Did you know V8 makes energy drinks? Did you know those energy drinks are sweet and fruity, not savory? Did you know that two new V8 energy drinks have just come out for their V8 Winter Edition line, and that they’re supposed to taste…cozy? If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, you’re already ahead of me. Good thing this isn’t a “put a finger down” contest, or I’d look like a real energy drink virgin over here.
I’ve only ever had V8 as a savory vegetable juice blend, so when I picked up these two new V8 energy drink flavors—Spiced Apple Cider and Winter Berry—I was a little thrown. Whether you’re a returning V8 fan or just plain curious about what these taste like, let’s take a sip.
- V8 Spiced Apple Cider Energy Drink
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As someone who mainly knows V8 as a savory, salty, tomato-forward beverage, the first few sips were a confusing experience. I had to really adjust my expectations here!
Pros: The can may smell like artificial sweetener and tart apple juice, but you definitely still get a hint of warmly spiced apple cider off the first sip. And as far as energy drinks go, I’ve definitely had sweeter. While I’m not wild about the taste of sucralose, this isn’t cloyingly sweet by any means. With only 80mg of caffeine per can, I appreciate the lower caffeine content compared to other energy drink brands like Monster or Celsius, which contain TKmg and TKmg, respectively. Might not be the jolt you need, but with green and black tea as the source of caffeine, I had more of a pleasant buzz.
Cons: The marriage of that metallic energy drink aftertaste (there’s no escaping it, really) and cozy spiced apple cider doesn’t fully work. It’s one step removed from comforting. It’s also one step removed from refreshing, since apple cider isn’t the most energizing flavor profile. That said, I haven’t seen a ton of apple cider energy drinks out there, so I have to give it points for being unique.
Credit: Liv Averett
- V8 Winter Berry Energy Drink
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Not to be repetitive, but I’m used to reaching for a V8 when I’m craving sodium. These only contain 45mg of sodium—it literally takes my brain a second to process that these are meant to be fruity and tart, not savory.
Pros: With hints of raspberry, cranberry, and apple, Winter Berry works slightly better overall as a concept for a V8 energy drink. Both flavors taste like children’s juice boxes, I found this one to be more refreshing and cohesive. The berries have a cooling, revitalizing appeal.
Cons: Not to nitpick, but do we really need apples in the flavor profile for Winter Berry? It’s a little too similar to spiced apple cider. Otherwise, no major complaints! I don’t think these will replace your favorite energy drink brands, but V8 energy drinks pleasantly surprised me.
Credit: Liv Averett
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!