Bloom Vs Alani Nu: Who Makes The Better Apple Energy Drink?

As we head into fall, pumpkin spice lattes are still at the heart of the autumnal rituals of many American citizens. Personally, though, I'm eagerly awaiting the day when apple takes the spotlight. It's not that I abhor the warm flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves — rather, I think there's something especially pure and timeless about apple, and it'll always be my first choice. 

Thankfully, though, apple is starting to get more recognition with every passing season. Bloom even made its Crisp Apple Energy Drink a permanent flavor in early 2026 because of how popular it proved to be. In contrast, Alani Nu's new Ruby Apple flavor is (so far, anyway) a limited-time release. Two apple energy drinks, from two popular brands — it begs the question, which is better? Today, I'll be tasting each and making a determination based solely on the drinks' flavor profiles. 

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

Full disclosure — I've had Bloom's Crisp Apple can before, and Alani Nu's Ruby Apple is new to me. I already adore Bloom's so much so that I recently called it my favorite of the brand's energy drinks. Given that, I'm still being as objective as I can possibly be with this taste test, but Alani Nu has some fierce competition.

When tasting each of these, I'm looking for a pure apple flavor without hints of artificial sweeteners, chemical aftertastes, or anything else that may cloud the apple experience. Ideally, I'll feel like I'm drinking a somewhat vamped-up apple juice. I'm not taking mouthfeel, branding, or visual appeal into consideration — this taste test will be solely focused on flavor. 

At first sip, Alani Nu's Ruby Apple Energy drink is quite good. It has a very gentle effervescence and a pure, sweet apple flavor — specifically, it tastes like red apple, making the can's "ruby" moniker particularly apt. 

Nothing about this can turns me off. The flavor lingers for a bit after swallowing, and while I think I get slight hints of artificial sweetener, it's nothing potent enough to keep me from buying the can again. I'm intentionally trying this before I try Bloom's Crisp Apple because it's been a week or two since I've had Crisp Apple, and I didn't want that flavor fresh in my mind when I tried Alani Nu's. On the whole, this one is very good. 

Dang — these two drinks taste incredibly similar. Bloom's Crisp Apple has the same subtle effervescence as Alani Nu's Ruby Apple, and it has a similarly full apple flavor — however, I think Alani Nu's tastes a little more "red," if that makes sense. 

And, to be totally honest, the apple flavor in this can is slightly more subtle than Alani Nu's. I'm intentionally being incredibly picky here, but I'm also going to say that the sense of something "artificial" in the drink is a little stronger because the apple flavor is subtler. It feels a bit like I'm splitting hairs — if you like one of the drinks, I think you'll like the other, as well. But I do have a very slight preference for one. 

It's not often that I have this much trouble determining a winner in these taste tests, so it feels important to reiterate that the drinks taste incredibly similar, and I don't think you'd notice a difference between the cans unless you were looking for one. Still, Alani Nu's took a marginal lead over Bloom's, and while I'm not sure it would be considered the brand's best flavor (I haven't tried enough other flavors to make that determination!), I'm positive it would be a strong contender. 

As far as which can you should buy, if there's a price difference between the two at your grocery store, I'd buy the cheaper one and save yourself a few cents. If only one is available, just grab that one — you won't be disappointed. But, if both are an option and they cost the same, go ahead and reach for Alani Nu's Ruby Apple.