What is Mtn Dew Energy Cherry Lime Lift?
In March of 2021, PepsiCo released Mtn Dew Rise, a series of six Dew drinks marketed to morning coffee drinkers, loaded with 180 milligrams of caffeine, fruit juice, vitamins, and zinc for immune support. After losing a court battle late last year with Rise Brewing, a ready-to-drink coffee company founded in 2014, Mtn Dew was forced to drop “Rise” from its name and return as Mtn Dew Energy, bringing with it a new flavor — Cherry Lime Lift.
How is it?
My love of cherry lime goes way back to the Shirley Temple days. There was nothing quite like that Sprite mixed with cherry syrup when going out for dinner in the 90s before my caffeine addiction and ability to consume alcohol — the pinnacle of drinkable treats. In adulthood, I’ve remained fond of the flavor combo, so I was stoked that Mtn Dew would rise from the ashes with this winning duo, and they pulled it off well.
The flavor is a near perfect 50/50 split of cherry and lime, with distinct cherry candy sweetness on the front and crisp, citrusy lime on the finish. The carbonation is medium, milder and smoother than other energy drinks like Bang and Reign, and I prefer a touch more bubbles, especially when accenting sharp citrus.
The fruit juice plays a minimal role. In this case, it’s white grape, and I think it’s there more as a marketing ploy than to provide depth of flavor. If anything, the actual juice is less sweet than the artificial sweeteners that make up the rest of the ingredients and most products in this category, which pulls back a bit on the sugariness and punchiness of the cherry lime.
Anything else you need to know?
In addition to the even split of cherry and lime, there’s a very distinct Dew flavor that rounds out the profile. If you’ve had any kind of Mtn Dew product, you’ll know what I’m talking about, and if you haven’t, well, then you need to try it to know! It’s in all the flavors from original to Baja Blast to this brand new Dew Energy, and it’s less of a specific flavor note than it is an underlining essence. You’ll know it when ya taste it, trust me. It’s not a bad flavor at all, I actually enjoy the familiarity of it, but it does slightly lessen the purity of the other key flavors.
Conclusion:
It may not take the throne from my two favorites of the original Rise launch — Pomegranate Blue Burst and Tropical Sunrise — but it’s a great addition to the Energy line and very true to its name.
Purchased Price: $1.79
Size: 16 oz can
Purchased at: Lucky
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 can) 25 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 5 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 grams of fiber, 4 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.