UPTIME Original Citrus Sugar Free

Introduction

Welcome to the thunderdome of energy drink reviews! Uptime Original Citrus, and Uptime in general is a drink that I’ve referenced frequently in other reviews, whether it’s directly comparing qualities or just hyping it up as the gold standard. Original Citrus is unique in many ways, while also being simple in appearance and taste, so I’m excited to finally get a review out for it and speak my mind.

Appearance

I gave a 9 for Uptime Blueberry Pomegranate so I’ll stick with that rating here. It’s a super unique can, being tall up and down with the predominantly white design. It’s smart by Uptime because I think it makes the can look like 16oz, while actually being 12. I’m also a fan of the simple color scheme and minimalist design.

Taste

The bar used to be Monster Zero Ultra for simple and refreshing energy drinks, but there’s a new king in town. CRISP is the best way to describe the mouth feel, which comes from the high carbonation. As far as sweetness goes, I would say 7 or 8 out of 10 from that perspective. Think of Sprite, but with heavier carbonation and a stronger citrus flavor. For those reasons I’m putting it on the Mount Rushmore of energy drinks for me, coming in at 9.7 for taste.

Kick

Kick isn’t bad, especially for the 12oz can. At 142mg it slots in with the traditional 16oz Monsters as well as the 12/16oz Red Bulls (when comparing it to mainstream energy drinks). With the excellent taste you’re going to want to drink this all the time, but don’t expect to be jumping off the walls. It’s more of a refreshing pick-me-up.

Conclusion

Original Citrus is the gold standard for the refreshing, moderate caffeine-content group of energy drinks, and one of my absolute favorites overall at 9.5. Let me know if I’m crazy - or if it’s one of your favorites as well.

Appearance

I love the Uptime packaging. It has a unique feel, look, and shape. The bottle feels cool to the touch when refrigerated like a premium beer can. There is one drawback however, the skinny bottle does not fit in most cupholders so they make sure the top is screwed on tight when driving around. The label could use a little more color or dynamics to it, and I've noticed that they have updated the look of the bottles to add a small graphic of a lemon and a lime on the back.

Taste

Uptime Original Citrus Sugar Free tastes like soda from the fountain that just got reloaded with syrup. It's that good. Honestly, it tastes similar to Sprite, which is a good thing in my opinion. The one condition is that Uptime must be consumed when cold. Similarly to beer, it hits differently when cold. The colder the better.

Kick

In another parallel to soda, Uptime Original Citrus is quite carbonated and has a strong feeling on your tongue. Additionally, I have noticed a distinct spike in energy and a certain indescribable feeling with this drink, which is uncommon for me. Uptime is unlike anything else I've had thus far.

Overall

Uptime Original Citrus stands out in every category, both in quality and uniqueness. It is honestly one of my favorite drinks and worth a try for everyone.