The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of Spoon University.
Historically, I am a very big energy drink fan. It’s not one of my proudest qualities, but I sometimes just need that rush. While I’m fond of many of the popular brands, my most unpopular opinion in this niche is probably my distaste for Red Bull. It was the energy drink I was the most familiar with before I started my own energy drink consumption, specifically through my family’s disapproval of other kids my age who drank it. I’ve had plenty of opportunities to try it, but I tend to only reach for it when I have no other option. As I said in my energy drink ranking, the energy I tend to derive from Red Bull doesn’t feel natural, often just heightening my anxiety rather than actually increasing energy. I’ve also never been particularly drawn to any of their offered flavors, finding many of them to taste too similar and sugary sweet.
It seems like I’m perhaps not the only one who had these complaints, as Red Bull’s newest announcement seems to directly address my concerns! On January 6, the brand is releasing Red Bull Zero, a completely sugar-free option of this drink — and I got to sample it.
What is Red Bull Zero?
Red Bull Zero was initially introduced at the 2024 NACS show, which is a trade show for any and all convenience store products. This version is zero sugar, instead using monk fruit extract and other sweeteners to flavor the beverage. While it’s not an all-natural alternative, still using other artificial sweeteners, the monk fruit is supposed to give it a more natural taste and feel. Considering this is my exact issue with the drink, I was very excited to give this a go.
Bigger Red Bull fanatics than myself may be aware that a Red Bull Zero already exists and might be scratching their heads over what this new release is going to bring. From my research, it seems to mainly be the monk fruit extract. This is reportedly a major gamechanger for the drink’s flavor profile. These are also zero sugar, which is a slight change from the prior low-calorie offering. This new option will completely replace the original once released.
What does Red Bull Zero taste like?
For every Red Bull fan reading this, good news — I may have been swayed to your side. My initial thought when trying the new flavor was an almost dread, at joining the ranks of every other Red Bull fan out there. But I have to say, this is genuinely a massive improvement on the drink! Its flavor is described as being closer to the truer, malty Red Bull base, as the monk fruit enhances the traditional syrup, rather than overpowering it. I definitely got this, as the taste was much more mild. The actual pineapple and vanilla flavor that Red Bull is alleged to have was actually discernable in this version, surprisingly refreshing.
I have no tangible proof of this next claim, as the energy formula has reportedly not changed. However, when drinking this, I definitely felt a much more natural burst of energy than my past experiences with Red Bull. Maybe this is because I’m not experiencing the unnatural sugar rush other Red Bulls have, but overall, this was certainly my favorite experience with the drink. Once these drop on shelves in early January, I may just be convinced to become a regular customer. Here’s to hoping they release some of their other flavors with this new formula.