What are Monster Ultra Rosá and Ultra Fiesta?

The Monster Ultra stork has delivered two new arrivals to the energy drink’s zero sugar family in the form of Ultra Rosá and Ultra Fiesta.

How are they?

Let’s start with Ultra Rosá, the more mysterious of the two. Let me explain the mystery. The color reminded me of cotton candy, and after about 10 attempts the best — and admittedly useless — description of the smell I could come up with is “fruity.” The can is also of little help, saying, in part, “Ultra Rosá is not what you think. Forget about pink lemonade, blush wine, guavas and strawberries.”

So what flavor is it? I truly have no idea, although if I had to pick one I’d say pink lemonade, despite the advice of the can. Although my description might be wholly inadequate, I can report that it’s an excellent flavor — not too strong, not too sweet, not too fruity. I celebrate the entire catalog of Monster Ultra flavors, and this just might be my favorite yet. It sort of tastes like summer, and summer is good.

While Ultra Rosá can is vague as far as the flavor, the vessel housing 16 ounces of Ultra Fiesta flat out tells you it’s mango. And when you open the can, there is no doubt, as the mango aroma is quite powerful.

The actual flavor, however, is a bit more subdued. Yes, there is a hint of mango in there, but overall I found it to be more of a general citrus flavor, perhaps with a bit of pineapple and orange. It almost reminded me of Mountain Dew with more of a citrus kick. Like the Ultra Rosá flavor, this one also gets a thumbs up from me.

Is there anything else you need to know?

Remember in grade school when someone at the lunch table mixed mustard, Goldfish crackers, part of a chicken nugget and some apple sauce together and dared someone else to eat it? Well, I was the one who tried those nasty concoctions, assuming of course that some kind of monetary reward was involved. So it was only natural for me to mix these two flavors together.

The resulting color could best be described as dishwater, and it only tasted slightly better (please don’t ask how I know). For those of you that are of legal drinking age, I think either of these flavors would make excellent mixers, but mixing them together is not recommended.

Conclusion:

I’ve always liked the textured feel of Monster Ultra cans, as it gives me a warm feeling inside knowing that a surge of 150 milligrams caffeine will soon be flowing through my veins. I’ve never paid much attention to the design on the can, but the imagery on the Fiesta can is particularly eye-catching with it Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) theme. That all has nothing to do with the taste, but these are both excellent additions to the Monster Ultra lineup.

Purchased Price: $2.29 each
Size: 16 fl. oz.
Purchased at: 7-Eleven
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Rosá) 8 out of 10 (Fiesta)
Nutrition Facts: (1 can) 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, 370 (Fiesta) 380 (Rosa) milligrams of sodium, 6 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar and 150 milligrams of caffeine.

Feb 2021 Update: Watermelon Warlord review was added.

What is Reign Inferno Thermogenic Fuel?

The new Reign line of energy drinks has a brand extension that promises an even more Xtreme performance boost than its standard offering. Fortified with Branch-Chained Amino Acids, Citrulline, and 300 milligrams of caffeine, Reign Inferno Thermogenic Fuel makes some big promises, like burning calories and accelerating metabolism. After tasting all three flavors (Red Dragon, True Blu, and Jalapeno Strawberry), I fully expect my mortal frame to combust spontaneously, unable to contain the energies contained therein.

How is it?

Watermelon Warlord

Watermelon Warlord is the newest flavor in Monster Beverage’s line of Reign Inferno thermogenic energy drinks. With a name like that, I’m expecting my tastebuds to be ravaged with watermelon flavor. Maybe that’s not great? Artificial watermelon flavor is something that can be tasty in small amounts, but tastes nothing like actual watermelon so can be detrimental if overdone.

As I take a sip of the clear liquid, simple sweetness is the dominant flavor. It is a bit cloying, but the subtle watermelon flavor provides enough interest to cut through the sucralose. Watermelon Warlord seems a bit aggressive of a name for the amount of watermelon flavor here, but Watermelon Democratically-elected Town Alderperson doesn’t have the same impact, you know?

Purchased Price: $2.49
Size: 16 fl oz
Purchased at: Festival Foods
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 200 milligrams of sodium, 3 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 0 gram of protein.

Red Dragon

I didn’t expect their colors to be clear. Reign has seemingly decided to target the consumer who desires to unleash the beast within via scientifically formulated supplementation, but is also very concerned about artificial colors. The flavor tastes of generic red fruit. Strawberry? Cherry? Fruit Punch? Who knows? It tastes red.

Purchased Price: $1.99
Size: 16 FL OZ.
Purchased at: Woodman’s Market
Rating: 5 out of 10 (Red Dragon)

Nutrition Facts: (1 can) Red Dragon – 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 200 milligrams of sodium, 3 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, 0 gram of protein, 2% Potassium, 120% Vitamin B6, 130% Niacin (Vitamin B3), and 250% Vitamin B12.

True Blu

I went into this thinking True Blu would be a blue raspberry flavored, but instead, it tastes like a classic energy drink, very similar to Red Bull. The citric acid adds a puckering tang that always reminds me of Sour Patch Kids gummies. This one will please those who are looking that the classic energy drink kick, but it doesn’t offer something unique.

Purchased Price: $1.99
Size: 16 FL OZ.
Purchased at: Woodman’s Market
Rating: 5 out of 10 (True Blu)

Nutrition Facts: (1 can) True Blu – 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 220 milligrams of sodium, 3 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, 0 gram of protein, 2% Potassium, 120% Vitamin B6, 130% Niacin (Vitamin B3), and 250% Vitamin B12.

Jalapeno Strawberry

My midwestern taste buds were suspicious of this one going in. Spicy strawberries? What’s next, chili-infused chocolate? Oh wait, that exists. The scent is unexpectedly pungent, and actually caused some nasal irritation, like when you smell horseradish. Conversely, the flavor is quite smooth and pleasant. The sweet berry flavor plays very well with the jalapeno. There’s a very slight spiciness at the end that doesn’t linger.

Purchased Price: $1.99
Size: 16 FL OZ.
Purchased at: Woodman’s Market
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Jalapeno Strawberry)

Nutrition Facts: (1 can) Jalapeno Strawberry – 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 220 milligrams of sodium, 3 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, 0 gram of protein, 2% Potassium, 120% Vitamin B6, 130% Niacin (Vitamin B3), and 250% Vitamin B12.

Is there anything else you need to know?

The True Blu’s flavor transported me back to middle school in the ’90s, when I first tasted Red Bull. It was perhaps the boldest thing I’d ever done in my life to that point (maybe still?).

You have to understand that the ’90s were a different time. The Simpsons was the most audacious, boundary-pushing thing on TV. There wasn’t the internet as we know it, only vague rumors of a kid the next town over who took a sip of Red Bull and then his heart exploded on the spot. I survived the 80 milligrams of caffeine found in an 8-ounce can of Red Bull. In comparison, Reign Inferno contains 300 milligrams per serving, which is only a portion of my daily caffeine intake. We’ve come a long way, baby.

Conclusion:

Other than their high caffeine content, Red Dragon and True Blu don’t offer anything new. Their flavors will be familiar to energy drink aficionados. Jalapeno Strawberry was a surprise and provided a pleasant flavor combination.