When it comes to energy drinks, Jolt Cola was one of the first companies to market its products as energy-boosting beverages.
The drink became steadily popular but was eventually discontinued 24 years after its launch due to legal battles and disagreements among the management.
Jolt briefly made a comeback in 2017 and started selling their beverages through Dollar General stores and Amazon, but the company quickly went under in 2019 and stopped production. So, unfortunately, Jolt Energy cannot be bought anywhere today.
Read on for a more detailed look into the rise and fall of Jolt energy!
Contents
History of Jolt Energy
Originally launched in 1985, Jolt Energy was the first of its kind. The drink boasted of its large quantities of caffeine.
The story goes that the CEO, C.J Rapp, noticed how students preferred staying up at night to study and came up with a perfect idea for a cola that would be no different from competitors other than its high caffeine content.
It would be next to impossible for the brand to compete with the established soft drink companies like Pepsi and Cocacola at the time, so they took a different approach.
They branded themselves as an energy-boosting substance and advertised their drink with the slogan “all the sugar and twice the caffeine” printed on each can.
As it was targeted towards students, the company didn’t exactly make itself seem like a healthy brand. But it doesn’t matter for Rapp because he believed that stressed college students were not very health-conscious anyway.
While critics were sure that Jolt would die out in 4-5 years, the drink proved to be a massive success and catered to thousands across US and Canada for 22 years.
Jolt Energy Drink Ingredients
While not much is known about the original Jolt drink, the revamped version in 2017 came with the following ingredients.
- Carbonated Water
- Sugar
- Caramel Color
- Phosphoric Acid
- Caffeine
- Citric Acid
- Natural Flavor
Jolt Energy Nutritional Facts
The variant of Jolt launched in 2017 came with these nutritional facts.
| Nutritional Component | Value (Per Can) |
| Calories | 190 |
| Fat | 0g |
| Sodium | 5g |
| Carbohydrate | 50g |
| Sugar | 50g |
| Added Sugar | 50g |
| Protein | 0g |
| Caffeine | 160mg |
The Re-launch of Jolt Energy
In 2006, Jolt completely changed its product design, nutritional components, and flavors of the drink.
Each can now came in an AA battery-shaped bottle containing 160mg of caffeine.
This, however, didn’t last long as the owner, C.J. Rapp, had sold the controlling interest of the company to another organization named Emigrant Capital. The new owners removed Rapp from his position in the company.
In 2009 Emigrant Capital filed for bankruptcy and Jolt stopped production of its drinks.
After a long legal battle between Rapp and Emigrant Capital, Jolt Energy relaunched in 2019 with its original flavor from the 80s.
This remained popular among old consumers who wished to have a drink again after years, but the brand was unable to attract younger consumers with competitors such as Red Bull and Monster already dominating the market.
It was briefly sold on Dollar General Store, Caseys General Store, and Amazon from 2017 to 2019 before the production was halted for the final time.
Jolt Energy Drink Flavors
The Original Jolt energy introduced a range of different flavors in 1987, these were:
- Cherry Bomb
- Citrus Climax
- Orange Blast
- White Lightning
- Red Eye
- Electric Blue
The battery-shaped drinks of Jolt which were launched in 2006 came with the following flavors.
- Cola
- Blue
- Raspberry
- Cherry Bomb
- Silver
- Wild Grape
- Orange Blast
- Passionfruit
- Ultra
Do energy drinks actually keep you awake?
Caffeine and sugar in energy drinks are what keep you alert for the duration of the workday. Caffeine has effects on the central nervous system and brain. Tea leaves, coffee beans, and cocoa beans all contain it.
However, while the FDA recommends no more than 400mg of caffeine per day, you should be aware that certain energy drinks contain far more caffeine than others.
Do monsters actually give you energy?
The advertised benefits of Monster Energy beverages include increased stamina and mental clarity. They include a lot of caffeine and additional components including guarana, taurine, and B vitamins.
Because of the high levels of caffeine and sugar in Monster energy drinks, they are effective in keeping you up for an extra three to four hours. However, factors like age, nutrition, weight, and tolerance for caffeine might alter the recommended time frame.
Do you think energy drinks enhance work capacity?
Extensive studies have linked caffeine use to improved alertness, focus, and productivity. To some extent, this is why our morning coffee ritual has become so ingrained in the workplace.
Although energy drinks have been shown to increase physical endurance in a number of trials, their effects on muscular strength and power have received less attention.
How Much Caffeine Does Jolt Have?
While the original Jolt drink didn’t have as much caffeine as compared to drinks today, it was still a significant amount.
Each 16 fl oz can came with around 95mg of caffeine. The FDA had guidelines limiting beverages to only contain only 6mg of caffeine per oz.
When the company rebranded in 2006, this amount was increased to 160mg in each 22 fl oz bottle.
During Jolts’ early years, not much was known about caffeine intake limits and adverse effects related to it, many suffered a great deal from over-consumption.
Having too much caffeine can cause the following side effects:
Jolt Energy Drink Alternatives
Here are some other alternatives to Jolt you can try:
Other Notable Mentions
Final Thoughts
While Jolt Energy is now not available nor sold anywhere, it was one of its kind during the company’s prime.
Through its time in the ’80s and during its rebrand in 2006, Jolt’s dedicated fans remained loyal to the drink.
Its unique caffeine content and advertisement techniques made it a popular drink for young adults looking for a power-up during all-nighters and tiring shifts.
There are a number of other reliable brands you can try instead of Jolt, most have a range of flavors you can choose from.