I don’t like Red Bull. It tastes too sweet and smells weird. I can’t even bring myself to finish a whole can in one day. But at 80 milligrams of caffeine, Red Bull does have its uses. With the its help, finals week gains some extra overnight hours despite how persistently my eyes protest.

For those of you who don’t like Red Bull, there is a new alternative: Red Bull Cola. The can comes in the same sizes as regular Red Bull and bears the same red, white, and blue coloring. This will automatically make a non-Red Bull drinker hesitant. However, popping the can and taking a whiff doesn’t give off the same strong aroma as its predecessor. Instead, it smells like an actual soda!

The caffeine powering your added stamina is due mainly to the added taurine, which has caused health concerns and bans in some countries. According to online sources, Red Bull Cola has between 45 and 48 milligrams of caffeine in a 12 oz. can. Pepsi has 38 milligrams, while Coca Cola Classic has 35 milligrams per 12 oz. can. Instead of the regular Red Bull’s main ingredient of taurine, Red Bull Cola contains caffeine from coffee beans, which underlines the fact that every ingredient in the drink is obtained from natural sources.

So what does it taste like? Well, I’m not in love. It’s certainly not like a regular soda. Plus, for Red Bull lovers, it doesn’t quite have the same sweet kick as the original. What I personally find appealing, however, is the fact that it does taste enough like Pepsi to make it drinkable, even for someone like myself. I’d say that it warrants at least a taste test.

Final Grade: B

Price:

Red Bull — approximately $2 for 8.3 oz.

Red Bull Cola — approximately $1.49 for 12 oz.

Red Bull Cola will be available in the Rochester area starting January of 2009. For more information, visit http://redbullcola.com/