Rockstar Recovery Orange

Introduction

I almost always write the introduction to my reviews before taking the first sip, so I can convey my thoughts with an unbiased perspective. However, it’s Saturday morning, I just woke up, and I am PARCHED. It’s taking all I’ve got to not take a sip of the bright orange drink with “HYDRATION” written at least 15 times all over the can. To give some quick background though, I think this is the first Rockstar I’ve reviewed. I’ve never been a fan of their original, and I think the only one I’ve really liked is their 250mg (could be wrong) fruit punch flavor. Going into this with an open mind though, so without further ado.

Appearance

5 being average, I’ll give +1.5 for the bright orange and HYDRATION written all over that drew me in.

Taste

If you know me and my energy preferences, you know I like heavy carbonation. There’s something to be said about not expecting any carbonation though (this drink is non-carbonated in case you missed it). I would say knowing that there’s zero carbonation is better than expecting carbonation and getting some weak ass bubbles.

Anyway, the taste here is alright/10. It tastes really similar to Monster Ultra Sunrise, which if you read my last paragraph you’ll know I prefer.

The one difference, other than the carbonation, is a bit more “fruity” taste. Maybe that comes from the 3% juice. It also strongly reminds me of Tang - you know, the drink mix? Hit me up if either you don’t know what I’m talking about, or if you do and you agree.

Kick

Not that it’s really related to kick, but Rockstar Recovery Orange is rocking 10 calories and 2g of sugar, as well as 160mg of caffeine. This drink isn’t going to blow you away with its energy blend, but I don’t think it’s intended to.

Conclusion

I appreciate this beverage for what it is. As a “recovery” energy drink, the no-carbonation is part of the play to be a Gatorade/water-type substitute, so I can’t knock that aspect too much. It is refreshing - so if you’re looking for a sweeter, tang-ier, non-carbonated Monster Ultra Sunrise you’ll dig this drink.

Appearance

Orange everywhere. It'd be hard to confuse this flavor to be anything other than Orange. Interestingly, the Rockstar Recovery text is aligned vertically and to the left, leaving more room for the massive star logo. There is a lot going on with this can, a bold, in-your-face design. It grabs your attention, however I find it to be more distracting than aesthetically pleasing.

Taste

If the appearance of the can wasn't any indication, the flavor is extremely orange. It tastes like very sweet, pseudo orange juice. The closest beverage I can compare it to is Sunny-D. It doesn't have any carbonation, which logically makes sense as it is closer to a juice. That being said, I'd prefer if it was carbonated. The drink itself feels kind of flat and lacks an element that would make it feel more than a viscous, orange drink.

Kick

Recovery Orange has 160mg of caffeine. I much prefer that amount to the 300mg contained in their Rockstar Thermo line. It equates to approximately 2 cups of coffee.

Overall

Rockstar Recovery Orange is a quirky drink. If you ever drank a Sunny-D and thought "this should have 160mg of caffeine in it" then this drink is for you. I can't imagine that the thought has occurred to many people. I saw rumors online that this and other Recovery flavors were discontinued by Rockstar, but that doesn't seem to be the case at least for this flavor in particular. The beverage as a whole leaves a lot to be desired and will probably have a cult following at best.