7 of the Most Memorable Energy Drinks That Got Discontinued

Energy drinks are a big business in the United States, accounting for nearly 29 percent of sales in the overall soda market and generating $26 billion in revenue in North America alone.

As profits grow, more and more beverage companies are getting into this highly profitable market, but not all energy drinks are made equal. Some come and go, while others—including Red Bull, Rockstar, Monster, and others—stay around for decades.

We rounded up some of the most memorable that have since been retired. But who knows? Maybe if loyal fans play their cards right, one of these discontinued energy drinks could make a comeback in the near future.

1. Surge
2. Vault
3. Red Bull: The Red Edition, Cranberry
4. Josta
5. MTN Dew Energy
6. Coca-Cola Energy
7. 180 Energy Drink: Orange-Citrus Blast

Surge

To compete with Pepsi’s Mountain Dew during the late ’90s, Coca-Cola released its own neon green citrus soda. Surge, as it came to be known, was originally a soft drink in Norway and followed other attempts by the company (like OK Soda) to experiment with new beverage types. Maltodextrin was used as its active ingredient for a long-lasting energy boost.

It was marketed as being more energizing than other soda options and quickly gained a loyal following with young men thanks to ads placed during extreme sports events and pro-wrestling TV shows. Surge even had its own Slurpee flavor at 7-Eleven.

Coca-Cola discontinued Surge in 2003, but Save Surge, a Facebook group, had more than 300,000 backers at one point. The company eventually brought Surge back in 2010 and then did so again in 2014, as well as once more in 2018, as a tie-in with Burger King. Although Surge may be hard to come by in stores, you can sometimes still find it via select Coca-Cola specialty Free-Style machines (if you’re lucky). 

Vault

After the on-again, off-again failure of Surge, Coca-Cola tried to create another citrus soft drink during the mid-2000s with Vault. The beverage debuted in 2005, and its slogan, “Drinks like a soda, kicks like an energy drink,” wasn’t a lie: Vault had 20 percent more caffeine than Surge. Despite an aggressive ad campaign featuring commercial spots during the Super Bowl, Coca-Cola discontinued Vault in 2011.

Red Bull: The Red Edition, Cranberry

Red Bull is one of the most popular energy drinks on the market, and a number of flavor options have come and gone over the years. Red Bull: The Red Edition, Cranberry was one of them; the sugary concoction featured a blend of fruit juice and caffeine.

The Red Bull Red Edition, Cranberry was introduced in 2012, along with lime and blueberry variants. The drinks were released in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and other limited markets. Although the flavor had a following, it was quietly retired in 2020; the lime and blueberry variants were discontinued by 2025 as well. Fans took to TikTok to express their confusion and frustration. There’s even an active online petition urging Red Bull to bring back the popular flavor.

Josta

Pepsi introduced Josta into the soda market in 1995. Marketed as one of the first energy drinks by a major brand, it was formulated with guarana and caffeine. By 1999, the beverage had developed a loyal fanbase, but Pepsi decided to pull the plug anyway; shoppers who loved the drink started a website, Save Josta, to urge the beverage company to bring back their beloved energy booster.

MTN Dew Energy

Formerly known as Mountain Dew Rise, MTN Dew Energy contained roughly about as much caffeine as two cups of coffee. There were a number of flavors, including Pomegranate Blue Burst, Strawberry Melon Spark, Peach Mango Dawn, and more. But all flavors of MTN Dew Energy (and the energy drink itself) were retired by 2024—only three years after PepsiCo introduced it.

Coca-Cola Energy

Coca-Cola Energy hit shelves in January 2020 as a soda and energy drink hybrid that was formulated with guarana and vitamin B; there were also zero-sugar and cherry-flavored variants. Less than two years later, the company stopped producing and selling Coca-Cola Energy due to a lack of sales in North America.

180 Energy Drink: Orange-Citrus Blast

Released by Anheuser-Busch in 2001, 180 Orange-Citrus Blast was the brewing company’s introduction into the energy drink market. The Orange-Citrus Blast flavor, which some claim tasted like orange soda, contained guarana and vitamin C, and offered a smooth balance of carbonation and sweetness.

However, Anheuser-Busch dipped out of the energy drink business altogether in 2008, when 10 states threatened to outlaw alcoholic energy drinks. Even though the 180 Energy Drink didn't contain alcohol, the brewing company did make Tilt and Bud Extra, both of which were alcoholic energy drinks.

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