Red Bull COLA

Posted on February 16, 2015 | Last updated February 15, 2025

This is a review of Red Bull Cola, which was discontinued in the U.S. due to poor sales. It is also known for being temporarily pulled from shelves shortly after its release due to an issue with its ingredients.

Red Bull COLA

Manufacturer	Red Bull
Country of Origin	Austria
Price	2.89 USD
Flavor	Cola
Total rating	★★☆☆☆

Author information Author: Energy Drink-kun

In 2001, while living in the United States, I encountered energy drinks through the dance scene and was deeply impressed. After returning to Japan, I found that energy drinks were considered novelty beverages, so I established a comprehensive website in 2013 to share the true appeal of energy drinks. As an energy drink enthusiast, I began drinking them seriously again, collecting over 7,000 varieties of energy drinks from various countries. I am also active as a critic and expert, receiving media interviews.

Flavor of Red Bull COLA

The aroma has a light, Pepsi-like character, while the color is a deep reddish-black with a yellowish brightness, giving it an amber hue somewhere between orange and brown. From this color, it gives the impression that both the aroma and flavor will be mild.

The flavor is a light Pepsi-like taste without any richness.
The sweetness is crisp and mild, with no lingering aftertaste. When consumed at room temperature, it is so indistinct that you may struggle to describe it—it's hard to tell if it’s Red Bull Cola or Pepsi.

Best Enjoyed Ice-Cold

While it has almost no distinct flavor at room temperature, chilling it thoroughly reveals the flavor Red Bull likely intended. I often taste drinks at room temperature to check their flavor, but it’s been a while since I encountered a flavor that benefits so much from being served cold, lol.

Chilling it balances the sweetness, transforms it into a refreshing sensation, and leaves a pleasant cola aroma, making it more crisp and drinkable than cola or Pepsi.

The aftertaste becomes clean and easy to enjoy, making me think that if there were a large, low-cost version of Red Bull Cola, it could be worth stocking up on as a cola alternative. It offers a unique flavor distinct from Coca-Cola or Pepsi, and the natural ingredients set it apart—though pricing would be a factor. (´・ω・｀)

Energy Ingredients of Red Bull COLA

Red Bull Cola is a natural-style energy cola made from natural ingredients. However, it once made headlines when trace amounts of a residual substance from coca leaves, used for flavoring, were detected. Although the amount was so minimal that it posed no risk to human health, it drew significant attention due to its classification as an energy drink (which is often viewed as sweet and unhealthy).

This Red Bull Cola was carefully crafted using only natural ingredients.
Although many companies have recently launched natural-oriented products, the attempt to create an all-natural energy cola within the energy drink category still feels impressive today.

Design of Red Bull COLA

The color scheme inevitably resembles Pepsi's branding, making me wonder if they should have gone with a unique edition design to give Red Bull Cola its own distinctive look.

With this uncharacteristic Red Bull design and its natural ingredients, the product presented a fresh image unlike any previous Red Bull offerings. It’s easy to imagine it being quite a novelty at the time (especially since there was another Red Bull flavor with a more traditional design).

Even after the Edition Series was introduced, Red Bull Cola continued with this design, which is pretty interesting.

Red Bull Cola
The pull-tab was blue. Simply beautiful. (●´ω｀●)