ROCKSTAR RECOVERY FRUIT PUNCH

Posted on September 7, 2018 | Last updated February 14, 2025

This is a review of the new addition to the Recovery series, ROCKSTAR RECOVERY FRUIT PUNCH, which was released in the U.S. in 2018 and later launched in Canada.

ROCKSTAR RECOVERY FRUIT PUNCH

Manufacturer	ROCKSTAR
Country of Origin	USA
Price	2.29 USD
Flavor	Punch
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 RECOVERY FRUIT PUNCH

The aroma that wafts after opening is exactly like sweet and sour fruit punch. It smells stronger than I expected.

ROCKSTAR RECOVERY FRUIT PUNCH
The liquid itself is a rich red, just like fruit punch, and the color is perfect.

When I took a sip, it was the complete opposite of the strong color and aroma—more like a mild, watered-down acerola-flavored water.

There’s hardly any heavy sweetness or sourness, which are typical characteristics of fruit punch, and the flavor is quite light. Compared to regular fruit punch, it even feels somewhat cheap. People who like fruit punch flavor will probably not appreciate this lightness...

However, on the other hand, you can enjoy a flavor more akin to flavored water (natural, not store-bought). Despite the lightness, there’s little of that artificial sweetener aftertaste, and it’s not bad. Still, this level of lightness is unthinkable for a fruit punch flavor.

If you approach it expecting "bold, punchy energy drink flavor," you’ll be surprised by how mild it is. Perhaps that’s why it was discontinued less than two years after its release.

Energy Ingredients of ROCKSTAR RECOVERY FRUIT PUNCH

ROCKSTAR RECOVERY FRUIT PUNCH
It contains 160mg of caffeine, 2000mg of taurine, milk thistle, and ginseng. The calorie count is 20 kcal for 473ml, and the sugar content is only 3g. For this size, other drinks usually contain around 60g of sugar, so you can really tell how little sugar is in this one.

Comparing American and Canadian ROCKSTAR RECOVERY FRUIT PUNCH

After its release in the U.S., the Recovery Fruit Punch was quickly launched in Canada. Since I’ve been to both the U.S. and Canada and bought them both, I thought I’d compare the two North American versions of Recovery Fruit Punch!

ROCKSTAR RECOVERY FRUIT PUNCH
On the left is the Canadian version, and on the right is the American version of the Recovery Fruit Punch. The color is almost the same, both having the rich fruit punch color.

When I tasted the Canadian version, it was even clearer and lighter than the American one, which was already quite light. It’s surprising how much lighter it is. The Canadian version has a weak sourness, and the artificial sweetener taste stands out too much, so it doesn’t really taste like fruit punch but more like something else entirely.

When chilled, both versions are similar, but at room temperature, the difference in taste is much clearer. The American version, which I thought was the lightest fruit punch, is easily surpassed by the Canadian version.

ROCKSTAR RECOVERY FRUIT PUNCH
The design is fantastic, and the punchy color made me excited for the colorful Recovery series, but... it’s not something you’d buy if you’re imagining a typical fruit punch flavor. As a result, both the American and Canadian versions were discontinued.

It’s easier to accept a product that’s bad and doesn’t sell, but it’s painful to be disappointed by something that’s fairly good but just not what you expected.