Review: Beyond Meat's New Protein Drinks Taste Better Than They Smell

First and foremost, Beyond Meat is known for its burger patties, which, sight and taste be darned, are completely vegan. However, the company recently ventured outside its bread and butter to bring consumers a new line of plant-based protein drinks called Beyond Immerse. The initial drop was wildly successful, selling out in a matter of days. So, no surprises here, the brand is back at it with a new lineup of flavors to add to the Beyond Immerse collection: Cherry Berry, Strawberry Lemonade, Piña Colada, and Cucumber Grapefruit. But are they any good? Well, I tried them, and I don't want to play all of my cards at once, but they weren't exactly what I was hoping for.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of my review, you should know that Beyond Immerse is quite unique. Unlike your traditional, dare I say, chalky protein shake, these are light, bubbly, and fruity. Each flavor also comes in two versions: one with 10 grams of plant-based protein and the other with 20. As if that wasn't intriguing enough, they are also packed with electrolytes, antioxidants, and a great amount of fiber, coming in at 7 grams. So, whether you're looking to promote gut balance, immune function, or muscle health, Beyond Immerse can help. Now that we have that covered, let's find out what I thought of them so you can decide whether or not you want to try them as well.

Some recommendations are based on first-hand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer/distributor/etc.

The only way to share an accurate review of Beyond Meat's new protein drink flavors with you was to give them a taste myself, so that's what I did. After all, the company can claim what it wants about nutritional content and the previous flavors selling out at a rapid speed, but that doesn't tell us much about the actual taste, does it? Nope, so I was happy to do the dirty work for us all. 

After acquiring the goods, I poured some of each Beyond Immerse flavor into a glass and started sipping away. I drank a bit from the can as well just to see if it made a difference — it didn't. Oh yeah, I also sampled each flavor in both the 10- and 20-gram protein options to ensure nothing was left on the table. I wasn't so sure they would be that different based on protein content alone. However, as it turned out, I was wrong about that, and it may be possible to have too much.

This is one of those times when I won't be saving the best for last. In fact, it's the opposite, as Beyond Immerse Strawberry Lemonade is undoubtedly the best new flavor of the bunch. Not only did it smell great (spoiler alert: Not all of them do), but the flavor was significantly tastier than the other recipes as well.

After pouring myself glasses of Beyond Immerse Strawberry Lemonade in 10- and 20-gram protein options, I immediately gave them a good sniff, and you know what? They smelled really yummy and sweet. Then, I went in for my first sip of each and was somewhat shocked by what I tasted. The aroma led me to believe they would be much sweeter than they were. Instead, they were expertly balanced, a little dank-smelling, and not saccharine by any means. There was a hint of sugary flavor, or more accurately, stevia flavor, but it wasn't so much that it turned me off (FYI, I don't like excessively sweet drinks or stevia). Both the strawberry and lemon shone through expertly as well. However, the lemon was a touch strong — so much so that it got me in the back of the throat and almost made me cough. You know, like a subpar store-bought lemonade.

The main difference between the 10- and 20-gram protein options was that the flavors and aromas were stronger in the 20-gram can. It also had a much heavier, off-putting taste.

After sampling Beyond Immerse Strawberry Lemonade, I was pretty stoked to try the Piña Colada. Pineapple and coconut are some of my all-time favorite flavors, especially when combined. Unfortunately, though, neither the 10- nor the 20-gram versions lived up to my expectations, at least not entirely.

Starting with the smell, Beyond Immerse Piña Colada had a noticeably musty aroma wafting off the glasses. In fact, I didn't even have to put my nose that close to get a whiff. It almost smelled like the elements had gone bad. Fortunately, that wasn't the case, and they tasted way better than they smelled. The pineapple and coconut were balanced to perfection, and neither of the versions was too sweet for my liking. Still, the use of stevia in the recipes led to a somewhat artificial aftertaste that I didn't enjoy. The pea protein also gave them a funky punch as well; it was more so in the 20-gram version, but it was present in both.

In the end, I was glad Beyond Immerse Piña Colada wasn't chalky, like so many protein drinks I've had in the past. Even so, I thought I would like it more than I did, and I couldn't see myself finishing an entire can. Oh well, I guess piña coladas really are better with rum.

From the start, I didn't have high hopes for Beyond Immerse Cucumber Grapefruit. I'll be the first to tell you that I don't typically like grapefruit or cucumber drinks. It took me by surprise in the best way possible, though. Fortunately for me, the grapefruit flavor was understated, and it complemented the cucumber nicely. As opposed to a harsh, puckering citrus aftertaste, it leveled out the coolness of the cucumber. Additionally, the humble veggie was not overly potent either. Instead, it was pleasantly refreshing.

I know Beyond Immerse is designed for the health-conscious consumer, so I probably shouldn't say this, but I'm going to anyway: I think it would make a tasty cocktail. Still, there was one major flaw ... okay, two. The first was that, just like the rest of the flavors in the lineup, it contains stevia, and it gave the drink an artificial taste. The second issue I had with Beyond Immerse Cucumber Grapefruit was that it had a seriously unappealing, dank aroma. It wasn't quite as strong as with the Piña Colada recipe, but it was noticeably unpleasant all the same. Of course, the recipe with 20 grams of protein was worse in this regard, but neither fared well. If Beyond could find a way to dial that down, I probably would have named the Cucumber Grapefruit my favorite flavor of the bunch. Alas, that wasn't the case. 

Sorry, not sorry, but Beyond Immerse Cherry Berry was a serious miss in my book. Unfortunately, neither the taste nor the smell drew me in. Instead, they were both serious turnoffs. Starting with the aroma: It was overly medicinal. When I went in for a sniff, it was almost like I had a bottle of kids' cough syrup in my hand instead of a glass of Beyond Immerse. Admittedly, it didn't stink as much as the Piña Colada and Cucumber Grapefruit flavors, but it still missed the mark.

As for the flavor of Beyond Immerse Cherry Berry, sadly, it was medicinal as well. I picked up on a nice balance of cherry and other berries and a decent amount of sweetness, but the aftertaste paired with the aroma made me think of cough syrup and nothing else. The artificial stevia flavor only made matters worse. A spoonful of sugar is supposed to help the medicine go down (wink, wink), but stevia? No, thanks. Thankfully, the version with 10 grams of protein was significantly more palatable, though I still wouldn't want to drink an entire can of it. I might choke it down because it's good for you, but that is the best I can say. Harsh, I know, but true nonetheless. I recommend steering clear. Unless, of course, you have a thing for cough syrup. 

After sipping all four of the new Beyond Immerse flavors, in both protein amounts, I was not begging for more. Were they tastier than most chalky protein shakes (which arguably need an upgrade)? Absolutely, but I couldn't ignore the artificial flavor that comes along with stevia. If you don't mind or even like stevia, you'll probably enjoy Beyond Immerse much more than I did, but alas, I couldn't get past that one pesky ingredient.

Additionally, the funkiness of the pea protein is an acquired taste. Unfortunately for Beyond, it's just one I haven't developed (at least not yet). With this in mind, the recipes that feature only 10 grams of plant-based protein were more my speed in the flavor department, but you know what? I'd still go for the 20-gram recipes because of the boost in protein. If I'm going to do it, I might as well go all in, right? That's not saying much, though, and I wouldn't go out of my way to snag a can of any of the flavors. For me, Beyond Immerse is something I'd drink because I know it is good for me, as it's packed with nutrients and protein and all, but that's about it. If you love the smell of pea protein (it's an underrated flour swap for gluten-free baking, after all) and think stevia is alright, too, there's a great chance you'll love Beyond Immerse; the drinks just aren't my jam. Bummer.