Rockstar Pure Zero Mango Orange Energy Drink Review

Name: Rockstar Pure Zero (Mango Orange flavor)

Size: 16 fl. oz.

Caffeine content: 240 mg. per can
 Energy blend: Caffeine, Taurine, Glucoronolactone, Inositol

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Having been released in January 2014, this drink is a nice example of the direction that I wouldn't mind seeing "zero" energy drinks go in. I sometimes drink zero-calorie energy drinks on my own will rather than for a review, and admittedly feel that several of them are pretty bland, despite being satisfying. This drink, though, along with Rockstar's somewhat-new Blue Ice flavor, is clearly trying to be exciting in some way or another, despite lacking calories and sugar. I paid exactly $2.60 for this, and tried it in hopes that it would live up to the initial, "This isn't a boring, calorie-free energy drink!" impression that it gave me.

Can/Design:

My aforementioned "first impression" of this drink was obviously inspired by the look of its can. Rockstar's cans are far from minimalistic, but I feel that their typical "layout" of their cans looks good with this particular drink's color scheme. It doesn't scream "zero calories", and does a nice job of promoting the flavor that's apparently contained inside of it. The orange pull-tab on top is a nice addition, and, as I've pretty much said, it's nice to see a "zero" energy drink that isn't packaged in a silver or white can.

Taste:

 

I didn't have much doubt that this drink would work well in terms of energy, and was mostly curious about how good it would taste. This drink's flavor is unique to Rockstar's Pure Zero line, as opposed to being a Pure Zero version of another one of their flavors. Fortunately, upon taking a sip, I was met with a delicious Mango Orange flavor that doesn't taste "zero-ish" at all. If this drink were in another can that didn't state that it lacks sugar or calories, I probably wouldn't think that it did. The flavor is in fact "Mango Orange", and will definitely satisfy anyone that likes mangos, oranges, and "zero" energy drinks that don't taste disgusting.

Energy:

 

I believe that sugar can certainly play a role in the amount of energy that an energy drink can provide. Despite lacking sugar though, this drink still obviously gave me a pretty satisfying lift in energy due to Rockstar's energy blend that contains caffeine, taurine, and plenty of other ingredients to make this a far-from-disappointing drink. I really enjoyed the energy that this drink gave me, and would have found it just as satisfying had it came in a calorie and sugar-filled energy drink.

This was probably one of the best "zero" energy drinks that I've ever had. The well-designed can, delicious flavor, and satisfying energy definitely did not make for a waste of my $2.60. Unless the flavor sounds unappetizing, I recommend giving this drink a try- even if you could care less about calories.

Dollar Shots Club Berry Energy Shot Review

 

 Name: Dollar Shots Club (Berry flavor)

Size: 1.93 fl. oz

Caffeine content: 190 mg. per bottle

Energy blend: Caffeine, Taurine, B Vitamins

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At the time that I tried this shot, it had admittedly been quite a while since I'd consumed an energy shot of any kind. Dollar Shots Club's energy shot is different, however, in that it's the key-component of a money, time, and energy-saving idea from Dollar Shots Club. Dollar Shots Club is a monthly service that offers $1 energy shots at prices based on your choice of receiving 5, 15, or 30 energy shots per month. When I first heard about their service, I thought that it was a great idea but was somewhat skeptical about how good their shot could really be. My main complaint with energy shots has always been that they're way too expensive, and I genuinely hoped that this shot would prove to be both cost-effective and effective in its taste and energy as well. I received a shipment of 5 energy shots that were delivered in an efficient, professional box that served as a nice place to store the 5 energy shots on my kitchen table. Upon opening the box for the first time, I eagerly opened a bottle in anticipation of, hopefully, being satisfied with what it had to offer.

Bottle/Design:

 

The Dollar Shots Club energy shot is packaged in a standard, eye-pleasing bottle that contains the liquid inside quite nicely. I can't really knock-off any points for the design of the shot, as it does what it's supposed to do, and ultimately works with the theme that this company is trying to create. I find the design to be minimalistic, professional, and overall, nicely done. They clearly didn't create a convenient service and completely skip the aesthetic aspect of their product, as the shot looks just as good as it should. The 1.93 fl. oz. bottle lists all of the shot's nutritional info, as well as a standard warning about caffeine consumption that is typical for just about any energy product.

Taste: 

 

Energy shot companies love making claims in terms of how effective their shots are. However, the actual taste of the energy shot is also a factor that, to me, is just as important as how well the shot works. People that drink energy shots are typically "on the go" and probably don't have time to be rinsing their mouth out after consuming their energy shot. Fortunately, upon drinking this shot, my taste buds were met with a pretty delicious flavor that contained no aftertaste. This shot is berry-flavored, and therefore appropriately tastes like berries. I wish that I could go more in-depth in my flavor description, but I think that the best thing to do is to simply state that this shot tastes like berries, while lacking a disgusting aftertaste.

Energy:

 

As I said, energy shot companies are notorious for making claims as to how long their shot's energizing effect will last. Dollar Shots Club, however, decided to skip this approach and let their shot speak for itself. Just after drinking the shot, I was met with an extremely satisfying and sustained boost in energy that didn't disappoint in any way, shape, or form. I had my doubts, but can safely say that this shot is just as, if not more, effective than other, leading energy shots on the market. I highly doubt that any consumer, unless they consume more caffeine than me (which is probably impossible), could be dissatisfied with the effects that this shot provides.

I can safely say that I stand behind both Dollar Shots Club's mission, service, and actual product. The shot tastes great, works well, and has proven to be effective to me more than once in trying it on a few different occasions so far. For more information, check out my article on Dollar Shots Club and visit their official website here.

Dollarshotsclub.com Offering Monthly Energy Shot Shipments

 "Why pay more than $1?"

New service offers convenient monthly energy shot shipments

Dollar Shots Club, located in Las Vegas, is a new service that's offering a solution to the costly nature of consuming energy shots on a consistent basis. I've always thought that energy shots are really expensive, and don't offer enough of a flavor/experience to make them worth paying for and consuming regularly. Fortunately, Dollar Shots Club totally agrees, and have set out to solve the issue of acquiring, paying for, and receiving a large quantity of high-quality energy shots in a manner that's convenient for the consumer. Dollar Shots Club is a monthly service that offers $1 energy shots, delivered in bulk to your doorstep, for a monthly fee that saves you time, money, and energy in acquiring your preferred amount of energy shots.

"The idea came from [seeing] the success of Dollar Shave Club, and seeing how broken the model is with energy shots. Walking into 7-11 every time you want an energy shot is a waste of time, and the shots are expensive." says Darin Alpert, co-founder of Dollar Shots Club.

Dollar Shots Club is currently offering three different packages that can be ordered via their website. The first month is free, and the packages break-down as follows:

$5/month= 5 energy shots per month
$15/month= 15 energy shots per month
$30/month= 30 energy shots per month

If it sounds costly to pay $30 a month for energy shots, consider the fact that consumers are potentially paying $2+ for their favorite energy shot on a potentially daily basis.

"Our shots taste great compared to leaders in the energy shot market. We are delivered right to your door, and can set it on auto-pilot based on how many shots you drink per month." added Alpert.

I've personally tried the Dollar Shots Club energy shot, and can say that I was impressed with it's professionalism, effectiveness, and lack of disgusting aftertaste to make me regret drinking the shot in the first place. Aside from creating a convenient service, Dollar Shots Club also set out to create an energy shot that wouldn't make consumers regret their subscription.

"The process in developing the shot was pretty easy. We made sure that the caffeine content was comparable to other energy shots on the market and, most importantly, made sure that it tasted good."

Each Dollar Shots Club energy shot contains 190 mg. of caffeine, 0 calories, and is also packed with B Vitamins. They're undoubtedly effective, taste great, and provide sustained, long-lasting energy. Amidst a market filled with several energy shots that offer variety, but no real solution to how flat-out expensive energy shots are, it's nice to see a company set out to create their own solution. Dollar Shots Club is currently offering their "Berry" flavor, with plans to expand their variety of flavors in the near future. I genuinely believe that many consumers can make their lives easier by utilizing this service, and can change the way that they purchase their energy shots forever.

"We don't believe in overpaying for energy shots, and we think they should taste good as well. Also, we think it should be, "set it and forget it" [with energy shots]. We are all too busy, and having shots show up at your door makes a lot of sense." says Alpert.

Dollar Shots Club is a fantastic step in the right direction for the energy shot market. The service is obviously available now, and can be ordered by visiting Dollar Shots Club's official website.

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Zest Tea Pomegranate Mojito Green Energy Tea Review

Name: Zest Tea Pomegranate Mojito Green

Size: 1 Satchet

Caffeine content: 150 mg. per cup

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After trying Zest Tea's Apple Cinnamon Black energy tea, I definitely had to give their green tea offering a try next. Zest Tea is high-quality tea that contains 150 mg. of caffeine per cup, which is a number comparable to a cup of coffee and pretty impressive for tea. On top of that, they offer a few different, tempting flavors that sound absolutely delicious when reading their packaging. Their green tea offering is Pomegranate Mojito flavored, which sounds pretty tasty in a cup of tea. I brought my water to a "near-boil", steeped the bag for the recommended 4 minutes, and eagerly anticipated trying the next offering from Zest Tea. These obviously aren't "energy drinks", but they are drinks that are supposed to provide energy, and for that reason- I love them.

Packaging:

 

This tea is packaged in a mostly-white tin that contains 20 satchets, or bags, of tea. The other Zest Tea that I tried came in a black tin, which made sense since it was black tea underneith its nice flavor and impressive caffeine content. This is green, rather than black, tea which requires slightly different preparation and makes for a slightly different tea. The packaging does a great job at differentiating the two flavors, while also providing an amount of information that any consumer could want. A small paragraph on the tin states that the tea, "..will bring back memories of lounging on a beach, or maybe whatever memories you have left of college." Also included is information about the tea's caffeine content, as well as how it contains L-Theanine to prolong energy and alertness. I'm no expert on tea packaging, but this stuff looks great. Zest Tea has done a great job of putting together a professional, unique, functional package, and I really can't find anything to complain about with it. 

Taste:

I was mostly excited to compare this tea's taste to the other Zest Tea flavor that I'd tried. You aren't supposed to completely boil water when making green tea, and you're also not supposed to steep the tea for as long. This definitely let me know that I was in for a difference between the two teas, although I was fully confident that this would be very drinkable. It was, in fact, very drinkable, as I found the Pomegranate Mojito flavor especially pleasant when I drank it in the morning. This tea also smells really good, both before and after making it. Besides pomegranate, it also has mint and lime flavors to mix together and create this tea's flavor. I can't pick-apart the taste like a true tea-drinker, but I can definitely say that it tastes goos. As with the other Zest Tea that I tried, this drink's taste was enjoyed by me, who is definitely not the type of person to typically be brewing cups of tea.

Energy:

 

Green tea doesn't contain as much caffeine as black tea, but this drink still contains 150 mg. of caffeine per cup. I drink a ton of energy drinks that contain a lot of "energy ingredients", but I generally consider caffeine to be one of the most, or the foremost, energizing ingredient out there. This tea doesn't disappoint in caffeine content or energy, as one cup was enough to wake me up and bring me my "morning energy" that I'm always looking for in the form of one energizing beverage or another. I was somewhat skeptical that these teas would work, but even if I didn't want them to, they definitely do and won't let you down in any way.

For tea, this stuff is great. I genuinely enjoyed the quality packaging, smooth, aromatic taste, and energy that delivered more than sufficiently. If you like tea, I promise that you'll love this. If you don't like tea, this drink could probably serve as one of the few exceptions out there. This may be, "The Energy Drink Resource", but I thought that this tea was great.

Zest Tea Apple Cinnamon Black Energy Tea Review

Name: Zest Tea Apple Cinnamon Black

Size: 1 Satchet

Caffeine content: 150 mg. per cup

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To be completely honest, I only drink tea on very, very rare occasions. In fact, trying this drink for a review actually led to one of my first attempts at making tea (I didn't burn my house down, at least.). I probably wouldn't try, or try to make, any regular-old tea on my own will, but this drink made for a very obvious exception. Zest Tea attempts to reward my efforts in making it, as it contains 150 mg. of caffeine per cup and completely destroys the idea that tea can't contain as much caffeine as coffee or energy drinks. Couple the impressive caffeine content with their interesting variety of flavors, and it's easy to see why I was excited to try this despite my lack of tea consumption on a regular basis.

Packaging:

 

On this website, I typically look for exciting 8 oz., 12 oz., and 16+ oz. energy drink cans that catch my eye and make for interesting reviews. Zest Tea comes in a tin with a screw-on lid as opposed to a can, but still meets my approval in all aspects of its design. Zest Tea brands itself with very professionally-packaged tea that's not only a far-cry from run-of-the-mill tea in terms of caffeine content, but in design as well. The tin states that the tea contains, "More caffeine per cup than any other tea brand", which is pretty awesome. Aside from caffeine, it also contains other antioxidants and amino acids (namely L- Theanine) to help with energy. It even features a small chart that compares the tea's caffeine content with regular black and green teas. A well-written description of the flavor, as well as a literally nice "feel" to the outside of the tin, are also provided on the tin that contains 20 Satchets, or pyramid-shaped teabags, per container. I don't drink a lot of tea, but this is a really nice design that I can see any tea-lover loving.

Taste:

 

Yep, this is Apple Cinnamon flavored black tea which, I believe, already contains more caffeine than green tea naturally. Unbrewed, it has an aromatic aroma that makes the tea tempting to try even if you don't like tea. It smells absolutely delicious, with hints of apple and cinnamon meeting your nostrils upon opening the tin. I steeped my first bag for around 4 1/2 minutes, which meets the tin's suggestion of 4-6 minutes. Upon taking a sip, I was very, very pleasantly surprised. I mean, it could be due to my master tea-making skills, but this stuff tasted good. It isn't bitter, and does, in fact, taste like apples and cinnamon. I don't typically like tea, but this was definitely the best tea that I've had. If I had to be extra-descriptive, I'd say that it's a nice year-round flavor that is just, all in all, really tasty.

Energy:

 

150 mg. of caffeine per cup is actually a pretty nice amount of caffeine. Several energy drinks contain a roughly similar amount of caffeine, but in a less-concentrated format. To make a long story short, you basically recieve a really nice amount of caffeine in a pretty small amount of liquid. I didn't doubt that this tea would provide energy, and in going from half-asleep while making this to wide-awake and energized after drinking it, I can say that I was right. The caffeine kicked in, and further proved my assumption that this stuff works.

If you like tea, give this stuff a try. Even if you don't like tea, I can still see liking this for its flavor that's way better than most other teas, and for its satisfying energy. Add professional, functional packaging, and Zest Tea's Apple Cinnamom Black is a welcome addition to the list of well-made energy products out there.

Neuro Fuel Mood Enhancement Energy Drink Review

Name: Neuro Fuel Mood Enhancement Formula

Size: 12 fl. oz.

Caffeine content: 127.5 mg. per can

Energy blend: Caffeine, Taurine, Guarana, B Vitamins

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I actually worked backwards in terms of trying Neuro Fuel's drinks in order of potency. I tried their Max variety before trying this, and was reasonably satisfied with its results in the design, taste, and energy categories. I returned to the same store that led to my original review, and picked up a can of Neuro Fuel's original variety for a review in hopes that it would be just as good, or even better, than their Max variety. In case you haven't noticed, this isn't directly marketed as an "energy drink". In my earlier review, I theorized that this is because this drink is "EBT Approved", meaning that you can purchase it with food stamps. Since you can't purchase "energy drinks" with food stamps, my theory is that a "Mood Enhancement Formula" can potentially avoid this rule. I have no idea how correct this is, but I can say that this is obviously supposed to be an energy drink, and that all energy drinks are technically "Mood Enhancement Formulas" to me, unless they're awful. I paid less than $2 for this drink, and was glad to have found it in the first place as only one store around me (that I know of) sells it.

Can/Design:

 

This drink's can doesn't differ very much from the Max variety of Neuro Fuel, aside from the fact that it's blue instead of black and doesn't say "Max" on the front of the can. The 12 oz. can shares the same size as most sodas out there, but the can is obviously thinner and is therefore "stretched out", appearing bigger. I found the size convenient, as I had to drive a short distance to get this, and in drinking it while driving elsewhere I was thankful that it was easier to hold in my lap than a regular 16 oz. energy drink. Any male with a driver's license probably knows the struggle/feeling of holding an ice-cold drink in your lap, but I didn't mind so much with this. The can doesn't look extremely high-budget. but gets the job done nicely and really gives the impression that Neuro Fuel at least tried to differentiate their product a little bit as opposed to copying another design and releasing it as their own. It's light blue, and shouldn't be very difficult to spot if there's a store around you that sells it. Again, the back of the can bears a statement about how nice this drink can potentially make you feel and it's overall vibe is that it does what it's intended to do in terms of design.

Taste:

 

My only complaint with the Max variety of Neuro Fuel was its vitamin-like aftertaste that was a bit off-putting. Aside from the aftertaste, I found the actual taste to be pretty good, and really enjoyable at the time because I was especially craving an energy drink. This drink's taste isn't exactly the same as the Max variety, but it's pretty close. It's a citrus-y energy drink flavor with hints of other fruits thrown in that mix together and make for a pretty tasty blend. The vitamin-like aftertaste was still there, but didn't seem as noticeable as in my other Neuro Fuel drink. There may be more vitamins in the Max variety, but I'm not totally sure and can definitely say that I still liked drinking this despite its aftertaste. It's not the, "Ugh, this is disgusting!" aftertaste, being, in my opinion, more of the, "This has kind of a weird aftertaste." kind of aftertaste. I, and you, won't ever say either of those phrases while drinking this, but you get my point.

 

Energy:

 

In terms of energy, or "Mood Enhancement", I was fairly certain that this drink would deliver as promised. It did, in fact, deliver a surprisingly potent boost in mood and energy that, for some reason, hit me fairly quickly and definitely lasted for a few hours. The "Mood Enhancement" that these drinks provide isn't a joke as far as a description goes. They really do work, and are a far-cry from energy drinks that make similar claims and do absolutely nothing whatsoever to prove themselves. I wasn't disappointed at all, and was happy to know that "Mood Enhancement" doesn't differ much from "energy".

I would probably recommend trying this drink if you can find it. As I said before, it's reasonably priced and doesn't feel like a waste of money. The aftertaste is the only downside, but, again, it isn't awful to the point that it makes the drink completely disgusting. All in all, I can safely say that Neuro Fuel is a solid brand with some nice, different products that are worth a try if they're what you're interested in.

Cannabis Mango Energy Drink Review

Name: Cannabis Mango

Size: 8.4 fl. oz.

Caffeine content: 80 mg. per can

Energy blend: Caffeine, Taurine, B Vitamins

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Another trip to Spencer's yielded just one, but yet another, interesting energy drink find. I recently reviewed Cannabis' original drink, and in my review blamed its lack of energy on its small size. However, I never thought that the drink was worthless, and looking back (to like a week ago), I can now say that I probably didn't give the drink the proper treatment in regards to energy. I found this drink right next to Cannibus' original flavor on one of the shelves at Spencer's, and immediately picked it up with the intention of drinking it the next morning. Much like how marijuana is constantly referenced in many forms of media as being ideal in the morning, I feel that the morning is definitely the ideal time to have an energy drink. So, I bought this, put it in my fridge, and went to sleep - thankful that the drink would chill overnight and that I wouldn't have to pretend that it was cold and ready-to-drink after 20 minutes.

Can/Design:

 

Cannabis' original can is, appropriately, green. This drink, however, is mango flavored and therefore utilizes an orange color scheme. I must admit, I really love these drink's designs. They're minimalistic, professional, and don't do enough to overdo the whole cannabis/hemp theme of the drink. Off-center on the top of the can is a small circle that states that this drink is "limited edition". I have no idea how long this drink's been available, or will be available, but hoped that it would taste good enough to make me hope that it wouldn't be discontinued any time soon.

Taste:

 

In case you're reading this and wondering when I'll make the reference: Yeah, this drink is by Cannibus and is mango flavored. According to potheads everywhere, mangos can, supposedly, "enhance" a marijuana high. This drink obviously won't get you stoned, but I found its choice of flavor amusing. It does, in fact, have a fresh, crisp, light mango flavor that is far from syrupy or disgusting, and I didn't find difficulty in drinking it at all. If you like the taste of fresh fruit, I totally recommend this. I personally couldn't find any complaints with the taste whatsoever.

Energy:

 

Having drank this in the morning, I was relatively confident that it would provide me with some energy. I was right, and the energy that this small drink provided was definitely what I had hoped for. It was far from too intense, and I would say that it generally provides the amount of energy that you would expect with a drink of its' size. Coupled with the flavor, the energy that this drink provided made for a pretty nice energy drink drinking experience.

View this drink as being as much of a novelty as you'd like, but I personally recommend it and definitely didn't regret trying it. I found my can near the back of my local Spencer's, within view of the other "stimulating" products that Spencer's is notorious for.

Red Rain Precipitation Energy Drink Review

Name: Red Rain Precipitation

Size: 16 fl. oz.

Caffeine content: 142 mg. per can
Energy blend: Caffeine, Taurine, Inositol, B Vitamins
Calories: 240 calories per can

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Yes, this drink is by Red Rain and the flavor is "Precipitation". If Red Rain, whatever that really is, comes in any form of nature other than precipitation, I've never seen it. My local Family Dollar had this, and another variety I hadn't tried yet, but was apparently missing their "Condensation" and "Evaporation" offerings. In all honesty though, I was happy to only pay $1 for an energy drink I'd never had before.

Can/Design:

 

In the world of Red Rain, precipitation is watermelon flavored. Therefore, the can features a primarily green color scheme that, I guess, is pretty appropriate since the outside of a watermelon is green. The design isn't that bad, but I have two complaints:

1. The font that "Precipitation" is written in is kind of mismatched with the rest of the can.

2. The nutritional info on the back of the can is in a solid white box. In my opinion, they should have used a nutritional info box that's see-through like most energy drinks do to keep up the consistency of the design.

But, the design isn't that bad overall. The green color is eye-catching, considering that it caught my eye and influenced me to buy it. The can promises, "MENTAL CLARITY & FOCUS" towards the bottom of the can, on the opposite end of the can from the blue pull-tab on top.

Taste:

 

As far as flavor, expect a gummy, thick, and completely drinkable watermelon flavor. It tastes like its filled with sugar, which is pretty nice. I personally didn't mind the flavor at all, but don't recommend it if you don't want to feel like you're basically drinking cavities. This drink is a classic example of a sugary,  sweet energy drink. But, it actually tasted pretty good to me and I liked it.

Energy:

 

Precipation rains upon its consumers a modest 142 mg. of caffeine per 16 oz. can. The only other energy ingredient that's included, and you're probably aware of, is Taurine, but the exact amount is unlisted. This drink definitely provided a lift in energy. As usual,  I didn't almost die and I also probably couldn't have taken a nap if I wanted to either.

For only $1, what do you expect?  Of course, there are a lot of $1 energy drinks that are a lot better, and worse, than this, but I wasn't really disappointed. Check out my flavor description, and if it sounds drinkable, put on your poncho and give this drink a try.

NOS Zero Energy Review

Name: NOS Zero

Size: 16 oz.

Caffeine content: 160 mg. per can
Calories: 0 calories per can

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When I had this drink, it had actually been quite a while since I’d had a NOS drink of any kind. I think I’ve had just about every drink that they make at least once, but don’t usually buy them due to the fact that I’m usually looking for something new to me or cheaper. NOS drinks aren’t very expensive, but my stinginess usually means that I have to look for something satisfying in the $1-$2 range. It only makes sense that NOS would make a “zero” drink, as their original drink is one of the most popular energy drinks of all time. I had high expectations for this, and was also hopeful that it would still be good and still provide the great energy that NOS drinks are known for. This drink is somewhat common, as I see it in about 50% of the stores around me that sell NOS.

Can/Design:
If you’re looking for this drink in your local store’s NOS cooler, keep your eyes open for the grey can. Grey wouldn’t be personal first choice for this drink, as it looks kind of bland and doesn’t do much, in my opinion, to make the drink still seem appealing despite being a “zero” drink. NOS’ line utilizes quite a few colors of the rainbow, but they could have used a color that they don’t already, such as yellow, as the primary color for this can. I’m no expert, though, and honestly didn’t find the design of this can very unappealing at all. It’s still very well put-together, and obviously features the same NOS design that has always been one of my favorites. As I said, just keep your eyes open for the grey can, and you should be able to find this. As this is a “zero” drink, I felt that the taste and energy that this drink would provide would be more important for a review than its can.

Taste:
NOS Zero is a lot like Monster’s Absolutely Zero in regards to taste. I mean, it obviously doesn’t taste like Monster Absolutely Zero, but the way that it compares to its original flavor is pretty much exactly the same. It’s very close to the original NOS, but has a slightly different aftertaste and naturally doesn’t taste quite the same as the original. Still, it was really satisfying and wasn’t hard to drink at all. If you enjoy NOS and decide to lose weight, I don’t think you’ll have a problem switching over to the taste of this drink as it’s still really, really tasty. For those that don’t know, NOS basically tastes like the ultimate citrus energy drink and if you don’t like strong, citrus flavor, don’t drink this.

Energy:
At the time that I reviewed the other NOS drinks that are on this website, their caffeine content had not yet changed to what it is now. NOS drinks used to contain 260 mg of caffeine per 16 oz. Now, however, they contain 160 mg of caffeine per 16 oz alongside the rest of the ingredients in NOS’ energy blend. NOS drinks were notorious for their great energy, but despite the change I still feel that 160 mg is a decent number. If they had decreased the amount to anything less than 140 mg though, I’d probably be disappointed. I was pretty sure that I’d receive energy from this, but was still somewhat disappointed that the caffeine content had shrunk. Nonetheless, despite containing no sugar, this drink still provided a nice energy buzz that really woke me up when I drank it in the evening. I had no complaints with the energy whatsoever, aside from it not being as strong as it once was. For a “zero” drink, this drink delivered a really nice energy buzz that was definitely on par with the normal NOS that I have also had since they decreased their caffeine content.

If you like NOS and are looking for a “zero” energy drink, you can’t go wrong with this. The difference in taste is pretty subtle, the energy is satisfying, and it’s a pretty nice drink in general. NOS Zero tastes good, fits in nicely with the rest of the NOS line, and is well-worth trying if it’s the type of the drink that you’re looking for!

Neuro Fuel Max Mood Enhancement Formula Energy Review

Name: Neuro Fuel Mood Enhancement Formula (Max variety)

Size: 12 oz.

Caffeine content: N/A
Calories: 90 calories per can

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Prior to buying this drink for a review, I was pretty sure that I'd seen it before, but disregarded it because it never directly stated that it was an energy drink. Upon further inspection, I utilized my common sense and inferred that this was, in fact, an energy drink and that is was well-worth reviewing. Neuro Fuel Max is technically a "Mood Enhancement Formula", and upon even further inspection of the can, I understood its unusual labeling. The top of this drink's can states that it's "EBT Approved", which basically means that you can purchase it with food stamps. Energy drinks, like alcohol and ornamental gourds, can't be purchased with food stamps. By calling this a "Mood Enhancement Formula", I'm pretty sure Neuro Fuel is avoiding this rule. Rather than with food stamps, I purchased this with a bunch of quarters that I had in my car and paid $1.38 for it, tax included.

Can/Design:
Neuro Fuel Max's can isn't anything special, but does what it's supposed to do. I like the all-black color scheme, as well as the information regarding how good Neuro Fuel Max can potentially make you feel on the back of the can. It doesn't look extremely high-budget, but for $1.38, I wasn't expecting anything unbelievably astounding in terms of a can design anyway. The 12 oz. size of the can is nice enough, and I was, all in all, pleased with the design of this can and didn't find it hard to look at during the 3 minutes that it took me consume this drink.

Taste:
I was definitely in the mood for an energy drink when I had this, and when I cracked it open, I was more than pleased with the scent of the drink. It has a tart, citrus smell and taste, and is pretty drinkable and tasty. It does, however, have a slight Flintstone's vitamin-like aftertaste that I didn't find extremely repulsive, but wished wasn't there. This drink essentially tasted good, but would have tasted better if there was no weird aftertaste to coat your mouth after drinking it. I think most people would like this, somewhat-strange aftertaste aside. As I said, I drank it quite quickly and the aftertaste, to me, was easily ignored alongside the delicious and satisfying taste of this drink.

Energy:
Another clue that this was an energy drink was found in the list of ingredients on the back of the can. It includes typical energy drink ingredients like caffeine, taurine, niacin, a lot of vitamins, and, obviously, was intended to provide a decent amount of energy. I was totally satisfied with the quick onset, satisfactory strength, and reasonable duration of the energizing effect that this drink provided. My mood was "enhanced", to say the least, and I can safely say that this drink fell far from flat.

I would say that this drink was well-worth the $1.38 that I paid for it. I wasn't really disappointed at all, and only found one flaw with the drink in the form of it's aftertaste. If you can find it, I totally recommend trying it out for something new, pretty tasty, and undoubtedly effective. If your mood could use some enhancing for under $2, give this drink a try.

Liquid Ice Red Energy Review

Name: Liquid Ice Energy (Red flavor)

Size: 8.3 oz

Caffeine content: 80 mg per can

Calories: 130 calories per can

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After trying Liquid Ice's blue drink, I had high hopes for their other offering that utilizes a red color scheme as opposed to blue. The possibility that there was another drink as delicious as the other Liquid Ice that I tried made me anticipate another satisfying surprise. "Red" and "Blue" aren't very descriptive names, but I think it's safe to say that most people would have a general flavor in mind for each color, as I did.

Can/Design:
This drink's can carries an identical design to it's blue counterpart, with red replacing blue as the background color for the entire can. The design is minimalistic, functional and, as I said before, led to me believe that the drink inside would be the primary selling point of this drink, rather than extremely fancy packaging.

Taste:
In my review of Liquid Ice's other drink, I briefly mentioned that Liquid Ice's drinks are marketed as mixers for alcohol as well as standalone enegy drinks. Knowing this, I initially wasn't very sure of what to expect out of these drinks as far as taste goes. Since they're recommended as mixers,  I had a feeling they would taste really good, but wasn't exactly sure what kind of flavor I was in for. Now, however, I can safely say that Liquid Ice's drinks both taste a lot like sweet, absolutely delicious, definition-of-good-candy, candy. The red variety has a "red" taste that I couldn't pinpoint to a particular fruit flavor, but it was absolutely delicious. I think the red variety is a perfect match for the blue variety, and see a slim chance of someone not liking the way this drinks tastes.

Energy:
This is an 8.3 oz energy drink, meaning that it's small in in size and therefore potentially small in energy. The entire can contains 80 mg of caffeine, plus a somewhat suprising 1000 mg of taurine. I'm no scientist, but I feel that "concentrating" an amount of taurine typically found in significantly larger energy drinks into 8.3 oz could possibly make for a pretty nice energizing effect. As a matter of fact, this drink actually did provide a nice amount of energy for it's size and, actually, in general. Both Liquid Ice drinks that I've tried were probably the strongest 8 oz energy drinks I've had in terms of energy. This drink will wake you up considerabely, and definitely surprised me for it's size.

Liquid Ice's drinks prove that looking outside of the box for good energy drinks can, occasionally, lead to some surprisingly good discoveries. I really, really enjoyed both varieties and highly recommend tracking some down and trying some out if you never have.

Monster Absolutely Zero Energy Review

The above image isn't the current design of this drink. The new design is black, purple, and relatively easy to locate. 

Name: Monster Energy (Absolutely Zero)

Size: 16 oz

Caffeine Content: 135 mg per can

Calories: 0 calories per can

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The idea of an energy drink that tastes great, provides great energy, and contains zero calories or sugar is a great idea that sounds pretty perfect amongst the sugar and calorie-filled energy drinks out there. The problem is, a drink like that is hard to make. Oftentimes, the end result is something that tastes good but is a lot different than the drink that it's the "zero" version of. Monster, in particular, is a great-tasting energy drink that would be amazing in a zero calorie, sugar free format that still had the classic Monster taste. Enter Absolutely Zero, Monster's drink that promotes itself as being just that.

Can/Design:
This actually isn't Monster's "original" zero drink, despite the can design that's different than the ones that Monster has been using for their newest drinks lately. After being redesigned, it's black, with purple being the particular color that's paired with black on this drink's can. It contains a somewhat interesting description and story about the drink on the back of the can and, all in all, looks good. It's cool that this is how their Absolutely Zero drink is designed, as it fits in nicely with other Monster varieties with similar designs.

Taste:
I would say that both the flavor and energy that this drink would provide were equally questionable and curiously anticipated. Upon opening the can, taking a sip, and thinking, "Wow, this tastes a lot like Monster! " I determined that this drink does, in fact, taste a lot like Monster. I've had far more than one can of this after trying it for the first time, and I can say that, to me, there are a couple of slight differences:

1. Absolutely Zero isn't as sweet as regular Monster. This is obviously due to the inclusion of articificial sweeteners and the lack of sugar, but takes away from the idea that it tastes just like regular Monster.

2. Absolutely Zero has a different aftertaste than regular Monster. It's not that noticeable, but coats your mouth with a predictable artificial taste.

All in all, I would say that this drink tastes 90% like regular Monster. It's far from undrinkable, and is a lot better than some other similar variants of energy drinks that I've tried before.

Energy:
In regards to energy, this drink is, as predicted, far from disappointing. It provides a perfect energy buzz that is pretty on par with Monster's original variety. I wouldn't recommend underestimating this drink, it obviously isn't overwhelming but is far from ineffective or disappointing. As an energy drink, it totally did what it was supposed to do.

I can usually find cans of this for anywhere between $2-$3 per can. It's a little expensive, but is worth a try if you're looking for a drink that's better than several other "zero" energy drinks out there.

Liquid Ice Blue Energy Review

Name: Liquid Ice Energy (Blue flavor)

Size: 8.3 oz

Caffeine content: 80 mg per can

Calories: 130 calories per can

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Something about this drink told me that it would be pretty good. Despite looking completely different than the more "mainstream" energy drinks out there, I didn't get the initial impression that it was just a generic, rip-off energy drink or anything. But, as an energy drink consumer, I personally prefer 16 oz cans as opposed to any smaller sizes. It's not that they're all-around better, but they tend to satisfy my energy drink cravings more than smaller drinks do. Nonetheless, I was pretty excited to crack this drink open and try it out. 

Can/Design:

This drink's can is obviously blue and, to me, gives off a "no-frills" kind of vibe. I personally like it, and it's safe to say that my initial impression was that the drink inside was the primary focus of what made this energy drink good. The design isn't bad at all, but I knew that the drink inside would, hopefully, be the primary selling-point of this can as opposed to flashy packaging drawing you in and letting you down. 

Taste:

I wish I could find an exciting adjective that doesn't sound really sarcastic to describe my first taste of this drink. To be brief, it was absolutely delicious and was honestly one of the best tasting energy drinks I've had in a while. It tastes exactly like blue candy, is easy-drinking,  and, again, made me wish that I had a bigger/absolutely humongous can. This drink is marketed, somewhat, as a mixer for alcohol and I could definitely see it being more enjoyable in a drink than other energy drinks out there. I really, really loved the flavor of this drink and would be willing to bet that most people would enjoy it. That is, of course, unless they somehow hate the taste of candy. 

Energy:

As far as energy, Liquid Ice's blue offering provides a small-but-perfectly acceptable 80 mg of caffeine per can. Also included is an impressive 1000 mg of Taurine,  which is a typical number for energy drinks that are double this drink's size. I actually did feel a really nice energizing effect from this drink and, coupled with the flavor, it made for a pretty satisfying drink for only being 8.3 oz.

By all means, if you can find this drink, give it a try. It was absolutely delicious, worked well, and made for a great addition to the list of energy drinks that I've tried. 

Gurrnaid Lemon Lime Vitamin Infused Energy Review

Name: Gurrnaid Vitamin Infused Energy Drink (Lemon Lime Flavored)

Size: 13.7 oz

Caffeine content: 125 mg per bottle

Calories: About 180 per bottle

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The 5th and final flavor from Gurrnaid that I decided to try was their Lemon Lime Flavored drink. Yet another interesting addition to their variety of flavors, I simply chose to drink it last because it was in the back row of Gurrnaid drinks that I had in my fridge. Every other Gurrnaid drink that I'd tried was, basically, really good. All of them featured a nice, smooth texture and smooth, non-bitter flavors that satisfied as their innovative, interesting bottles made them seem like they would. Lemon lime was another flavor that I didn't think I'd had in an energy drink, but since I like the flavor in other drinks I anticipated liking it and was excited to crack it open and try it.

Lemon Lime's bottle is similar to Gurrnaid's Pineapple Flavored Drink, color-wise. The green, yellow, white, black, and grey bottle looks entirely appropriate for a lemon lime drink and it's pretty bold and eye catching. In case you haven't realized it yet, Gurrnaid's packaging is totally unique. The resealable, grenade-shaped bottle looks great, works well, and helps differentiate the drink from other drinks on the market. "125 MG CAFFEINE PER BOTTLE" is, yet again, prominently featured on the label and it's pretty much really legit and well put-together. After drinking all of their flavors, I can safely say that I like all of Gurrnaid's designs. I give them credit for trying something new, rather than throwing a generic label on a clone drink and calling it a new energy drink.

When most people hear "lemon lime", the drink that probably comes to mind is Gatorade. Gatorade is what came to my mind as soon as I realized what flavor this was, but I was confident that it would taste different due to the completely different texture between Gatorade and the Gurrnaid drinks I'd had thus far. The flavor of this drink is unmistakeably lemon line. It leans more toward lime than lemon, and is, essentially, pretty tasty. Maybe I'm not very picky with energy drink flavors, but I thought this tasted pretty good.

As I've said, each Gurrnaid flavor features the same caffeine content/energy blend. Each drink, including this, provided a nice, adequate, energizing effect that was far from too intense while also being far from completely useless. The effects lasted for a few hours, and wore off with no unwanted side effects. To make a long story short, this drink worked.

I liked this drink. If you can find it, pick it up for the interesting bottle, highly drinkable flavor, and satisfying energy. If you dislike lemon lime flavors, check out one of the other Gurrnaid flavors that I've reviewed to find your personal preference in these refreshingly unique drinks.

Gurrnaid White Grape Vitamin Infused Energy Review

Name: Gurrnaid Vitamin Infused Energy Drink (White Grape Flavored)

Size: 13.7 oz

Caffeine content: 125 mg per bottle

Calories: About 180 per bottle

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In the vast selection of energy drinks available, white grape flavored drinks aren't very common. I've had a lot of grape flavored energy drinks, which are usually never exactly alike, and I usually like most of them. White grape, however, isn't a familar flavor in the form of an energy drink to me. I particularly like Gurrnaid's variety of different flavors, with their White Grape Flavored drink joining their Root Beer, Pink Grapefruit, Pineapple, and Lemon Lime Flavored drinks. White grape, like pineapple, was a flavor that I wasn't sure about, but obviously drank anyway.

Since this drink is White Grape Flavored, the bottle consists of an appropriate white and purple color scheme on top of Gurrnaid's creative bottle design. If you've read any of my other Gurrnaid reviews, you already know that I really like their bottle. It's well-designed and a step above the generic, plain energy drink designs that I encounter often. The color scheme does a nice job of selling the flavor, and it's, all in all, nice to look at.

As with Gurrnaid's Pineapple Flavored drink, I was sure that this drink would provide (spoiler alert) a nice lift in energy. However, I wasn't sure if I would like the flavor. Unsurprisingly, the drink's flavor was really good. White Grape is a lot like grape, and therefore if you like one, you'll probably like the other. I feel that this drink's flavor played especially well off of Gurrnaid's smooth, tasty, texture. Again, it didn't really feel like I was drinking an energy drink while trying this. It was definitely satisfying, and exactly what I hoped for.

As for energy, this drink unsurprisingly didn't disappoint. I drank this in the afternoon, and felt the same lift in energy and focus that the other Gurrnaid flavors provided. I can understand the way that this drink tastes leading to doubts of how energizing it really is, but I've drank several and can definitely say that they work. It's obviously nothing unbelievably energizing, but provides a great, satisfying, energizing effect.

I apologize if these Gurrnaid reviews are beginning to sound really redundant. The problem is, they're all really good.

Gurrnaid Pineapple Vitamin Infused Energy Review

Name: Gurrnaid Vitamin Infused Energy Drink ( Pineapple Flavored)

Size: 13.7 oz

Caffeine content: 125 mg per bottle

Calories: About 180 per bottle

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Like anyone that lies and says that they eat a lot of fruit, I love pineapples. Actually, I really do like pineapples despite not eating them very much. Pineapple flavored things, however, can actually be kind of hit-and-miss as far as taste goes. If you think of what a pineapple tastes like, then what energy drinks typically taste like, then you can understand that this is a pretty interesting flavor. A pineapple flavored energy drink could either be really good, or really bad. Based on the other Gurrnaid drinks I've had though, I had reasonable expectations.

This drink's particular resealable, grenade-shaped bottle is kind of reminiscent of their Root Beer Flavored drink, color-wise. The white, yellow, and green design is appropriate for a pineapple flavored drink, and I don't see any confusion happening between this drink and their Root Beer Flavored variety. Again, "125 MG CAFFEINE PER BOTTLE" is displayed conveniently on the bottle that is also very convenient in itself. This drink's particular color scheme doesn't really consist of any of my favorite colors, but looks pretty nice and I definitely like the design.

I initially felt that a pineapple flavored energy drink could taste good, while also being easy to get completely wrong at the same time. When I tried this, a tasty, sweet pineapple flavor was evident along with the smooth, easy-drinking texture that all of the Gurrnaid drinks that I've tried thus far have had. Pineapple may not be a flavor that's appealing to everyone, and if you hate it, don't drink this. Otherwise, I think it tasted pretty good. In all honesty, though, I probably wouldn't pick pineapple out of a variety of energy drink flavors to choose from.

Since this drink features the same caffeine content/energy blend as the other two Gurrnaid drinks I've had, I definitely expected the same, nice energy that I recieved from my other two bottles. I was right, and this particular flavor really gave me energy when I drank it early in the morning. Anyone that's ever had caffeine probably knows that the morning is one of the best times to drink it, and this drink definitely helped get me going for the day.