Back in December, I published a piece about leaked plans indicating GHOST Energy would launch beverages inspired by 7UP and A&W Root Beer around 2026. Earlier this year, the 7UP concept came to life; today we’ve got the eagerly awaited GHOST A&W Energy in hand. A big thank you to GHOST for sending over early samples of this brand-new authentic energy drink—let’s determine if A&W really needed this high-octane caffeine kick.
- GHOST A&W Root Beer Energy Review
Fresh GHOST Energy has arrived
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Pros: As always, GHOST has nailed the objective here with precision. GHOST A&W Root Beer Energy captures the original soda’s subtly sharp aftertaste and its exceptionally fizzy mouthfeel that makes root beer appealing. The sugar-free profile is masked so effectively that I could plausibly push for including GHOST A&W Energy in our “Best Diet Root Beer” ranking. After an entire weekend of serving this to friends, GHOST A&W Root Beer Energy has impressed not only die-hard GHOST Energy fans in my circle but also a broader group of folks who only know A&W Root Beer.
While other brands have released solid root beer-energy drinks, this one feels authentically A&W in a way I could pinpoint in a lineup. The collaboration between Keurig Dr Pepper and GHOST Energy remains fairly fresh, yet the latter is already reaping benefits from direct insight into how the former crafts their iconic sodas.
Cons: Call me a heretic, but A&W isn’t my favorite root beer. (It isn’t even my preferred root beer among mainstream offerings, though it does beat out the dog-themed competitor.) This is a superb interpretation of A&W Root Beer, but it isn’t the flawless root beer energy drink. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen any national brands express interest in turning Dayton’s Warped Wing Root Beer into an energy drink; this will have to suffice until the true king of root beers garners more attention.
What Keurig Dr Pepper sodas should GHOST translate into energy drinks next?
Readers, the most obvious path is literally in the corporate name: Dr Pepper should step into the GHOST Energy lineup. While there hasn’t been an official confirmation that the 23 flavors will receive a caffeine enhancement anytime soon, credible whispers point to a potential rollout around 2027. It’s about time, given the wait has matched the length of the GHOST/KDP agreement since its inception…
Once Dr Pepper GHOST Energy lands on shelves and starts breaking records, I’d love to see the brand branch out into an A&W Red Creme Soda or a Canada Dry Ginger Ale. (Seriously, we’ve got plenty of Root Beer and Creme Soda energy drinks already; let someone else tackle those classic profiles while the rest of the soda canon earns its moment in the spotlight.)
