The best Monster flavors are fruity, refreshing, and they pack a major punch of caffeine. We cracked open more than 35 cans in three separate taste tests to find the best Monster flavors, from the best Java Monster to the best Juice Monster and every Monster in between.
Confession time: Prior to taking on our original Monster taste test, I’d never had a Monster energy drink. I’d always just assumed it was for long-haul truckers and young gamer dudes who’ve graduated from Mountain Dew to the hard stuff. As a person with self-diagnosed chronic anxiety, the last thing I need is to consume a beverage that might elevate my heart rate and force me to have intrusive thoughts about climate change and what sorts of cancer I probably have. I truly thought this might be the taste test that killed me.
But look! After a total of THREE Monster energy drink taste tests, I’m alive and kicking. And typing. Not only did setting out to find the best Monster flavor not kill me, it genuinely put me in a good mood. If people who regularly drink Monster refer to themselves as Monster Monsters (can someone confirm?), then that’s what I am now. But even as a proud Monster Monster, I’m compelled to point out that some varieties are much better than others.
Have we tried every Monster flavor? There are so many, I don’t think we have! But for our most recent taste test, we stocked up on Monster flavors we liked in our previous taste test, and added new Monster additions to the mix. Until the next time I need to guzzle 16 ounces of sweet juice to feel alive, these are the best Monster energy flavors.
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- Monster Lo-Carb
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Okay, if you insist on having a Monster flavor that tastes like an energy drink rather than coffee or fruit punch or sweet, delicious, lightly carbonated juice, then Low Carb Monster is the best Monster energy drink. Yeah, it’s nice that it’s low carb, but I promise this just tastes better than the classic, full sugar Monsters.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Monster Ultra Paradise
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I’m fairly certain that Monster isn’t intended for kids, but if it were, this would be the best Monster flavor for kids. It tastes like carbonated apple juice or a nice sparkling cider with some pear thrown in the mix for fun, although in our third taste test, everyone seemed to think it tasted like green apple. All in all, it’s a really compelling flavor that’s like a grown-up take on flavors from childhood. Ultra Paradise also pulls off being sugar free without the saccharine aftertaste that can accompany artificially sweetened soft drinks. It’s tart, refreshing, and really good.
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Monster Ultra Blue Hawaii
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I’ll be honest: None of us had much to say about this Monster energy flavor—but we all silently loved it just the same. It’s another punch situation, but this one is a little more coconutty than the Pacific Punch (see #3 on this list), which is pretty much a Hawaiian Punch dupe with enough caffeine to make you punch a car. All the best Monster flavors make you want to punch a car.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Java Monster Salted Caramel
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Hey look, a new best Java Monster joined our list! First of all, I really, really thought I was going to hate Java Monster. Coffee already is an energy drink! What are you doing here?! In the end, we decided that Java Monster Salted Caramel is the best Java Monster and also one of the best Monster flavors of them all. Sue me, coffee snobs! Don’t expect big coffee flavor from any of these, but if you’re accustomed to and kind of like the taste of one of those bottled Starbucks fraps, these are good, sweet, and satisfying, like cold coffee with too much cream and sugar. The very subtle salinity also makes it less sweet and, therefore, easier to drink.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Monster Ultra Strawberry Dreams
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I liked this Monster Energy flavor better than everyone else did. It has a bit of an amorphous flavor, but, to me, it’s seriously interesting. Does it taste like strawberry? Not really. Does it taste kinda like the amoxicillin you were prescribed as a kid? Sure—but maybe that’s a good thing. (It is if you’re me.)
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Monster Ultra fantasy Ruby Red
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Okay, I will be honest: I wish this Monster flavor had just a little more bitter, rindy, authentic grapefruit flavor, but it does definitely nod to sweet Ruby Red grapefruits. When she reviewed this newly released flavor back in March 2024, my colleague Ariana Losch said she also wished it had a more powerful grapefruit flavor, but pretty much everyone on the Sporked team liked this all the same. It’s the best Monster flavor if Fresca is your jam, or if you’ll be making Monster Palomas (which may be a terrible idea—don’t do it just in case).
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Juice Monster Pipeline Punch
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As you can tell from the top three on this list, we are partial to the brand’s Juice Monster offerings. These contain around 15 percent real juice and have a pleasant fizz that makes them fruity, refreshing, and genuinely delicious. With its strong, tropical guava flavor and aroma, Pipeline Punch rules (in fact, it was our previous #1). Big POG vibes here. This is the best Monster flavor to slam before you jump belly-first onto your board and punch a shark right in the nose. Not today, you toothy a-hole! (Just kidding; I love and respect sharks.)
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Monster Ultra Watermelon
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This Monster flavor may not have sugar, but it tastes like straight-up watermelon candy. If you’ve ever dreamed of guzzling liquified, caffeinated watermelon Jolly Ranchers, this is the best Monster flavor for you (although, Watermelon Jolly Rancher C4 will really knock your socks off). We tried another watermelon Monster, the Monster Reserve Watermelon, but thought it had a medicinal, Red Bull sort of flavor that we didn’t detect here. This is definitely the best Monster flavor if you’re a watermelon fan—and it’s the best sugar free Monster flavor, too. (Be warned: Our top three Monster flavors have A LOT of sugar!)
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Juice Monster Pacific Punch
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If you like a classic fruit punch, this is the best Monster flavor for you. And it comes in a can that’s covered in tattoo flash. It’s like if Hawaiian Punch went to a bunch of Orange County punk shows in the ’90s. Or, as Sporked’s Jordan Myrick put it, “This is what the Kool-Aid man’s cooler older brother who drives a motorcycle would drink.” Again, this has a nice, mild fizz that won’t burn your throat, and a big fruity “red drink” flavor that has notes of pineapple and other good, tropical things. Crank up some Vandals and hit the beach.
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Juice Monster Viking Berry
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I don’t know what a viking berry is. This Monster flavor tastes kind of like acai to me, and I’m not sure how many vikings are wandering around the jungles of Brazil. My fellow taste testers thought it tasted like a lightly carbonated Crystal Light or something like that. For the record, the brand says it’s “inspired by Wild Nordic berries and Scandinavian fruit.” Sure! I love Scandinavia and I wish we had socialized healthcare, too! This was a new addition to our most recent Monster Energy taste test—and it ended up in second place.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Juice Monster Mango Loco
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I love mango flavored things more than I love actual mango (unless it’s perfectly ripe), and this Monster has a big and tantalizing mango taste. This drink is ripe and juicy and has just the right amount of carbonation. If it wasn’t in a gigantic can with that horror movie-looking M emblazoned on it, I wouldn’t even know it was an energy drink at all. Also, maybe mango-flavored soda should be more prevalent? Something to think about, aspiring soda makers. This previously was in the #2 spot on our list of the best Monster flavors, but everyone really flipped out for it in our most recent taste test. Say hello to the new best Monster flavor!
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
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Other Monster flavors we tried
Monster, Monster Hydro Killer Kiwi (discontinued), Monster Aussie Style Lemonade (discontinued), Monster Super Dry Nitro (discontinued), Monster Reserve Kiwi Strawberry, Monster Ultra Violet, Monster Ultra Vice Guava, Java Monster Mean Bean, Java Monster Irish Cream, Juice Monster Rio Punch, Monster White Pineapple, Monster Ultra Rosa, Monster Khaotic, Monster Papillon, Monster Ultra Peachy Keen, and more…
