Monster Ultra Black Is Back and We Tried It

While the kids are all drinking their GHOSTs and Alani Nu’ses, the grown folks are drinking Monsters on the way to work. Today, I’ve got my hands on the new-ish Monster Ultra Black Energy. This black cherry energy drink looks like Hot Topic in a can, but how does it taste? There’s only one way to find out.

How is this drink new-ish?

Per the Monster Wiki, Monster Ultra Black Energy was first released all the way back in 2017. That said, the flavor hasn’t been widely available on shelves for years—until now. Starting in October 2025, the Kroger family of stores will be the exclusive retail home of Monster Ultra Black Energy. I headed over to my local Kroger to pick one up for myself; let’s get into it.

Monster Ultra Black!

Monster Ultra Black Energy Review

Amazon

Pros: Y’all, I think this is my favorite Monster Ultra flavor. It’s tart, strong, and very well balanced between sour and sweet. The black cherry flavor is authentic to the point I’m surprised there’s no fruit juice. Michiganders should be proud of this tribute to their “Cherry Capital of the World,” Traverse City.

Cons: Why did we let this slip from our fingers the first time around? This beats other Ultra flavors by a country mile. That said, the tartness can be a little much if you’re hoping to chug this energy drink to tamp down the demons of slumber. You have to savor it, man.

Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

What’s coming next from Monster Energy?

As we’ve discussed, Monster Energy is releasing multiple new-to-you flavors between now and the end of the year. We’ll see the U.S. debut of the British fan favorite “Bad Apple” Monster Juice, along with two mysterious standalone drinks called “Orange Dreamsicle” and “Electrical Blue.” We’ll even see a new Ultra flavor in that batch: Monster Ultra Wild Passion Energy. Keep your eyes here on Sporked for my reviews of these and more to come—I don’t know if you heard, but 2026 is going to be a big year for Monster as well.