REVIEW: Mtn Dew Energy Cherry Lime Lift

Mtn Dew Energy Cherry Lime Lift Can

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.

Mtn Dew Energy Cherry Lime Lift Top

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?

Mtn Dew Energy Cherry Lime Lift Red

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.

REVIEW: Mtn Dew Gingerbread Snap’d

Mtn Dew Gingerbread Snap d Bottle

When Mtn Dew Gingerbread Snap’d leaked several months ago, the promotional pictures showed the soda would be brown, and its name would be just Snap’d. But as we all know, a lot can change in a year. So here we are with a white-colored Mtn Dew with a longer name that makes me wonder two things:

  1. Was the color change made because this was supposed to end up as a winter/holiday mystery flavor?
  2. Was the brown color scrapped because it would be totally awkward if this flavor was known as the Dew Dew Dew?

For those of you not keeping track at home, Gingerbread Snap’d is the 623rd new Dew flavor of the year. Okay, there haven’t been THAT many, but the number of flavors Mtn Dew has put out this year across all its lines makes Oreo look lazy.

This festive soda is a Dew with a blast of artificial gingerbread flavor, and before even trying it, I thought, as odd as it sounds, it’s probably going to taste decent. After all, the Flamin’ Hot-flavored Dew ended up being not bad.

Oh boy, I was totally wrong.

It wasn’t decent. Instead, it was like two snaps and around the world fantastic.

Before I go on, I have to admit my thoughts about this Dew have been influenced by snacking friend @CandyHunting on Instagram. Basically, she thinks it tastes like a cola. (Click here to read her full explanation.) Having tried Gingerbread Snap’d and reading her thoughts about it, I can not NOT think this Dew is a cola in a ghost white-colored body.

Mtn Dew Gingerbread Snap d Label

The scent and taste of artificial gingerbread are the most noticeable in this bottle, but the Dew’s citrus is right behind, well within gingerbread’s personal space. That blend of spice and citrus gives Gingerbread Snap’d a kind of craft cola vibe. If this came in its originally planned brown color and wasn’t labeled, I think those who drank it would think it’s a cola (or even a cloudy, less gingery ginger ale).

Mtn Dew Gingerbread Snap’d is a surprisingly tasty holiday beverage. If you’re curious about it, you should definitely buy it because who knows if it’ll reappear next year or get replaced with Mtn Dew Pump’dkin Spice or something like that.

Purchased Price: More than one should pay on eBay
Size: 20 fl oz bottle
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 270 calories, 0 grams of fat, 90 milligrams of sodium, 73 grams of carbohydrates, 72 grams of sugar (including 72 grams of added sugar), and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Mtn Dew Uproar

Mtn Dew Uproar Bottle

Mtn Dew Uproar is a Food Lion exclusive flavor. What the food is a Food Lion, you ask? Well, my friend, let me give you an answer to a question I’m pretty sure you’re going to regret asking or didn’t ask at all.

Food Lion got its name from the way it devoured smaller grocery chains in its territory to protect its lioness and cubs. Its habitat is in 10 states in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern US. Unfortunately, because it was focused on protecting its domain, its cubs wandered north, ended up separated from the rest of the pride, and became Cub Foods.

Told you you’d regret it.

Mtn Dew Uproar Lion

Uproar is a Dew charged with berry kiwi flavor. Its name and graphics on the bottle are appropriate for a Food Lion exclusive. I look forward to other exclusive flavors for regional grocery chains, like Mtn Dew Soar for Giant Eagle and Mtn Dew Sizzle for Piggly Wiggly.

Much like my attempts at grocery store chain humor, Mtn Dew Uproar is great. But I feel as if I’ve been saying that about most of the recent Dew releases. And I also feel as if I’ve had this Dew flavor before or something very close to it.

Before even trying the soda, I wondered what’s the deal with the vague “berry” flavor description. Is it a combination of berries? Is it a particular berry? After smelling and tasting it, I realized it was strawberry, which made me wonder why Mtn Dew didn’t just describe it as a Dew charged with strawberry kiwi flavor.

As for the kiwi flavor, it’s there, but it’s faint. If someone drank this without looking at the label, they would say it strawberry and something something flavored. There’s also a tartness that’s less like a roar and more like a kitten’s meow. Oh, also, full disclosure: Kiwis aren’t one of my favorite fruits, but not because of their slightly tart and slightly sweet flavor. I have an issue with them because a cross-section of one looks like what would happen if The Hulk and a sarlacc had a baby. I can’t get that image out of my head.

Mtn Dew Uproar is tasty enough that I’m a bit sad it’s only available at a regional grocery chain that lost its cubs with locations in just 10 states.

Purchased Price: More than one should pay on eBay
Size: 20 fl oz bottle
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 bottle) 270 calories, 0 grams of fat, 90 milligrams of sodium, 73 grams of carbohydrates, 72 grams of sugar (including 72 grams of added sugar), 0 grams of protein, and 91 grams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Mtn Dew Thrashed Apple

Mtn Dew Thrashed Apple Bottle

What is Mtn Dew Thrashed Apple?

It’s a Dew charged with natural and artificial crisp apple flavor. Like Mtn Dew Maui Burst and Spark, it’s a store exclusive flavor. To get it, you have to visit a Kroger or Kroger-owned store, like Dillon’s, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, Gerbes, Rupert’s, Harris Teeter, King Soopers, Ralphs, Jay C Food Store, and Smith’s. (Note: One of the stores listed is fake. Have fun guessing which one!)

How is it?

Mtn Dew Thrashed Apple Glass

The beverage’s pale Hulk color that’s a few shades lighter than regular Dew and the anthropomorphic apples with better hair than mine definitely hints that this will have a Granny Smith apple flavor. Oh, there are also another 100 or so hints in the form of two rows of tiny green apples that circle its label.

Mtn Dew Thrashed Apple Tiny Apples

Its pleasant tart apple flavor with a hint of citrus is DEWlicious. The sour fruity flavor is so dominant that if I gave you an unlabeled bottle of this, you probably wouldn’t think it’s a Mountain Dew variety. Think of its flavor as like a slightly less sour green apple Jolly Rancher. Or, let me put it in a way that’s reflective of the Dew’s name. It’s not heavy like Thrash Metal. Instead, it’s tame like Hair Metal.

Anything else you need to know?

Because I just happen to have a box of Apple Pie Toast Crunch, I decided to combine it and this soda. The Dew’s tart apple overwhelms the sweet apple in the cereal. It’s a little odd, but not as much as combining cereal and soda.

Mtn Dew Thrashed Apple Green Label

Also, it wouldn’t be a green apple Dew review if I didn’t mention the previous green apple Dews — Mtn Dew Green Label and Electric Apple. The former was a Dew “with crafted green apple kiwi.” But it mostly tasted like green apple. The latter was “Mtn Dew charged with Electric Apple.” I didn’t have it because it was a more exclusive flavor than Thrashed Apple. It was available at an Italian chain I’ve never heard of.

Conclusion:

Mtn Dew Thrashed Apple is easily one of my top seven or so Dew flavors. If you love the flavor of sour apple and have a Kroger or Kroger-owned store near you, it’s definitely worth hunting for.

Purchased Price: More than one should pay on eBay
Size: 20 fl oz bottle
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 270 calories, 0 grams of fat, 85 milligrams of sodium, 73 grams of carbohydrates, 72 grams of sugar, 72 grams of added sugar, 0 grams of protein, and 91 milligrams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Flamin’ Hot Mtn Dew

Flamin Hot Mtn Dew Can

Flamin’ Hot Mtn Dew is not very spicy, which I don’t know if I should be disappointed about or thankful for.

When it was first announced, I had images of a hellish dark red beverage with a flavor and heat similar to Flamin’ Hot Limon Doritos. I thought it would be more of a gag drink, like Jones Soda Company’s Thanksgiving dinner-flavored sodas, most Lester’s Fixins varieties, or any Zevia soda. But it’s not a jokey drink. It’s surprisingly a drinkable drink.

Flamin Hot Mtn Dew Warning

Despite what the can says, it’s nowhere near what would be considered Flamin’ Hot in terms of flavor or spiciness. So caution is not necessary. You won’t need milk or a regular Mountain Dew to douse the fire in your mouth caused by this Dew. There’s a slight heat, but most of it is in the form of a back of the throat burn. There’s also some tingling in my mouth long after the red carbonated liquid has gone down my esophagus, but overall I’d consider it a low-level spiciness.

Flamin Hot Mtn Dew Red

As for the non-Flamin’ Hot flavor, it’s a slightly toned down regular Mountain Dew with a little something else. At times, I taste citrus, but Mtn Dew Code Red comes to mind with other sips. With its fruity flavor and mild spiciness, Flamin’ Hot Mtn Dew is, um, okay tasting and better than I thought it would be, but not I’m yearning for more. So if you send me a Flamin’ Hot Mtn Dew tasting party invitation because you were able to buy a pack online, I’d politely decline.

Oh, about purchasing this, if you’re so inclined to do so. It was available on the Mtn Dew website in limited quantities in 6-packs which sold out within several hours. Mtn Dew may sell it again. It may not. But if you don’t want to wait around to find out, you can get cans via eBay, which is where I got this one. Although, expect to pay a premium for them. I paid $14 with free shipping for a can, which is more than the price of a 6-pack ($12) when one could purchase it from the Mtn Dew online store.

I wouldn’t drink Flamin’ Hot Mtn Dew again. But it’s unique and drinkable enough that it’s something any Dew fan should try once.

Purchased Price: More than one should pay on eBay
Size: 16 fl oz bottle
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 can) 220 calories, 0 grams of fat, 70 milligrams of sodium, 59 grams of carbohydrates, 58 grams of sugar, 58 grams of added sugar, 0 grams of protein, and 72 milligrams of caffeine.