Sunday, July 15, 2012

Monster Heavy Metal Energy Review

Wow, this drink brings back a lot of memories. Visiting a Dollar General store near where I used to live was something that I did a lot, and I recall seeing this drink there a few years ago. That was around 2008, and finding this drink at a Big Lots in Calcutta, Ohio in July of 2012 wasn't exactly something that I expected. Naturally, if I found this at Big Lots it has been discontinued, but that doesn't mean that it's going to gone from Big Lots any time soon and for the sake of nostalgia and informing the curious I feel it is necessary to review this. Heavy Metal is a 32 oz. Monster energy drink, and is therefore a "BFC". The first time that I ever saw a BFC Monster was at Parris Island, South Carolina when I went there to see my Brother graduate boot camp. When I used to see Heavy Metal, I never tried it. I don't exactly remember why, possibly because I remember this drink simply being on shelves and I like to buy and drink cold energy drinks out of coolers. Anyway, without further ado let's see what Heavy Metal is all about in the can, taste, and buzz categories.

The Can:
Even after seeing the drink before, it's still impressive. The giant green, silver, and black can depicting a heavy metal concert still looks nice. Monster has changed, and although I'm not the biggest fan of Monster it's kind of obvious that Monster has been going in a different differection than they were a few years ago. Again, I'm not the biggest fan of Monster but to make a long story short I can't really see Monster putting out a drink like this today. The can doesn't contain a bunch of extra info, but it shouldn't need to either. It kind of speaks for itself, and I really can't find anything wrong with it. Although, the color of green used for the majority of the can kind of reminds me of the Incredible Hulk pudding they used to make. Heavy Metal also contains the standard Monster energy green tab on top, and all in all this can is pretty nice to look at.

The Drink:
I tend to struggle from time to time with describing energy drink tastes, and the thing with Heavy Metal is that it has no flavor description on the can. It's obviously not actually supposed to taste like "heavy metal" which would be kind of gross. When I opened the can and took a drink, it tasted a lot like grape fruit and had the kind of flavor that you can deal with if you want to. This isn't just the original Monster in a different can either, which is something that could understandably be thought. I won't lie, the flavor was good but began to get a bit old as I continued to drink it. It wasn't bad, but I don't know if it would be safe to say that everyone would like it, even giant fans of the original Monster energy as it tastes pretty different than that.

The Buzz:
Yes, I consumed all 32 oz. in one sitting. It was about 8:00 AM when I did, and hitting my body with 4000 mg. of Taurine and 4 servings of all of the other ingredients in the drink was surprisingly not my best idea. I was in a car for about an hour afterwards, and I would also like to note that this drink works quite well if you feel the need to induce urination. I was wired, and when I got to where I was going I had to go to the bathroom straight away. Although, I did not feel like I was going to die or even like I had way too much energy. Drinking it all at once definitely wasn't a good idea for obvious reasons, but the nice buzz that I got after drinking this wasn't bad with the exception of having to sit in a car with no access to a bathroom for a little bit.

For $1.50 at Big Lots, I would say that this drink was pretty well worth it. The taste wasn't really the best and was getting a bit hard to finish towards the end, but if you're really passionate enough to track this down at Big Lots and give it a try, you should be able to handle it. Of course, the buzz was very strong but didn't make me edgy or anything. If you collect energy drink cans, this drink might also be worth your while to add to your collection. Either way, I would say that it is worth a purchase and isn't too bad.

Killer Buzz Livid Energy Review

It's only natural that the Killer Buzz line includes a grape flavor, and it is obvious that Livid is in fact a grape flavor just by looking at the can. The rest of the Killer Buzz line has been satisfying and I really couldn't think of any reason why Livid wouldn't also be. Grape flavors are usually different from one another, so I looked forward to giving this a try. So far, I like the unique flavors of Killer Buzz and their rather interesting can descriptions. So, let's see how Livid can compete with the rest of the line in the can, taste, and buzz categories.




The Can:
I almost feel like saying "here we go again" while writing this. Again, Livid is the familiar Killer Buzz design but of course changed to purple to suit a grape flavor. The small description on the front of the can says that it's a "grape concoction that packs a punch". I am somewhat thankful that Killer Buzz doesn't have a fruit punch flavor, because if they did they could possibly say that it "packs a punch" and I feel that doing that would be a bit much. As for the little paragraph on the back of the can, it sounds like someone was just a little angry while writing it. I believe that "Livid" means angry, but as with the rest of the line this is an energy drink and in fact not one that induces anger.

The Taste:
To make a long story (description?) short, this tastes like a grape Jolly Rancher candy. The Killer Buzz website says that they "worked hard to get the perfect grape smack-your-lips taste". I know what they mean, grape does tend to have a very good flavor if done correctly. This drink is no exception, and when I had my large stash of Killer Buzz drinks I found myself returning to Livid often. I found it very, very easy to drink and unless you have a strong dislike for grape I really can't see not enjoying this drink's flavor.

The Buzz:
Livid contains the Killer Buzz GHAA, the energy-providing Giant Hornet secretion that is unique to Killer Buzz and a pretty cool idea. It also contains the 200 mg of Caffeine and a pretty standard variety of energy providing ingredients with the exception of the GHAA. The buzz this drink provided was nice, and pretty satisfying. When it wore off, I really didn't feel a crash and all in all the buzz was satisying. Again, the buzz wasn't literally "killer" and I lived to tell the tale and write this.

I recommend giving Livid a try, especially if you're a fan of grape flavors. The grape flavor was somewhat "standard", but the drink still tasted good. I do not know where you can purchase Killer Buzz drinks, but if you have the oppurtunity to and like grape flavors, Livid is the drink for you. Livid won't disappoint, and I enjoyed it.

Killer Buzz Dragon Spit Energy Review

I have to admit, the name "Dragon Spit" for an energy drink is a bit odd. It's pretty original though, and since I do not know any dragons I will not be able to validate whether or not this actually tastes like their saliva. Instead, it's supposed to taste like dragon fruit, something that I was not aware existed. When I first looked at the can I thought that this drink could possibly be an orange or citrus flavor, but that isn't exactly what it's supposed to be. Thus far, the Killer Buzz line hasn't been too bad. I've appreciated their use of "buzz" in the name, something I've always referred the effect you get from energy drinks as.



The Can:
With Dragon Spit, we find Killer Buzz using their familiar design but in this case changing it to orange. I've had a couple of oppurtunities to review entire lines of energy drinks lately and the case with both has been that the drinks have basic designs with the colors and a few details on the can changing with each particular flavor. I like the amusing paragraphs that are on the back of Killer Buzz cans. Dragon Spit describes "the great worm" leaving his cave, soaring through the air, and breathing fire upon his foes. I really have no idea what that has to do with energy drinks, but why not? The little description on the bottom of the front of the can says Dragon Spit is an "Exotic taste and bountiful booste", which is also a pretty interesting description.

The Taste:
I'd never had dragon fruit to my knowledge before trying this drink, so I really had no idea of what to expect. Simply put, I wish I had because I would have tried the drink much sooner that way. I don't currently have a "best tasting energy drinks" section on my website but if I did this would undoubtedly make it there. I remember trying this drink for the first time about two months ago, and really, really enjoying the flavor. I try not to get too intricate with my flavor descriptions, but the slight mango taste this has coupled with dragon fruit tastes pretty good. I found this drink to be unusually good, something that doesn't happen often with energy drinks. This is the kind of thing that I would drink time and time again for the taste, kind of like the original Rockstar.

The Buzz:
As usual, Dragon Spit contains GHAA, the Giant Hornet secretion that makes this drink unique, and dragon fruit in itself has it's own atttibutes. The Killer Buzz website says:

"The dragon fuit is rich in phosphorus and calcium as well as antioxidants, and is believed to increases the excretion of heavy metal toxins while lowering cholesterol and blood pressure."

If it increases the excretion of the heavy metal toxins, I have to wonder why I did not throw the devil horns after trying this drink. Nonetheless, this drink contains the standard Killer Buzz 200 mg of caffeine, taurine, amino acids, amongst other things. The buzz this drink provided matched the rest of the Killer Buzz drinks I've tried. It was satisfying, although not literally killer as I was fine after drinking this. The buzz was good, and didn't disappoint.

All in all, Dragon Spit tastes pretty delicious. I thought it tasted great, and would buy it for the taste alone. The buzz was also satisfying, and I can't find much to complain about with the drink. Dragon Spit wasn't half bad, and I recommend trying it out. The taste alone makes this drink a worthwhile purchase in my opinion.

Speed Unleaded Energy Review

I find it funny that this drink is called Unleaded for some reason. It's sugar free, so the name makes sense. Still, for some reason the fact that the name is so appropriate is somewhat amusing to me. I've really enjoyed the three other Speed drinks that I tried, and although sugar free drinks aren't really my thing I still had high hopes for Unleaded. Several energy drink brands have sugar free versions of their regular drinks, but Unleaded is different than some in that it is it's own unique flavor. Unleaded fits in nicely with the rest of the line, and I looked forward to giving it a try as I took it out of my fridge.



The Can:
Speed chose to use pink for this particular flavor's color scheme, which I don't think means that it's for women. The color of the can actually matches the flavor, as it is a cranberry/pomegranate flavor. Well, I've actually never mixed cranberry and pomegranate but for some reason pink suits those two flavors to me. This can is as sleek as ever, and I feel that the pink matches the design especially well. I personally don't mind, but to some this can may look a bit feminine. I've had so many energy drinks that it doesn't phase me, and I feel that the can looks pretty nice. It contains your typical energy drink information with the nice Speed logo on the front, and is undoubtedly a nice looking can.

The Taste:
I have to admit, for a sugar free drink with zero calories, this drink doesn't taste bad. The flavor is as described above, cranberry pomegranate is not a flavor that I have every day but one that doesn't taste bad. This drink had a pretty slight "sugar free" taste and I thought that it tasted fine. It was very easy to drink, and far from not tasty. Speed's website describes the flavor as "so sweet your mama would drink it". Well, I do think that it was sweet but I doubt that my Mom would drink it, not that it's a bad drink but my Mom really doesn't like energy drinks.

The Buzz:
As just about anyone knows, sugar can get you nice and hyped up if you have a lot of it. As you know, Unleaded is sugar free but it does still contain the usual Taurine, Caffeine, Guarana, Glucoronolactone, etc. I felt the same great energy buzz from Unleaded that I did from the other varieties. The buzz was very satisfying, especially when I had it in the morning. It lasted for quite some time, and all in all was good. So, despite being sugar free, Unleaded can provide you with a buzz that is on par with other Speed flavors.

I was satisfied with Unleaded, it tasted pretty good for being sugar free and having zero carbs, and it was nice to know that something that tasted so good was a little healthier. I would definitely reccomend this to somebody who likes sugar free things, or is trying to be healthier while still getting their daily caffeine fix like I am. This was the last Speed drink that I tried, and all in all I'm very satisfied with the line. It's nice, and if it were available in my area I would probably buy it quite often.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Speed Fuel Energy Review

Robby Gordon's Speed line of energy drinks has been pretty good so far. I've really enjoyed them, and looked forward to giving Fuel a try. Fuel is an "orange" flavor as you can tell by looking at the can. "Orange" as a flavor description doesn't say much, and I remember one of my early observations with energy drinks being that no two orange drinks taste quite the same. With the other two Speed drinks I've had being pretty good, I had high expectations for Fuel. I assumed that it would taste good and provide substantial energy, just as the other two flavors did. If Fuel is in fact tasty, it will undoubtedly be yet another great drink in the Speed line.


The Can:
Fuel maintains the familiar design of the Speed line with the color of this particular can changing to orange. I've said before that I like the Speed designs, and Fuel is no exception. I feel that these cans have a rather "sleek" appearance. They contain the appropriate amount of info and I really can't find anything to complain about with them. It does in fact hold the energy drink that is inside of it quite well, which it is supposed to do.

The Taste:
Octane, the lemon variety of Speed has been my favorite flavor so far. Orange drinks tend to be citrus-like (NOS), have an orange juice flavor, or taste like orange candies of some kind. Fuel falls somewhere into the "orange juice flavor" category, but not quite. I've evaluated that all of the Speed drinks have a very smooth and crisp taste. Fuel is a very smooth and crisp orange juice-like flavor that has hints of tangerine to it as well. I finished it easily, and it tastes good. I wouldn't say that is has replaced Octane as my favorite, but I feel that is was good and that about anybody would enjoy it.

The Buzz:
Just like the other two Speed drinks I've tried, Fuel is very satisfying in the buzz category. The buzz that these drinks provide is about normal, but not in a bad way. It's not ineffective and it's not deadly either. It was on par with my expectations and I felt that it did it's job well. The buzz that Fuel provided lasted for quite some time, and once it wore off I didn't "crash", although I can't recall any instances of that ever happening.

For any fan of "orange" energy drinks, Fuel is an ideal buy. It's flavor is not my favorite from the Speed line, but that doesn't mean that it's bad by any means. I thought it just as good as any other Speed drink I've had, and suggest giving it a try if you want to.

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Speed Octane Energy Review

I really enjoyed the Ethanol variety of Speed, and Octane was without a doubt the one that I wanted to try next. As you can tell by looking at the can, Octane is a lemonade flavor. I feel that lemonade which is obviously a sour flavor works well with the energy drink "taste" for the most part. It also seems that if I find a lemonade flavored energy drink, they end up tasting pretty good. So, with Octane being next on the list of energy drinks to try I had fairly high hopes for it. Let's see how Octane can compete in the can, taste, and buzz categories.




The Can:
Octane's can is of course similar to the other drinks in the Speed line. Yellow and black is a color combination that I don't know if I'm generally fond of or not, but I feel that it works with this can. Naturally, an energy drink brand obviously has different colored cans for each particular flavor in it's line. However, Speed maintains black as their can's base color with a few other details on the can changing for each flavor. This results in the entire line having a prettty sleek appearance. Plus, the actual "base" design of their cans in nice and therefore all of their drinks look fine. Octane's can also contains a seperate nutrition box in Spanish on the back, something that is probably common in most places but something that I've never seen in Northeastern Ohio. Octane says "Vitamin energy drink" at the bottom and contains your usual assortment of ingredient information and warnings. Octane does not have the "Not recommended for children under 18" warning on the back that I've seen on some drinks, I'm 15 and have been drinking energy drinks since I was 13. So, they don't really bother me.

The Taste:
There have been a few instances before where I've really enjoyed an energy drink's taste. Well, I enjoy most of the drinks that I have, but some are really just delicious. That doesn't happen often, and the most common example of a drink that is like that to me is the original Rockstar. The most recent addition to that list would undoubtedly have to be Octane. Simply put, this drink is nice to drink. The lemonade flavor is very, very smooth and is not harsh or bitter to the taste. It really is delicious, and I seriously enjoyed drinking it. A drink like Octane doesn't come around often to me in the taste category and I really recommend this to just about anybody, unless you have a phobia of lemonade flavored energy drinks that are named Octane. The drink does have a bit of a medicinal smell that I noticed, but there is no such thing as a medicinal taste with Octane.

The Buzz:
I have certain routines with energy drinks that I've been doing for a couple of years now. They may make me sounds pretty addicted to the average person, but if you drink energy drinks you'd probably understand. An ideal time to drink an energy drink to me and probably anyone else is in the morning. Sometimes I'll have one mid-day, but my favorite time to consume an energy drink is in the evening. I had Octane first in the morning. I've been waking up at about 7:00 in the morning lately for no reason and haven't really been tired when I woke up. But, like usual I always feel a little sleepy when I wake up. Remembering that I had a bunch of energy drinks in the fridge motivated me to get up and after drinking Octane I was beyond ready to go for the day. Obviously, the best way to find out if an energy drink works is to drink it when you're tired. Believe me, Octane works and does it's job quite well.

In conclusion, Octane is another satisfying drink from the Speed line. I've been impressed with the brand so far. With Octane tasting pretty good and providing a nice buzz, I really can't see not picking it up and giving it a try if it's available to you.