#ThirstyThursday: Red Bull The Coconut Edition, Coconut & Berry: Why Is It Blue?

Red Bull. For some reason, it gives you wings. It doesn’t make sense, I know. Why is Red Bull associated with sports even though as far as I can tell, no sport requires humans to have wings?

It’s pure marketing genius that somehow made it work.

But if energy drinks were invented to give energy to people, then what did we use before Red Bull? Did we shove batteries up our ass?

Wait a minute-

Is that why energy drinks look like batteries? Hmm.

But anyway, here’s Red Bull’s The Coconut Edition, Coconut & Berry Flavoured Drink. Why is it called The Coconut Edition when there’s only one flavour? And that it’s mixed with Berry?

It’s as mysterious as the wings.

Red Bull, The Coconut Edition

At S$2.90 a pop, it’s probably cheaper than shoving a battery up your ass and going to a hospital.

With 1000mg of Taurine in a can, it’s a pretty standard amount as far as energy drinks go (average seems to be about 1000 mg).

With Taurine sounding like Taurus, it’s no wonder that people started asking questions like: is this made from cows? Is this how Red Bull got its name? Is Red Bull made from bull semen?

Holup, did I read what I just read?

“Taurine can be purified from the bile and semen of bulls. Brad Wilson / Getty Images”

But, but- Oh, phew.

The Taurine in Red Bull is apparently made in the lab, so it’s not even from animals and suitable for vegan. Big phew.

With that out of the way, let’s move on.

Taste Test

You’re seeing exactly what you’re seeing. Despite being called The Coconut Edition, the drink is blue.

We actually passed this around the office, and as it turns out… Everybody said it tastes exactly like… Red Bull?

A look into the ingredients shows this:

Water, Acid (Citric Acid), Carbon Dioxide, Taurine (0.4%), Acidity Regulator (Sodium Citrates), Sweeteners (Sucralose, Acesulfame K), Caffeine (0.03%), Vitamins (Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, B6, B12), Flavourings, Stabilisers (Sucrose Acetate Isobutyrate, Glycerol Esters of Wood Rosins), Thickener (Xanthan Gum), Colours (Plain Caramel, Brilliant Blue FCF)

So it would seem like the flavourings come from… flavourings. It’s hard to say that I’ll recommend this drink to everybody who wants a drink that tastes like Coconut & Berries.

Because like Red Bull, it is intensely sweet. I get hints of the berry, but none of the coconut. Mostly, it is the “typical energy drink” flavour that comes through.

Searching online for other opinions is even more puzzling. On Reddit, it seems like a mixed bag of either “worst” flavour or “best” flavour.

A YouTuber review gave it a negative review, only to be met by some comments saying the Coconut flavour is the best.

So here’s the deal: Like Red Bull? This might very well be your thing. Otherwise, just avoid it.

Personally, other than being an energy drink, there is nothing else appealing to me about this drink. I’d just chug a few cups of bubble tea instead.

For non-energy drinkers, this would probably score a 0/5. But eh, some people like it enough to say it’s the best.

Rating: 2.5/5