“Soda mouth feel, with a really refreshing fruity taste that reminds me of Kickstart.”
Jared’s full review
Introduction
My eyes lit up when I saw this can in my local grocery store. It’s Pomegranate Blue Burst, part of the new Mtn Dew energy drink line, Rise. With 180 mg of caffeine, Rise is Mtn Dew’s highest caffeine content drink, following up Game Fuel and Kickstart which are both still on shelves.
I’m not going to lie to you, my expectations were high already when I saw the flavor lineup and can design. Then, I learned LeBron James is leading the advertising campaign. With the bar raised yet again, let’s see what Mtn Dew and parent company Pepsi have in store.
Appearance
I love the unique, grey can. Add in the red bar at the top, clean lines, and badass lion design, and it comes out to a top tier energy drink can.
Taste
I want to temper expectations here, while still hyping up the taste. It’s honestly really similar to all of Mtn Dew’s current drinks – Mtn Dew, Game Fuel, and especially Kickstart. It has the soda mouth feel, with a really refreshing fruity taste that reminds me of Kickstart.
As far as the specific flavors go, the “blue burst” comes in strong. I can’t say I can pick out the pomegranate which is slightly disappointing. My best description overall is berry, with a hint of tropical.
Kick
180 mg of caffeine is a great amount, in my opinion, filling the gap between standard 160 mg drinks and the high caffeine content beverages at 200-300+ mg. There’s zero bitterness despite the level of caffeine.
The can advertises “Immune Support”, with 5% juice, zinc, and A & C vitamins to support the claim.
Conclusion
This is an excellent energy drink, but it’s not going to blow anyone’s mind. If you’ve had Mtn Dew, Kickstart, or Game Fuel, you’ve essentially tasted this drink. With that said, I’m excited to try the other flavors, like Strawberry Melon Spark and Berry Blitz. Maybe there’s something revolutionary going on with those.
