Friday, December 31, 2010

Amp Energy Review

Amp is Mountain Dew's energy drink and the original Amp's can is fairly similar to Mountain Dew in the sense that it's pretty much completely green. Every Amp energy drink I've had before has a definite Mountain Dew taste to it so I didn't really have to guess about this drink's flavor before trying it. While Amp is some peoples drink of choice, I don't really care for it that much. Their drinks are alright but I've had much better for the same price or cheaper, who knows.





The Can:
Like I said, this drink's can is mostly green. It also has some black in the design and looks pretty nice. I like the can design, there's not much else to say about it other then it's the original Amp and it's green like the original Mountain Dew, which makes sense since Amp is Mountain Dew's energy drink.

The Taste:
While Amp's can design is similar to Mountain Dew, Amp's taste is pretty much just Mountain Dew. It has a little more "bite" to it but for the most part you can expect it to be Mountain Dew. It's a little stronger, but if you're a big fan of Mountain Dew then you'll definitely like Amp. I think Mountain Dew tastes pretty good so Amp does too.

The Buzz:
Amp contains the usual energy drink ingredients but it actually contains less of them than most energy drinks. Naturally, the result is a lackluster energy buzz that doesn't stand out. It's definitely there, but it's not too strong or outstanding in general, it's just alright. It'll last you awhile and you'll probably feel it wearing off, it's ok.

Amp is a great energy drink for somebody that likes Mountain Dew and wants average energy. I can't imagine that there are too many people out there that fall into that category but who knows.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Famous Energy Review

Famous Energy is from Youngstown, Ohio which is very close to where I'm from. It's pretty cool that some people near me took the time to put together an original drink and distribute it to the area, maybe someday it'll go nation-wide. In the meantime if you're in the Youngstown area you can pick it up at a Sparkle Market near you.






The Can:
Like a lot of smaller energy drink brands, the design on the Famous can is shrink wrapped on which means you can peel it off if you try hard enough. As Famous sells more cans they'll probably make more industry standard cans. Still, the design looks pretty nice and I like their slogan. The can is nicely put together and certainly isn't the worst I've seen.

The Taste:
Famous takes an interesting approach flavor wise. Famous is a blueberry flavored energy drink, it's not the only one but there aren't a ton of blueberry flavored energy drinks either. It's a really smooth tasting drink with a nice small "bite" to the taste. You don't really have to guess around when drinking Famous, it's just a nice tasting blueberry.

The Buzz:
Famous comes in an 8 oz. can, drinks like Monster and Rockstar come in 16 oz. cans meaning you'd have to drink two of these to drink the same amount of liquid in one of those. Famous contains all of the familiar energy drink ingredients like Taurine and if I drink two or more of them at a time I can feel a pretty nice buzz. I have a pretty high tolerance by now for energy products though so the average person could probably drink just one and feel quite the buzz.

If you live in the Youngstown area, support local companies and enjoy a pretty nice energy drink by picking up a Famous energy whenever you can find one, they're pretty good.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Venom Black Mamba Energy Review

Venom is made by Dr. Pepper, it interestingly actually comes in an aluminum resealable bottle.  I don't know what to think about the snake theme with this drink, that doesn't matter that much though, what really matters is how good the drink is, especially for being made by Dr. Pepper. Just about every major soda company has their own energy drink at this point so it only makes sense that Dr. Pepper does too.






The Bottle:
Dr. Pepper did an amazing job designing this drink. The bottle idea is a good one and I like how it's resealable. The bottle is nicely put together and doesn't look cheap at all, it looks great in the store and in your hand while you're drinking it. I like the color scheme, I've seen other Venom bottles before as well and they don't look that bad either.

The Drink:
I was disappointed and at the same time really surprised when I opened this drink up. Believe it or not, this drink is a Red Bull clone. That's a pretty disappointing outcome for a drink made by Dr. Pepper, you would think they could at least make something original. I was disappointed by the taste, at the same time if you like Red Bull you can now get it in a resealable bottle I guess.

The Buzz:
Venom contains Caffeine, Taurine, Glucoronolactone, L-Carnitine and Guarana. Those ingredients should be familiar with anyone who drinks energy drinks and I felt a good enough energy buzz from this drink. It made me feel more awake when I drank it early in the morning and it did what is was supposed to.

Even though Venom is a Red Bull clone taste wise, it provided me with a nice energy buzz. There are other varieties of Venom that probably aren't clones of other drinks and I'll get around to reviewing those later.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Go Ape Energy Review

When I started this blog, I really tried not to review Go Ape, mainly because it really isn't a traditional energy drink that comes in a can. This drink can actually be found in Polar Pop drink machines at Circle K convenience stores, and you can get 32 oz. of it for 59 cents (63 cents with tax, actually). When I go to Circle K a Polar Pop full of Go Ape is pretty much mandatory. There's even a Go Ape Energy Facebook page which I'm apart of and the drink has a cult following. Honestly, I wouldn't buy Go Ape if they put it out in 8 or 16 oz. cans because it belongs in the big cup that supposedly "Stays Cold Longer" (I always wondered why they had ice at the Polar Pop machines if the cup supposedly keeps the drink "Extremely Cold"). Anyway, I decided to take a trip down to Circle K and pick up a Polar Pop full of "straight ape". I actually didn't even take a sip of it when I walked home, when I got home I drank it and here's my review of one of the most unusual and interesting energy drinks ever, Go Ape Energy.

The Cup:
Obviously since this drink comes from a Polar Pop machine you're going to get it in the big Polar Pop cup. Still, the actual button you press to get this drink from the Polar Pop machine has a design on it which I'd like to comment on. The design is an ape holding a barbell in one hand, a baseball in the other and looking really, really angry with "Go Ape! Energy" in a yellow block letter font surrounding the ape. I have no idea why the ape is holding a barbell and baseball but that doesn't really matter, judging by the look on the ape's face I probably wouldn't want to ask him.

The Drink:
Go Ape is a very red drink, much like red Gatorade or Mountain Dew: Code Red. One time I was wearing a blue flannel shirt when I bought some Go Ape and it spilled on the arm of my shirt, the drink looked like it was going to stain but after washing the flannel it came right out. What that has to do the review, I have no idea. As for taste, Go Ape is a very, very sour and tart cherry energy drink. It's one of the strongest and most ridiculous energy drinks I've ever had. There's a rumor going around that Go Ape is supposed to be used as a mixer for other Polar Pop drinks which is why it's so strong but I doubt that's true. The taste of this drink alone is enough to wake you up, I like it.

The Buzz:
There's no way of knowing exactly what's in this drink but drinking a full 32 oz. Polar Pop of it is bound to give you some kind of energy, no matter what it is. I would assume that there's caffeine and taurine, whatever it is certainly seems to give me a pretty good buzz for only 63 cents.

For only 63 cents, you can't go wrong with this drink, I really like it. If you don't like this drink, then what do you expect for only 63 cents?

Thursday, December 23, 2010

No Fear Energy Review

No Fear is SoBe's energy drink, I remember drinking a ton of SoBe when it actually came in glass bottles. I eventually stopped drinking it for some reason and this No Fear energy drink is probably the first and last SoBe drink I'll drink for awhile. While SoBe is a big name in beverages, it seems like No Fear is getting harder and harder to find, at least near where I live anyway.








The Can:
No Fear's can contains text that I don't really like to see on an energy drink can. That text is "Super Energy Supplement", often when a drink does that it's like it's setting itself up to do the exact opposite. The black and red can doesn't look too bad but there's something about the stereotypical energy drink skull on it that I don't like much either, it's still an alright looking can.

The Drink:
No Fear is a cherry flavored drink with a nice bite to it. It's a fairly prominent and strong cherry flavor that I found enjoyable. It's a nicely put together taste and if you like cherry, you'll like No Fear. It was easy to drink and I was satisfied after drinking it.

The Buzz:
Unfortunately SoBe No Fear contains average energy ingredients which in turn provide an average energy buzz. The drink does provide a buzz, but it's nothing special. I've bought much better drinks from the same store that I got this from.

With a nice taste and average buzz, whether or not you like SoBe No Fear is up to you. Personally, I think it tastes ok but would be a lot better if it provided a lot better energy.

Update 7/6/2011: Today I'm re-writing several of my older reviews and upon doing some more research I found out that this drink has been discontinued. I could care less, but after reading this don't expect to find this drink somewhere.

Amp Overdrive Energy Review

Overdrive is supposed to be Amp's cherry flavor. Amp has several varieties and I think they have so many because they're trying to make something for everybody. I don't blame them, Amp energy buzzes don't seem to ever be that great so if I were them I'd make drinks that people would buy just for the flavor too. Then again, Amp is Mountain Dew's energy drink company and Mountain Dew has several flavor  varieties also. Let's see if this drink can actually provide an "intense hit of cherry" while also providing a good energy buzz.

The Can:
Overdrive's can isn't that bad and looks appropriate for a cherry flavored drink. Each Amp variety looks the same as the next with the exception of a few differences in can text and the color scheme. The can doesn't look horrible and any Amp fan that wants a cherry flavor would know which one to buy.

The Taste:
Mountain Dew Code Red is one of my favorite varieties of Mountain Dew, but despite being red and being made by Mountain Dew, Overdrive doesn't taste much like Code Red. Instead, it does have a cherry flavor but the cherry almost becomes an afterthought after the strong Mountain Dew taste and the other odd aftertaste this drink leaves in your mouth. I can see a lot of people enjoying the taste, but it's not really for me, it's just alright.

The Buzz:
Overdrive definitely doesn't contain an amazing amount of energy ingredients and unfortunately Amp Overdrive didn't do much for me energy wise. I did feel a buzz but it wasn't amazing. If Amp was the only energy drink out there, I'd pick it up in a heartbeart and I'd probably love it because it provided me with energy in the first place. But, there are other way better energy drinks out there for the same price or cheaper.

All in all, Overdrive isn't a terrible drink but there are many other energy drinks that I'd much rather have and you probably would too. If you're a die-hard Mountain Dew fan though, you'd probably like this drink.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Rip It F Bomb Energy Review

Photo from www.bevnet.com
I like Rip It's approach with this drink, the name "F Bomb" fits an energy drink nicely and it fits a fruit punch flavored energy drink even better. Rip It drinks always taste pretty delicious and are always unique, which is great because they are becoming more and more widely available and only cost 99 cents. Let's see how F Bomb stacks up with the other great Rip It varieties I've reviewed.







The Can:
F Bomb's can is very colorful and appropriately has a lot of red on it since this drink is fruit punch flavored. It looks nice along with the other Rip It drinks, some people have said that this drink is too colorful compared to the other Rip It's but Rip It is supposedly supposed to release more new drinks and the cans will probably have more colors on them much like this one does. Even if they don't, I like this drink's can design a lot and they did a good job with it.

The Drink:
Just like 90% of energy drinks, F Bomb is a carbonated drink. When I opened it, a little bit of the drink fizzed out of the top of the can and I noticed that the drink was a nice red in color which is a good sign for a fruit punch drink. It wouldn't make much sense to have any other color than red in a fruit punch drink. Upon taking a sip, the drink tasted like fruit punch with a small and nice "bite" to it. Surprisingly fruit punch makes for a very good energy drink flavor and I drank it unusually fast since it tasted so good. If you like fruit punch, you'll like this drink.

The Buzz:
F Bomb contains 1010 mg of Taurine, 105 mg of Caffeine, 100 mg of Inositol and 3 mg of Guarana. I felt a nice substantial lift in energy not long after finishing the drink and the buzz lasted a good few hours. F Bomb definitely provided a nice buzz which I was very pleased with.

With an excellent energy buzz, taste, and price you can't go wrong with F Bomb, unless you don't like fruit punch. Since it'll only cost you 99 cents, I recommend picking up this drink at you're nearest convenience, you won't be disappointed.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Amp Elevate Energy Review


Amp is Mountain Dew's energy drink which isn't anything unusual since most major soda companies have their own energy drink by now. Elevate is Amp's berry variety and comes in a nice looking blue and black can. Elevate was also the first Amp drink I had awhile back and I've had every other Amp drink since then. It seems like people either love or hate Amp, some people swear by it and some people can't stand it. Let's see how the elevate variety performs in the design, taste and buzz categories.



The Can:
Like I said, Elevate comes in a blue and black can that doesn't look too bad. Each variety of Amp supposedly does something else along with providing energy and the can has some stuff about that on it. The can also has the Mountain Dew logo in the corner which lets you know wat the drink it drink is going to taste like. All of the flavors of Mountain Dew have a distinct taste we all know about so I had a good idea of what this drink would be like.

The Taste:
Despite being a blue can, the color of Elevate itself is actually red. That doesn't really matter but it's something I felt like pointing out. The actual taste of Elevate is a lot like Mountain Dew, just like I predicted. In case any Mountain Dew fans out there are wondering, Elevate really doesn't anything like Voltage, my personal favorite and Mountain Dew's blue drink. Instead, this drink does have a slight mixed berry flavor that's extremely hard for me to pinpoint, I can't really pick out any noticable berry flavor in it at all. Instead, you get this odd tasting Mountain Dew flavor that leaves a weird aftertaste in your mouth. Don't get me wrong, it's not horrible but it's not the best by any means either. If you re not sure about liking the flavor you'll just have to pick one up and try it because I'm having a hard time describing it.

The Buzz:
Amp Elevate contains 160 mg of Caffeine (A 20 oz. bottle of Mountain Dew contains 90 mg), 248 mg of Guarana, 296 mg of Taurine (Which is an unusually low number for any energy drink) and Ginseng. The buzz I got was just slightly above average, to tell the truth I've never really liked Amp drinks that much due to their lackluster buzzes.

Overall, if you're a Mountain Dew fan you'd probably like the flavor of this drink but if you're looking for an energy drink that will really wake you up then I recommend trying something else.

 

                             

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Red Jak Energy Review

Even though I first tried Red Jak a long time ago, to this day I've only seen it at one store. This issue probably has to do with where I live but it would be nice too see this drink available in more places. The can design looks good and is unique so upon looking at it it looks like something that would taste pretty good, let's find out.







The Can:
Red Jak's primarily red and black can doesn't look horrible. It's different and look's pretty nice, since it has red in the name and the can is mostly red, you can assume that the drink is going to be some sort of red berry flavor, not bad.

The Drink:
When I popped upon the can and took a sip, it reminded me a lot of NOS, it's not a citrus flavor like NOS, it's more of a fruit punch but it's very strong and almost makes your lips pucker. It's a nice flavor but again, you might not like it if you're not into strong tasting drinks. Still, I am so I really enjoyed it. They did a good job with the flavor and it's up to par with the many other energy drinks I've had before.

The Buzz:
Red Jak contains 947 mg of Taurine, 150 mg of Glucoronolactone, 100 mg of Panax Ginseng Root Extract, 48 mg of Inositol, 25 mg of Inositol, 25 mg of L-Carnitine and 82 mg of Caffeine. That's not a bad list of ingredients and Red Jak provided me with a nice and noticable energy buzz that lasted for a decent amount of time, the buzz wasn't below average but it was definitely above average which was pretty enjoyable.

If you can actually Red Jak somewhere, I recommend picking it up. The flavor is fairly strong so if you like more mellow flavors you might not like Red Jak.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Relentless Energy Review

Relentless is actually an energy drink from overseas, it's not from America originally but Coca-Cola got a hold of it and now it's over here for me to try and review. The brown can caught my eye and I thought it was a coffee drink, it turned out to be an energy drink though so let's give it a try and see how it compares to other energy drinks I've had in the past.







The Can:
This drink's can is certainly different, it's a little cluttered and uses brown as it's background color. It's not horrible looking, it's unique and even has a quote from Benjamin Franklin on it, which is interesting. If I ever created an energy drink, it's can definitely wouldn't look like this one does, it's still a cool design though and I have to give them credit for being different and trying something that you don't see everyday.

The Drink:
I've had Relentless on a few different occasions and I very, very highly recommend having this when it's ice cold. The first time I had Relentless, it was barely cold at all and tasted gross. It honestly tasted like I was drinking 16 oz. of cough syrup. Luckilly I later found the drink in a cooler at a different store so I decided to pick it up and try it. When Relentless is cold, it thankfully doesn't taste nearly as bad. The flavor is berry-oriented and has a decent bite to it, it's not the worst I've had and it's definitely way better cold than warm, like most drinks are I guess.

The Buzz:
Relentless contains Caffeine, Guarana, Glucoronolactone, Inositol and Taurine. Those are pretty much standard energy drink ingredients so you can pretty much expect a pretty standard energy drink buzz. I felt a nice buzz from this drink that really seemed to keep me focused. The Buzz got the job done and lasted for about 3 hours, which isn't bad.

Since Coca-Cola owns Relentless it's becoming easier and easier to find as time goes on. It's an alright drink and if you're looking for something new to try I recommend it, just make sure it's nice and cold when you drink it.




       

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Full Throttle Blue Agave Energy Review

Until 2009, Full Throttle Blue Agave was Full Throttle Blue Demon. I remember seeing Blue Demon but I never tried it. In the meantime Full Throttle revamped their drinks and image and Blue Agave is Blue Demon's replacement. The original citrus Full Throttle I had before this certainly didn't become one of my favorites but that doesn't mean that the Blue Agave variety can't make up for it.




The Can:
Blue Agave Full Throttle utilizes a blue can which makes sense since it's called Blue Agave. The can isn't much different from the original Full Throttle and doesn't look horrible. It's a nice design that looks sharp and clean, the shade of blue they used makes the drink look nice in a cooler or on a shelf.

The Taste:
The original Full Throttle's flavor is a big part of the reason why I don't like it, it's just not the kind of flavor I like. "Blue Agave" isn't a flavor you see everyday in an energy drink and prior to opening up the can I had no idea what to expect. I can safely say now that Blue Agave tastes a lot like applesauce, which is really strange for an energy drink. It almost tastes the same as original Full Throttle but leaves an applesauce-like aftertaste in your mouth. As weird as that sounds it actually tastes better than the original Full Throttle in my opinion, I found it more enjoyable and overall I like it better.

The Buzz:
When it comes down to reading the back of the can to find out what's in the drink energy wise, Blue Agave's can is just as confusing as the original's can. I like to list the ingredients but that's hard to do with this can. Still, I experienced the same slightly above average energy buzz as with the original so there's no improvement there whatsoever. As I've said before, if you don't want to feel extremely awake and just want to stay awake then I recommend this drink.

While the flavor of Full Throttle Blue Agave is better in my opinion than the original variety, the buzz remains the same. Full Throttle is alright but it certainly isn't my favorite, I do recommend this to people who don't like really strong energy drinks or just want something a little more mellow.





Full Throttle Energy Review

Not too long ago, Full Throttle completely changed their image and got rid of and introduced some new varieties. I personally liked their old image better but running their company is up to them. The new drinks have a lot of text on them about how they're "Easy Drinking, Hard Working" sometimes when drinks take this approach the result can be horrible, so let's give the original Full Throttle a try and see how it turns out.
The Can:
Full Throttle's can is nice and cleanly designed. It looks pretty good and I like it, as I said it has a lot of info about the drink on it. The older Full Throttle can's used flames and completely different designs in general that appealed to a whole different crowd. I do give Full Throttle credit for trying something different with their drinks.

The Taste:
This drink is supposed to be a citrus flavor, I've said in the past that citrus flavors change from drink to drink and they do. This drink sort of tastes like Mountain Dew but it's not nearly as strong, not even close. This drink is easy drinking but unfortunately I don't like the flavor that much. You might, but I don't think the flavor is anything special. I can easily finish a whole can of the stuff but there are other drinks out there that I'd much rather have. If you don't like the more hardcore energy drinks then you'd probably love this, somebody that's older would probably find this pretty enjoyable but it's not for me.

The Buzz:
The back of Full Throttle's can doesn't list many energy ingredients, the only one the casual drinker could pick out is caffeine. I experienced a very slightly above average energy buzz from this drink. I've had much better before but just like the taste somebody that doesn't like extremely strong energy buzzes would like this drink.

I recommend Full Throttle to somebody that wants to stay awake without being extremely energized while at the same time experiencing a smooth, light citrus flavor. The drink isn't my personal favorite but that obviously doesn't mean that other people wouldn't like it.


Monday, December 13, 2010

Aftershock Energy Review

In the world of energy drinks, there are a ton of Red Bull clones. This drink is no exception, unlike Red Bull though it only costs 99 cents and comes in a 16 oz. can. I found this drink at a Dollar General store, it may be availiable at other dollar stores but you're most likely going find it at a Dollar General. Red Bull is always going to remain more readily available but also more expensive. Red Bull will always be more recognizable than Aftershock and will always remain on the energy drink market, drinks like Aftershock seem to disappear after collecting dust on the dollar store shelf after awhile, let's see how it performs in can design, taste and energy before we go ahead and say it's an overall better or overall worse drink than Red Bull.

The Can:
I'm not an insider in the field of creating generic energy drinks or anything but it seems like they all follow a golden rule: Make it look like we tried way too hard to create a cool can design. The name "Aftershock" makes perfect sense for an energy drink but there's something about the can that I just don't like. Like I said, it looks like they tried way too hard. I think they should have taken a more simple and clean approach. I also don't like how it says "With B Vitamins" in big letters at the top of the can, that's not extremely uncommon in energy drinks, calm down.

The Taste:
I chose to begin this review by saying that this drink is a Red Bull clone because that's exactly what it is. The only slight difference I can pinpoint is that this drink isn't quite as smooth as Red Bull, that's about it though. If you've ever had a Red Bull, you've had an Aftershock and vice versa.

The Buzz:
Aftershock has Caffeine, Taurine, Glucoronolactone and some B Vitamins. I honestly don't think it contains a very high number of them because this drink doesn't do much for me. It's not completely ineffective but then again it's not completely effective either, it's average.

There are better drinks you can get for $1 and I recommend picking up something like a Rip It instead. I'd really only recommend this drink if you really like the taste of Red Bull and want 16 oz. of it for only $1.

NOS Energy Review

One thing I've always liked about NOS is that even though they're just as commercial as Monster or Rockstar they remain unique and different. The original NOS is a popular drink, in this review I'll be reviewing a 16 oz. can of NOS, NOS also comes in bottles that look like the bottles real nitrous oxide comes in, it's not uncommon to see those around too. NOS has several other varieties to choose from but the original is the most readily available.
The Can:
This drink's can design is loved and hated by a lot of people. Some people don't like it and some people love it, I personally don't think it's that bad. The blue looks nice and is eye catching, the only thing I don't really like is the "High Performance Energy Drink" text under the logo, even if it is true that's a statement that's used way too much in energy drinks. Still, it's an alright can design and I like it.

The Drink:
When I say that NOS is citrus flavored, i'm not kidding. It's a very, very strong citrus flavor that I've always liked a lot. I have no idea what an actual citrus flavor is supposed to taste like because citrus flavors tend to vary from drink to drink. The particular citrus in this drink is very strong and I don't recommend it if you don't like strong tasting drinks. The only real problem with this drink flavor wise is that it tastes way better to drink by itself and not with food. If you drink this with food it seems like both the drink and whatever you're eating start to taste really odd. That might just be me, but I still love the flavor when I drink it all by itself.

The Buzz:
Since they put it right on the can, you expect NOS to be a high performance energy drink. It contains 2000 mg of Taurine, 400 mg of L-Carnitine, 260 mg of Caffeine, 200 mg of Inositol and 100 mg of Panax Ginseng. Those are high numbers and NOS does provide a pretty strong energy buzz. There are energy drinks that have more caffeine but those are the drinks that cause all kinds of controversy. Still, NOS always provides a nice and enjoyable buzz that gets you going.

While NOS does provide a nice buzz, I can definitely see some people not liking the flavor. I think the flavor is really good, but that's my opinion. If you like both strong flavors and buzzes, I recommend giving NOS a try.

Rockstar Energy Review

The way Rockstar advertises itself is very similar to Monster energy. I've always liked Rockstar a little more and if I'm ever just buying an energy drink to drink and not review, it's usually a Rockstar. Rockstar was one of the first energy drinks I had and it's remained one of my favorites. In my opinion it's very well marketed and even though I don't always "Party Like a Rockstar", I still love the drink.
The Can:
Rockstar's can is the dark looking black that is almost cliche now with energy drinks, it's been around for awhile and was one of the first. I'm almost positive that Rockstar was either the first or one of the first to use a 16 oz. can too. The can has a clean design that is nicely put together. They've changed their can design before and the one they're using now is the best they've ever used in my opinion. It's an attractive can and if you want people to think you're really cool then Rockstar is probably an ideal drink to pick up.

The Drink:
The reason Rockstar has remained one of my favorite energy drinks for awhile is about 50/50, it's 50% taste and 50% energy. The taste is really good, it tastes like bubblegum and has an amazing "bite" to it. Energy drinks tend to have a flavor of their own and the original Rockstar is one of the best. Simply put, the original Rockstar tastes great and is without a doubt one of my favorites, I love it.

The Buzz:
All Rockstar drinks have very hefty and nice energy blends. This particular drink in it's most common 16 oz. size contains 1.35 grams overall. It has 1000 mg of Taurine, 150 mg of Gingko Biloba Leaf Extract, 80 mg of Caffeine, 25 mg of Guarana, 25 mg of Inositol, 25 mg of L-Carnitine, 25 mg of Panax Ginseng Extract and 20 mg of Milk Thistle Extract. With a blend like that, you can certainly expect a big lift in energy. Everytime I have a Rockstar I always feel way more energized and it's never "guess and check" energy wise. I always know for sure that Rockstar is going to provide me with the energy I need.

With an amazing taste and energy buzz, Rockstar is one of my favorite energy drinks to this day. I highly recommend picking one or twenty of them up, they're great.

Rip It Power Energy Review


Rip It is a "value" energy drink brand with several drinks that only cost 99 cents each. What seperates them from other cheap energy drink brands is the fact that they actually have original flavors. A lot of people, including myself, consider Power the original flavor of Rip It. Let's see how this 99 cent energy drink stacks up with other more expensive and more commercial energy drinks out there.





The Can:
For the Power variety, Rip It chose a red, black and silver design that doesn't look horrible. It definitely looks a lot better than some other 99 cent energy drinks I've had before. The can is nicely topped off with a red tab on top that looks pretty good. The can looks stylish and modern and I really wouldn't expect anything better for only 99 cents.

The Drink:
When I first tried this drink a long time ago, I remember being pretty surprised by the flavor. This drink actually tastes like an apple, not apple juice but the actual crisp taste of biting into a fresh apple. It'a a very unique and refreshing flavor that I like even more as I drink more of the can. It's not a sour, citrus drink by any means and is very tasty and enjoyable. If you like drinks like NOS that are really strong, expect this to be almost an exact opposite. It still has a small "bite" to the taste which is a nice way to top it all off.

The Buzz:
Even though Power is only 99 cents they didn't just throw 1000 mg of Taurine in it and call it a "high performance" energy drink. Power does contain 1000 mg of Taurine (But wait, there's more!) and it also has 100 mg of Caffeine, 100 mg of Inositol and 10 mg of Guarana. That's not a horrible energy blend and is enough to wake you up and give you some pretty good energy for awhile. I always feel a nice energy buzz from drinking any Rip It drink and Power is no exception.

For only 99 cents, Power is a great drink with a refreshing flavor. The first time I had a Rip It they were a little hard to find but now it seems like they're starting to show up at a lot of places. If you can find one, I highly recommend giving one a try.

Red Bull

Name: Red Bull
Size: 8 oz.
Energy blend: Caffeine, Taurine, Glucoronolactone, B Vitamins

Red Bull has been around for a long time. Jolt Power Cola is often considered the first energy drink, but Red Bull has been around for almost as long. Red Bull comes in a lot of can sizes, and can be found (almost literally) anywhere. I would be lying if I said that this was my first can of Red Bull, although I don't drink it very often because it's pretty expensive.

Can/Design:

Red Bull's can is one that just about anybody would recognize. It's remained the same for a long time and is pretty much an "iconic" image by now. It's silver, blue, red and yellow design isn't that bad. It's been around for so long and is so well known that they'll most likely never change it. I like the design but if I didn't there wouldn't be much of a point in making fun of it or saying how bad it is because I have a feeling that it's going \to pretty much be around forever.


Taste:

Red Bull's taste is without a doubt the most copied and reproduced energy drink flavor out there. Monster's taste is often copied but I've had a ton of energy drinks that are practically identical to Red Bull. It's a kiwi, fruity taste with a nice "bite" to it that isn't horrible. A lot of people hate the medicinal aftertaste Red Bull sometimes leaves in your mouth. I don't always notice it and when I do it's not that big of a deal, it still might turn some people off though. I personally know a few people that "don't like energy drinks", (meaning Monster) but like Red Bull.

Energy:

The energy buzz you get from drinking a Red Bull obviously depends on the size of the can you've had. Some restaurants have Red Bull, and if you order it they'll give you an 8 oz. can. The most common Red Bull size at the store is also the 8 oz. can, but Red Bull also comes in a 12 oz., 16 oz., and 32 oz. sizes. 

One 8 oz. can of Red Bull will have pretty much no effect on me, but a 16 oz. or 32 oz. can will provide me with a pretty substantial buzz. I drink a lot of energy drinks though, and it varies from person to person. Red Bull contains Taurine, Caffeine and Glucoronolactone which can get the job done energy-wise. As I said before though, you may want to pick up whatever size of can you think best suits you or the ideal lift in energy.

Red Bull actually isn't a horrible energy drink, despite how expensive it is. A lot of dollar stores have generic energy drinks that are pretty much identical twins to Red Bull for only $1. I doubt that if you're reading this website you've never had a Red Bull, but if you haven't, give one a try.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Monster

 Name: Monster
Size: 16 oz.
Energy blend: Caffeine, L-Carnitine, Guarana, Inositol, Glucoronolactone, Maltodextrin, B Vitamins

Monster is an extremely popular energy drink and it's safe to say that a lot of people have already tried this. They're well known for sponsoring action sport events, and being loved by kids and teenagers that drink them because everyone else does. They've been around for a long time, but didn't seem to become really popular until 2007 or so. Popular athletes like Rob Dyrdek are sponsored by Monster, and their logo is one that seems to really get stuck in your head.


Can/Design:

Monster's can is a great example of how something minimalistic and basic can really brand a product well. The design doesn't go overboard with information or anything, and it's black and green color scheme is probably instantly recognizable to just about anyone. There's not much to complain about, and if there were, it would be pretty useless considering people will continue to buy this drink anyway. It features a green pull-tab on top of the can, and contains the liquid inside quite nicely.


Taste:

Monster's taste is pretty well-known, and has been copied several times over by several generic energy drinks out there. It's a hard-to-describe taste, and if it's your first time drinking one, expect a sour, vanilla, explosion that you can't quite describe. For people that drink a lot of energy drinks like me, it's common knowledge that an ice cold Monster and a warm Monster are like two completely different drinks. When Monster is warm, it's thick and syrupy like expired soda but when it's cold it goes down pretty smooth. If you've ever had NOS energy, Monster is somewhat similar in how strong its flavor is. People tend to either love Monster's taste, or not be able to stand it at all.

Energy:

Monster's energy blend contains 2500 mg overall. It has L-Carnitine, Caffeine, Guarana, Inositol, Glucoronolactone and Maltodextrin. Anybody that drinks a lot of energy drinks is probably familiar with those ingredients, but unfortunately the can doesn't list how much of each is in the drink. Still, 2500 mg isn't a bad number, and from personal experience I can say that Monster provides a nice energy buzz that will definitely be felt by the casual consumer. The energy typically lasts for 3+ hours, and isn't anything extremely ridiculous. But, it definitely works and I doubt that someone could drink a Monster for the first time and say that they didn't feel a lift in energy.

The original Monster comes in sizes ranging from 8 oz. to 32 oz., with the most common size and subject of this review being its 16 oz. size. If you haven't had Monster, I definitely recommend trying it just for the sake of saying that you have. Despite the huge amount of products that Monster has released since this drink, I would say that this drink is popular for good reason.