Coke and Dr Pepper may be the two biggest soda brands (sorry, Pepsi!), but Mtn Dew has a posse—a big one. People who love Mtn Dew really love Mtn Dew, and we’d say there’s a good chance at least some of those Dew Doers are also in the market for a soda that is lower sugar, prebiotic (for the gut), and caffeinated but not so caffeinated that you’re inclined peel your face off. Lucky for those people, there’s a new Olipop flavor in town and it sure looks like it’s meant to be a Mtn Dew dupe. Here’s what we know so far about Olipop Ridge Rush.
So what is Olipop? Do they dew dupes and dew they dew them well?
Olipop is a brand of prebiotic soda that purports to be good for your gut, or at least better for your gut than regular sodas. It comes in a lot of fun flavors (the Sporked crew’s favorite flavor is Ginger Lemon; very refreshing), and, yes, at least one is a dupe of another popular soda. It’s called Doctor Goodwin and it’s Olipop’s take on Dr Pepper—and, at least according to our in-house taste testers, it’s not very good. In fact, it was the worst Olipop flavor the Sporked team tried.
But we’re not giving up hope that new Olipop Ridge Rush will be a hit, in part because Olipop does citrus flavors so well, and Ridge Rush claims it combines “lemon, lime, and orange juices, plus a jolt of caffeine from green tea” to create a refreshing and healthy alternative to the neon green and yellow bevs we know and love. With four grams of added sugar and nine grams of dietary fiber, Ridge Rush is setting out to leave you feeling ready to scale whatever mountain you’re aiming to climb (or ridge you’re aiming to rush, I guess).
Ridge Rush isn’t Olipop’s first foray into the world of caffeinated bevs. Their Vintage Cola, Cherry Cola, and Doctor Goodwin flavors are also caffeinated. This new Olipop flavor contains 50 mg of natural green tea caffeine, which puts it about on par with Mtn Dew, which has 55 mg of caffeine in a 12 ounce can. Still, Olipop claims that their green tea-derived caffeine is less buzzy than the caffeine in regular soda and energy drinks. The product description on their site says, “Unlike high sugar and excessively high caffeine energy drinks, Ridge Rush doesn’t come with jitters and an elevated heart rate. Instead, with each sip, you get a mild and sustained source of energy from green tea caffeine—perfect for adventure seekers hunting for a natural uplift.”
How much does Ridge Rush cost and when/where can you find it?
Surprise. You can get Ridge Rush…now. Already live for purchase, Olipop’s newest flavor goes for $35.99 for a 12-pack on their website, while individual cans retail at merchants like Sprouts for $2.49. If you’re a Dew Head and you dew this dupe, let us know what you think.
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!