Monster Zero Ultra

Introduction

Time to review the GOAT, aka Monster Zero Ultra. I’ve put this one off since I’ve had probably 300+ of them in my life (shoutout late nights studying in college), but I had to come back to it at sometime. To me, Zero Ultra raised the bar from your basic Monsters, Rockstars, and Red Bulls; and is what I measure pretty much every energy drink against today. That doesn’t mean it’s perfect, but it’s definitely the drink I reach for if I want a consistent, delicious kick.

Appearance

Maybe it’s not that cool, but I remember being drawn to it when I tried it years and years ago. The white and silver can still isn’t like anything else I’ve seen in the current market. Pours out clear with medium carbonation.

Taste

Just like some of the original energy drinks, I think it’s difficult to accurately describe the taste with Zero Ultra since it’s not fruit based. The word “ice” pops into my head, but that doesn’t really help. It’s crisp, sweet, and refreshing with a nice aftertaste that I think comes from the sucralose (artificial sweetener). 9.5 from me on taste.

Kick

140mg of caffeine, 10 calories, 0 sugar, Monster energy blend. At 8 for kick, I’m giving this higher than I normally would with 140mg of caffeine for the reason I listed above - I’ve had this a million times. And I’ve never felt a crash or been jittery. I don’t know what it is, but this has the sauce.

Conclusion

If you couldn’t already tell, I like this drink. We have a long history. I’m not going to give it a perfect 10, but 9.25 is pretty darn close.

Introduction

White Monster is historically my favorite energy drink. Back in high school, all I drank were NOS (original) and White Monsters. Now that I have tried essentially every drink available to me, White Monster has taken a bit of a back seat. That being said, each sip fills me with nostalgia on top of already being delicious. It does not have much caffeine at only 140mg/can (8.75mf/floz – I could have sworn it used to be 160/can, but my colleagues tell me I am incorrect), but still will get the job done for a casual energy drink. It has only 10 calories with no sugar, so you do not experience much of a crash at all. While White Monster has always been one of my favorites, the taste has fallen from my originally rated 10 all the way down to a 9.1 since I have been able to experience such a large variety of drinks at this point.

Upside

The only real reason I gave White Monster a 9.1 out of 10 instead of a 10 overall is due to the lack of caffeine. This means that everything else about it is amazing. It is very unique with a distinct taste that is nigh indescribable (I guess technically citrus, but it does not feel like a citrus beverage to me). The can looks cool with an all white background, it is easily accessible in most places around the U.S., and it is one of the most enjoyable drinks out there. I recommend everyone reading this to try White Monster at some point if you have not already.

Downside

As I said earlier, the biggest downside is the lack of caffeine. While many Monsters have 160mg caffeine (which already was not a ton), Monster Zero Ultra only has 140mg. Because of this, the amount of artificial energy you feel from White Monster is much less than most other energy drinks. The only other downside would be that it may not feel as smooth as some of the other Ultras as it seems to fizz more upon hitting your tongue. This is one of those times where I believe that the mouth feel not being as smooth actually enhances the taste, but since there are not many downsides to this beverage, I figured this was a good place to mention it.

Upshot

White Monster is what I consider the gold standard in terms of enjoyment. Unfortunately there is not enough caffeine for me to consider it the best of all time, but it is certainly up there. It is an overall 9.1 out of 10 due to the lack of a strong kick. If there was more caffeine and all other features remained the same, I would consider rating this closer to 10. It is just that good.

Appearance

Monster Zero Ultra immediately reminds me of white-on-white jersey renderings that I've seen. We easily could've easily seen a frosty or icy themed flavor name. It looks fresh. Not to mention that it has the classic grippy texture that Monster zero sugar drinks typically have. I really don't have much else to say other than it's a sharp looking can.

Taste

Zero Ultra has no sugar, as the name implies. Despite that, it's a fairly sweet drink. It's not overly sweet but it's up there on the scale. If you have had other flavors in Monster's zero sugar line, Zero Ultra really does feel like the default in a way. It has this indescribable, delicious flavor that you can tell is present in the other flavors. It's as if they start with Zero Ultra and add a slight splash of syrup to create whatever zero sugar flavor is desired. It may sound like a criticism, but it's really not. It's basically the "pure" Monster and I love it for that. I really think it has a straightforward taste that makes it a staple of the energy drink world. I wouldn't say it's the the most delicious drink of all time but it is extremely good and extremely redrinkable. It's the gold standard.

Kick

Zero Ultra has 140mg of caffeine in its 16oz can. While certainly not the strongest, it is a good amount for me in one can and has proven to pack a punch. It also has a decently high amount of carbonation that provides some enjoyable bite right off the get go. Not the most powerful but substantial.

Overall

Monster Zero Ultra really is the gold standard. It's an energy drink that has all of the key qualities right, and consistently delivers. It is highly redrinkable and as such has become a frequent choice of mine off of the shelves. It is definitely one of the few energy drinks I would immediately recommend to those just getting into energy drinks. It's just a plain winner and a must try.