Rockstar Energy Drink

Product Type:Functional: Energy Drink: Diet; Container: 12 oz Can
BevNET Review: We’ve seen a lot of energy drinks attempt to target the female demographic, but most fall flat by using branding that borders on patronizing. Rockstar Pink, on the other hand, seems to hit the nail on the head, starting with a clean pink can that even includes an attached straw (so you don’t smear your lipstick). There’s no mention of it being for women – you won’t even find the word “Pink” on the can. Still, it’s pretty obvious who this drink is for. Inside the can, the zero sugar formulation (it does have 10 calories – presumably from the added juice) is quite pleasant, drinking like a mellow diet CSD rather than an energy drink. The flavor is a berry citrus flavor, with moderate levels of sweetness and carbonation making for a clean and crisp drinking experience. Functionally, the drink contains B vitamins, caffeine (120mg), taurine, and ginseng – so expect this drink to pack a punch that’s on par with other Rockstar products. Overall, a very well executed product that’s our favorite female targeted energy drink to date. Reviewed on: 5/11/2011

Product Type:Functional: Energy Drink: Regular; Container: 16oz can
BevNET Review: Rockstar’s Super Sour “Sour Apple” is an energy drink that appears to be modeled after sour apple candy. Despite the name, it’s not really “Super Sour” (that’s a good thing in our book), but it does offer some pretty unique flavor that we haven’t previously seen from an energy drink. The sour apple flavor is a particularly good one both in terms of how it tastes (like candy) and its ability to mask all of the energy ingredients that provide the functional benefits of the drink. That said, it seems like something that could have appeal with the younger end of the energy drink demographic, those who don’t like the current flavor of energy drinks, or those who are looking for something different (which always seems to be a big part of the category). Functionally, it features ingredients that are pretty standard to the category, including B vitamins, ginseng, guarana and caffeine (120mg per serving). Visually, the product is busy and colorful, which, in the case of this product, fits with the playful vibe that they seem to be going for while still maintaining the Rockstar brand. It’s hard to say just how big a product like this can be, but it definitely brings something exciting and new to the Rockstar brand. Overall, a very enjoyable energy drink entry.Reviewed on: 11/14/2012

Product Type:Functional: Energy Drink: Regular; Container: 16oz can
BevNET Review: In the course of reviewing the thousands of beverages that we’ve reviewed here on BevNET.com we’ve often used the phrase “it tastes like bubblegum” in a negative way. But in the case of Rockstar’s Super Sour Bubbleberry, it’s something that’s been turned into a positive. And it doesn’t just taste like any bubblegum, but that classic “berry” flavored bubblegum that you’d find in a pack of baseball cards. While it admittedly seems like somewhat of a novelty flavor rather than something that will have a large base of consumers drinking it every time they grab an energy drink, the execution of it is extremely well done. The bubblegum flavor does a nice job of masking the functional flavor, but they haven’t used too much of it that it overwhelms your palate. And, if you’re like us, there’s a certain nostalgia factor to a flavor like this. On the functional side of things, the product is on par with other Rockstar formulations, with 120mg of caffeine (per serving) as well as B vitamins, amino acids, ginseng, and guarana. Visually, the pink and blue color palate definitely feels skewed more towards the berry than the bubblegum (a little more pink might fix that), but the look of the can fits the hip vibe that Rockstar has throughout all of its products. Overall, a unique and enjoyable product from Rockstar. Reviewed on: 11/14/2012

Product Type:Functional: Recovery and Hangover; Container: 16 oz Can
BevNET Review: Building on the success of the Lemonade Rockstar Recovery (which won BevNET’s Best of 2010 award for Best Energy Drink), the new Orange variety is an extremely enjoyable energy, recovery, and hydration drink. Featuring 3 percent orange juice, the fruit flavor is very accurate and enjoyable. Utilizing a non carbonated formulation that’s sweetened with ace-K and sucralose, the product is smooth and thirst quenching (thanks to added electrolytes). However, it doesn’t skimp on the energy front, with taurine, ginseng, B vitamins, and caffeine (80mg per serving). Packaging is a 16 oz. can, which has a vibrant orange paint job. The glossy black top to the can makes the product look very polished, while the clean graphics and lettering helping bolster the overall appeal of the product. Overall, another very strong entry from Rockstar that’s our new favorite of the brand. Reviewed on: 5/11/2011

Product Type:Functional: Energy Drink: Regular; Container: 16 oz Can
BevNET Review: Rockstar Recovery is, as most “recovery” drinks are, a blend of energy and hydration elements, including caffeine, electrolytes, vitamins, and a proprietary blend of herbal ingredients. Featuring 3 percent lemon juice, the product has a very natural and enjoyable lemon flavor that’s delivered in a non-carbonated format. It’s sweetened with sugar, ace-k, and sucralose, which makes it have a very natural tasting level of sweetness, only 20 calories per can, and minimal sweetener aftertaste. Functionally, it has a cocktail of energy ingredients (including 160 mg of caffeine per can) and added electrolytes. In our tests, the product definitely has some kick to it – and it’s pretty hydrating. However, it’s hard to say how this product will perform against other hydration products. Packaging is a 16 oz. can that’s been given a bright yellow paint job as well as a glossy black coat on the top of the can. There’s a lot for the eye to digest, but overall, we like the execution of the package. Overall, we really like this product, including its flavor, function, and packaging. Reviewed on: 2/11/2010

Product Type:Functional: Energy Drink: Regular; Container: 16 oz Can
BevNET Review: Rockstar’s has done a very nice job of blending classic cola flavor and energy drink ingredients with their latest entry, Rockstar Energy Cola. From a flavor point of view, it’s not too far from a mainstream cola, but there’s a more pronounced spice to it as well as some bite to the finish. In our opinion, it actually beats those products on flavor alone. Of course, there’s a lot more to this product, including 160 mg of caffeine (per can), B vitamins, taurine, and other common energy drink ingredients. The high caffeine content also means there’s definitely no shortage of kick. On the outside, they’ve done a nice job, creating a minimalist look that’s visually clean and appealing. We also like their use of a matte finish on the can, which gives it a smoother look and softer feeling in the hand. And, they’ve put a glossy black coat on the top, which completes the design. Overall, we like the taste, the kick, and the design – a very well rounded product that’s one of Rockstar’s better efforts.Reviewed on: 2/11/2010

Product Type:Functional: Energy Drink: Regular; Container: 16 fl oz
BevNET Review: Rockstar's latest entry is an extension to their "Punched" lineup. This one blends energy and citrus juice with the added addition of acai berry. The resulting flavor is sweet and enjoyable, bearing many similarities to the popular caffeinated citrus sodas out there (Mountain Dew, Vault, etc.), but we don't taste any acai flavor. There's no energy aftertaste, which is certainly a plus, and the drink packs a potent 240mg of caffeine per can (120mg per serving). In addition, they've added the standard B vitamins, ginseng, ginkgo, gaurana, and taurine, as well as milk thistle (for liver health -- definitely what Rockstars need). Packaging and branding fit with the Rockstar line. While there's nothing really innovative to the package, the execution is sound and the flavor is enjoyable -- so it's certainly a worthy addition to the lineup.Reviewed on: 9/22/2008

Product Type:Functional: Energy Drink: Regular; Container: 16 fl oz (473ml) can
BevNET Review: Rockstar's entry into the "punch" energy drink subcategory is a good one in terms of both packaging and flavor. The flavor is sweet but crisp, with a more tropical style fruit punch flavor that hides almost all of the energy flavor in the drink. On the other hand, the bright red color is a bit much for our liking. Packaging features Rockstar's standard 16 ounce can, which has been decorated with a hip looking black, red, and gold color scheme. In our opinion, this is their best work to date in terms of looks and flavor -- definitely worth a try. Reviewed on: 10/25/2007

Product Type:Functional: Energy Drink: Regular; Container: 16 oz. can
BevNET Review: Rockstar's Juiced Pomegranate flavor is a refreshing blend of energy and juice that is packaged in Rockstar's trademark 16 oz. can. Using a 50 percent juice blend, the product achieves a natural-tasting body that hides most of the aftertaste. Another interesting feature of this product is its sweetener blend, which uses sucrose as well as acesulfame potassium and sucralose to cut the calories and carbohydrate content. Everything comes together nicely, giving you a nice boost of energy with a pleasant fruit flavor and minimal aftertaste. We're not sure if the trendiness of pomegranate means anything to the consumer of Rockstar, but this is definitely one of their best-tasting drinks to date. Finally, there's the can, which uses a bright reddish tone that's arguably the most attractive of the Rockstar lineup. Reviewed on: 5/8/2007

Product Type:Functional: Energy Drink: Regular; Container: 16 fl oz can
BevNET Review: As far as diet energy drinks go, this is one of the best we've seen. The bright blue and silver can is original in its appearance and, more importantly, it doesn't have that washed out look that so many diet products suffer from. The can is clean and to point, which requires the consumer to read the label if they want to know what makes this drink tick. That's fine by us -- consumers who care about things like green tea extract and yerba mate will find it. As for the flavor, Rockstar Zero Carb's is exceptional, with a berry-style flavor that is big on taste (including a natural taste to the sweetness) and has minimal aftertaste, thanks to a blend of ace-k and sucralose. Overall, we think Rockstar has hit the nail on the head with Rockstar Zero Carb.Reviewed on: 10/11/2006

Product Type:Functional: Energy Drink: Regular; Container: 16 fl oz can
BevNET Review: Using a blend of 70% juice, this product has one of the most intense fruit flavors that we've ever seen in an energy drink. Unlike Rockstar Juiced or Monster Khaos, this product's tropical fruit flavor is complex, but smooth, and doesn't have the caffeine tinge that were common in the first round of juice + energy hybrids. The level of sweetness is a bit strong, but enjoyable, and overall it has a flavor that is extremely refreshing. The packaging uses color well, with black and gold offsetting the bright hue of the purple. Plus, it will be easy to pick out from the crowd as this is not a color that has been widely used. Overall, we think that this product is a good addition to the Rockstar lineup and it provides a good alternative to the existing Juiced SKU. How about an energy tea next?Reviewed on: 10/11/2006

Product Type:Functional: Energy Drink: Regular; Container: 24 fl oz (710 ml) can
BevNET Review: While there will undoubtedly be industry critics who look at this as a knock-off of Monster's Khaos, we're not going to be one of them. Rockstar Juiced is a well-done, original-tasting energy-juice hybrid that is, in our opinion, some of Rockstar's best work to date. The bright gold and orange hues have lots of pop and, when combined with the 24-ounce can, it's a can that will be almost impossible to miss. But that's not all -- packed inside the can is a formulation that uses 70% juice as its base. The high juice content undoubtedly contributes to this product have absolutely no aftertaste whatsoever -- just lots of sweet, tropical fruit flavor. For those of you looking or a buzz, this product's large size will not disappoint as one could easily consume a large portion of this in one sitting. Overall, this is without a doubt one of the best products we've tasted in the category to date. A very timely and well executed product from Rockstar.Reviewed on: 2/6/2006

Product Type:Functional: Energy Drink: Regular; Container: 16 oz can
BevNET Review: Energy Cola is an excellent new product from Rockstar that, in our opinion, is one of the more intelligent and well executed line extensions that we have seen from an energy drink company. The shiny red can is extremely appealing to the eye(much more so than the diet product) and also helps the consumer recognize the product as a cola. The flavor of the product is very well done and will easily appeal to most American consumers. There's a slightly "energy drink"-like finish to the flavor (which seems like a necessity to avoid being considered a straight-up cola) and a very subtle syrupy note to the consistency and finish of the beverage, but Rockstar Energy Cola definitely shines among its energy drink peers. The potential of an energy cola is definitely unknown (we've never seen one succeed big), but Rockstar's entry without a doubt has the most potential given the relative strength of the Rockstar brand, the design of the can, and the overall quality of the product. Our verdict? Big potential assuming that Rockstar positions the product properly and avoids going head-to-head against Coke and Pepsi's cola products (rather than competing in the energy drink category).Reviewed on: 7/8/2004

Product Type:Functional: Recovery and Hangover; Container: 16 fl oz can
BevNET Review: Rockstar was the first energy drink to feature the larger 16oz can. The flavor of this product is very good, but like many other energy drinks it is hard to put into words. Basically, it has citrus, bubble gum, and vanilla flavors that result in an almost apple-like flavor. Much better than the medicinal tasting competitors. As for the formula, you'll find many ingredients that you'd expect in an energy drink, plus a few extras. Specifically, they've added Milk Thistle, which some studies claim helps with hangovers. While we didn't consume this product under the influence, we are sure that there many people who will. Overall, the product is good, but we had a bit of trouble finishing the entire can. However, this product has created the most successful energy drink sub-category (16 oz) so we'll definitely give them the credit they deserve.Reviewed on: 6/22/2004

Product Type:Functional: Energy Drink: Diet; Container: 16 fl oz can
BevNET Review: Using Ace-K and sucralose instead of sugar/corn syrup, Diet Rockstar does not taste bad compared to the original. In fact, it tastes quite good as far as energy drinks go. However, the one thing that we want to consider is the use of the word "diet" on the can. For some reason, the phrases "Party like a rockstar" and the word "diet" just don't mix. We're very curious to see how product will do compared to the other sugar free energy drinks. As far as taste goes, this one definitely ranks among the top when it comes to taste.Reviewed on: 2/3/2003