VENOM ENERGY CITRUS

Posted on May 29, 2017 | Last updated February 12, 2025

VENOM ENERGY CITRUS
The 2015 new release from VENOM ENERGY, a low-calorie citrus variant. The design has undergone a change from the black snake eye motif to a white spider motif.

VENOM ENERGY CITRUS

Manufacturer	DR PEPPER SNAPPLE
Country of Origin	USA
Price	0.99 USD
Flavor	Citrus
Total rating	★★★☆☆

Author information Author: Energy Drink-kun

In 2001, while living in the United States, I encountered energy drinks through the dance scene and was deeply impressed. After returning to Japan, I found that energy drinks were considered novelty beverages, so I established a comprehensive website in 2013 to share the true appeal of energy drinks. As an energy drink enthusiast, I began drinking them seriously again, collecting over 8,000 varieties of energy drinks from various countries. I am also active as a critic and expert, receiving media interviews.

Flavor of VENOM ENERGY CITRUS

Low-calorie, citrus flavor, artificial sweeteners... Based on my experience, this combination doesn’t usually lead to a great outcome, so I wasn’t expecting much. I thought I’d just enjoy a fresh citrus flavor, especially since it’s only 99 cents, and so the review began.

Upon opening the can, a subtle sweet scent wafts through, but it's hard to tell if it's citrus or something else. With citrus flavors, it's usually one of two outcomes: either you immediately think, "Wow, this is great!" or you end up with a blank expression like, "What is this?" (゜_゜)

VENOM ENERGY CITRUS
When poured into a glass, the color is a much deeper yellow than I imagined from the can. I was expecting a light yellow-green color with a bit of cloudiness.

So, what about the taste? Well, it’s surprisingly sweet! Wait, is this citrus? I had to look at the can again because it’s so sweet. There’s no hint of citrus acidity or refreshing qualities. Honestly, I don’t think it should be called a citrus flavor (-_-;)

The flavor is somewhat similar to Mountain Dew, but because of the artificial sweeteners, it feels a bit lighter. The aftertaste is clean but leaves a slight residue. Fortunately, the scent doesn’t linger, so it doesn’t feel too overwhelming.

For a low-calorie drink, the sweetness was surprisingly well-done, but if I’m craving a citrus flavor, this isn’t what I would choose Σ(´∀｀；)

Energy Ingredients of VENOM ENERGY CITRUS

It contains 160mg of caffeine, taurine, guarana, ginseng, and carnitine. The calories are kept at 20kcal, with most of the sweeteners being erythritol.

Low-calorie options have become essential for energy drink brands, and VENOM seems to be doing well in this category. They’re low-cost, with good taste and ingredients, so with the right approach, they could really succeed. In fact, they ranked in the top 10 for energy drink sales in the U.S. in 2014.

From Snake to Spider, and Back to Snake

The new low-calorie series in 2015 marked a departure from the previous four flavors with a change from a snake motif to a spider. The can itself also switched to a white base, creating a fresh, light image. In stores, the white design really stands out among the usual black-based VENOM cans. It would have been even more interesting if the flavor name had been something like "Poisonous Spider"!

VENOM ENERGY CITRUS
By the way, around 2016, the motif switched back from the spider to the snake's eye again (^_^;)

VENOM ENERGY CITRUS
As for the tab color, considering it’s under a dollar, I thought, "Well, it’s understandable..." and didn’t think too much about it.