Popsicle flavor but also one of the most divisive, and as a grape lover…C4 Energy nailed it. This may be the best grape energy drink I have ever had, and I’m blown away by how dense yet not cloying the flavor is. The taste is a big, bold, candy-like grape, that familiar taste you either love or hate, and the watery Popsicle element that worked against the cherry works like a charm here. The flavor is an undeniably potent punch of grape, yet it never gets syrupy or weighed down in the way grape can trend towards medicinal. It’s classic, it’s nostalgic, and it’s perfect.

Purchased Price: $3.49 (each)
Size: 16 oz cans
Purchased at: Vitamin Shoppe
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Cherry), 9 out of 10 (Hawaiian Pineapple), 10 out of 10 (Grape)
Nutrition Facts: (1 can) 5 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 0 milligrams of sodium, 0grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 0 grams of total sugars, and 0 grams of protein.