Sunday, December 15, 2013

Stacker 2 Sinful Citrus Extreme Energy Review

Name: Stacker 2 Extreme Energy (Sinful Citrus Flavor)
Size: 8.4 oz
Caffeine content: N/A
Calories: 110 calories per can

Energy drinks aren't the only type of product with "these" kind of brands. You know, brands that aren't really prominent but have a ton of different products anyway. Stacker 2 makes several energy shots (some of which I believe are under the Stacker 2 name and some of which are not) and they also make this drink. I picked up this drink in a random convenience store amongst a cooler full of Monster drinks. It was in the bottom corner, and only caught my eye because I'd never tried it before.


I'm not in love with this can. It's green and yellow color scheme reminds me more of John Deere than an "extreme" energy drink. This particular variety is "Sinful Citrus", so beware that you may end up burning in hell for drinking this. The can is 8 oz. which, granted, doesn't provide much room for a design, and if you're familiar with Stacker 2 this drink isn't too different than the rest of their stuff design wise. All in all it's ok from a functional standpoint, but when it comes to things that I find appealing to look at, this drink isn't quite there.


This isn't the first nor last citrus energy drink that I've had, although I can't say that I've had "Sinful Citrus" before. I kind of like that name, it would be way too easy to bash and I could probably see any other brand using it. My favorite citrus energy drink is undoubtedly the original variety of NOS which tastes amazing and always has. This drink however, tastes more like Sprite and has a mellow lemon and lime taste that doesn't really stand out. It's very drinkable, and if you wanted to you could probably drink a few of these back-to-back with no problem other than some potential cavities.

You might think that "extreme energy" is a description that only goes along with "extreme energy drinks" but you would happen to be horribly mistaken. This "extreme" drink contains Caffeine, Taurine, and B Vitamins (it only lists the amount of B vitamins, but do you really care about that?). I drank it and felt a little lift in energy, and it obviously would have been more substantial if this drink were bigger. For 8 oz, don't expect a huge buzz in energy. The average consumer might enjoy this because it's small and not too potent. It can, however, be potent if you have more than one at a time, I'm sure. But, at $1.99 a can you may be better picking up a couple of $1 Rip It drinks and calling it a day.

If you think you can handle the unbelievably extreme qualities, go for it. I found it pretty mediocre.

I give this drink a 3/5 rating. Share your own rating of the drink below!

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Amp Gold Apple Energy Review

Lately I've been getting my caffeine fix from both Rip It Power and Rip It G Force since they're both available for only $1 at the grocery store just down the street from where I live. Not long ago however, this drink caught my eye as I've never seen it despite also drinking a few Amp drinks as well here and there lately. I've never been a giant fan of Amp drinks but I remember drinking the original flavors as some of my first energy drinks as well as the new flavors causing somewhat of a stir when they replaced the originals. All in all, Amp is a solid brand that a lot of people seem to enjoy even though I wouldn't call them my absolute favorite. This drink is "limited edition" and as I'm writing this in December 2013 I recommend you go out and get a can ASAP if you want to give this drink a try. But, you should read this first to find out if you want to or not.

The Can:
On my shelf of energy drink cans from past and present, you can see the difference between the really old, old, and newer Amp cans. Their latest designs are pretty cool and this drink is no exception. The gold is nice despite not popping too much and I wouldn't say there will be much confusion between this and another Amp flavor. The top of the can proclaims that it's "limited edition" and doesn't say much else other then that it's apple flavored and contains caffeine and B vitamins. I like the "volume" design towards the bottom of the can and the gold tab on top isn't a bad touch either. It's pretty cool, and if you collect cans it'll look nice on or in your shelf, box, or cubby.

The Taste:
Like I mentioned earlier, I've been drinking the Power variety of Rip It which is also an apple flavor as this drink is. I bought this drink without really looking at the flavor and even opened it without doing so but recognized the flavor as apple upon taking a healthy gulp of it. It does taste like apple but isn't as "crisp" of an apple as Power. It's still drinkable, but has a bit of an aftertaste. A nice touch is the energy drink "bite" that I've mentioned so many times before. It's drinkable and doesn't taste bad, but I wouldn't get addicted to the taste like I have with some drinks (you probably couldn't pay me to drink another Power at this point, at least for a few days).

The Buzz:
Like the front of the can says, this drink contains caffeine and B vitamins as most energy drinks do. The exact caffeine content isn't listed, but per 16 oz. can this drink contains 13 mg of Taurine (why?), 264 mg of Guarana and 12 mg of ginseng. I drank this drink while "on the go" (if going to pick up some food I ordered counts) and afterwards felt pretty alert and good. It's a substantial buzz but nothing strong enough to make you jump through a window or anything. It'll kill your hopeless caffeine withdrawal headache instantly, and you won't have to worry about falling asleep at the wheel or anything (does Amp still sponsor Nascar drivers?).

All in all, check this drink out. It's limited edition, so if all else fails you can at least have a drink that won't be around for a while. I don't know how widely available it is, but since it's Amp it shouldn't be too hard to find. I enjoyed it.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Mountain Dew Kickstart Fruit Punch Review

Well, long time no review. I've been busy lately, and just honestly felt like taking a break from the energy drink game. Fear not, as this is isn't the first time that I've done this and probably not the last either. Nonetheless, today we're going to check out an energy drink that I first saw in a TV commercial. It's made by Mountain Dew (obviously) but isn't Amp, which is the energy drink that comes to mind when I think of Mountain Dew. I'm not sure if this is technically supposed to be an energy drink, but it's marketed like one because I know that the commercial says something about the "kick" (buzz) this drink provides. It's also a fruit punch flavor, which is a flavor that was once rare on this site but now fairly common. So, let's see if this can "Kickstart" a whole new trend in energy drinks! (or something...)

The Can:
I will say that it's been fairly hard NOT to see this can, they even have this drink in the wine room at my local grocery store that was once stocked with so many energy drinks that my at-the-time energy drink amateur self didn't know what to do. The can itself is an obvious and nice red color. It also has some green mixed in, but doesn't remind me of Christmas or anything. I kind of like the vertical design of the can, and I think that it looks fairly modern and all in all nice. It's always been my opinion that reviewing cans is somewhat boring (unless they're awful, then it's my favorite part of the review). But, this Kickstart's can if effective, looks good, and holds the drink quite nicely.

The Taste:
Not to sound like I'm from 1976 or anything, but I'd describe the taste of this drink as "solid". Maybe it's the fact that I've had over 100 different energy drinks, or the fact that I've had fruit punch a lot before, but this drink tasted EXACTLY like I thought it would. This drink contains 5% juice, and tastes 100% like a fruit punch energy drink. It's kind of mild which is nice, I don't think the average persons lips would pucker up when drinking this (I'm sitting here drinking an original Monster right now with ease, the same drink that my girlfriend says is way too sour, so don't take my word for it).

The Buzz:
Many of my friends in the energy drink review game share something with this can and refer to the effect you get from an energy drink as a "kick". For some reason, I've always called it a buzz, and upon drinking this I was excited to see what kind of buzz I would get. The can promises "just the right amount of kick", something that in my opinion does exist. There are also drinks that have no effect, and you could probably go to sleep after drinking, and a few drinks I've had that made me want to smash myself into walls while listening to Kenny G or Cat Stevens. I'm going to be honest, I still don't know exactly what this drink is, you know? Is it an energy drink? A soda? It advertises it's kick, but is not marketed as an energy drink. However, since it does promise a kick that's what I was anticipating. I've had this drink 2 or 3 times and it honestly does provide a nice little boost of energy. Nothing extreme, but nothing nonexistent either. To the casual consumer, this drink would probably be pretty nice. I haven't reviewed in a while but in case this is still relevant- no crash either.

Pick this drink up if you get a chance, I think it's $1.19 at my local store. They also actually put it in a cooler, so it's nice and cold when I buy it. If you can't find it, go to Sparkle Market in East Palestine, Ohio and pick up a couple. I go in there almost every day and get a Rip It as of late, and it's funny because I slowly witness their stock in the cooler get smaller and smaller as I get thirstier and thirstier. But anyway, give this a shot if you want. I recomment it!

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Roaring Lion Au Natural Energy Review

When I hear the term "all natural", I realize that it's kind of vague. Nonetheless, it sounds pretty cool behind an energy drink. I've had well over 100 different energy drinks at this point and I will admit that most are far from a healthy thing to consume. There have been exceptions, but they are few and far between and have more often than not not turned out being very good. Roaring Lion's new Au Natural variety is also a new drink in a bottle much like their Zero variety. I was interested to see what an "all natural" energy drink would taste like. I was hoping that it wouldn't taste like grass or trees or something because for some reason that's what I think of when I hear "all natural".

The Bottle:
I really, really like this bottle. It definitely has the right look to it. It has kind of an "icy" look to it also and the subtle blue looks good. Both this drink and the Zero drink which I reviewed previously look like the Roaring Lion brand but kind of grown up in the sense that they're more intricate designs. Again, the claw-marks on this bottle are more noticeable and it just all in all looks really cool. The bottle is a really nice idea, when drinking this I did find myself screwing the lid back on and setting the drink down to get clothes out of the dryer or to change the song I was listening to, all very important parts of my extremely busy lifestyle.

The Taste:
This is where the drink shines. It's hard to describe what you would imagine an "all natural" energy drink tasting like so I just kind of had to open it and drink it and hope for the best. Basically, this tastes just like regular Roaring Lion but SO much smoother and more "crisp" tasting. This drink is delicious and for someone that likes a good "energy drink taste", great. I really loved this and found no problems with it from the taste, texture, and drinkability. It really does taste all natural somehow, I can't really describe but I will say that it tastes exceptional.

The Buzz:
As with all of the several Roaring Lion drinks I've previously reviewed, this drink packs quite the nice buzz too. Both of the bottles that I had of this stuff had me alert and going for quite a while. The bottles are also nice in that you could drink half the bottle, reap the benefits, and then drink the rest and feel the rest. I like the buzz that these drinks provide, I find that they are great early morning energy drinks to get you alert and in a good mood or really just good to drink anytime you want to feel those effects.

Naturally (heh), I didn't know what to expect from this drink but I will say that I was very satisfied with this once I tried. I liked it a lot, and can't find much to complain about with it. The taste truly shines here, it tastes delicious and I recommend that you pick up and bottle for yourself and give it a try at your earliest convenience.

Roaring Lion Zero Energy Review

This drink is definitely a first for me, I do not recall having a "zero" energy drink prior to this one so I really didn't know what to expect at all. But, this drink is a good idea just in case you want to be extra healthy with your energy drinks. It crossed my mind that this drink could potentially be extremely disgusting, any zero soda that I've had hasn't been too good but that doesn't mean that such a thing will translate to energy drinks. This drink also comes in Roaring Lion's new about 16 oz. resealable bottle. I really like this idea, from drinking several I can tell you that they really come in handy and are smooth-drinking too. So, without furthur nonsensible rambling let's take at this Roaring Lion Zero drink.

The Bottle:
The bottle for this drink is probably my favorite Roaring Lion design thus far. Like several other companies, they keep the same basic design but it varies from product to product. With this drink we see the Roaring Lion design that we've seen on cans translated to a bottle and in a pretty light blue color with a silver-ish lid. I also like how the lion-claw rips are more noticeable behind the word "zero" on the front. This drink contains your standard energy drink information and it looks pretty good to me. I feel like if you were a very health-oriented person you would have no problem with carrying this around or drinking it. I personally like it a lot, the plastic bottle is also a neat idea.

The Taste:
Undoubtedly, this is the area of the drink that I was the most concerned with. I'll be honest, there are few things in this world that I like more than the taste of a sugary, delicious energy drink. The things that I love more would probably have to be my beautiful girlfriend and music. So, if this drink isn't a sugary, non-healthy energy drink I didn't know what to expect. Anyway, upon twisting open the bottle I was somewhat nervous but mostly excited. The verdict? It tastes good. It actually, in all honesty, doesn't taste all too different than a regular Roaring Lion drink. There is a difference, but it's slight and in the couple occasions in the early morning when I had this drink I really couldn't tell the difference. This drink is far from intolerable, especially for a "zero" drink. So, you're getting a healthier drink that tastes pretty good too.

The Buzz:
This is another area of this drink that somewhat surprisingly didn't disappoint. I actually got a nice buzz from this drink that was sustained and lasted for a while. Despite being a "zero" drink, it has no real shortcomings in the buzz department. I drank this on different occasions and each time got a nice buzz from it. I really enjoyed it, and didn't actually feel as guilty as I sometimes do after pretty much slamming down a huge sugary energy drink.

To conclude, you should check this drink out if you're looking for a healthy energy drink that really isn't too bad at all. I actually liked it a lot, and was surprised that it was as good as it honestly was.

Friday, February 8, 2013

Roaring Lion Sugar Free Energy Review

When it comes to sugar free energy drinks, I am far from the "expert" that I am on regular energy drinks. I've had several sugar free energy drinks before but for the most part when I'm looking for an energy drink to try I'll almost always pick up a regular one. I enjoyed the regular Roaring Lion drink which I previously reviewed, so I was eagar to see what the sugar free variety was like. Much like the regular Roaring Lion flavor, this drink is available in some different sizes and everything. Let's find out if this sugar free drink can still provide a satisfying buzz or if it falls flat, and how the taste holds up despite being sugar free.


The Can:
These Roaring Lion products that my fridge has become familiar with lately have a pretty distinctive look to them. Appropriately, this drink is very similar to the regular variety of Roaring Lion but the shade of blue on the can is signifigantly lighter. On the 12 oz. cans (pictured above), there is a red bar spanning the front of the can containing the slogan "Lionize Yourself!". This is missing from the 16 oz. cans but looks good anyway. I like that the sugar free has it's own identity color-wise. The yellow lion on the front is a nice touch, and if you're into sugar free drinks then I can't find any reason why this drink wouldn't be appealing. As for the "Lionize Yourself!" slogan, you'll have to keep reading to see if I transformed into a predator of the jungle.

The Taste:
I have certainly drank a lot of Roaring Lion lately, I'm pretty sure it would show up in my blood sample. To be blunt, this tastes like Sugar Free Roaring Lion. This tasted exactly like I thought it would, just more like a "diet" version of regular Roaring Lion. Roaring Lion itself tastes similar in a sense to some other energy drinks but is different in a good way also. Like I said, I'm not the biggest fan of sugar free drinks but I had no problem drinking all of my sugar free cans of Roaring Lion. Believe me, when you like energy drinks as much as me and recieve free samples for reviews, the sugar free ones that are always left after I pretty much demolish the regular varieties are awesome to have.

The Buzz:
I've had plenty of "buzzes" purely from sugar in my life, and sometimes I wonder if the large amounts of sugar in energy drinks (which are subject to much controversy) play a role in how well of a buzz they provide. Well, since this drink doesn't have any sugar that will not matter. To be totally honest, I recieved the same nice buzz from the sugar free variety as I did from the regular. It was not lackluster in any way, and got me awake on many, many mornings before school (I'm actually writing this at 6:18 AM, at least it's Friday!). I enjoyed the buzz this drink provided, it lasted a while and I''ve drank so many of these that I can safely say that there is no crash. Oh, and I also stayed in human form, I was not exactly "Lionized", but I don't think that's what they meant anyway.

If you're trying to go on a diet, really wanting to drink a sugar free energy drink called Roaring Lion, drink an energy drink with a nice light blue can, or just drink something that's good then you should buy this and drink it. I like this drink a lot, and was satisfied with it's results.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Roaring Lion Energy Review

I was recently contacted by the Roaring Lion energy drink company and they requested that I post their press release about their new website on mine. I agreed, but on the condition that they sent me some of their products to review. I've heard of Roaring Lion before, but never tried it since where I live is pretty much dry as far as new energy drinks are concerned these days. When I think of lions, I think of my girlfriend's cat who always attacks my arms and also likes to spill my drinks (including energy drinks) probably just to see my reaction. Anyway, I was very excited to try this drink out since I'd never had it and I haven't had a new energy drink in a while. This is my first official review of 2013, it's crazy that I started this site back in 2010 and am still doing it but I will undoubtedly continue this for many years to come. Let's see if this drink can claim the title of "king of the energy drink jungle"..or something.

The Can:
As I've probably stated in about 30 other energy drink reviews my favorite color is blue, so it's no surprise that I like the color of this can. It's certainly not similar to an energy drink such as Monster or Rockstar in appearance, it has a unique and fairly simplistic appearance but it looks good. There's really not much to the can but it doesn't look too bad and I wouldn't not drink just because of the can if I saw. The main colors of the can are blue, yellow, white and red. It could potentially be kind of cliche if they went overboard with the "lion" theme, so I'm glad they didn't.

The Taste:
Something tells me that this drink is not made with real lions, so I didn't quite know what to expect. Upon cracking it open it smelled just like an energy drink would. It kind of tastes like a stereotypical energy drink would but with more of a bite to it. It's pretty much the same as Red Bull taste-wise, which didn't really surprise me but nonetheless the flavor is great and I find it extremely easy to drink.

The Buzz:
Believe it or not, I don't think this drink contains Taurine. I'm sure I've had other energy drinks like that, but almost everytime I look at the ingredients on an energy drink I see Taurine. Then again, this drink may contain Taurine but it's just not listed. It contains 152 mg. of caffeine per can, not a huge number but still a good one. It also contains the usual assortment of glucoronolactone and B Vitamins. Above the nutrition facts box is a bunch of claims about what this drink does. I can definitely say that this drink works, I've already had 3 cans on a few different occasions and it definitely works. The buzz lasts for quite some time and I definitely didn't crash, as usual. I can definitely say I was satisfied, and definitely didn't morph into a creature of the jungle or anything of that nature.

Overall I was satisfied with Roaring Lion and would recommend it if you saw it somewhere. It is similar to Red Bull, but has it's own identity and is probably cheaper. I like it, and would totally pick it up on my own if it were sold around me.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Roaring Lion Announces Launch of New Website




Roaring Lion Energy Drinks Logo Roaring Lion Announces Launch of New Website

Roaring Lion energy drink is proud to announce the launch of their new website www.RoaringLion.com. The site will serve as a hub for fans, consumers & beverage industry professionals to learn about, engage, and interact with the Roaring Lion brand.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
PRLog (Press Release) - Jan. 8, 2013 - LOS ANGELES - Roaring Lion energy drink is proud to announce the launch of their new website, www.RoaringLion.com. The new site will serve as a hub for fans, consumers & beverage industry professionals to learn about, engage, and interact with the Roaring Lion brand. This much anticipated update solidifies the company’s larger evolution from offering an innovative trade product for the Bar & Nightclub Industry (Roaring Lion introduced the first ‘bag-in-box’ energy drink in 2001 and is currently the second-most poured energy drink in the US) to becoming a consumer brand that is poised to pounce on the “off-premise” market (convenience & grocery stores) with their cans & resealable bottles.

“We could not be more excited for the launch of RoaringLion.com. We have been working hard to continue developing & growing an exciting consumer brand and the new site is an significant milestone of our efforts. I think that fans will be thrilled with the new look and be amazed by the wealth of content & media, useful information, and unique ways to engage with other fans and the brand,” remarked Brian Boate, Brand Manager for Roaring Lion.

The new website is centered around a completely rebranded feel & immersive user experience which ups the ante from the previous company site in terms of content & interactivity. Fans are able to connect with Roaring Lion’s “Pride” of athletes, bands, “Students Brand Managers” (college students) & “Consumer Educators” (brand ambassadors), as well as learn what is going on in their part of “The Lionation”, or challenge their friends to complete dares using the “Lion’s Challenge” Facebook application. Fans can also shop for products online, as well as get a glimpse into the history of the company & brand on the “Heritage” page.

UNIQUE FUNCTIONALITY

Roaring Lion is not abandoning their Bar & Nightclub roots, however, and the site continues to position their products as excellent mixers for cocktails and other libations. On a page playfully called, “Dipsomania” - a reference to an 18th century medical condition associated with an uncontrollable craving for alcohol - users are able to find the perfect drink recommendation to satisfy their cravings for any occasion and on any budget. As a part of ‘Dipsomania’, the ‘Remix’ page then gives users the chance to learn classic or specialty cocktails from professional bartenders and provides an opportunity for them to submit & share their own creations and learn about new mixes created by fans around the world.

“Ever wanted to Challenge Yourself or your Friends to do something Awesome...or incredibly stupid?” The “Lion’s Challenge” application is a social media platform which allows users to challenge themselves or friends to attempt a dare of their choice, then upload the attempt to the application. Once uploaded, the Challenges can be viewed, shared, commented & voted on and Roaring Lion hosts several competitions each year. The Facebook app is available at http://apps.facebook.com/lionschallenge.