Red Bull

Introduction

Time to review what many consider to be THE original energy drink. A surprisingly polarizing beverage, I've heard every response possible when talking about Red Bull. It's disgusting, it's delicious, it's only good as a mixer... and everything in between. To understand why, I think you have to actually try it, but I'll do my best as an "expert".

Appearance

Red Bull didn't get to where it is with crappy marketing. To me, the small, slim cans have a lot to do with their success. It looks like more than 8.4oz. And as far as design, which is obviously subjective, I like the clean lines and symmetry as well as the logo.

Taste

I actually cheated and Googled what Red Bull (original) is supposed to taste like, with no official results. On Reddit I saw bubblegum, cherry, lemon, and day-old mountain dew. Somehow, none of those answers are wrong. It's sweet, bitter, and vaguely fruity. Maybe tropical. Again, you really have to try it to see if you'll like it, but I do enjoy it and recommend. Carbonation says light on the can, but I feel like it's closer to average carbonation on the energy drink carbonation spectrum.

Kick

The 8.4oz can I'm drinking has 80mg of caffeine and 27mg of sugar. It doesn't advertise its energy blend on the can, but I see that it has Taurine in the ingredients.

Conclusion

It's been a while since I had the original Red Bull, but I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. There was a time when casually drinking an original Red Bull was dead to me (after doing a few too many Jager Bombs), but I'll definitely be reaching for another soon.

Appearance

Its distinctive, now iconic can isn't necessarily a work of art, but accomplishes everything it needs to. The mirror like chrome finish is striking and uncommon. The logo of two bulls charging full speed reinforces the marketing strategy that Red Bull has executed so well over the years. While not the prettiest, it's a clean design that fits the drink well and stands out on the shelves.

Taste

An iconic drink surely has an iconic taste, right? Yep. It's honestly difficult to describe, but that just underlines its distinct flavor. The best I can do is describe it as a sweet, oddly delicious cough syrup. It's a strong taste that grows on you as you with each can. That said, the taste is definitely polarizing, but then again energy drinks as a whole are. In my opinion, it embodies the essential qualities of an energy drink, something that tastes uniquely its own and with enough bite to help the consumer taste the jolt of energy they need. Enough said.

Kick

If you read the taste section you'd already know that the strong flavor of Red Bull provides a nice initial kick. I do think that the carbonation could be stronger for a nice bite. The Red Bull can sizes are on the smaller side, but still manage to pack in 80mg of caffeine in the 8.4oz can and 114 in the 12oz. It isn't the most potent of drinks, but definitely packs a punch for its volume(s).

Overall

Red Bull is the OG as far as I'm concerned. A unique and standout drink that defined the energy drink segment, was combined with a brilliant marketing strategy to create a market leader. It has its flaws, but they don't take too much away from the whole package. It will be interesting to see if Red Bull can stand the test of time, but thus far it hasn't gone anywhere, and isn't going anywhere soon.