Liquid Death Killbert Grape Isn’t Sparkling Water OR Grape Soda—But Is It Good?

Is it weird for a beverage brand to reference a dramatic motion picture that came out back in 1993? Listen, I love an early DiCaprio performance as much as the next guy, but it’s hilarious to me that I’m reviewing a soda called Liquid Death Killbert Grape in the year of our lord 2026.

Did I say “soda”? Apologies. Liquid Death Killbert Grape isn’t a soda, it’s a soda-flavored sparkling water. What’s the difference between soda and soda-flavored fizzy water? Well, a few things. Let’s discuss this new Liquid Death flavor, shall we?

New Liquid Death!

Liquid Death Killbert Grape

Five Below

Pros: As we’ve established, Liquid Death Killbert Grape isn’t soda, but it isn’t really sparkling water either. In addition to stevia leaf extract, which you’ll find in a lot of diet sodas, this new Liquid Death flavor is sweetened with agave nectar, which means it’s not zero cal like most sparkling waters. That said, it’s very low cal, with just 20 calories in a 19.2oz can. So that’s nice! And I will say it does nail that not-a-grape-soda, not-a-grape-sparkling-water flavor. It’s a fakey, concord grape soda flavor but much more mellow. BUT the fruit flavor also is not as mellow as it is in, say, LaCroix. If grape soda is a scream and flavored sparkling water is a whisper, this is the reasonable speaking voice of carbonated beverages.

Cons: I think I might have a lower tolerance to stevia leaf than a lot of people. I’ve really grown to hate the way it lingers on your palate, and this is a sweetness that definitely lingers. That said, if you’re used to stevia-sweetened bevs, this might not even be a con in your book. Regardless, this is definitely a must-try for all the What’s Eating Gilbert Grape fans out there!

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

About the Author

Howdy! I’m Gwynedd, Sporked’s managing editor. I live in Los Angeles and have access to the best tacos the U.S. has to offer—but I’m a sucker for a crunchy Old El Paso taco night every now and then. I’ve been at Sporked since 2022 and I’m still searching frozen mozzarella sticks that can hold a candle to restaurant sticks. Why you should trust me: I’ve been a journalist for 20 years (yikes), a consumer of food for 40-plus years, and I’m truly hard pressed to think of foods I don’t like (or that I can’t tolerate at the very least). Oh and one time I cooked my way through Guy Fieri’s cookbook and wrote about the journey through Flavortown. What I buy every week: Trader Joe’s Original Savory Thins. Fat free plain yogurt (usually Fage or Nancy’s). Honeycrisp apples. Sweet cream coffee creamer for my at-home Americanos. A frozen cauliflower crust pizza and some jarred mushrooms to top it with. Old El Paso Stand ‘N Stuff taco shells and Gardein Ground Be’f, even though I think “be’f” is a nightmarish contraction. Favorite ranking: Stouffer’s frozen dinners. I don’t own a microwave (I get my cancers the old fashioned way!), so I love taste testing things that I don’t really buy to eat at home. Least favorite ranking: Soy sauce. Don’t get me wrong, I love soy sauce—but consuming that much sodium in one sitting is probably illegal in some countries. Our frozen enchilada taste test was a close second; the smell of microwaved corn tortillas still haunts me.