# What's the deal with Red Bull? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 31, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-red-bull/210644 "2003-10-31T14:47:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-red-bull/210644/1 "2003-10-31T14:47:11Z")
Is it good? Bad? Seems like it’s got a kind of Cult Following. I’ve never tried it, though. What am I missing? ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-red-bull/210644/2 "2003-10-31T14:54:30Z")
Uh, here’s a [link](http://www.redbull.com/home_intro.html) for the uninitiated. ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-red-bull/210644/3 "2003-10-31T14:55:49Z")
I think it’s nasty. Perhaps it’s an acquired taste for those really desperate for caffiene. ---
**Author:** ![jk1245](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@jk1245](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jk1245)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-red-bull/210644/4 "2003-10-31T15:02:45Z")
It’s the trendy frink right now. In another year or 2, you won’t hear much about it. Personally, I think it’s OK (at best). Way too sweet to have one more than every once in a while though. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ea5d25/32.png) [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Scrappy_Hero_Pup)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-red-bull/210644/5 "2003-10-31T15:12:10Z")
It’s awesome. There’s superduperfuel of some kind in there. I’m a bit more of a fan of KMX Energy Drink, but it’s all the same stuff anyway. :: twitch :: ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-red-bull/210644/6 "2003-10-31T15:15:03Z")
Just another version of self-medication from our somewhat hypocritical society. ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-red-bull/210644/7 "2003-10-31T15:28:14Z")
It does exactly what it says on the tin. It stops you flagging at the end of an evening (what the hell is taurine anyway?). It does taste foul though. ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-red-bull/210644/8 "2003-10-31T15:55:51Z")
Taurine is an enzmye found also in meat… from what I heard Cats cannot be vegetarian because they need taurine once in a while. Dogs can be vegetarian apparently. Red Bull barely affects me… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![electrozion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/85f322/32.png) [@electrozion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/electrozion)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-red-bull/210644/9 "2003-10-31T17:24:59Z")
**Red Bull barely affects me…** just add vodka then… hm - yummy! Red Bull was really popular with the techno crowd (back when they where populer) as it has more caffeine/taurine/stuff-that-makes-you-stay-awake than most other drinks you would get in night clubs. ---
**Author:** ![mipiace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb9ed0/32.png) [@mipiace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mipiace)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-red-bull/210644/10 "2003-10-31T17:47:40Z")
Yeah it is only good with vodka but I totally love it then and it will keep me going well into the late hours. generally after I have had too many alcoholic bevs - I switch to red bull and vodka and I can keep drinking until dawn. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-red-bull/210644/11 "2003-10-31T18:34:22Z")
I think it’s quite tasty, but if you’re looking to stay up get a Mountain Dew or something. Actually, I think it’s Cinnabon that has some sort of mocha frappaccino type drink. Man, that thing is a must have on long road trips - trust me. And it’s tasty. So if you need to stay up, go with the frosty goodness of the Cinnabon coffee shake thingee. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-red-bull/210644/12 "2003-10-31T18:35:12Z")
I’ve had it. It’s not particularly good and didn’t do anything for me. I’ll stick with caffiene. ---
**Author:** ![Paranoid\_Randroid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paranoid_randroid/32/18_2.png) [@Paranoid\_Randroid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paranoid_Randroid)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-red-bull/210644/13 "2003-10-31T19:36:25Z")
Bah. Red Bull is gross. If you’re _really_ interested in keeping yourself alert at the end of the evening, take 200mg of caffeine about fifteen minutes before you think you’ll start getting tired. Works like a charm. Crush it up and dissolve it in some coke, maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-red-bull/210644/14 "2003-10-31T20:04:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cheese Monster \* > \*\*Bah. Red Bull is gross. If you’re _really_ interested in keeping yourself alert at the end of the evening, take 200mg of caffeine about fifteen minutes before you think you’ll start getting tired. Works like a charm. Crush it up and dissolve it in some coke, maybe. \*\* My head hurts just imagining all that caffein. ---
**Author:** ![butter\_pie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@butter\_pie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butter_pie)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-red-bull/210644/15 "2003-10-31T20:37:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Winston Smith \* > \*\*My head hurts just imagining all that caffein. \*\* My heart palpitates in antici…pation. ---
**Author:** ![dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorkusmalorkusmafia/32/7266_2.png) [@dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorkusmalorkusmafia)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-red-bull/210644/16 "2003-10-31T20:44:52Z")
I think red bull tastes like sweet dirt. It doesn’t even bother trying to mask its nastiness with a tasty flavor. I have a few friends who drink it but then again they also drank Zima when that was popular. For those that don’t know, Zima was a clear alcoholic beer that tried to replace beer with the trendy crowd. Most people now hear Zima and think, what ever happened to it. ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-red-bull/210644/17 "2003-10-31T20:55:59Z")
I don’t like the taste, but I used to buy it anyway mornings for the caffeine boost. Then I found out the Starbucks Frappachinos have almost 3 times the caffeine, and are cheaper. I don’t drink Red Bull anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Fionn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fionn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fionn)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-red-bull/210644/18 "2003-10-31T20:58:03Z")
Red Bull’s been around longer than I thought it would be. I think it’s nasty, but I have a theory that the foul taste is supposed to make you think you’re drinking something really strong. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-red-bull/210644/19 "2003-10-31T21:09:16Z")
I always kind of thought Red Bull smells like a urinal cake. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-red-bull/210644/20 "2003-10-31T21:20:25Z")
Feh! All you sissies with your Red Bull and your caffeine. You REALLY want a rush? 4 ounces of cocaine and sahove it up your nose and in your eyes and in your ears and up your ass. If I am drinking all night that will keep me up for another hour or so. But seriously, I like Red Bull. 2.5 shots of vodka with a can…3 or 4 of those and I am good to go. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-red-bull/210644.md?page=2)