ROCKSTAR BURNER

Posted on September 22, 2016 | Last updated February 12, 2025

Rockstar Burner, a zero-sugar staple product from Rockstar Canada. There is a similar product called ROCKSTAR ZERO CARB in the U.S., with almost identical can design, taste, and ingredients, and the same ZERO SUGAR variant is also available in Europe and Oceania, making it a unique product.

ROCKSTAR BURNER

Manufacturer	ROCKSTAR
Country of Origin	Canada
Price	2 CAD
Flavor	Tea、Cherry、Red Berry
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 ROCKSTAR BURNER

Upon opening the can, a strong, fruity aroma resembling cranberry, pomegranate, and acerola bursts out.

ROCKSTAR BURNER
The color of the drink and the blue can... it feels a bit odd when poured into a glass!

The flavor is a tangy, sweet and sour combination of cranberry, cherry, and acerola with a subtle tartness. It’s a surprisingly full flavor and aroma for a zero-sugar drink.

The artificial sweetener taste is well covered by the fruity aroma and tea-like flavor, and the aftertaste, which can often linger in berry or acerola flavors, is almost nonexistent in ROCKSTAR BURNER, successfully overcoming the usual weak points of cranberry and acerola flavors.

A slight tea-like flavor from green tea and mate tea lingers in the aftertaste and aroma, and if you savor it carefully, you might notice it gives the drink a fruity tea flavor.

Like the American ROCKSTAR ZERO CARB, it has a similar flavor, but the caffeine content in the Canadian ROCKSTAR BURNER is standard, making it easier to drink daily.

If You Like the Refreshing Bitterness of Tea Leaves, Don’t Chill Too Much

By the way, if you put ice in and chill it too much, it becomes a single flavor of cranberry and acerola, and you won’t be able to enjoy the refreshing aftertaste of the tea leaves.
ROCKSTAR BURNER
At the same time, the flavor itself fades, and the taste of artificial sweeteners becomes a bit more noticeable. I personally like it chilled to a refrigerated level to enjoy the tea flavor.

Energy Ingredients of ROCKSTAR BURNER

Contains 160mg of caffeine, 2000mg of taurine, 200mg of green tea extract, and 50mg of mate leaf extract.
ROCKSTAR BURNER
With 200mg of green tea extract and 50mg of mate leaf extract, it seems the “BURNER” name aims for fat-burning effects.

Comparison Between Canadian ROCKSTAR BURNER and American ROCKSTAR ZERO CARB

Although the product names differ between Canada and the U.S., the content of BURNER and ZERO CARB is nearly identical, and both are staple products. The ingredients and taste are almost the same, but let’s compare them anyway.

On the left is Canadian ROCKSTAR BURNER, and on the right is American ROCKSTAR ZERO CARB.

The color of the drink is the same, but the aroma is much stronger in the American ROCKSTAR ZERO CARB, with a more prominent fruity cherry scent.

ROCKSTAR BURNER
Now, let’s compare the taste!

Before trying them side by side, I thought the flavors were the same, but the American ROCKSTAR ZERO CARB is clearly fruitier, with the sweet and sour cherry flavor standing out more.

Additionally, the green tea and mate tea flavors and bitterness in the aftertaste are less pronounced in the American version, and I think many people might not even notice them unless they drink carefully. In contrast, the Canadian ROCKSTAR BURNER retains those tea-like flavors even after the tongue and nose get used to it. Although the American ROCKSTAR ZERO CARB has a tea-like flavor, when compared to the Canadian ROCKSTAR BURNER, it seems much weaker.

The name "BURNER" might be why the tea leaf-derived flavors associated with fat-burning ingredients are stronger.

ROCKSTAR BURNER
This is interesting, and personally, I enjoy the refreshing tea bitterness and aroma, so I’d be happy if they were even more pronounced.

Also, the stronger tea flavor might help mask the taste of artificial sweeteners. While the fruity flavor and aroma are clearly stronger in the American ROCKSTAR ZERO CARB, I feel the Canadian ROCKSTAR BURNER offers a better balance with fewer chances of getting bored after drinking the whole 473ml can.

The difference in ingredients between Canada and the U.S. seems minimal. As of 2020, the American ROCKSTAR ZERO CARB is still zero-calorie, while the Canadian ROCKSTAR BURNER has increased to 25kcal.

The Canadian version isn’t completely calorie-free. The comparison here is between the 2020 Canadian BURNER bought in Vancouver and the 2020 American ZERO CARB purchased in Los Angeles.

I first reviewed BURNER in 2016. Since the ingredients have slightly changed, I’ll include a comparison here as well. The left is the 2016 version, and the right is the 2020 version used for today’s comparison.
ROCKSTAR BURNER
It has increased from 5kcal to 25kcal, and for some reason, the protein content has risen to 2g. The flavor difference should be minimal.