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Fall is my favorite season to travel, and one of my favorite ways to experience it is on a road trip. Give me winding roads lined with red and orange covered trees, charming small towns, mountain views and a packed itinerary of fall activities, and I’m happy.
That’s exactly what I found on a recent fall foliage trip through the White Mountains in New Hampshire. Leaf-peeping days here can be long, especially when you’re trying to fit scenic drives, hikes and a lot of photo stops into a single day. So I decided to make a fall drink to bring along for the adventure.
The inspiration? 5-hour ENERGY’s new limited-edition Caramel Apple flavor.
I turned the seasonal shot into a Caramel Apple Cider Fizz with fresh apple cider, ginger beer, lemon and caramel. The result is appley, tart, gingery and lightly fizzy, with plenty of caramel apple flavor…and it couldn’t be easier to make.
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What Does Caramel Apple 5-hour ENERGY Taste Like?
Few flavors say “fall” quite like caramel apple. The new limited-edition Caramel Apple 5-hour ENERGY combines the crisp, slightly tart taste of apple with smooth, buttery caramel for a sweet-meets-tart flavor inspired by the classic fall treat.
The apple comes through right away, followed by the sweeter caramel notes. The flavor combination of the Caramel Apple 5-hour ENERGY immediately made me think of apple orchards, fall festivals and all the other things I look forward to once autumn arrives.
Each Extra Strength 5-hour ENERGY shot contains 230 mg of caffeine with zero sugar and zero calories. Along with the Caramel Apple flavor, there is also a Pumpkin Spice flavor in the brand’s limited-edition fall collection.
You can drink the Caramel Apple shot on its own, but I wanted to play up those seasonal flavors and turn it into a fun fall drink to accompany me on my foliage road trip. Apple cider was an obvious pairing, and adding ginger beer, fresh lemon and caramel gave it a little more complexity while keeping the apple flavor front and center.
Related: I Tried Making Viral Dirty Sodas With 5-hour ENERGY’s New Flavors—and They’re Officially My New Summer Obsession
How to Make My Caramel Apple Cider Fizz
The best part about this drink is how easy it is to put together. You don’t need a cocktail shaker or any complicated ingredients, and it only takes a few minutes to make.
Ingredients
- 1 bottle Caramel Apple 5-hour ENERGY
- 4 ounces apple cider
- 2 ounces ginger beer
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon caramel sauce, plus more for drizzling
- Ice
- 1 cinnamon stick, for garnish
Directions
Fill a glass with ice. Add the apple cider, Caramel Apple 5-hour ENERGY, fresh lemon juice and caramel sauce, then stir well to combine.
Top with the ginger beer and gently stir again so you don’t lose too much of the fizz.
Finish with an extra drizzle of caramel and add a cinnamon stick for garnish.
That’s it. In just a few minutes, you’ve turned a tiny Caramel Apple 5-hour ENERGY shot into a fizzy fall drink that’s ready for your next autumn adventure.
What Does the Caramel Apple Cider Fizz Taste Like?
Apple is definitely the star of this drink. Combining the Caramel Apple 5-hour ENERGY with fresh cider gives it a bright, unmistakably appley flavor, while the caramel brings in sweetness and more of that classic caramel apple taste.
The other flavors blend perfectly with the caramel and apple. The fresh lemon makes the drink taste brighter and a little tart, taking away some sweetness from the caramel. And the ginger beer adds a tangy ginger kick and bubbles to give the drink a refreshing light fizz.
What I liked is that this drink doesn’t end up tasting overly sweet. The lemon and ginger balance the dessert-like apple and caramel flavors. This makes the drink refreshing while still tasting distinctly like a fall beverage.
The cinnamon stick adds one final seasonal touch. Plus, between the golden cider and caramel drizzle, the finished drink looks pretty fall-friendly, too.
Related: The 20 Most Stunning U.S. Destinations for Fall Foliage This Year
The Perfect Drink for a Fall Foliage Adventure
I brought my Caramel Apple Cider Fizz along while exploring New Hampshire’s White Mountains during fall foliage season, which might be one of the most fitting places possible to drink something that tastes like caramel apples. It gave me an extra boost of energy navigating those windy mountain roads, and came up in a gondola with me to view the tree tops from above.
Fall foliage trips are also exactly the kind of travel days when I appreciate more energy. I’m usually up early, spending hours exploring, hiking and stopping at viewpoints before navigating challenging and usually packed roads in search of even more fall color.
What makes turning a 5-hour ENERGY shot into a seasonal drink so fun is that I’m still getting the energy boost I want for a busy day, but in a drink that feels like part of the fall experience. Plus, when you’re surrounded by New Hampshire’s red, orange and yellow mountains, caramel apple feels like the perfect flavor to accompany the views.
If your perfect fall day also involves colorful foliage, crisp air and an itinerary packed with beautiful viewpoints and cozy stops, try making this Caramel Apple Cider Fizz and bringing it along with you on your next autumn adventure.
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