Rockstar Vanilla Light Latte

August 25, 2014, 2:47 pm

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Rockstar makes about as many different kinds of drinks as there are drink to be made.  They have had a Relax formula, a super sour one, punches and workout waters and about everything else you can think of - and almost all of them are fantastic hits or complete flops.

That is why it is no surprise that they also have their line of energy coffees, right there next to the Starbucks and Monster canned varieties.   The difference between this and the others you can find on the shelf is that

1. This is half the calories of other canned coffees
2. It is not nearly as overpoweringly sweet as the usual vanilla flavored coffees out there.
3. The caffeine is substantial, coming in at around 240 per can - plus other nutrients

This is a very good thing - if you are into drinking your coffee out of a can rather than a paper cup.   While I am not so very fond of their heavily caloric regular line (although they are also very tasty if a bit  syrupy) The light one is worth a try.

Packaging:7
The can is designed well enough - although it reminds me a whole lot of design schemes from the 80s   If you were looking for something to color coordinate with your Mac SE, this would totally be the thing.   I guess it is hard to come up with a good color combo that speaks of light vanilla, but overall it is still fine.  The lettering is easy to read and they remembered to print the caffeine on the can, as well as double face the name to make it easier for stockers to face the cans in convenience and grocery stores.

Taste:5
Of all the Rockstar coffee flavors, this one is definitely the one to get.  The other flavors are a bit too over the top in fake coffee flavoring and sugars - making it far too sweet and..glacky.   That isn't the case with the Vanilla Light, with jut enough sweetness and flavor to make it yummy without turning into a milkshake

But now I would not go thinking this tastes like real coffee - it still tastes as close to a good real cup of joe as one of those powdered espresso drink machines at convenience stores compared to a real cup of cappucino.   You know full well that when you get into this you are getting  coffee flavored beverage and not even close to a yummy big cup of fresh roasted coffee.   It's a hack, but a yummy one.  The stevia leaves a little bitterness and there is a little chalky aftertaste to it, but overall it ain't half bad.

Buzz:8
This is where things get interesting.  Usually coffee drinks are on the light side of nutrients, seeing as coffee doesn't have that much in the way of taurine and vitamin B and all that.   But, this is not a real coffee drink but one put out by Rockstar, so of course there is going to be a boatload of good stuff packed in here.

The sugar/sucralose/ace-k blend of sweeteners get this to only 70 calories per serving, compared to the 140 these drinks usually have. When you add in the 3g protein, all your vitamin Bs, sodium and potassium, 1000mg taurine, ginkgo, inositol, l-carritine, and Site pantrax ginseng extract, 20mg milk thistle extract - all good stuff.  My favorite part of the whole thing is the whopping 240mg of caffiene this drink has!   This one will definitely get you moving with a purpose and not feel like you just ate a pankake breakfast while you did it - as long as you don't mind your coffee drinks to not taste a whole lot like coffee.

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Casa Del Sol Iced Coffee

September 9, 2014, 6:46 pm

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Casa Del Sol Iced Coffee is possibly one of the worst canned coffee drinks I have ever had the displeasure of drinking, or at least the worst in the past 3 or 4 years.  From the expensive price for the little badly illustrated can to the taste of burned hell and chemicals, this is the worst way to get your caffeine fix in a liquor store I have seen.

I mention the liquor store because that is just about the only place you will see this - either as a freebie attached to a  Rumchata gift pack, or hidden away next to the sodas and mixers.   It is put out by a liquor import company in the midwest  ( the people behind the Chata line of drinks), and is about has about as close a connection to Spain as Vultaggio &Sons of Brooklyn have to do with Arizona Tea.

Packaging:3
Its a cheap illustration printed badly and cheaply on a thin 8 ounce can.  The design is muddled because of the crappy printing job, so you can not quite make out that it is supposed to be printed on a distressed yellow wall, cutting to a blue bottom for no apparent reason.   The only thing that makes this look even remotely spanish is the top of the can's cutaway Spanish-style roof and ridiculous stock illustration drawings of a town and a sun.  It is hard to make out exactly what is going on because of the cheap printing job, but you can read that this coffee has no sugar, only 10 calories and 100% arabica.

Besides the printing quality and the bad art, there are functional problems too.  They did not double face the can, the lid isn't fitted for the drink to face a certain way or is any way special to the drink, and the art flakes off easily from the can.   The only good thing is that they do print the caffeine content right in the ingredients list so it is easy to find.

Taste:1
The person who thought this drink was OK to be sold to the public for a price should be fired and find a different industry.   I can not believe there is not someone who had a hand in bringing this drink to market who tasted this and found it acceptable.  At what point is something like this OK?

By sugar free, they meant just that - a bunch of cold burned drip coffee served black.  I don't think there is much more to say about this other than its the worst canned coffee I have ever had in my entire life - and I have had some really scary bad coffee things in my past.  I guess this is mostly a throwaway attached to their rum drinks, or mixed so heavily that it is OK that it tastes so bad - because no one will ever taste it through all the alcohol.

If you are going to be brave and try this one out - I do advise you get Casa del Sol ice cold - it helps mask the acrid burned non-sweet baking soda flavored taste.

Buzz:5
Yes, for a small 8 ounce drink, the 120mg of caffeine is  nice thing.   Other than that,the only other ingredients in here are burned coffee and baking soda.   I am sure the baking soda was to add some shelf life, which on the one hand is good - because these are going to be going rotten on liquor store shelves, but also makes a bad tasting coffee even worse ( Arm & Hammer Lattes - don't recommend it).  Being just coffee and chemicals also keeps your calories to a minimum, but you would be better off getting a black coffee from a fresh pot of Folgers Crystals than you would opening a can of Casa del Sol.  

Ruckpack nutrition Shot

September 10, 2014, 6:50 pm

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Ruckpack is one of those energy drinks with a real mission.   It is created by veterans and they give at least 10 percent of profits to several charities, including the Wounded Warrior Project and the MARSOC Foundation.  More than just an energy shot, this was designed as a core wellness nutrition shot. Yes, they put energy all over the bottle, but that is a misnomer. Ruckpack gives you energy the same way a protein bar gives you energy - by supplying the body with a good dose of what it needs to function well, except the sweet sweet caffeine.

Packaging:9
Ruckpack is one of the few energy shots that have decided not to use the standard 5 hour energy bottle, and it is much better for it.  The unique shape gives this character, and it makes the whole product look more... ballistic. You can tell from the colors and logo that this is a serious energy shot made for serious American people - especially when enhanced by the army men and US flag and big callout for the US Special Operations Forces.

Functionally the bottle works too.  It is easy to read, great printing job, packaged neatly in the 5 Hour fashion of having the tear-off label and sealed lid.  It stores well, stacks well, and is all around appealing.  They do advertise in big yellow letters that there is no caffeine in the shot too - just in case you got confused and wanted a rush of energy from it.

Taste:3
I understand that this is loaded with vitamins and minerals and all this other good stuff, so they did not want to weigh this down with sweeteners and such, but they really could have worked on making this taste better. The closest way to describe the flavor is like a Centrum tablet crushed into powder and mixed with prune juice. It really is not pleasant.

The best way to drink this is ice cold.  I don't know if that really improved the flavor or it just makes it faster to get down past your tongue, but either way I would definitely suggest icing this for an hour before slugging down.  They also recommend mixing with cold water - but that is a really bad idea.  Unless you like watered down vitamin crushed prune juice, which in that case go for it.

The absolute best way to drink this is after strenuous exercise - like a big cardio workout or a run.  It still might taste bad, but the minerals and aminos and electrolytes taste to good going down that it does not matter how the flavor is, because it is like Manna from heaven.

Buzz:8
Ruckpack is the highest rated non-caffeinated energy supplement I have tried, and I have to say I am surprised. It does not even give you a burst of energy, but I still found the sustained power that you can get out of a bottle very interesting.

The ingredients list is interesting too. THere is A-GPC, Theobromine, MSM and a bunch of amino acids, which is a combo I have not seen before. On top of that there is a crapload of vitamins, including B complex, C, K and D. All of this with under 20 calories and sweetened with stevia.

It's like this: Sometimes when driving you need a big burst of speed to get you where you need to go - and you need to be able to maneuver past obstacles and have that immediate power. But there is a special kind of feeling when you drive a car that just had it's fluid changed and has a tank of ultra-premium gas - like your car is in peak optimal driving conditions. Ruckpack is like that premium gas. It wont get you moving in the morning or past that afternoon slump or do any of the awesome things we love with caffeine. However, once you are up and moving it can help restore you to optimal conditions.

Because of the lack of caffeine, I tried Ruckpack out in two other conditions, and both worked admirably. My son and I were needing something as a post-workout drink. I am in a grueling cardio routine in the mornings, and find that by the end I am wiped out and dehydrated. Ruckpack is amazing at almost immediately refueling me with electrolytes and good stuff to bring me right out of it (although a bit more caffeine in it would have accelerated the process). Ruckpack wins over all those sports drinks and recovery smoothies - hands down. I also found that on heavy coding days when my brain wants to turn off but I need to finish a bit of development I am working on, this gives me the focus to go further than if I just tried to muscle my way through.  Chasing this down with a Diet Mountain Dew provided a great way to both give me the caffeine charge, plus helps get the taste out of my mouth as well.

While I definitely would not recommend this as a replacement for your morning coffee or energy drink, Ruckpack surprised me by just how potent and beneficial a non-caffeine energy drink can be.

Caffeineland energy patches

November 12, 2014, 9:18 pm

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One of the remarkable things about caffeine is that it can easily get absorbed right through the skin, and never have to ass your lips in order to reach your bloodstream.  In fact, people who are very caffeine sensitive should not even handle pure caffeine, and wear gloves when cooking or preparing items containing it.   That is how caffeine works when it is added to soaps, shampoos, lip balms, and all those cool caffeinated products.

Caffeineland Energy Patches are using this to their advantage by creating patches, just like a nicotine patch, and slowly let you absorb caffeine slowly throughout the day.  You just stick them on your skin and there you have it.  I have tried caffeine patches before, but Caffeineland patches  actually work.

Packaging:8

The thing with this particular patch is that they are selling it as a discount product, something cheaper and more functional than others on the market  That also means they have a sparse package to them, going with basically a logo on a label, then placed in a bag.  I like the idea of going no-frills, as this pushes the functional element of the product over the uniqueness.   Their design says"Of course caffeine patches work - and this way you can have them cheaply too".  

In terms of function, this is very serviceable.  They last a long time, don't get stuck together, and there are more than enough in a package that you can wear a couple a day for a good couple weeks before needing more.   They are skin band-aid colored, so you don't need to explain what you are doing to anyone who might see you sporting one, and you can slip a couple into your pocket or wallet without fear of them getting sticky or gummy.

Buzz:8

If you are looking for a rush of energy from wearing a patch you are going to be very disappointed.  Because the caffeine in a patch does not need to go through that whole messy process of being processed in your stomach and can go more easily through the skin, you don't need nearly as much to get your dose of the good stuff.  Each patch only has 30 or so mg of caffeine in it - and this gets absorbed throughout the day, rather than in a big gulp.  This means that you will not get a blast of energy, but instead will feel a nice lift of overall energy for 5-6 hours.  I wore two of them for a couple weeks and the difference in the amount of energy I had was noticeable.  You just slap a couple eon the inside of your arm in the morning, and by noon you feel a bit more alive and perky.

The interesting thing is what happens when you mix this with your favorite caffeinated beverage.  even the more crash-prone energy drinks like the ones high in sugar no longer have the same caffeine crash.  You spend your day feeling more alive and awake, without getting any of that jittery high (although I do like my jittery highs).  I would steer clear of this if you are needing your morning caffeine fix or want something to get you through a drowsy period, but for just a nice little perk up for a good several hours, this is definitely a great way to go.  

If you cant find them in stores yet, they are also sold on their website: http://caffeineland.com/

Liquid Ice Energy Drink Revisited

December 13, 2014, 11:12 pm

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It has been many years since I was able to try Liquid Ice energy drinks.  I reviewed them back in 2008, and they were a me-too Red Bull wannabe that was endorsed by Ice T.   Well, that could not be further than the new grown-up version of Liquid Ice.  It might look similar, but this fully grown up an unique energy drink had me clamoring for more.  If Liquid Ice was near me in the local convenience store, I would be sorely tempted to go for one of these as opposed to the normal Rockstars or Monsters.

Liquid Ice comes in 3 flavors.  There is a Blue, White and Red flavor.  I know those are colors and not flavors, but also in the energy drink world, Blue is definitely a flavor.   For some reason they did not send along any of the white flavor, but I was able to enjoy both the Blue and the Red, and I have to say that I was very happily surprised with both of them.   Its nice to know that in the six years since I tried Liquid Ice, their flavors have improved this much!

Packaging:8
I love the lushness of the colors of these cans.  I know that is an odd thing to say, but they look so thick and glossy that I could have sworn this was a wrapped plastic can.  The color is laid down thick, and the design is one where even if the can gets knicked or slightly marred you would not be able to tell.  The design pops out with the colors and fonts, and it is all very easy to read and check out.

The only issue I have is that these are still coming in small 8 ounce containers - which consumers have really moved past.  Other than Red Bulls - which also come in 12 and 16 ounce containers, there are really not a whole lot of these tiny 8 ounce drink cans anymore.   I have read there are twelve ounce versions of these drinks out there somewhere - although like the white cans, thats not what I received.

Taste:9
Both the Blue and the Red flavors are really something.  I expected the blue to taste like blue raspberries, as all blue candied substances usually are.   Surprisingly that is not the case.   When you first open the can, you get a whiff of something sour, but also fruity- not a normal smell.  It also does not look normal - pouring out a nice vibrant blue color.  It tastes a whole lot like candied fruity deliciousness - maybe berry and maybe citrus - I can't tell.  What I can tell is that it is super tasty, and I would easily drink through a whole box of them if they were sitting around.

The Red flavor is red flavored, like a fruit punch or some sort of berry.  It is different than the blue, but is also a very hard to distinguish flavor profile.  While I did not like this as much as the blue, the red is an equally impressive flavor.  While I would not say this tastes natural or healthy, hey did a great job making a unique energy drink taste that stands out from the pack.

Buzz:6
The buzz in a small eight ounce can is about what you would expect.  There is 80mg of caffeine in the can - which is very standard for this kind of drink.  There is also the usual overload of B vitamins, taurine and inositol, and both clock in at 130 calories for the small can.   The one interesting ingredient is the addition of coQ-10, which is great for increasing brain function.  For a straight on energy drink this is just about what you would want to see.  I would love to see them kick this up a notch, although they get an extra point from last time for dumping their push of caffeine over guarana angle.

Overall if I found these in a bigger can, less calories or with a stronger formulation I would not hesitate picking up a few cans and enjoying that delicious flavor again!

Go Energy Gummies

December 29, 2014, 8:09 am

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Energy Gummies are not new.  That being said - that does not mean they aren't  brilliant idea.  In this case these little sugar coated gooey bits of blueberry deliciousness are just perfect for just about every situation.   They are hard enough to not get melted in the pocket, yummy enough to be eaten just about any time, and has enough of a boost to make it all worthwhile.  The packaging still leaves a little something to be desired - but don't let that fool you.  If you are lucky enough to see these around your local gas station I would not hesitate stocking up.

Packaging:6
Go really needs to work on their design.   The actual package for the gummies is great - they come in these little blister packs that have enough air in them to keep the treats from getting gooey and sticking to the side.  I is also foil wrapped, so leaving them out in the sun wont get them to melting temps as quickly.  Functionally it also did well, listing the caffeine content as well as all the other ingredients in a nice easy to read fashion.

Unfortunately, the actual design is a mess.  Part of this problem come from the logo - which makes the whole thing look a little cheap and sketchy and he choice of the non-color scheme ( the package is basically a 2 color process, just blue and white).  t is hard enough getting a good design to print on a foil wrap , and it is even harder when it is left on the naked uncolored foil.  Unfortunately, this design was a total miss.  There is supposedly two servings in a pack too ( as there are two gummies), but it is nearly impossible to save one until later - as the package doe not fold or close easily.  Like 16 ounce 2 serving drinks, you aren't fooling anybody.  Having half his gummy package is like drinking half a Monster - its not going to happen.


Taste:8
As I mentioned in my review of Loud Truck Gummies,  gummy treats usually don't provide quite enough sweetness or gooeyness for me to really enjoy.  They are one of only two things in the world I can not really get into (the second are Twizzlers and other big corporate made licorice treats).  Go Gummies are a million times better than your average convenience store gummy worm - reminding me much more of those fruit slice gummies - sweet and tart, and then the coating of sugar puts it over the top in terms of flavor.  Go did a fantastic job coming up with a unique taste.

My only critique is that there is quite a lot of underlying bitter medicinal flavor once the sugar coating is gone.   For a quick bit you can not really taste it, but if you savor the flavor you can really taste the bitterness.  A coworker (read guinea pig) thought it started great but ended up like cough medicine the more he sucked it.  The problem is all the vitamin B - as it is a very bitter medicinal flavor and without the sugar coating to mask it you can definitely be overwhelmed by the harshness.

Buzz:9
Go Gummies are a great way to get yourself a bit more alert - quick and easy with no mess or spilling possible.  There are two gummies inside of the package, each containing 100mg of caffeine.  Basically, both gummies will give you a very nice 200mg boost - about the same amount you would find in two cups of coffee - or a bit more juice than you would get in a Monster.  Besides the caffeine, Go has a few other nice energy standards,  such as taurine (100MG),  Carnitine (25mg) some vitamin b complex and even a decent amount of vitamin C to boot.

The other ingredients are about what you would expect - the sweetener is glucose and sugar, and the calorie count is very low as well.   I can see his working great for long road trips, taking on hikes, and other times a can would be annoying, not to mention dealing with all that sloshing around inside you. If you are a fan of the gummy food group and need a nice buzz along with your candy, this is a great gummy to try.

X-Mode Energy Shot Tower

January 14, 2015, 12:50 am

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X-Mode and Possessedbycaffeine.com is running a contest to get your own 100 shot Tower of Power, along with other gifts.  Click here to enter! 

 I Love brilliant dangerous ideas.   Like Lawn Darts and Pogo Sticks with wheels on the bottom, X-Mode energy is a whole heck of a lot of fun, as long as you don't let stupid or accident prone people near it.  X-mode is a delicious super potent energy shot, but it comes in a box - like boxed wine - and is served through an easy pour spout.   For adults and people with common sense, this is truly a boon.  You can pour as little or as much of the powerful elixir as you want, without wasting.  It is also economical, giving you much more bang for your buck.  Just remember to go easy - as X-mode is strong enough not to be taken lightly.

On tap energy shots - its a great idea.  I have only seen this once before, and that was with Kymera Freakish Energy, a product which has sadly been discontinued.   There are 100 1-ounce servings in a box, and it works just like wine-in-a-box does, with a little pull out spout that you can measure out your dosage.  I gave this a try at home, at work and at the gym, and in all instances I am a big fan!

Packaging: 10
The box itself is very clean and professional.  The printing is all nicely laid out - as well as all the numerous warnings to not be stupid and try to drink an 8 ounce glass, mix with alcohol ( only if you are a semi-professional, like me) or give to kids and people who shouldn't drink caffeine. After pulling out the spout from the box, you also find two cool prescription bottles to help you measure the correct dosing.  The side of the package as well as the little bottles have all you need to know about your drink, including all the nutrients in exact amounts as well as the caffeine content.  Besides listing the website, they even go to listing a phone number in case you have any more questions about it.  All in all the whole presentation is top notch.

Taste:9
When you are dealing with 100 energy shots, if they tasted gross this would be a big problem.   I have seen it many times where energy shot manufacturers make their shot flavor taste medicinal on purpose, in the hopes that it would make the product seem more like a powerful medicine than an easy-on-the-palate drink.  Fortunately for everyone, X-Mode tastes really nice - managing to hide most of the bitter caffeine and B Vitamin flavor in a thick candy coating that seems a touch cloying, but overall easy to drink.   The flavor reminds me of cherry cough syrup, only without the alcoholic bite and less syrupy.  X-Mode comes in just a cherry flavor, at least for now, which works as a flavor.
While this is not the best energy shot I have had, I would say that the flavor definitely ranks in the top 5 of all time.

Buzz:10
What more can I say - other than X Mode is a beast!  In each 1 ounce serving (FYI, 5 hour energy shots come in 2 ounce servings) there is 150mg of the our favorite drug, along with a bunch of vitamin B complex, taurine, and some other cool stuff like Citrulline Malate (an amino acid which delays the onset of fatigue during workouts), and L-Tyrosine (another amino that helps reduce stress and enhance memory tasks).  X-Mode is liquid power of the old school energy drink variety.   I would recommend starting of slowly and see how you handle the effects.

I started the box off with a week of trips to the gym, and the effect there was very impressive.   I get to the gym at a little before 6am, so just getting out the door on a cold day is a challenge.   about 10 minutes after a shot of X Mode was all I needed to get the energy to do a great workout.  Also, all my workouts improved just a little - to the point I can not run a 10K (personal 2014 goal DONE!).  It also worked well in the afternoon, when work drags on and I needed a bit of boost to get me through the rest of the day.

I did break with the directions though.  I am a big fan of ADULTS (meaning people with a lick of sense - regardless of age) having the option of caffeinated alcohol - and have enjoyed many types of drinks, from old cans of Joose to super-caffeinated coffee porters.  So in that spirit, on a snowy weekend I did mix it with a vodka, tonic water and a splash of lime juice to  create the most delicious Cherry Vodka Tonic - it was more potent and delicious as any Red Bull and Vodka combo.   Not only was it delicious, but I really loved being able to drink one and still feel energized enough to get things done around the house.  I had a couple throughout the day and managed to keep buzzed an happy for hours.

You can find about how to get hold of the product on their website: http://www.xmshot.com

Kaffn8 pure liquid caffeine

March 18, 2015, 4:15 am

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I have tried a good number of caffeine boosters - liquid or powders that you add to your drink or food of choice and turn regular food into Energy Food, being able to caffeine everything from your morning orange juice to your pizza.   Kaffn8 is a decent version of this kind of caffeine concentrate - where you just pour a little in your morning meal for that little bit of oomph you need.

The big difference between Kaffn8 and the others is that it makes it easy to be sure that you are getting the correct dose with a very handy bottle - able to meter out doses at your specified level.   Other energy liquids come in a big bottle or in squirt containers - this is in a very unique squeeze bottle that takes out all the guesswork.  

Packaging:8   Design:2

Normally I combine these into one score, as the design of the thing helps sell the package.   But, in this case, the design is so amateur it seriously detracts from the great bottle.

The closest thing I can get to describing the bottle is the double chambered clear squeeze bottle looks industrial in nature.   I have no idea how you would make or even dream up something like this.   I don't know if other industries use bottles like these, but I know I have never seen something this ingenious to measure out energy supplements.  The idea is it works like a bong.  There are two caps - one for filling and the other for pouring.   You open the pour side and squeeze the liquid from the main chamber to the measuring chamber, stop when it reaches your level of potency and then pour into your drink.  It works brilliantly - a no-muss no-fuss way to get your energy.

he problems is that Kaffn8 looks like industrial floor cleaner packaging, making the whole product seem a whole lot sketchier than is needed.  IT looks like the label design was doe in Microsoft paint, or a similar program.  It lacks and professionalism, which made no one in the office - even my more seasoned guinea pigs - from giving it a try.   Only one brave soul gave it a go.  He loved the product, but could not get over how much he felt like he was adding car additives or something poisonous.  Rather than instill the used with confidence in the product, the amateur label design nearly did the product in.

Taste:7

When you are talking of a caffeine liquid, usually the taste does you in too - but not in the case of Kaffn8.  No, it does not taste very good by itself, but the bitter caffeine flavor is masked very easily - hidden without any flavor a all in a glass of orange juice, Snapple Punched, a Mountain Dew, warm peanut butter, and even in a morning omelette.  While I could certainly taste the caffeine in certain drinks, it was not really a bad flavor - just a little chalky.  

I understand the reason for keeping flavor masks out of this - as Kaffn8 is really all about the caffeine, having nothing but caffeine and water included.   However, that leaves the masking of the flavor up to you.   Adding a shot in some lemonade is perfect, but it a glass of hot tea it's revolting.   As long as you do OK on adding a little sourness to your food items, Kaffn8 is a really cool product.

Buzz:8

Of course one of the coolest things about Kaffn8 is that you can measure just how much caffeine you want, and they make the measuring so very easy.  The pour spout has 2 markings, depending on your power level.  You can easily measure out to the 75mg mark or the 150mg mark, and the buzz you get from it comes on fast, depending on what you add it to.  I have found that some mornings, I need the shot of caffeine so much that I just swig straight from the bottle - downing a 150mg shot in one swallow, and feel the buzz within fifteen minutes or so.  Now if you add it to your Caramel Caribou Ice cream it'll take longer for the caffeine to be absorbed, but that is the price you pay for extra caffeinated ice cream.

Overall, I think the only thing that would keep this product from having a big impact is the packaging.   The actual bottle is so cool - I wish there was a better job making it look as cool as the bottle itself is.  The flavor is not bad by itself and is very mixable, and the mixture is potent enough to give you that boost you need.   With a little work, this can be one stellar alternative to your morning drink - being able to caffeinated anything you desire easily and with minimal flavor impact.

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Good Morning Pills and GMP Turbo

April 2, 2015, 5:32 am

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I have a thing with pills that wake me up.   My problem is simple - I like to drink my coffee in the morning, or grab an energy drink on my way out the door.   But, there are those mornings that that is not enough, or there just isn't time to take care of all the steps involved.  that is where Good Morning Pills come in.  These little beauties do the job well, and within a half hour can leave you perky, happy and ready to go.

Energy pills have a long way to go to be accepted.   Almost everyone puts energy in pill form into the No-Doz category, equating an energy pill with those long nights in college or high school popping those powerful but horrid-tasting yellow pills to stay awake until late into the night.  That's not the case here, where Good Morning pills are a brilliant and taste-free way to start off the day.

I found these pills are much better than just something to get you moving in the morning, but a fantastic way to keep your energy up when there is no real room for downing energy drinks.  Pills are more portable, have less mess, and don't leave you burping when you have a day of meetings and social stuff.  It's nice to just pop a pill and be able to keep going - bouncing throughout your day.  I have tried many energy pills over the years, and I would pick up a GMP pill before any of them.

Packaging:9

GMP come in two formulas, both a regular strength and a Turbo combination, both coming in a little easy to swallow gelatin capsule.  Both have similar labels, except the turbo has a little happy pill in front who is showing his muscles.  I really lim how professional these pills are - looking a whole lot more like your everyday vitamin supplement than your stereotypical energy pills.  I appreciate how clan and straightforward the bottles are, and they even list he caffeine content in the nutritional data.

The pills them selves come in unique colors.  Rather than the standard white or off-white gel packs, these are either bright yellow (so yellow its actually a little alarming) and the Turbo is black and red - which looks even more dangerous that the bright yellow ones.

Buzz: GMP  - Regular Formula: 8                  GMP Turbo:10

The regular Good morning pill is a nice dose of all the things you would expect - a nice pile of caffeine, plus your daily needs of vitamin C and B.    On top of that they also provide you with L-Carnitine, which we normally see packed in energy drinks.   The caffeine does not hit you like a buzz, but it sorta sneaks up on you.   On moment you are tired and draggy, and about half an hour later you are much less so.  There is no real crash either - just a slow build to a nice awake feeling, and then a tapering off four or five hours later. 

Things are not so subtle with the GMP Turbo bill.   These are for the more experience caffeine fiend - one that needs more than a light boost in the morning.  GMP turbo does not f*ck around, getting you pumped within 20 minutes of popping down your throat.  Turbo also has the L-Carnitine, Vitamin B and Vitamin C blend in it,  but it ups the caffeine content from 130mg to a healthy 200mg dose.   200mg is not so much as to be crazy, but enough to feel the buzz.  Taking a pill around 3, or right after a big lunch is a great way to counteract the mid-afternoon slump.

Rockstar Lime Freeze

December 13, 2015, 7:01 am

≪ Previous: Good Morning Pills and GMP Turbo

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Slurpees are just about the best drink in the world.  Unfortunately, there was only one time that an energy drink ever made its way into an official Slurpee, the infamous Monster Black Ice - which was amazingly delicious but had the side effect of turning your stool green. If there were one Rockstar that would work best in a Slurpee, this would be the best choice - hopefully without the same unfortunate effects.

 Lime Freeze Energy reminds me a whole lot of a Sour Patch Kids Lime Slurpee - especially if you freeze it a little before you drink it so there is those ice crystals forming.  Careful though - if you forget about it in there you'll end up with an exploded lime green frozen mess on your hands.

Packaging:8
Overall Rockstar does right when it comes to packaging.  The label is not on there twice, but their logo is, and wraps around nearly 70% of the can.  So, even though the cap is not on to adequately present the logo when drinking, it is easy enough for the name of the drink to be visible and for stockers of grocery shelves to not get pissed and have to face all those cans with the logo pointing out. The layout is nice enough, although I am not sure I get why a lime freeze drink is written in blocky stencils, and why Freeze = Lightning.  Does something about limes make people think of military-esque lightning vortexes?  Still, its green and easy to read, so for that it works.

Functionally, it works too.  They clearly list all the ingredients, including caffeine (twice), and have all you would ever need to know about the drink.  The only thing I don't see on it is the new self-imposed calorie count tab you find on the bottoms of most corporate soft drinks now.  Could be that they are not hip to it, but at the 280 calories a can it would make sense why they would hide it.


Taste:8
I was imagining from the can that this would be another great drink mixer of the Pina Colada variety.  I was pleasantly mistaken, and was greeted with a nice lime-popsicle treat.  I definitely tasted more of a light mint flavor than a real lime, but this is a good thing too.  I could see knocking an ice-cold one of these back on a hot day and feeling so fine.  There is a definite sour note, but the sour is more of a candy-sour and less of a real pucker inducing harsh sour.

I am not sure what makes this a "Freeze" drink - maybe you are supposed to have it iced?  I can say that this drink definitely gets better when Ice Cold.  I tried one warm and it was a baaaaad move.  Either ice it up, or don't have it at all.


Buzz/Nutrition:7
With so much going on for it, its too bad there is a literal crap-ton of sugar in here (60 grams per can) as well as over 280 (!!) calories in the can too.  So, if you have a hard time feeling energized from the caffeine, the sugar overload should do the trick too.  Of course all that sugar leads to a big 'ol crash too, especially with the smaller 160mg caffeine dose to keep you humming.

It has all the standard nutritive Rockstar amounts too.  2 grams of taurine, 2000mg Taurine, 100mg Glucuronolactone, some Inositol, Milk Thistle Extract, Ginseng - and gets part of the caffeine from guarana as well as the more standard anhydrous variety.