What Does Mountain Dew Taste Like? See If It’s Worth Sipping!


If you have checked out a bottle of Mountain Dew lately, you will notice it does not have an official flavor. To help you solve the mystery surrounding the taste of Mountain Dew, we have compiled an in-depth flavor review!

What Is Mountain Dew?

Mountain Dew is a caffeinated soda which is owned by Pepsi. Mountain Dew was created way back in 1940 in Tennessee, USA! Mountain Dew is a highly popular beverage and, according to Statista.com, has a 7% share of the US soda market.

Is Mountain Dew lemonade? Mountain Dew is a citrus-flavored soda. While Mountain Dew has a citrus flavor similar to lemonade, it is not technically a lemonade because it contains some unusual ingredients such as concentrated orange and is highly caffeinated, even more than coke!

Mountain Dew tastes like a lemon-lime soda with an added kick of grapefruit and orange flavor. The flavor ingredients listed on the label are carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, concentrated orange juice and citric acid (preservative), natural flavors, sodium benzoate (preservative), caffeine, and sodium citrate. Mountain Dew also contains Yellow 5, which helps to give the beverage its color and flavor.

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Mountain Dew does not taste like lemonade at all, but many people who drink it regularly will tell you that it tastes like a slightly sweeter version of lemon-lime pop or Sprite!

When you first take a sip of Mountain Dew, you will taste a strong sweet citrus flavor. This is because Mountain Dew is high in sugar and citric acid. However, it tastes different from your standard lemonade because it features a tang from concentrated orange juice and is packed with caffeine. Mountain Dew also contains sodium citrate creating a subtle tart flavor.

Is Mountain Dew an energy drink? Even though Mountain Dew is very high in caffeine, 54 mg of caffeine in a 12 oz can, which is more than Coke (34 mg), it is not an energy drink! Mountain Dew is marketed as caffeinated soda similar to Coke and Dr Pepper and features many energizing ingredients typically found in energy drinks like guarana and taurine.

Energy drinks are classified based on marketing and ingredients. Energy drink marketing is all about showing you how the drink can give you a burst of energy and help you achieve difficult things such as extreme sports. While soda marketing is more focused on taste and the joy you get from drinking it with friends or when eating. Mountain Dew is definitely marketed more as a soda.

Energy drinks typically contain high amounts of caffeine and a range of things like taurine, guarana,  l-carnitine, ginseng, and other ingredients meant to give you a high. While Mountain Dew does contain a lot of caffeine, it does not contain the other ingredients, and the caffeine isn’t a focal point of the beverage. So there you have it, Mountain Dew is not an energy drink but instead is a caffeinated soda.

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Is Mountain Dew caffeinated? Mountain Dew is highly caffeinated. It has one of the highest caffeine content of any soda at 54 mg per 12 oz can! A can of Coke only contains 34 mg, while Dr Pepper features 41 mg of caffeine. However, it is much less than Red Bull which contains 110 mg per 12 oz.

Mountain Dew is packed full of caffeine. Mountain Dew makes Coke look like it is for babies (54 mg vs. 34mg). However, Pepsi Zero Sugar has even more caffeine at 69 mg! While Mountain Dew will give you a nice energy boost, if you are craving a caffeine hit, grab a can of Red Bull. A 12 oz can of Red Bull contains 110 mg of caffeine.

Mountain Dew – Flavor Profile

Mountain Dew is one of those annoying drinks like Red Bull and Dr Pepper that doesn’t list an official flavor on the bottle. But don’t worry, we are here to help you! Check out below to find out exactly what Mountain Dew tastes like and how to describe its flavor.

What does Mountain Dew taste like? Mountain tastes very sweet with a smooth and refreshing citrus flavor. Mountain Dew is slightly bitter and has a unique tang because it contains sodium and concentrated orange juice. It has the perfect mix of sour and sweet with lovely citrus notes.

Mountain Dew has a unique flavor that is hard to describe. The taste of Mountain Dew can be described as citrusy and sweet but also has an unusual aftertaste. The aftertaste in Mountain Dew is similar to that of some cough syrups, although it does not have a cough syrup taste! Mountain Dew tastes like a smoother, less carbonated Sprite with its unique citrus flavor. Mountain Dew is sour and sweet and with a lovely tang. It is also just a little bitter but overall is sweet and refreshing.

What flavor is Mountain Dew? Mountain Dew has no official flavor, but it is a sweet citrus soda with a tangy and mildly bitter flavor. Mountain Dew has a refreshing summer flavor, the citrus combined with high fructose corn syrup results in a smooth citrus soda with a unique taste thanks to added orange juice.

Mountain Dew’s flavor is lemon, lime with a very slight hint of orange. Mountain Dew is very sweet and tastes great on a hot summer’s day, especially after a workout or a hard day at work. This citrus soda is smooth, and the high fructose syrup and citric acid balance each other nicely!

What Does Mountain Dew Taste Like? Our Readers Weigh In!

We have compiled a list of what Mountain Dew tastes like to our readers. The following are just some of the ways that people have described the taste of Mountain Dew:

Mountain Dew is “kind of like a lemon-lime soda with an added kick.”

“It’s not as sweet as other citrus sodas, and the flavor is a bit more unique.”

“It tastes like lemonade with more kick!”

“I think it tastes close to Sprite, but I can barely taste the lemon-lime flavor. It’s got a nice, clean, crisp taste.”

“I think it tastes similar to Sprite but with a slight aftertaste. The aftertaste isn’t that bad, and it kind of reminds me of candy corn.”

What Gives Mountain Dew Its Flavor?

Mountain Dew’s flavor is thanks to the combination of concentrated orange, citric acid, sodium, and high fructose corn syrup. These ingredients give Mountain Dew a very sweet citrus flavor with a slightly sour tang.

Mountain Dew is extremely sweet because it is overflowing with high fructose corn syrup. A 12 oz bottle has a very impressive 46 grams of sugar, shhh don’t tell your dentist! The citrus flavor is thanks to the high amount of citric acid and concentrated orange juice. The slightly bitter flavor is caused by the citric acid and added sodium citrate and sodium benzoate.

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Mountain Dew vs. Sprite and 7Up

Mountain Dew has its unique flavor profile, which makes it quite different from other popular soft drinks such as Coca-Cola or Pepsi.

Does Mountain Dew taste like Sprite? Mountain Dew does taste like Sprite. Sprite has a stronger lemon flavor than Mountain Dew and is more highly carbonated. Mountain Dew is more tangy and bitter and sweeter than Sprite. Mountain Dew also has a slightly different flavor due to added concentrated orange juice.

Mountain Dew and Sprite are both sweet citrus sodas. Mountain Dew is a smoother drink and is much sweeter than Sprite. Mountain Dew has a slight tartness and some bitter flavors that aren’t present in Sprite. Sprite is more carbonated and has a more pronounced lemon taste than Mountain Dew. While Mountain Dew doesn’t taste like orange, it does contain organ juice which alters the taste of Mountain Dew, creating unique flavors not found in Sprite.

Does Mountain Dew taste like 7up? Mountain Dew does taste like 7up. Mountain Dew and 7up both have a sweet citrusy flavor. 7up is more carbonated and has a stronger lemon-lime flavor. Mountain Dew has a unique citrus flavor due to the combination of citric acid with concentrated orange juice. Mountain Dew is also sweeter than 7up.

A 12 oz bottle of 7up contains 35 grams of sugar, while a 12 oz bottle of Mountain Dew contains 46 grams of sugar. The additional sugar makes Mountain Dew a sweeter soda. Mountain Dew also contains orange juice, which 7up doesn’t have, resulting in a tangier citrus flavor. However, overall, 7up and Mountain Dew taste similar because they are both sweet citrus sodas.

Why Does Mountain Dew Taste So Good?

Mountain Dew tastes so good because it has the perfect balance of high fructose corn syrup, sodium, citric acid, and concentrated orange juice. These ingredients create a refreshing citrus soda that is not too sweet or sour, or bitter!

Mountain Dew has done a great job with its ingredients and their quantities. Mountain is sweet thanks to the high fructose corn syrup, citrusy due to the citric acid, and orange juice. The sweetness combined with the citrus flavor creates a well-balanced, smooth, refreshing soda. The addition of orange juice makes Mountain Dew more interesting than your standard lemonade.

Final Thoughts

Mountain Dew may not have its flavor listed on the bottle, but it is a citrus-flavored sweet soda with a healthy serving of caffeine. Mountain Dew tastes similar to other citrus sodas like Sprite and 7up. Mountain Dew is very sweet and has a smooth citrus flavor with slightly tangy and bitter notes. If you are feeling hot on a summer’s day or are a little bit tired, then grab a Mountain Dew, the sweet citrus flavor will refresh you, and the caffeine will energize you!

Mountain Dew FAQ

What is the color of Mountain Dew?

Mountain Dew is a fluorescent yellowish-green color. The color of Mountain Dew is often compared to that of the liquid waste created by aliens in sci-fi movies!

What does Mountain Dew taste like?

The flavor of Mountain Dew has been described as sweet, slightly acidic, and is said to have a very subtle citrus flavor. The flavor of Mountain Dew has also been described as tasting like a mixture between Sprite and bubblegum!

How much caffeine is in a bottle of Mountain Dew?

A regular-sized bottle (20 fl oz) of Mountain Dew contains 54mg or 0.54oz of caffeine. That’s about as much caffeine as you would get from drinking one cup of coffee! However, due to the sugar content in soda, it takes more than simply one can per day to build up your tolerance to caffeine. For example, if you drink 2 cans per day, your body will likely not react differently than if you drank just one can per day.

What is the history of Mountain Dew?

Mountain Dew was first created by Barney and Ally Hartman in 1938. The Hartman’s owned a soda fountain in Knoxville, Tennessee, and decided to create their soda drink. They named their soda after the popular soft drink at the time, “Mountain Dew,” which was created by Charles Grigg. At the time, Charles Grigg owned a soda fountain in Tennessee and sold his version of Mountain Dew alongside other sodas such as Coca-Cola and Dr. Pepper!

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