I Got an Early Taste of the New Energy Drinks from BTS: My Honest Review

You might know BTS as the biggest K-pop group in the world—maybe you’re even a member of the BTS Army. But I know them as the gentlemen behind the new brand ARIH that just dropped all manner of products at Walmart. We’re talking instant noodles, dual biotic sodas, and, the topic of today’s review, postbiotic energy drinks.

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(Just so I don’t get yelled at in the comments, yes, of course I knew who BTS was before they started stocking Walmart shelves. They’re the enemies of those demon hunters, right? I’m joking! Jeez.)

Anyway, ARIH postbiotic energy drinks contain 100mg of natural caffeine (that means caffeine that comes from “natural” sources, in this case it’s coffee beans and guarana), 1,000mg of taurine, and botanical extracts like black garlic, goji berry, and ginseng. The drinks are zero sugar and just 10 calories. And if you’re curious about what postbiotics are, they’re the stuff that probiotics produce. They supposedly support gut health and, in this situation, are supposed to help curb any jitters from the caffeine. You can find ARIH postbiotic energy drinks in seven flavors, but I only got my hands on two: Orange Hour and Tropical Wave.

Is BTS as good at energy drinks as they are creating global earworms? Let’s get into it.

BTS Energy Drink!

ARIH Postbiotic Energy Drink Orange Hour

Walmart

Pros: It smells like Orange Crush. And Orange Crush is the best orange soda (we tasted most of the orange sodas out there, so we should know). The fizz is good—the bubbles are light and zippy, really delicate. They help give the drink the sensation of zestiness. I also really like the design of the cans. It’s bold and appealing.

Cons: Even though they’re zero sugar, the drinks are sweetened with a blend of monk fruit extract and steviol glycosides. The result is a very, very sweet drink. The first sip does taste a bit like Orange Crush, but then the only flavor is sweeter than sweet. It’s shockingly sweet. And that sweetness really lingers. It takes over your mouth. It sticks to your tongue, so your only option is to have another sip to wash it away and then it happens all over again.

Rating:

5/10

Sporks

BTS Energy Drink!

ARIH Postbiotic Energy Drink Tropical Wave

Walmart

Pros: This flavor is less sweet than the Orange Hour. And it pretty much just tastes like Red Bull. It has that classic funky-sour energy drink flavor—like a liquid vitamin. I’ve gotten used to the flavor over the years, and this isn’t a bad interpretation.

Cons: If you were hoping for a truly tropical experience you are going to be disappointed. As I said, this tasted like most energy drinks’ “original” flavor. Don’t crack one open expecting pineapple.

Rating:

6/10

Sporks

About the Author

Hi! I’m the editor-in-chief of Sporked. I will never turn down a fresh-shucked oyster but I’ll also leap at whatever new product Reese’s releases and I love a Tostitos Hint of Lime, even if there is no actual lime in the ingredients. Why you should trust me: I have been writing about food and beverages for well over a decade and am an avid at-home cook and snacker. I began my career writing about fine dining and recipes, moved into cocktails and spirits, and now I talk about groceries. If you can eat it or drink it, I’ve probably written about it. What I buy every week: Trader Joe’s dried okra. Appleton Farms prosciutto from Aldi. Some sort of Trader Joe’s cheese (I’m into the aged gouda at the moment). Frozen waffles (usually the Eggo Cinnamon Toast Minis). Spindrift water (loving the Cosmopolitan right now). Favorite ranking: Smoked salmon. Imagine me as Scrooge McDuck but instead of coins I’m diving into a vault of slippery smoked salmon slices. Pure joy. I also found some real steals in that taste test! Least favorite ranking: Canned oysters. I had such high hopes for this but it quickly became a chore. The kitchen smelled like an uncleaned aquarium.