Gatorade’S Black Drink Flunks Panel Taste Test

Black coffee is one thing, but black sports drinks might be pushing it a bit.

Midnight Thunder, one of the latest flavors from Gatorade, is a blackberry-flavored, black-colored concoction that the company says has “a contemporary, edgy image that excites young consumers.”

Indeed, at a special back-to-school session of The Spokesman-Review’s reader food panel that included several youngsters, the kids gave the stuff slightly higher grades than did the adults, but it still flunked.

Maybe Midnight Thunder needs to go black to the drawing board.

Gatorade Thirst Quencher, Midnight Thunder

Price: 99 cents for 20 ounces.

Nutrition: 50 calories (no fat); 110 milligrams sodium in 8 ounces.

Taste (adults): *

Taste (kids): **

Value: **

Comments: “Tastes like unsweetened Kool-Aid, with a powdery taste. Very difficult to determine what flavor this is supposed to be. It doesn’t have a medicinal taste, but that might be an improvement! I’d go thirsty before I’d drink this.” - Jeannie Coffey

“Looks like paint in water. Has a bad aftertaste.” - Ashtten Finke, age 10