I usually only drink energy drinks when I’m desperately sleepy and out of other options, but Monster Bad Apple Energy Juice caught my attention simply because it sounded delicious.

Don’t get it twisted; while it definitely is still an energy drink, it also contains juice, so you can pretend that it’s a slightly more wholesome beverage! And fine, I’ll admit, I was also curious about the moderately edgy name and eye-catching can design, which features an intensely gazing woman dramatically holding an apple.

This flavor was first released in the U.K. in March 2024 (though with “Juiced” in the name instead of “Juice”, a minor distinction that it’s likely only a total nerd like me would even notice). While I haven’t tasted the original, if the nearly identical imagery is anything to go by, the new U.S. version seems unchanged. In the spirit of the Adam and Eve imagery that the can evokes, I couldn’t wait to get a taste.

As soon as I cracked my can open, I was hit with a lovely apple juice smell. Upon pouring my Bad Apple into a glass, I noticed that the elixir was fizzy, but not overly so, with the bubbles quickly calming down to reveal a rich amber color. You may not be surprised to learn that, true to its branding, this thing sure does taste like apple juice!

To be a little more specific: while it is of course distinct from pure juice due to its carbonation, it reminded me more of an apple soda than a traditional energy drink. I detected only the barest hint of the chemical aftertaste I typically associate with energy drinks. Had I not already known what I was drinking, I don’t think I would have identified this as belonging to the same genus as the classic Shrek-green Monster Energy.

It was pleasantly more reminiscent of an actual apple than I was expecting (despite containing only 6% actual juice). This was probably helped by the fact that, while it was sweet, it wasn’t TOO sweet. If you’re curious, Monster’s website describes its flavor as “Fuji apple,” though as someone who spends much more time consuming junk food than fruit, this nuance didn’t mean much to me. I did concur with the additional adjectives in the description —“crisp” and “dry”!

While I tend to think the tinny tang of an energy drink can be abrasive, Bad Apple is impressively smooth. I found it to be not just an energy-booster, but genuinely refreshing. That being said, it also did its energizing job well; I was a bit groggy before having it, but afterwards I found myself noticeably perky, a fact that both I and, undoubtedly, my employer appreciated! If any of this sounds tempting, I implore you to bite (er, sip) into this forbidden fruit; it may be called Bad Apple, but it tastes great!

Purchased Price: $2.99
Size: 16 oz can
Purchased at: CVS
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 170 calories, 0 grams of fat, 200 milligrams of sodium, 44 grams of carbohydrates, 41 grams of sugar (including 41 grams of added sugar), 0 grams of protein, and 160 milligrams of caffeine.

If there were a Monster Monster, it would probably say the full-sugar Monster Electric Blue and Orange Dreamsicle Energy Drinks are sometimes beverages. The energy drink brand describes Electric Blue’s flavor as “shockingly smooth blue raspberry popsicle” and Orange Creamsicle as “wickedly creamy orange vanilla ice cream blend.”

If your memory recalls another Monster Orange Dreamsicle, remind me to never play Concentration with you, because, yes, there was the Monster Reserve Orange Dreamsicle from 2022. Both flavors seem to be flavored versions of the original Monster Energy Drink, and both have a tasty flavor that brings to mind the ice cream truck favorite.

One of the issues I had with the older version was that the sucralose in it gave the drink a citrusy artificial sweetener aftertaste that reminded me of orange vitamin tablets, which hurt the drink’s initial citrusy, sweet, and creamy flavor. This new version also has sucralose, but there’s no funky aftertaste. Maybe there’s less sucralose? Or perhaps it’s because this version’s 51 grams of sugar brute-forced the aftertaste away, which the Reserve’s 28 grams of sugar couldn’t do?

Oh, speaking of the sweet powder, these use real sugar and not high fructose corn syrup.

When I first tasted the Electric Blue one, the blue raspberry Pedialyte ice pops I give to my son when he gets sick immediately popped into my head. I also misremembered Electric Blue being the name of Debbie Gibson’s second album. Like music on Ms. Gibson’s pop album, this energy drink is bright and sweet. It’s also a bit syrupy, but it’s a familiar taste that I enjoy immensely. And just like the Orange Dreamsicle, it also didn’t have a sucralose-tainted aftertaste, perhaps thanks to its 46 grams of sugar.

With all that said, if I’m standing in front of a wall of Monster Energy options in a refrigerated case, the chances of me pulling out one of these flavors are significantly lower than me picking up something from Monster’s Ultra line because of its lack of sugar. While I enjoy these flavors equally, I agree with Monster Monster and believe these flavors are sometimes beverages for me, much like regular Coke, Pepsi, Dr Pepper, and Mountain Dew are.

Purchased Price: $2.69 each
Size: 16 fl oz cans
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Orange Dreamsicle), 8 out of 10 (Electric Blue)
Nutrition Facts: Orange Dreamsicle – 200 calories, 0 grams of fat, 370 milligrams of sodium, 50 grams of carbohydrates, 46 grams of sugar (including 46 grams of added sugar), 0 grams of protein, and 160 milligrams of caffeine. Electric Blue – 210 calories, 0 grams of fat, 250 milligrams of sodium, 54 grams of carbohydrates, 51 grams of sugar (including 51 grams of added sugar), 0 grams of protein, and 160 milligrams of caffeine.

I just learned there’s a cocktail called the Blue Hawaiian, which is similar but shouldn’t be confused with the Blue Hawaii cocktail. I learned about it when looking up what’s in a Blue Hawaii for this review. I apologize for being so uneducated about blue alcoholic drinks. It makes me feel blue.

A Blue Hawaii, invented by a bartender in Waikiki, is made of rum, pineapple juice, blue curaçao, and sweet and sour mix. A Blue Hawaiian, which was influenced by the Blue Hawaii but created by someone somewhere else, is light rum, pineapple juice, blue curaçao, cream of coconut, and lemon juice. However, after scanning recipes and Wikipedia entries, I noticed that the latter has more pineapple juice and a green color.

So, is Monster Energy’s Ultra Blue Hawaiian trying to encapsulate the flavors of a Blue Hawaiian or a Blue Hawaii? With its Smurfy blue color, I’m going with the latter. However, its strong pineapple punch could convince me it’s the former.

Maybe what’s printed on the can will make things clearer.

Whether you’re in beast mode, vacay mode or just chillin’ island style, Ultra Blue Hawaiian will fire you up to be your best! Light, crisp, and super easy drinking with a tropical tiki twist, Blue Hawaiian is a killer combo of exotic Polynesian fruit flavors that are big on taste, but with zero sugar. With a full load of our world-famous Monster Energy Blend, this aloha energy will keep you goin’ and the shakas flowin’ from dawn patrol to last call.

Nope. That was no help.

What isn’t a nope is the tropical/pineapple flavor this has. It’s most definitely a yup and a yum. Also, it tastes better than Monster Energy’s Ultra Gold. In my review of that pineapple-flavored energy drink, I wrote that I wished its fruity flavor was a bit stronger, and Ultra Blue Hawaiian has a pineapple punch that I wished Ultra Gold had. But it’s not just pineapple flavors; there’s also a fruitiness that reminds me of tart blue raspberry. Or maybe its color is deceiving my tongue since the drink comes in the same hue as blue raspberry beverages. Whatever it is, it and the pineapple make this taste outstanding.

Despite being a sugar-free drink, it doesn’t taste like one. I know I keep saying that about every Monster Energy Ultra flavor that crosses my tongue, and I’ll probably copy and paste this paragraph into another Ultra review. However, I can’t help it because I’m still amazed at how a sugar-free drink can taste so good.

Monster Energy Ultra Blue Hawaiian has rocketed to the top of my favorite Monster Ultra flavors list. It doesn’t make me blue. It makes me want to yell, “Woo hoo!”

Purchased Price: More than one should pay on eBay
Size: 16 fl oz can
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 10 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 can) 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, 370 milligrams of sodium, 5 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar, 2 grams of erythritol, 0 grams of protein, and 150 milligrams of caffeine.