“Kombucha-esc earthy beverage. Tastes healthy and provides a mild-to-moderate midday pick-me-up. Overall subpar.”
Cam’s full review
Introduction
Runa Pineapple has a very natural, earthy taste to it. It is labeled as “clean energy,” and certainly tastes as such. With 150mg of caffeine (12.5mg/floz), it has just enough of a kick to give a solid little midday pick-me-up. While I rank Runa Pineapple as a subpar energy drink, I could still see some people enjoying this.
Upside
The upside is that it gives off several unique and distinct tastes. When I first took a sip, my immediate thought was that this tastes like kombucha, chilled tea, pineapple soda water, lemongrass, and guayusa. I personally am not a fan of kombucha, but if you are, then you probably will enjoy Runa Pineapple more than I do. The guayusa is what gives it that earthy taste, the chilled tea/pineapple soda water vibes provide the mouthfeel, and the mellow aftertaste resembles lemongrass. While I rate taste as a 4/10 simply because I do not enjoy it, I can see how others may. The kick is mellow, but does its job as a midday boost. The appearance is a bright and happy green and yellow, and also my highest rated aspect of this energy drink.
Downside
First, the initial taste is bitter to me. I do not like kombucha, and it seems too earthy to be very enjoyable. Second, the mouthfeel is lackluster as it fails to contribute to the kick in any meaningful way. Third, your breath is not appealing after you drink Runa Pineapple, even if you only take one sip. The aftertaste lingers and leaves a not-so-desirable smell. I really did not enjoy this energy drink very much, but rated it as high as a 4/10 because I thought any lower would just be a result of me being stubborn in my personal opinion and failing to recognize the pros of this beverage.
Upshot
Runa Pineapple is a very niche beverage. It certainly does not just taste like pineapple as I was expecting. If you enjoy kombucha and need a midday pick-me-up, then you will probably love this energy drink. There are no artificial sweeteners and it only has 10 calories, making it likely the “healthiest” beverage reviewed on this site. If you are purely going for taste, then there are many far superior options. If you want a healthy alternative, Runa Pineapple is a fine option.
