Jolt Cola was created in 1985 by a sociology student who noticed his classmates making their own highly caffeinated drinks. The original formula contained brown sugar and 72mg of caffeine, and was marketed as having “all the sugar and twice the caffeine” of other colas. While it never posed a threat to major soda companies, Jolt Cola remains popular as a niche product in convenience stores and coffee shops. It is still made and bottled by Wet Planet Beverages, and comes in flavors ranging from cola to black cherry.
While modern energy drinks may contain exotic stimulants like ginseng, taurine or yerba mate, sodas from the 1980s often contained a few milligrams of caffeine and a significant amount of sugar. Highly caffeinated beverages such as Mountain Dew or Coca-Cola were very popular with students and others looking for a stimulating alternative to coffee. A sociology major attending the State University of New York (SUNY) noticed that many of his fellow students were inventing their own heavily caffeinated drinks to stay awake during study sessions. CJ Rapp created Jolt Cola in 1985, inspired by the highly stimulating homemade soft drinks created at SUNY and other campuses.
The original formula contained real brown sugar and 72 milligrams of caffeine, which was the highest amount of a stimulant allowed under federal law. Because caffeine could be very bitter, soft drink companies routinely added more sweeteners to their more heavily caffeine-containing products, but the general trend during the mid-1980s was toward caffeine-free diet and colas. When Rapp introduced Jolt Cola in 1985, he promoted it as containing “all the sugar and twice the caffeine” of other colas like Coke and Pepsi. The drink became very popular with students, young professionals and computer programmers who found themselves working long hours behind desks.
Jolt Cola was originally bottled and distributed by Rapp’s Jolt Cola company, but the company eventually changed its name to Wet Planet Beverages. While the drink never really posed a threat to the two major soda companies Pepsi Co and Coca-Cola, it has become a popular niche product in convenience stores and coffee shops. The original soda in refillable cans or bottles became the prized possession of college students, gamers, and computer enthusiasts everywhere.
Jolt Cola is still made and bottled by Wet Planet Beverages. Along with the original cola flavor, Jolt Cola can be found in flavors ranging from lemon-lime to black cherry. There is also a diet version called Ultimate. The current incarnation no longer uses pure cane sugar, but does contain significantly more caffeine. Consumers can now purchase resealable 23.5-ounce cans shaped like batteries. These large battery containers also feature an indicator that measures how much product is left in the “battery.” While other energy drinks may enjoy greater popularity on grocery store shelves, there are still nervous and nervous Jolt Cola fans willing to travel great distances for their beverage of choice.
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