Red Bull [A Deep Dive Into The World's Most Popular Energy Drink]

Red Bull went from total obscurity, to total global behemoth. It is the biggest energy drink in the market, with over 35% market share.

So we took a deep dive into everything Red Bull, and found out some pretty cool stuff. Here is all we learned - enjoy this epically rad guide. 🛹

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What Is Red Bull?

Launched all the way back in 1987, Red Bull has gone on to sell over 100 billion cans of its energy drink. In 2021, almost 10 billion cans were sold - which really goes to show you the sheer size of Red Bull, as a company.

While they started out with just one flavor - Red Bull now has numerous variant of its energy drink. Back in the 1980s, Jolt Cola was probably the most well known drink with a lot of caffeine - but now Jolt is barely a blip on the radar, compared to Red Bull.

What Is The History Of Red Bull?

Red Bull has a somewhat weird history. Way back in 1976, Chaleo Yoovidhya made a drink - it was only available in Thailand, and it was called red gaur - essentially ‘red bison’, or ‘red bull’.

The drink gained popularity with blue collar workers, especially shift workers and truck drivers. About 5 years later, Dietrich Mateschitz travelled to Thailand, and tried the drink (called ‘Krating Daeng' in Thailand) - and was amazed to discover that it cured his jet lag.

While this drink was positioned as a low cost item, and appealed to blue collar workers - the new duo had an idea for an energy drink that would be more of a premium choice. Essentially, an almost identical product, but which would cost more (and appeal to white collar workers).

Each partner put in $500,000 to launch the drink, which debuted in Austria in 1987. Though energy drinks mostly sold to blue collar workers in Thailand, the new Red Bull was first launched at higher end locations - like Austrian ski resorts.

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Interestingly, the creators of Red Bull have cornered the market in many countries - since their first drink still appeals to blue collar workers, and the newer Red Bull appeals to higher income consumers. This gives them a vast market share.

The operations are still largely based in Austria and Thailand. In fact, the flavoring for Red Bull is still made in Bangkok, Thailand.

Believe it or not, the headquarters for Red Bull is still in an Austrian town. This wouldn’t be that unusual, but for the fact that the town only has about 1,500 people living in it.

While you wouldn’t think that energy drinks could make you rich, the co-founders of Red Bull made the Forbes list, and now each have net worths of about $15-20 billion - each. Once Red Bull hit the United States in 1997 - it really began to take off.

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How Is Red Bull Related To Extreme Sports?

Red Bull sponsors many different extreme sports athletes, and also sponsors many extreme sports competitions. They have their logo on many ramps, and even run events like the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series.

Is Red Bull Good For You?

Red Bull is a great way to quench your caffeine fix. However, the regular Red Bull is loaded with sugar, so you may want to opt for the sugar free version, to optimize your health.

It may not be best to drink Red Bull every day, but it’s fine in moderation. If you hate the taste of coffee (like we do), this is a fine alternative.

What Is The Drug In Red Bull?

There are no illicit drugs in Red Bull. Taurine, caffeine, and flavoring agents are usually all you need to worry about (besides sugar, of course).

What Is The Benefits Of Red Bull Energy Drink?

Red Bull reportedly has many positive effects on those who consume it. Scientific studies show that Red Bull helps to improve cognitive performance, attention, and driving performance.

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Is There Alcohol In Red Bull?

No, Red Bull does not contain alcohol. Therefore, it does not have any alcohol content.

However, many people mix Red Bull with alcohol. If you do this, be extremely careful, as it is not exactly the healthiest idea.

Is Red Bull Harmful?

No, Red Bull is not remotely harmful. However, as with anything containing caffeine and sugar, you should moderate your consumption.

What Are The Side Effects Of Red Bull?

Though most users report no side effects with Red Bull, if you drink too much, sometimes you can experience the below-listed side effects.

• Interference with neural communication
• Interference with healthy sleep patterns
• Withdrawal symptoms
• Jitters
• Migraine
• Insomnia
• Increased heart rate
• Increased blood pressure
• Excess sugar
• Stress reaction
• Weight gain
• High-risk behavior

If you only drink one Red Bull can per day (assuming you take in no other caffeine), it is extremely unlikely that you will develop any side effects at all. However, just like with coffee, if you take in too much caffeine, there are some unpleasant side effects.

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What Is The Caffeine Content In An 8 Oz. Can Of Red Bull?

There is 80 mg of caffeine in an 8 ounce can of Red Bull. If you get a bigger can, you’ll get more caffeine, of course (which is usually what we opt for).

How Much Sugar Is In A Can Of Red Bull?

There are 37 grams of sugar in a 12 ounce can of Red Bull. If you prefer less sugar, there is actually a sugar free version of Red Bull on the market.

How Much Alcohol Is In Red Bull?

There is no alcohol in Red Bull. However, many people mix alcoholic beverages with Red Bull.

We don’t really endorse this idea. But if you’re going to do it, be sure to exercise caution.

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10 Best Energy Drinks For Skateboarding

1. Red Bull Energy Drink

The original (and in our opinion) - still the best. With taurine, an excellent flavor, and caffeine - we rarely find ourselves straying from this pick.

We do prefer the sugar free version often, but that choice is really up to you. Whether you want the full force version or the zero calorie one - there is something here for everyone. 🐂

2. Bang Energy Drink

With one of the widest marketing campaigns, Bang also has some of the most caffeine of any energy drink. With 300 mg per can, it’s hard to beat this one, in terms of a caffeinated buzz.

We liked nearly every flavor of this beverage we tried, although the cotton candy one was our favorite. These drinks are also backed by tons of five star reviews, so you can make a purchase with confidence.

3. Solimo White Energy Drink

Amazon started making its own products a while ago, and this energy drink is actually one that passes the test, as being just as good as the original. With 150 mg of caffeine per serving, this is a great choice for anyone who wants a tasty buzz.

It also has no sugar, which means it won’t hurt your glucose levels. While you shouldn’t go overboard, this is easily an energy drink you can drink all the time, without feeling any guilt.

4. Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy Drink

Optimum makes a ton of great workout products, including one of our favorite protein powders. However, we also love this energy drink.

Uniquely, it’s packed with amino acids. However, we should note that it does have a little less caffeine than most energy drinks, with only 100 mg of caffeine per can.

5. Rockstar Energy Drink

Rockstar is arguably the biggest brand in terms of energy drinks, besides Red Bull. This is another delicious choice, and it’s loaded with caffeine.

Of course, this drink is also backed by a ton of five star reviews. We loved each flavor we tried, but we were especially fond of the Lemonade Recovery version.

6. C4 Smart Energy Drink

C4 has long made some of our favorite pre-workout drinks. However, their energy drink is also delicious.

We like the Black Cherry flavor best, but there are lots of tasty options to choose from. We also liked that there was a whopping 200 mg of caffeine in each can, so we didn’t need to double up, or take in any other sources of caffeine.

7. Monster Sugar Free Energy Drink

With no sugar, and tons of caffeine, this is a perfect solution for anyone who likes a buzz. We like the Zero Ultra flavor the best, but there are lots of flavor choices here.

It should be noted that these only pack a punch of 140 mg of caffeine per can, so you may need two, if you have a high caffeine tolerance. Monster is almost as big as Red Bull, so the popularity of these drinks cannot be argued.

8. Alani Nu Sugar-Free Energy Drink

This unique energy drink has the equivalent of 2 cups of coffee - in terms of caffeine - making it another stellar choice. It’s also backed by a ton of great reviews, so you can buy with confidence.

The Witch’s Brew was our favorite flavor, but there are a ton of options to choose from. No matter what your preference, there is something here for everyone.

9. Celsius Essential Energy Drink

This energy drink has a great amount of caffeine (200 mg per can), but we didn’t absolutely love every flavor. Your mileage may vary, of course.

This is still another great option for giving you an extra boost. If you need some more energy to get to the skatepark, this well-reviewed energy drink will certainly do the trick.

10. Reign Total Body Fuel

Backed by a zillion five star reviews, this energy drink is another winner. We loved the taste, and the different flavors all had a nice touch to them.

There is also plenty of caffeine in each can, which we also loved. If you need an extra boost to get on your board, this is another great option. 🛹

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Other Factors To Consider

Red Bull has a ton of great content on their website - you can watch videos of some of the most extreme stunts in the world. Snowboarding, BMX biking, skateboarding, cliff diving - even the best skydives are on Red Bull’s channel.

They also have a ton of great podcasts. One is the Oracle Red Bull Racing podcast, which is very popular.

Mountain bikes, Formula 1 (or Formula One, if you prefer), documentaries about motorsports, Olympic recaps, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series - they really have a ton of great extreme sports content.

Then there are their sponsorships of venues and tracks. For example, The Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Styria, Austria - which is a motorsport race track, and absolutely cool.

Before Red Bull purchased it, it hosted the Austrian Grand Prix for 18 straight years. The New York Red Bulls are another interesting venture, as they are a professional soccer club.

Another interesting venture is Red Bull BC One, a B-Boy and B-Girl competition. Red Bull also owns FC Red Bull Salzburg.

They are located in Wals-Siezenheim, and are an Austrian professional football club. As you might expect, they compete out of the Red Bull Arena.

Max Verstappen, the 2021 Formula One champion, competes for Red Bull racing - adding to their insanely great arsenal of amazing athletes. Though there was some controversy with Mercedes about his win, Max is a tremendous driver.

If you like BMX, The Red Bull UCI Pump Track World Championships is a huge deal. No matter what your preference is for extreme sports, Red Bull has something great to offer.

The Bottom Line On Red Bull

There you have it - a complete dive into everything Red Bull. This tiny energy drink company went from niche product, to global behemoth - within just 20 years.

We loved researching Red Bull, and were pretty blown away by the size of their operation. And if you loved this article, be sure to check out some of our other guides.