Review: Yes, C4's All Hopped Up Energy Drink Actually Tastes Like Beer

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When it comes to energy drinks, there's no shortage of options lining grocery store shelves. To stand out, companies have to do more than just inject their energy drinks with a reasonable caffeine content. They need to have something that makes them unique. Presenting unexpected flavors is just one way to make that happen, and that's definitely what caught my eye about C4's newest addition to its lineup: All Hopped Up.

This one isn't just a cute name; it makes a bold promise: Deliver beer flavor without the alcohol, all while maintaining a strongly caffeinated drink. It's bold and felt admittedly a little gimmicky to me. I'm always ready to be blown away by a new product, so I cracked a can to see if this is worth trying and if it really tasted like beer. Fresh on the heels of ranking Monster coffee drinks and reviewing Sheetz Buzz Beans, I felt timidly ready for a win in the energy drink department.

So that I could get a taste test right as the energy drink hit the market, C4 sent some All Hopped Up my way. Since I wanted to see how it behaved out of the can, I poured the contents into a pint glass and took a few sips. From there, I determined whether it was worth your time based first and foremost on how it tasted. Ideally, the drink would indeed taste like beer, and if it actually achieved this, I would consider it worth your time and money.

Recommendations are based on first-hand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

I wondered if the energy drink would behave like beer since it had been crafted to taste like it. I assumed there would be some level of foamy head on top, but ultimately, it had a very flat, pale yellow look. Flavor profile-wise, I would put it in line with a citrusy wheat beer. Surprisingly, the drink tasted nothing like the kind of energy drinks I've come to know and love. Instead, it really just tasted like beer.

Though the flavor was pretty convincingly beer-like, the feel of the drink didn't have the same quality and was more watered down than I expected it to be. There was an obvious fizziness immediately after sipping, but that dissipated very quickly. I found it felt just as fizzy as a typical energy drink, but with none of the reverb that you sometimes get from especially bubbly drinks. Interestingly, I noticed no aftertaste. It didn't even have a beer-like aftertaste you get from drinking a pint.

I was ready to be unimpressed by this energy drink. I noticed it had zero sugar, which made me concerned it would have some kind of phony sweetener or aftertaste to it, but I'm pleased to report that it doesn't. I found it hard to believe that an energy drink could truly achieve a beer-like flavor, but C4's All Hopped Up definitely succeeds. Admittedly, it did have something of a watered-down taste, but the initial burst of flavor is adequately beer-like.

If you're searching for a beer-like beverage to enjoy without the alcohol content, this is a great option. However, you'll also want to keep in mind that there is still caffeine in this drink. Each can boasts 200 milligrams of caffeine per 16 ounces, so while it is the perfect pick for someone avoiding alcohol but wanting that beer taste, it isn't ideal for someone who needs to avoid both caffeine and alcohol. Notably, the can size is not akin to those tall, slender energy drink cans. It's more like a can of Monster.

It felt like an ideal beverage to bring to the beach or along for a round of golf. I could imagine drinking it while taking in an afternoon baseball game or enjoying your favorite football team under the Sunday night lights. C4's All Hopped Up gives you the ability to drink a beer-tasting beverage and feel like you're partaking in the merriment, all while remaining sober and enjoying this unique take on the best canned mocktails or greatest non-alcoholic beers.

Beginning September 23, 2026, you'll find C4's All Hopped Up on Amazon and TikTok Shop. Both online retailers have the six-pack of 16-ounce cans listed for $14.99. A week later, on September 30, 2026, the energy drinks will make their way to C4Energy.com, where they will also sell for $14.99.

At the time of writing, it seems the big challenge may be availability. Amazon, for instance, was listing the product as temporarily out of stock due to it being a high-demand product. TikTok Shop, on the other hand, seemed to have availability. If this is a product you're really excited to try, I'd take the dive into TikTok Shop and keep an eye on C4Energy.com when the drinks launch there.