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Monster Ultra Black

Monster Ultra Black

SHARK SCORE · DECENT · SHARK SCORE · DECENT · 68

Decent · Fine in a pinch.

Ranked #174 of 267 drinks · #29 of 35 Monster

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137 mgCaffeine
16 ozCan size
8.6mg per oz · Moderate
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The Sharks’ verdict

Average of 2 Shark reviews. Each category is scored 0–10; Overall is its own call, not an average.

Look8.8/10
Taste7/10
Kick6.3/10
Overall6.8/10
JaredReviewed Nov 27, 2020
6.75/10
“Ultra Black isn’t a beverage I would reach for again.”
Look8.5
Taste7.5
Kick6.5
Overall6.75

Jared’s full review

Introduction

Is this an uncommon drink?? This is my first time having a Monster Ultra Black and I’m really not sure if it’s uncommon or I’ve just never felt edgy enough. The back of the can talks about the “Cherry Capital of the World” and cherries that ripen around the 4th of July, which is getting me excited. Cherry is one of my favorite drink flavors (shoutout Cheerwine, anyone?), so let’s go.

Appearance

Another cool can from Monster, although I feel like if you have this in public you run the risk of looking like a major Kyle. But hey, that comes with the territory. Pours out dark red with medium carbonation.

Taste

Taste is good… but it doesn’t have the “it” factor for me. The cherry flavor seems dulled, but not subtle. Like it’s a strong, weak black cherry flavor if that makes ANY sense.

Kick

Can says it has the classic Monster energy blend, and as an “Ultra” drink it has zero sugar. It does have 137 mg of caffeine which seems weird. Monster is getting wonky with their caffeine content.

Conclusion

This drink definitely falls into the category of “Good, not Great”. And in this crazy world where insane energy drink flavors are coming out every week (seriously, I can’t keep up), Monster Ultra Black isn’t a beverage I would reach for again.

MattReviewed Aug 16, 2020
6.8/10
“Despite being a winner on paper, Ultra Black falls short in taste and kick”
Look9.1
Taste6.5
Kick6
Overall6.8
Read Matt’s full review

Appearance

I’m a sucker for black and red. Monster Ultra Black absolutely nails it.The black base color with the red and silver accents looks sharp. Aesthetics aside, the usual can attributes from Monster’s zero sugar line of drinks apply. Attributes such as the grippy texture on the outside and the tall skinny 16 fl oz. form factor, which are personal favorites. Hopefully Monster adds Ultra Black to the lineup permanently, because it’s a looker.

Taste

Taste is probably the weakest part of this drink. It’s a shame too, because the rest of the components are there. That’s not to say the flavor is bad, just disappointing. If you’ve read my reviews or had a couple different zero sugar Monsters you know that they all have a very formulaic base flavor with minor accents respective to each flavor. Ultra Black follows the formula, however, the accents underwhelm. According to Monster, “Black” is a reference to the black cherries grown outside of Chicago. Despite the nice backstory, I was unable to detect any cherry flavoring. The flavor as a whole doesn’t have any distinct features and I find that to be the primary issue. It’s inoffensive but slightly bland.

Kick

Monster Ultra Black has an 137mg of caffeine. All other zero sugar Monster drinks have 150mg according to Monster’s website. In the wild I’ve seen some of the Monster zero sugar drinks that have 140mg, but never 137mg. Odd. I am curious what Monster’s thought process was during the creation of this drink. Regardless, the limited edition has 13mg less of caffeine than the regular drinks in the lineup. Ultra Black is definitely not the strongest Monster out there.

Overall

On paper, Monster Ultra Black has the potential to be great. It is a limited edition with striking packaging in a successful and popular line of drinks. Despite being a winner on paper, Ultra Black falls short in taste and kick. Disappointment aside, it is by no means a bad drink. Its biggest weaknesses are really just average and there will be a fair share of drinks that end up scoring below this. High hopes come up short sometimes, and that’s okay. Let’s just hope the next time Monster (or any other brand) has great packaging that the taste is up to par.

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Monster Ultra Black: quick answers

How much caffeine is in Monster Ultra Black?

Monster Ultra Black has 137 mg of caffeine in a 16 fl oz can (8.6 mg per fluid ounce). That's about as much as 1.5 cups of brewed coffee (8 oz each, about 95 mg per cup), 34% of the 400 mg a day the FDA cites for healthy adults. It ranks #212 for caffeine among the 267 drinks we've rated.

Is Monster Ultra Black sugar-free?

Yes. Monster Ultra Black is a zero-sugar drink. Formulas change, so check the can's nutrition panel if sugar matters to you.

Is Monster Ultra Black good?

The Sharks give Monster Ultra Black a Shark Score of 68 (Decent: “Fine in a pinch.”), ranking it #174 of 267. The short version: “Despite being a winner on paper, Ultra Black falls short in taste and kick”

What is the best Monster Energy flavor?

Of the 35 Monster Energy drinks we've rated, the best is Monster Ultra Gold (91). Monster Ultra Black ranks #29. The lowest-rated is Monster Mule (24). See every Monster Energy flavor ranked.

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