totally addicted to caffeine and energy drinks. Packaging, buzz and nutrition reviews

Monster Energy comes out with more flavors than Jelly Belly has combinations, so I have learned to get more picky with the flavors I choose.Monster Energy Extra Strength Black Ice looked diffenernt than their others, as it mixes their whole Nitrous gimmick with a proven winner of a flavor, not to mention the promise of a stringer kick than Monsters usually have.

I have had their Black Ice formula before, only as a Slurpee drink that had a tendency to turn your poo green. Not that I did a whole lot of checking, but I don't believe that is the problem anymore. This is a very nice energy drink, although it was a more harsh than I expected, and not nearly as high octane as I hoped. I was also a little excited to try the new Monster line of Nitrous drinks - as sucking the Nitrous Oxide is definitely the best part of whipped cream.

Packaging:6
Monster has been stepping up their packaging design in the past few products, going for much more grungy than they used to. In this case, the design really works, giving the whole product a dirtier, more intense look and feel than previously. they accomplished this while still having a very readable and accessible design on top. They also used the Jolt Cola creation of that awesome Rexam resealable lid, perfect for holding all those extra bubbles from the nitrous.

Of course, they still do the dumb paragraph comparing this drink to an X-Games After Party, and trying out their “Ice Luge”. "In homage to this fiendish brain chillin abomination we created Monster Black Ice." Yeah - extra points off for using the word Chillin, not to mention the lack of caffeine information.

Taste:7
The first thing I did when opening is give out a yelp, as the can POOFed open andstarted foaming out of the can. While I do appreciate the sealable cans these come in, The fwoomp every time I opened the can took some getting used to. This sound is because of the Nitrous, which to my dismay has absolutely nothing to do with Nitrous Oxide. Nitrogenated water is carbonated water to which nitrogen is added to give it more of a fizz. They also do this same thing with beer to give it a larger head. So basically, all nitrogenating the will just give you more bubbles, make the drink foam out the top and make your drink lid pop.

Besides the fizziness, the drink tasted just fine. It is more harsh and certainly more concentrated, giving off the strong flavor of berries and citrus. Really, if you just concentrated the regular flavor of Monster to the point it got almost too harsh, you would get the flavor profile. I did like it, but I can certainly see how this is not for everyone.

Buzz: 7
They manage to pull this off with no sugars or carbs, which I appreciate too. Instead, they use a blend of the usual Ace K, Sucralose and Maltodextrin, and introduces to the energy market a brand new awesome sweetener called Erythritol! Erythritol is like other sugar alcohols, except that it has the least impact on blood sugar, and is easier to digest and convert into energy, all while having almost zero calories, carbs, and glycemic index. All in all Monster black ice was brilliant for adding it to their ingredients.

I also found some other odd ingredients in there, like whey protein and of course the nitrogenated water.
Taurine, Ginseng, L-Carnitine, Inositol, Glucuronolactone, and your daily energy drink overdose of vitamin Bs.

In terms of energy, this was a let down. If I knew going into this it was going to be a light monster drink, I probably would not have been disappointed. This wasn't extra strength, or even full strength. While I got almost a standard Monster amount of energy, I would have loved something stronger than their usual buzz. While they don't list the caffeine anywhere, my guess is this would have something slightly less than a 16 ounce's worth of sweet sweet caffeine fueling things.

Caffeinaholic.net
Edjunkie.com
Energy Drink Ratings
energyfiend.com
energyheaven.blogspot.com

I appreciate the straightforward name with this one, as there is no guessing what Amp Energy with Green Tea will taste like - Amp energy drink and Green tea. It does not have to taste like Amp and Overdrive, Amp and Lightning, Traction or Amp and Overdrive. Why is their Lightning flavor lemonade? Why is Overdrive not taste like burned engine? This is just Amp's style - naming things weird. Maybe this straightforwardness was the reason they discontinued it - that it would have done better if they named it something cool like Amp Reptile - or maybe even dragon (after enough staring at the design you can make it out). Dragon or Reptile would have commanded attention and might have given it longer shelf space. It would also have their packaging make a bit more sense.

Packaging.8
For some inexplicable reason they covered this with what looks to be a little scales. I am guessing they thouht this cheezy dragon look makes you think of the Far East, but it fails pretty hard. It is a pretty can, but it just makes no sense. In terms of functionality, there is quite a lot of good going on. They double face the name, list the caffeine and other energy ingredients, and have everything printed clearly. I like how they concentrate on the ingredients selling the can, and not the stupid Monster-like XTREME paragraph that their 50 year olds in their marketing team came up with.

Taste:7
Green ea energy drinks can be a very very risky. Sometimes, the green tea shines through like a superstar, like in the case of Slap's green tea energy drink. However, it is also easy to ge it wrong and end up with some evil concoction like Hansens natural pomegranate tea (shudder). Amp's version turns out to be fair, like you would expect a green tea and an amp to taste like together. there are no surprises, and the flavors o compliment each other, but I was not blown away by the flavor. The tartness of the green tea powder was a little harsh and overpowering, but the citrus from the amp balances it out and makes the finish enjoyable - and the aftertaste sweet and pleasant. Don't expect amazing flavors from Amp Green Tea, but it is a decent flavor if you need green tea fix.

Buzz:6
The buzz found in Amps have always been a bit on the low side; not by a whole lot, but Amp is usually around 140-150mg of caffeine compared to the 156mg of caffeine found in here. WHen you add in the extra little life from the guarana, there is enough energy in here to provide a Monster or Red Bull's amount of power.

They also pack in a nice boost of other energy enhancing ingredients, like beta-alanine, taurine, ginseng and Vitamin B6. If you are hoping for an out of this world boost, I would find something else on the shelf, but if you are just looking for something tasty to get you over your afternoon slump this will work too.

I just got myself my own Possessed by Caffeine energy drink. Yes, it is a limited edition ( 1 box) but I love it so much. Drink Ink is the lovely people who made this for me, a company who specialized in private label energy drinks. Sure, private label energy drinks have been around for ever and ever. A few companies have used shrink labels to churn out whole product lines - like Boston America, the ones behind Booty Sweat, Slurm, and Invader Zim's Doom Juice. But, there are a couple things that really make Drink Ink special.

They have no minium orders. That means that you could literally buy just one box of 24 drinks! Not to mention, they still process the drinks in a short time and it looks decent too. For those who are freaks and don't want the caffeine, they also do sodas too, but why bother with soda when you can get your Very Own Energy Drink! I know the thought of a Possessed By Caffeine energy drink filled me with glee. In case you wanted to make your own box or two of energy drinks, you can get to them at www.thedrinkink.com.

Packaging:10
Enough glee, as a matter of fact, to spend over a couple dozen hours designing what my drink would look like. When I contacted them for a sample, they told me they could send me some with my own design - and the process was super simple. They just sent me a template, and I spent forever tweaking my PERFECT ENERGY DRINK DESIGN for this slim 8 ounce can.

The cool things about this package is that the label is very thick and high quality. Sure, you can peel it off, but it is not that easy, and it strong enough that it doesn't shred at a moment's notice. Also, the print is AWESOME! My design is, obviously, very complicated and intricate. It is full of skulls and eyeballs and crackling bits of falling wallpaper, and the label captured it all perfectly and in every detail.

The only thing I would change is that I needed to email them and find out how much caffeine there was to add it to my label. That means that most times that info is not on their cans, as it is not listed in their nutritional information. I am sure this is one of those things that people get asked alot with their drinks, and it is an important thing to know. Info like how much caffeine should be standard, not something you need to call to find out.

Taste:8
Of course, the standard flavor they have is Red Bull Clone. If I just got a couple cases of energy drink for a Bar Mitzvah ( Hey - you know it happens... my eldest son had his Bar Mitzvah drinks thanks to ZizzZazz energy drink mix), I imagine every one of my guests drinking it would want it to taste like Red Bull Clone. They do make it in other flavors too, but you need to buy enough from them to make it worth your while. I am not sure how much you need to buy before you get your unique flavor, but seeing as yummy as this close was, I'll bet you are in good hands.

This was one of the better clones I have tasted, albeit it is a little cloyingly sweet. I would love it if they dumped the HFCS in here for cane sugar or something that is not quite as heavy, but it is still full of that berry/citrus/apple juice flavor we have all come to love so much.

Buzz:5
They did not list any of how much energy ingredients in here there are, most likely to conserve real estate for the design. Still, a couple lines about Taurine content, Caffeine, Glucurolactone, and inositol would be nice. They did list the 250%RDA of Vitamin B they have, but I would love to know what else I was consuming. Drink Ink also said that they would be happy to tweak the ingredients if you order a large enough amount too - ad this is just their normal baseline blend.

It dies provide a bit of a buzz - depending on how many of them you drink. The little 8 ounce can really id not give me much of a buzz - and I enjoy mine WAY too much to drink a whole lot of them. Most of the people I gave them to are keeping theirs unopened too - and we all just split one to see what it tasted like. After looking at how much this drink has the taste profile of Red Bull, and only has 75mg of caffeine, it would be a safe bet to just compare this to a small Red Bull too.

If there could be one energy shot which can actually take on the juggernaut of 5 hour energy, it would be Worx, an energy shot which seems to be coming on strong in all the major places where 5 Hour energy used to be commonplace. Worx is in the supermarkets, in the convenience stores - just about all the places I go to try and find anything caffeinated. While media and product saturation are a great way to get yourself in the public eye, I was wondering what type of marketing and money must be behind this brand to push it this far. Even though it does not say it on the label, it becomes pretty apparent that Hansens, the people behind Monster and one of the highest grossing energy drink companies around are the ones manipulating this to be so consistently placed in every location where you would find energy shots, fror the local drug store to the mom-and-pop gas station down the street.

Just because Hansens name is on it does not guarantee it's success. For every Monster Dub energy drink there is a Joker energy drink; for every Hansen's Natural, there is a Hansens Energade. But what having that moniker means is that they have the muscle to get on the shelves like no other. Afer giving the original shot a go, I hope they will be around for a while longer too.

Packaging:7
The trick after getting to that coveted spot next to the register s being able to sell it, and Worx does a decent job packaging this shot. The benefit of Worx's generic bottle is also its problem. The blue and white design is both generic but still looks energetic and bright. This is a product that appeals to no specific market, which can work to Worx advantage, or miss the mark. Overall I did not mind the design, although I would not pick this up for the package it comes in. Like 5 Hour energy, it is purely function over form. The one thing which is a big improvement over 5 hour is they enlarged the opening in the bottle, so you can slam it much easier.

The problems are the same as 5 hour and Monster- not releasing a full disclosure of energy ingredients. Instead the add that "cup of coffee" nonsense that means absolutely nothing. Instead, I have instructions on how to drink an energy drink. Um, I think i got it. Open bottle, pour into face hole, consume. And call me Abe Lincoln, ut I think NOT disclosing tht they at a Monster in a different for might be something we consumers would like to know.

Taste:5
work does not taste bad, but that does not mean it tastes good. Seeing as it is going after 5 Hour Energy, it is not like the bar was set very high. It still has that same medicinal artificial berry flavor 5 hour has, only it is not as overpowering. It has the same fake sugar aftertaste and slightly alcohol harshness to it as well. I would still prefer this over 5 Hour and its clones, but not by a whole lot. Out of the nearly one hundred energy shots I have tried, this falls squarely in the middle of the pack.

Buzz:6
Expect the usual from Worx too. There is an unlisted amount of caffeine in here - but it was a nice sized dose. With the amino acides, B vitamins and the usual energy blend ingredients I got a nice double-shot of espresso's amount of energy from this. My guess is around 180-220mg of caffeine, but either way it provides a nice boost of energy without being over the top or jittery. Slavster puts this at 200mg of caffeine, which feels just about right.

I had to leave the house and did not have time for coffee - and pounded this instead. Worx gave me enough of a boost to make it to lunchtime before I needed another light boost - which I appreciated. I was hoping for something that really Worx - but that might have to ait for the maximum strength Worx I will be trying out soon.

Let us just say you are in a dilemma. You are planning a big event, like a wedding or Bar Mitzvah or movie premiere and are looking to build some cool swag for the occasion. Creating your own energy drink (Like I did here) or shot would be perfect, but most likely impossible. So you would think.
Drink Ink is a company who produces energy drinks and energy shots, and lets you design the look and feel. While you can make it custom if you buy a lot, it is possible to just buy a couple boxes of a custom made energy shot specifically for your particular occasion. They even have designers on staff to help you make your creation happen.

The Drink Ink helped me make my own "Possessed By Caffeine Energy Shot" a very limited case to try out and see if it was worth it. After close viewing, all I have to say is I am completely impressed!

Packaging:9
Seeing as I was the one in control of how things looked, of course I think the packaging was superb! It was quite easy to come up with a design for the template too . The layout was very simple - enough that even someone without my massive artistic talent could probably create something reasonably pleasing. I would totally trust them to turn what ever I could dream up into a decent looking energy shot ready for consumer resale.

Of the parts I was not in control of, the basics of the package worked well too. The wrap did not come off easily or rip when giving out to friends, and opened easily. The actual nutritional information was very easy to read, and they even listed caffeine ingredient too - something I was very happy to not have to hunt down. Overall, this is a great job - one worthy of any occasion - including selling to the public.

Taste:6
Drink Ink's formula can be tailored if you want, but my Possessed by Caffeine variety was made with the very standard energy shot formula. I enjoyed it a lot more than I enjoyed most clone energy shots, as this didn't have that harsh medicinal herbal quality that many of them seem to have - I would certainly take this over a works or 5 hour energy shot.

The reason that is remarkable is because this is supposed to be a mass market drink that appeals to everyone. Instead, they went for a unique flavor; something more citrus and orange than berry and chewable vitamin flavor of most energy shots.

Buzz:7
The formula works pretty well too. If this were really my own shot, I would have upped the caffeine content by double what they had in here, but the 125mg of caffeine provides a nice little lift without being over the top. The amino acid blend and all of the usual energy ingredients also helped with the buzz. I got a decent 3 hours of energy from it - about the same as a double cappuccino. I can not help but think of all the cool places and events that would benefit from their own drink - late night gaming parties, new years eve parties, music festivals, the opportunities are endless.

I don't understand why a person would want to name a drink Blood Punch. I am not that squeamish when it comes to trying out bloody recipes. I know of people who cook meat with its own blood, I have had blood pudding before (terribly unkosher), and thanks to phlebotomist.net/blood-recipes, I now know all sorts of disgusting foods I can make with blood. (I know it is vein of me, but I'd LOVE to try pressed duck - where the poor fowl is strangled, partially roasted and then placed into a press that sucks out all the blood and juices). I guess I just needle little more information as to why someone thought a dripping can of blood surrounded in tattoos was a good idea.

But I still don't think I could handle drinking a Blood Punch. Even michael from the lost boys could barely stomach blood - and that was even in a fancy brass encrusted container with a jewels and a silver stopper and everything. I just dont see how lowly old Circle K produced Talon energy drink could possibly compete.

Packaging:8
This followed the basic Talon formula of making everything Biker/Heavy metal friendly. There are tribal tattoo patterns running down the side of the can, tribal pointy letters - as well as 4 different kinds of olde schoole scripts and a big tribal looking eagle too. The blood dripping down from the top of the can is a very nice touch - and truthfully is that one thing that tipped the scales for me from goofy to clever. it is just enough over the top now to be different from the thousands of other energy drink choices out there. As a matter of fact, I think it is the only energy drink I have ever seen that has blood dripping on it.

Functionally, it does decently too. They double face the can, and have drinkers come up with the slogans for their cans. On this one, someone named J.C. thought up "stay sharp", which is pretty decent actually. Another big plus is a listing of all energy ingredients - including caffeine. All of their lids are even pointing in the same direction, albeit competely backwards (the logo faces outwards guys). Still for a store brand drink this was a very lovely, and morbid, option.

Taste:8
Talon Blood Punch does not taste at all like blood. I grew up orthodox jewish - which means all blood, even your own, is completely forbidden. So when I first had a bite of bloody steak (OK, so the so red in steak is because of myoglobin protein in the muscles, not actual blood) stuck myself with a pin and licked my finger or tried blood pudding , I learned what slightly salty, slightly coppery blood tasted like. It did not taste at all like citrusy thick fruit punch - which this does taste like.

If you don't mind the standard 200 calories of thick syrupy soda then you might really get down with this. Blood Punch s a really nice zesty punch with just a little tang at the end notes of the flavor. This is thicker on the tongue and much more complex than your average fruit punch - like Hi C or Bug Juice. While this was a little too thick for me to drink this on an everyday basis, I would choose this over the other full calorie fruity energy drink offerings.

Buzz:8
With 50 grams of sugar ( they use regular sugar, not high fructose corn syrup) and 174mg of caffeine, there is enough to get bouncing along without problems. I liked the light jitter this gave me - and managed to give me enough stupid energy to get through my morning of Riding my harley to get those tattoos put on - and then removed. I got about 3 hours of serious fun before the edge wore off and I started to get the sugar crash.

Nutritionally, I liked that they added real Blood Orange juice to the mix, along with the usual energy suspects - ginseng, tauring, guarana, Glucurolactone and B-Vitamins. What would really rock for all those Vamps on a diet is a sugar free or carb free version of Blood Punch - that would be a very positive reaction (I guess they make it, but my Circle K does not carry that kind).

Worx is about the only other energy shot which might have any chance taking any market share from 5 Hour energy. Worx has the funding, the distribution and even the commercials. It also is a decent energy shot too. The taste, while still bad, is better than 5 Hour, the packaging is about the same level of bland, and the energy is roughly the same.

Packaging:7
Like the other normal Worx, this was more or less your standard energy drink bottle, excepting for the wide mouth bottle to help guzzle this down more easily. It is still in a very generic bottle, just black and white instead of blue. Overall, the design is straightforward enough to do its job - but nothing unique.

What drive me crazy is the complete lack of caffeine content. Like 5 hour, their Extra Strength flavor just ays extra strength, without any clue as to what that means. The fact that these dont bother to list their caffeine content is annoying and frustrating to those people who care about what they are consuming.

Taste:6
After opening this cap and pouring the orangey liquid into a cup, I took a good whiff. From the smell, this really should have tasted like the original Worx, I found this to even taste better! I almost actually enjoyed the flavor - which was a little sweeter and less harsh than the original. Not that this tastes good - but it does not taste bad.

Buzz:8
This is more or less the Monster blend.As expected, this has the usual cast of energy drink characters. Beides the undisclosed Caffeine, you can also find Taurine, Inositol, Glucuronolactone and the amino acid blend found in 5 Hour and most other energy shots. THere is your usual overdose of Vitamin B complex too - because no energy product ever made can not seem to lay off adding TEN THOUSAND more times vitamin B than you need.

The extra 500mg of these ingredients seem to make the biggest difference - as there is a really nice slightly jittery amount of energy in here! I got a full four hours of bounciness from this, as well as a mental focus beyond what i can usually find in my morning cup of coffee. I am still not sure I would spend the cash of popping energy shots every day, but this is one of the better boosts of energy I have recieved from an energy shot.

http://www.edjunkie.com/reviews/worx.html

While walking around my closest natural foods superstore, I came across a new coffee drink - made by a company who I still have a nostalgic place in my heart for. Blue Sky beverages spend a good 20 years being a hippie favorite, turning out organic, natural drinks that could only be found in Crunchy Granola markets - years before natural mega-markets like Sunflower and Whole Foods came on the scene.

Then about a dozen years ago the brand was sucked up by the great Hansen's machine, the folks behind dozens of energy drinks and sodas, like Monster energy drinks, Hansens natural sodas and Worx energy shots, While some of the Blue Sky brand on my new Cafe Energy drink might still have a tiny bit of that old nostalgic feel - with slightly southWestern look and feel , much of my emotional ties are lost with their new coffee based energy line

Packaging:7
This ties into the old Blue Sky line by having a southwestern mountain range painted on the can. The overall look is OK - except that for some reason they felt the need to put barely noticeable silver lightning flashes over a light tan background - and it really does not work.
The rest of the can works though. The fonts look nice and read well, the print job is decent, they double face the can and the inane paragraph all energy drinks have is not inane at all this time. The only problem is the one plaguing all drinks using the Monster Energy line of energy blends - no listing of caffeine at all. In this case, the nutrition label lists added caffeine and guarana on top of a coffee base, so who knows how much of a kick this has. The design works - the functionality is there - but the not listing of caffeine content is a real bummer

Taste:6
Blue Sky beverages are not really known for their coffees - and this is why. Cafe Energy is not bad, it is just weak and very middle-of-the-road. You can immediately tell that this coffee used is not good quality coffee. On top of that, the already middling coffee is being hidden by copious amounts of sugar, fake vanilla flavor and bitterness from the preservatives. While I appreciate that they kept out the baking soda many coffee energy drinks have, the Sodium Citrate they used instead give this a sourness that is not pleasant in a rich milky drink.

Buzz:7
With all the added caffeine and taurine listed in the ingredients, I expected this to have a real punch to it. Turns out, there is only as much punch as you would find in any monster coffee drink - about 180-200mg of caffeine. I felt full of energy for a good 3 hours or so - before needing to get some real coffee to keep me going.
Ingredient-wise, you can find the same blend of stuff you will find in any Monster drink; Taurine, Ginseng, the usualy B Vitamin overdose, L-Carnitine, Inositol and Glucuronolactone. Really, this is a winning combination. There is not a blast of buzzy energy, but a nice lift that was grateful for. while it might not be the most powerful coffee energy drink I have tried, it is still a decent offering.

You know you have officially gotten old when you look at what goes for street drugs and it makes you snigger. Back in my day street drugs were SERIOUS SHIT. For those who remember Nancy Reagan an the late 80s the drug scare was at full swing - and the TV, movies and media were filled with horrifying tales of gang warfare over cocaine shops, crack babies were everywhere, and absolutely everyone was scared shitless of having their teens hooked on MDMA or being attacked by gangs of addled bikers on PCP. Even before the 1990s, the War on Drugs cost tens of billions of dollars. We even had an awesome ultra-violent video game called NARC, where you got to arrest and fight heroin dealers, methheads, and angry muscle dudes on the dreaded white powder. For those still in love with Narc, you can play the old NES version of it here: http://www.arcadecow.com/game/12614/N.A.R.C..html

Sorry, but cough syrup on a sugar cube is the new drug? Stupid! The fact that people are dying from it - More Stupid! The fact that hip-hop stars are dying for it - Stupid and Offensive! Now, You don't see good Rappers dying from this idiocy; Tech N9ne and Busta prefers Hennessy and 151 Malibu Rum, Cyprus Hill and Snoop have yet to come down off their 20 year high, Lil' John is drowning in Crunk and I could not fathom Chuck D pouring grape Syrup in a styrofoam cup. Sure, Lil Wayne might be all about it, but it is not like that dude has a whole lot of brain cells to begin with.

This is certainly not the first relaxation drink to try to cash in on this stupid drug craze, as Superliminal Purple Stuff, Sippin' Syrup and Drank are all trying to cash in on this dumb phenomenon "Purp is for those traditional, hard core Texas-based Lean sippas that like it raw mixed with Sprite and grape Jolly Rancher candy. We poured it up with a special syrup concentrate that takes the itch away, but still maintains its potency and full effect. Dat Purp is hood recognized and street certified, "get your Lean on boi…." They go on to inform that this was developed by a Bona Fide "registered pharmacist that knows what the streets demand. Lean is a safe combination of pharmaceutical grade herbs and syrup-based flavors that promotes a desired level of swagga to get you there any time day or night!"

Packaging:7
Nothing about this package works for me - and that really is a shame. the pseudo urban landscape - the crappy lettering, all of it. As far as I am to understand, the design is trying to tell you it is cool to walk down the middle of a tech center in some unnnamed city - but all that does not matter. But personal preference is not really an issue here if the can does all it should do.

What is does do well is present a readable can, double face the logo and list all their anti-energy ingredients clearly so a person knows what to expect. It does all this commendably, including a little nod to Swishahouse records - a North Houston record label specializing in chopped and screwed music from Houston's south side. Personal bias aside - even though I hate the design, they still manage to pull out something that works.

Taste:10
What I can say without a doubt is that Lean Slow Motion Potion has an absolutely fantastic flavor. I was very hesitant when I saw that this was grape - as just about every single drink in this category has some sort of grape flavor in it. I expected this to be one of the many grape sodas out there, but was very happily mistaken!

The flavor starts out as a grape soda - but then it gets much richer and more herbal than that. It is almost like a grape tea soda - fulled with the richness of citrus and spices to make a succulent layered and complex taste - one I enjoyed from the first sip to the last gulp.

Anti-Buzz:9
As for the ingredients, this put me OUT. I am not sure how this can make you feel relaxed, as I was passed out for a good 10 hours from the stuff. There is Acai, Vitamin B, Valerian root and rose hips to assist in the lazy-making properties of Lean Slo Motion Potion, but that is nothing when compared to the whallop the melatonin gives you. I am not sure if I would knock a can back if I were stressed out - but for a good night's sleep - this could easily make me snore through the most annoyingly nasal Lil Wayne songs. I sucked a can down and about fifteen minutes later I was in one of the most restful, deep and lovely sleeps I have had for a long time.

I Love Rip It. Fruit Bomb is another in the long line of products I have reviewed. They were one of the first drinks I wrote about way back in 2008. I have tried over a half dozen diffeerent kinds of Rip it, and love each cheesy variation. Sometimes they have been clever - like putting aluminum foil on the top, and even have their own energy shot line. I love it that after all this time, they are still finding a way to keep kicking - even if it is regulated to warehouses and dollar stores.

Packaging:
As much as I am a broncos fan, the pastel orange on pastel blue is just off putting. Add to that the drink flavor and image being so poorly conceived it actually makes you laugh, and you are in for a real treat of a $1 wonder drink. The flavor name is written in multicolored worms - kinda squishy ones at that. I guess they tried to update it from the old look, but got their 9 year old kid to draw the letters. There is a stock illustration of fruit, I think. There was definitely a pineapple on it at least. However, they did do quite a few things exceptionally well.

First, it did not spring a leak - something important when reviewing discount beverages. It also held itself into more or less a can shape. Even more surprisingly, it both listed the caffeine content and double faced the can - something even Monster or Red Bull seem to have never learned to do. SO this can provides not only the funny, but also performs remarkably.

Taste:9
I think the bombs refer to the explosive burping i expelled. I am not really a heavy burper - but this stuff had me so full of gas I felt like I was hosting the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards. Fortunately, it all escaped out my mouth, or I would have been laying another type of Fruit Bomb around the office.

I was thinking I wold be drinking a fruit punch, as it is called Fruit Bomb. However, it really has not as berry as I would have imagined. Instead, this is almost exactly what you get by carbonating and caffeinating the heavy syrup left in the jar of fruit cocktail. The cloying fake sweetness is there - the thick consistancy and the almost chlorinated aroma - it is a taste and smell which will bring you back to school cafeterias and summer camps. I know the flavor does not really make much sense, but I enjoyed the citric sweetness. No, it is not healthy or clean or crisp, but any drink that can bring back such precise times in my life gets a thumbs up from me.

Buzz:8
This Bomb has some pretty explosive power behind it. While Rip It has never been a slouch when it came to the energy department, it has never been stellar. My opinion is completely changed with this one-dollar-rocket! Fueling this mix is the usual energy stuff - like taurine, inositol and vitamin B. There is only 210mg of caffeine in here - more than what you can find in a Monster or Red Bull, but not particularly unique. Both Full Throttle and Nos have equally powerful mixtures as well. However, Fruit Bomb kept me up and full of great energy for hours and hours. The 33 grams of sugar played a big part in the rush I am sure - but really this kept me up and cranking for longer than I would have ever expected!

Monster is never one to rest with a flavor and not come out with every conceivable version of it. Nitrous came in 2 or 3 varieties, as well as their coffee blends, even their shots came in regular, Lobo and Sniper flavors. The think with Rojo tea is it goes beyond the other rehab line - adding to a tea base that adds both antioxidants and the chance for more caffeine, but a completely different taste profile than you would find in any other Monster drink. In this case, Monster's buzz, fruity herbal taste and new standard stunning design make for a winning combination.

Packaging:7
Monster Rehab Mojo start off in a nice enough can, not much different than the other Rehabs -or really that different than Absolutely Zero and their other mainsttream energy drinks. The only real difference is the standout red color against the yellow and black - making for a real treat for the eyes. I Love their new design scheme - completely blowing away their stale black packages.

There are the usual monster problems with this too - a complete lack of caffeine content, a lame paragraph that is supposed to explain how cool this drink is, and a bunch of worthless energy info. The big things to notice is that the drink very explicitly states that it is NOT carbonated, and also this is 5% juice - so it is not just your ordinary energy tea.

Taste:10
This is where something really interesting happens. I expected to get hit with strong tea taste - but instead I got a mouthful of real cranberries - something I did not expect in the least. Not that this was bad - not by any means! Instead of canned crap tea flavor I was able to enjoy tart real berries - followed by a berry tea. The combo of Cranberry juice and tea had me curious if this combo actually works, and to no ones surprise, Celestial Seasonings made with juice is 100 times more awesome than using water.

This is one of the best drinks Monster has ever come out with. I know that it is weird to say that about a non-carbonated drink, but I just fell in love with this berry sweetness. Sure - it was not like drinking a real tea - yes, the sweetness was a tittle overbearing - but I just don't care. I would drink this by the gallon If I could.

Buzz:9
I LOVED the feeling I got after drinking this - I nice kick, a great feeling of energy and made e feel happy inside. I know that is not a discernable feeling - but like V8, It made me feel I was drinking canned happy.

Of course, I knew I was just drinking black tea extract, coconut water, Taurine, Ginseng, and some B vitamins, Milk Thistle, Quercetin, Inositol, Glucuronolactone, L-Carnitine, Acai extract, Goji Berry extract, and Mangosteen extract. Plus there was a touch more caffeine (170mg) than what they have in their normal blend. Even throught eh most I seem to need to recover from nowadays is a chronic lack of sleep, I felt my brain being more gooder than it did before I chugged the can. It might have been psychosomatic, but I still really enjoyed what Rojo Tea had to offer.

http://www.energyfiend.com
http://www.edjunkie.com

Xyience was kind enough to send me another awesome package with their latest flavor - Frostberry Blast to try out. Frostberries are a very rare fruit picked only once every decade from the top of of glaciers in Greenland. I am assuming this is the case - as they packed this like it was a delecate Faberge egg. They sent a decently sized box - enough to fill a 6 pack with bubble wrap. But, when I opened it, there was one lone single Frostberry - surrounded by heaps and heaps of packing peanuts. Now, I do thank them for the sample to review (I never look a gift energy drink in the mouth, after all) , but I am wondering if the choice was deliberate.

Wither way, I was happy to set eyes upon it - another in their line of signature drink - this one with Wanderlei "the axe murderer" Silva adorning the front. There is no question how closely they are trying to tie in the Xenergy line with the UFC, sponsoring popular fighters as well as being the official drink.

This makes a great addition to their black labeled line. While I am not as much of a fan of their newer packaging, The taste and buzz more than make up for it.

Taste:8
I cracked open the can of Frostberry Blast with a good feeling about how this would turn out. Their lemonade is still one of the best energy drinks I have ever had. While the rest of their black extra caffeinated line was mostly hit or miss, doing a berry flavor is relatively easy.

I was not disappointed. This was pretty good, as basic berry flavors go. The flavor reminds me a who lot of Mountain Dew Supernova - only with artificial sweeteners. It tasted strongly of Sweet Tarts, Bottlecaps or other citric acid-y crunchy candies. It was a very fake but very tasty berry, with only a moderate amount of chalky bitterness. I could easily pack away a couple of these per day - especially as this has such a low calorie count.

Packaging:6
By now they really should have figured out how to do a photo on a can - or just stopped the idea altogether. If I did not know this was supposed to be Wanderlei "the axe murderer" Silva on the front I would not have been able to tell. On top of that, the photo they used of him was in an Xyience T shirt, so the effect is having their big Xyience logo followed by a smaller one below it - which just looks weird.

They did the same thing they did before when they listed the caffeine content - burying it in the ingredients list - and made me have to do math to figure out what they meant by 13mg of caffeine per ounce. They really could have just said 208mg and not force people to try to figure it out.

Buzz:9
The buzz from downing Frostberry Blast was very very nice. I felt great for about 3 hours after sucking down the can - enough to make it through two bouts of discount shopping and dealing with my kids through Wal-Mart. The real test was it got me out the door in the morning, and did not slow down until I had the dinner made and the kids on their homework.

Like the other black Xenergy flavors, this is powered by Taurine, glucurolactone, Calcium and ginseng, with B vitamins and inositol to all to the mix. All fo these black xyience drinks are powerful enough to give you a blast - and this stuff is no exception.

While looking in an old liquor store backroom (yeah - I actually go into back rooms in liquor stores to find cool ancient energy drinks) I came across a very interesting old can in the back of a pile underneath a palette of old Night Trains - a slim 12 ounce pretty can of Nutrisoda's Airforce Calm drink. After checking out the expiration date, I knew I had a find. Further online research told me this was a VERY old relaxation soda, possible the first of its kind. This beaut' expired in 2007, which meant it is even older than that! It seems that Nutrisoda was a decent brand in the mid 2000's even managing to sell its brand to Pepsi America and get out of the biz entirely. In a way that is kind of a shame - as I rather enjoyed this little plum time capsule.

Normally I would not think of the Air Force as being particularly relaxing. Thus is why I found a drink with a plane on it called put out by a company called Air Force a little strange. Nevertheless, this can of Calm Nutrisoda looked nice and rexaxing - just the thing I needed after my daughter's trumpet lesson. No offense to the coolest trumpet teacher in the world (she is in the horns section of the AOKs, a killer denver punk/ska band), but two hours of elk calls masquerading as Old McDonald and Hot Cross Buns would put even the most hardened father on edge.

Packaging:6
I love the can's relaxing color- a nice calming pastet lavendar. Even the color is relaxing. The only proble with having a muted color on the can is you have to work hard to have readable text, and they failed pretty badly at making readable text. the black thin type is completely lost and unreadable in this setting. While this might have looked good on paper, it just does not work printing on aluminum

Functionallly, they did double face the can, so you can read the brand from just about anywhere you set it down. They listed all their ingredients nicely, although trying to make them out on it is a real pain.

Taste:7
This is a lightly flavored citrus berry drink- something very common to energy drinkers. However, rather than just being an acidic bitter artificial flavor, this tastes a whole lot more like a carbonated berry tea with lime. I was surprised by the complexity of the flavor in here, herbal and sour without any bitterness or chalkiness. Coming from a long long line of relaxing grape drinks, the change - up in flavors was very nice.

Mind you, Air Force calm drink is pretty sucralose-y. Back then, the real enemy was nutrasweet and saccharin, neither of which are in this drink. While I have had berry citrus as a flavor a billion times, I have not had it in a relaxation soda before.

Anti-Buzz:8
After reading the ingredients, I really did not expect much from this drink. Nutrisoda did not put any melatonin or other big relaxants in here. Not to mention, seeing that this was a predecessor to the relaxation beverages we have today, I assumed this would not affect me -(especially that this can was over 4 years old).

So I was taken by surprise when this actually took away my anxiety for the day! I looked closer at the ingredients list: rhodiola rosea, chamomile, valerian and gotu kola; nutrients such as choline and inositol, B-vitamins and folic acid. Other than thevalerian, the only thing I saw that actually relaxes you more than a cup of Sleepytime Tea would be the gotu kola. So I downed the drink and felt very relaxed - almost able to take an early evening nap (another something fathers don't do a whole lot of). It is too bad this company is no more because I really don't think I will see it again, and rather enjoyed my flight.

http://www.fuzzmartin.com/2007/07/07/energy-drink-review-airforce-nutrisoda-calm/

I have killed three deer and a quite a few small critters in my life, but I would never imagine using something so sissy as a gun. Nope - I managed to hit them all with my car, causing manly rugged bruises to myself and ruining quite a few vehicles in the process. Anyone with patience, skill and practice can shoot down a deer in the woods. It takes a supreme act of bad luck to have ruined 3 cars - one of them twice - and squished as much roadkill as I have in my lifetime.

Now, I have gone out shooting before too, with my dad's .22 rifle, and then out with my father-in-law shooting Magnums and big pistols off his back porch ( and there is still the massive hole in his floorboards to prove it), and I can appreciate the work necessary to dress in camo, spend all day guzzling beer in a blind, blasting an animal down, then heading down to the Waffe House to relax and bask in the blood spillin'. Team Realtree are the fellas behind this drink - kinda. They are at least the ones responsible for the package and idea, but really Team Realtree is in the biz of slapping their camo designs upon anything they can possibly get away with. In this case, it is an energy drink made for them by J & M Concepts. At least this makes more sense than, say, a Team Realtree APG camouflage covered KJV Holy Bible (hey - you never know when you are going to be on a turkey hunt and have to tell a PETA member about Genesis 27:3) but not by that much. This is really just a nice can covered in their prints and design, but the drink inside is just another private label commodity.

Packaging:7
I like Realtree's camo - no doubt. The camo pattern they have is second to none. They certainly have proven with their videos and early early morning TV shows that elk, deer and even little birds could not pick them out from a stick in the ground. Almost all the can is covered with it - even under the cap! However, I just can not be convinced it is a good idea on an energy drink. I mean, how often do you need a camo can of energy drink? Well, I need one about as much as I need a pink Camo string bikini, camo-so-real-it-is-practically-invisible Hobo Handbag and of course a camo Reatree iphone case - like I need any more damn help losing my cell phone...

Camo aside, there is a TON of extra crap on here that really stands out. Firstly, there is a big badge letting you know about Advantage Max-1 HD. What is Advantage Max-1 HD? No Idea, except it is obviously important as it is printed big and bold even including big yellow triangles to stand out. My guess is that is the pattern they used for the can - but it does not explain why they need to brag about their pattern so large and bold on the can. Also important is their noting "NOT FOR CITY BOYS" in big bold letters in the ingredients list. While they probably mean not for people who don't hunt - I know lots of people in my city who love to go out hunting every season. According to the Urban Dictionary, this just means the collective players of the mighty chelmsford city football club are out of luck - which seems like a pretty small niche to exclude. The can iself is also pretty cool - looking like it would make a great reusable bottle, as it is thick lined and easy to refill with a big widemouth top. In terms of design - this thing is prettier than the bloodied corpse of a 7 point buck.

The problem is the complete lack of energy ingredients in here. At first I thought it was camouflaged in the ingredients listing, but it did not bother to list the measly caffeine or taurine contents. It just does not make sense that something that looked this good would choose to fail at this most basic packaging rule for energy drinkers - we wanna know what we are consuming - even if the amount in it is paltry. It is like shooting without aiming - the target is important.

Taste:6
The taste does not really stand out from the pack either. I appreciated that it was not a Red Bull, but it was not anything amazing either. I tasted a whole lot of berry citrus - a flavor used by about 200 energy drinks. But it is not like Team Realtree makes this flavor - and that is the real shame here. Imagine what you could do with a drink that is made for the real outdoorsman! This could taste like pine tree or musk or something exciting to hunters - likewhitetail buck and doe urine.

But hey, it is not like anyone is going to buy this for the taste - it is all about embracing that huntin' lifestyle - and the flavor is good enough to drink and not be grossed out by. For a drink that tastes like a decent Squirt mixed with a cream soda, so as long as it tastes decently enough that is what matters.

Buzz:4
Of course, waiting for hours for a rabbit to come out of a hole can be very tiring work - especially if you spent the day consuming beer. I can understand real hunting would make a person tired - and the need for energy so important.

So why make an energy drink and fill it with soda? Yes, there is the undisclosed amount of caffeine, taurine and Vitamin B, but it is missing all the other usual energy ingredients. No Inositol, no Glucurolactone, and certainly no ginseng. This is sweetened by just high fructose corn syrup, and packed full of preservatives to keep it tasting fresher than a skinned and quartered field dressed doe. There just is not enough in here to really feel much of anything. My guess is there is round 75-85mg of caffeine per serving, or around 150mg per 16 ounce can. While it certainly could have been worse, It could have been a whole lot more energetic too.

http://caffeineking101.blogspot.com/
http://www.thesodajerks.net/soda-reviews
http://rambulatoryambulatory.com
http://oeoutdoors.com/

I like me a good snack as much as the next guy. Well, not exactly, because my favorite snacks usually involve chocolate coatings, enough bacon to make your unborn children eat trafe (un-kosher foods, for you goyim out there), enough stimulants to make Ben Stein act like Gilbert Godfried, or some combination of all three.

In this case, my snack to jour was a nice lightly caffeinated almost-but-not-quite-healthy offering from Arma Energy Snx. While I find the name as extreme as I do imposing, that is nothing when compared to the post-apocalyptic packaging that both thrills and frightens me. I took this with me to to see the Dinosaurs in the museum with a hoarde of elementary school kids. I figured if this could keep me up and running with hyperactive overcrowded schoolchildren squacking over anamatronic prehistoric creatures, It could cope under some pretty tough circumstances. Not to mention, I would not look like I am that obnoxious dad downing a Rockstar with my kids during lunch. Instead, I am that healthy and nutritious dad eating GORP and granola. I even managed to sneak some to my 4th grade daughter when she started to flag outside the space exhibit without any other parents chaperoning the trip giving me the eye (because I really am that kind of obnoxious dad).

Packaging:10
By itself, this Bioshock-esque canister of treats is pretty amazing, but the actual design of this snack starts before you can even get to it. Arma has devised this cool paper holder that wraps the canister and holds it like a Christmas ornament, so if the convenience store does not have shelf space, they can hang this up on a wire rack instead! It also gives them a little more room to advertise its benefits and promote their look and feel.

And there is one hell of a lot of looking and feeling with the canister - as it is one of the cooler ideas I have seen. The actual shape of the package is very unique - like something that should contain a Transformer or a Bionicle . The ridges on top and sturdy plastic make this look like it would be safe taking into battle. This motif is even more pronounced with their distressed grunge metal and militaristic typefaces. The whole package give off a lovely dystopian edge - which I find VERY appealing.

On top of that, this is also quite functional. They list caffeine as well as all the other energy ingredients, and everything is readable and displayed well. They seal it with the paper wrap - but in a way that you dont have to ruin the design to get to the good stuff inside. The top is even resealable, so you can fill this with different stuff when you are down - or save some of this snack for later.

Taste: Fruit Bomb - 6 RPG Granola - 8
I was able to sample two kinds that they sold in the store, a the F Bomb Fruit mix and the chocolate chip granola mix. The first I tried out was their F bomb, F-BOMB is an fruit trail mix with peanuts, almonds, raisins and cranberries - and it tastes like a fruit mix of peanuts, almonds, raisins and cranberries. I mean - its just not very special. It isn't bad, it is just kinda boring. I don't know why I was expecting something more than gorp, and if you get into gorp I am sure you will find this acceptable (more about gorp can be found here). If I were a regular trail hiker I could see tossing this in my backpack for a nice healthy munch. Seeing as I hike about three times a year - I would pass this up for their RPG flavor.

I liked the GRP - granola chocolate chip snacks much more though. The chips stayed nice and dry, but got melty and chewy in my mouth. The granola was also sweetened too, so this was more like a sweet dessert snack than just nuts and berries. It also contained more flavoring in it too, like a sweet dark sugar flavor from molasses, honey and brown sugar, and it tasted nutty and crunchy too.

Buzz:7
The most impressive part of this snack is the energy they managed to get in here. Not just the 70mg of un-taste-able caffeine they put in here somehow, but also they get taurine, Glucurolactone, inositol, and a whole mess of B vitamin complex in here too. This is an amazing thing if you are looking for that little edge during your workout, as it has a little protein in here too.

I definitely did not feel a buzz after chewing down a carton - but I did feel a little lift - both in energy and in stamina in the gym. While some of it might have been psychosomatic, I definitely felt healthier, and able to push my workout a little further than I had before. The same was true when i mowed through a pack for an afternoon snack. I was feeling a little slumped a couple hours after lunch, and this got me through the day with my brain and body more or less intact. While the energy in Arma is not going to blow you way, it is a pleasantly peppy snack.

Not to be outdone by the likes of Hansens, the third most popular energy drink company has come out with a new exciting line of non carbonated Hydration energy drinks too. Not content to let Monster be the only kids on the block with non-carbonated hydration drinks, Rockstar has come out with the ir own line of Rehab-esque flavors. Rockstar has entered into the foray with a lemonade a little earlier in the year, along with a grape and an orange blend. This time however, I found a much more interesting flavor to hit the shelves, and one of the more difficult flavors to master - coconut water.

Coconut water is a tricky thing. Yes, it is the new fad drink - and there are more coconut flavors getting released to market with big backers, like Coca Cola and Pepsi with their own coconut water drinks hitting the shelves. It is easy to see why people are going nuts for the stuff, as coconut water is low-calorie, fat-free, cholesterol-free, and full of electrolytes. But that is real coconut water - usually 100% and natural and healthy. Rockstar is not really known for healthy - as they like their preservatives and chemicals. This is a true Rockstar version of coconut water - one packed with all the stuff people don't want to drink when they get coconut water - and devoid of all the things people want in their coconut water. But hey - this does manage to make one hell of a mixer.

Packaging:9
The first thing you notice about this coconut drink is the awesome standout color that pops right out of the shelf. This is a bright blue color that is brilliant as it is clean, and full of loveliness. Like all Rockstars, this is their basic theme in a chosen color - but it works well enough to not need any change. This incarnation has all the stuff that energy drinks packaging should have: listing of caffeine and other energy ingredients, a nice and easy to read can, double facing the logo and a little explanatory paragraph that is neither reaching for hipness or sink to new levels of idiotic Xtreme blather. FOr being a standard drink without any big innovation, this is still very well done.

Taste:4
Without too much work, it is really easy to turn a yummy coconut drink into something that tastes of bath water and sweatsocks. Fortunately, the energy drinks I have tried (Power Trip Coconut and Go Fast Hybrid) have been fairly successful.

Rockstar's version is different than these though. First, it is not carbonated, so you don't really get the sensation this is an energy drink or a soda - so you are left drinking this like a juice - which is also isn't. This is not also just a drink like a Kool Aid or a punch, as it is not terribly sweet or juicy enough to be either of those. It never manages to get beyond the taste of sweat sock either - as the whopping 10% real juice is filled full of sugar water and enough stevia to give it an herbal and slightly medicinal edge.

I like coconut water, and the thought of mixing it with caffeine is brilliant. However, when I drink it, I want want it to be natural and flavorful, not taste like a YooHoo version.

Buzz:5
I was so hoping for all the good of coconut water to be in here. Alas, this was severely lacking in all of what I wanted. Sure, this has 160mg of caffeine in the can, but that is not really the powerhouse of rockstar's other flavors. Instead this was a light lift - about as much as a strong coffee. Plus, the whole recovery and hydration did not really work for me. Although I was not drinking the night before, I was trying to recover from sleep deprivation, and this did very little to help. I was a bit more awake, but just as groggy with my head still packed with cotton. If you were hoping for something with coconut's healing powers, you will be disappointed too.

Rockstar should be absolutely loaded with potassium and Sodium - great for helping with recovery from a long run or a longer night getting wasted. Potassium is a necessary if you drank too much the night before and dried yourself out. Slamming some coconut water should help you regain some of your last shreds of energy and nurse you back to life.

Now the big question then is just how much coconut water is inside Rockstar Coconut water - and the answer is not much: just 10 percent. That means that this is 90% other crap - like sugar water to fill it out. Unfortunately, this completely negates the benefits of coconut water - including not much vitamin C, not much potassium and an increase in calories too.

It is nice that they tried to do good while cashing in on the coconut water craze. If you were looking for just a Rockstar drink, this might be OK - except for the carbonation this has all the usual Rockstar Sugar Free stuff, with the addition of a bit more electrolytes. IT is not that this was bad - but this Rockstar just can not live up to the potential it had. Now only if they actually worked on the reason people liked coconut water as a sports drink...

After reviewing the last number of juicy drinks that actually contained no juice in them, it was nice to be able to get hold of an energy juice that actually has juice within its ingredients. Sambazon Organic energy juice is not just a a mishmash of different juicy bits either, but an amazing blend of acai, apple and lime juices which give this an irresistible strong fruity flavor. Like the fruit blend is not tasty enough, they then add two of my favorite ingredients, yerba mate and guarana, into the equation, giving me a little more bounce in my step as I pound down a couple bottles.

My karma feels good when I buy Sambazon too. They work with local non-governmental organizations (“NGOs”) to build the supply of organic and sustainable açaí. They put people in the Amazon to work for them in a way that these farmers have an incentive to manage and control their land. They are just one of those companies whose practices are enough to make you want to donate to them - which I happily do one bottle at a time.

Packaging:7
THere is definitely some strange things going on with the design on this bottle of Sambazon. Firstly, they have the words of the flavor written like chalk on a chalkboard - while the rest of the look is very professional. This is in direct contrast tot he illustrations of the gourd - and slightly off-putting orange and purple.

Besides the design, the serving size is weird too. Although there is 10.5 ounces, this lists 1.3 servings. I really want to see someone drink one serving, and save the .3 in the bottle. Fortunately, they do list the caffeine content and a whole host of vitamins in the ingredients list. While this squat bottle might be cute enough in the general shape - I still find it too confusing to really get into.

Taste:10
It is so easy to suck these little squat bottles down - like a V8 only with yummy fruit juice. The flavor is actually on of Acai, a disgusting fruit with a horrid flavor - which magically they turn into something so yummy. This reminds me a whole lot like those Jumex nectars - only full of natural, organic 100% juice rather than high fructose corn syrup or filler (although some might argue that apple juice is just a filler too). If you are in the mood for a delicious healthy dose of fruit - look no further.

Buzz:8
Have you eve drank something and felt completely healthier? This drink makes you feel like you just drank a triple shot of wheatgrass or a big glug of V8. Especially when cold - this feels like you just took a drink of pure power! In actuality, this only has a mere 50mg of caffeine from yerba mate and guarana, but it makes you feel more alive than that. Other than the caffeine, there is no other real energy in here - except for the awesome power of fruitiness. It is highly caloric, as most juices are, but it feel like those calories are important.

I am told that this has a bunch of antioxidants, but over the yearsI have called into question whether or not that actually means anything. Most studies say that the drinking antioxidants do absolutely nothing for you - but in this case I just don't care.

So today my teenage son bought me an energy drink. Now this might strike some as irresponsible, and others as just plain strange. Why, if I am the caffeine expert, does my son feel the urge to spend his money on making sure I am well caffeinated? Well, being close to someone so into caffeine has its price. My son now knows the difference between energy drinks and coffee, has a litany of explanations to his teachers as to why it is OK for him to be slugging down Monster energy drinks by the dozen - and knows more about caffeine and its effects than most 40 year olds I know.

So when he saw me flagging after spending a day christmas shopping in the pink aisles of a toy store - he knew JUST what to get for me; one of his favorites - a Rockstar Punch Citrus energy drink.

Packaging:9
I am in love with diamond plating. Don't know why - but tere is something about those little diamonds that make me think of all things rugged and burly. When I was riding Red Handed Jill, my 186cc custom Scooter, I covered the every inch I could with shiny custom cut diamond Plating. Nothing helps get over an aisle full of toys with brands like cutesy lover nicknames, like Weezles, Schmoopsies, Wuzzles and all that crap. I think I might like Rockstar's new look just because they carried my favorite pattern into an energy drink layout.

But they also do lots of other stuff right too. They list the caffeine and all the other energy drink ingredients, they double face the can and position the lid accordingly, and even make their drink tab unique! Their paragraph about the drink is not even inane - but small and straight to the point. Everything about this drink's design is very well thought out and works very very nicely.

Taste:9
This citrus flavor is a bunch more different than other citrus drinks you have had. Rockstar citrus punch is less like a Squirt or 7 Up, and a whole lot more like grapefruit with sugar on top. I certainly liked this more than the original punched flavor, more than most citrus flavors on the whole. It is saying something that I would choose this over any grapefruit or pineapple soda, and maybe even like it more than Mountain Dew!

The only thing is that all the uber sweetness makes this a little hard to finish. The heavy sugar content gives this drink a heft that really weighs it down. I would LOVE to see this same flavor done - only with no sugar and much less calories. I think a sugar free citrus punch would be about the best thing in the whole entire energy drink universe.

Nutrition/Buzz:8
Like the other Rockstar Punches and Juices, all that rush comes on quick, punching you in the face with a boatload of caffeine and sugar - enough to get even the slothiest slots up and moving. There is a healthy 240mg of caffeine packed in here, along with a whopping 62 grams of sugar! 62 grames of sugar is a tremedous amount - equal to 13 teaspoons in one drink. Actually, according to Cha Cha, The FDA declared that one can of this is the maximum safe amount of added sugar per day. So don't even think of going for another soda or candy or even a slice of bread, because that will tip you over and you might just become a sugary version of Lot's wife.

As you can imagine, all that sugar leads to one gigantic sugar/caffeine crash - but in a way it is totally worth it . FOr al the milk thistled, vitamin B packed goodness in here - the rush is definitely worth the crash.

Thinq energy drink is supposed to be more than your standard energy drink. This one is supposed to perk you up and keep you feeling good, improve your focus and concentration, and be an all around performance enhancer. While I appreciate the claims, I also found this claim hard to swallow. Literally. This has a whole lot of great natural ingredients powering it - but these same ingredients make the flavor hard to get past the tongue. For the energy Thinq gave me I would at least hope for an easier flavor to drink down - but to slam this can an get not get powered by a real energy burst or mental laser focus made it hard enjoy.

Packaging:6

I have read where this comes, or came, in a really slick tapered bottle. However, the samples they sent me had this in the very normal - and probably a whole lot cheaper - slim 12 ounce cans. They are not bad in this form either - coming in very shiny black on red or orange. They double face and have everything nice and readable.

Still, I really think it is obnoxious that they hide their caffeine content. For a drink that is supposed to give you energy and improve your mood, a l ittle more information as to the ingredients you plan on doing that with would be helpful.

Taste: Citrus:3 Berry:1

I got sent quite a few of both flavors they have now - a citrus blend and a berry blend. While they both definitely have some similarities, I would not really say either are particularly good. They both share the flavor of lip balm and perfume, something while might smell good - but not anything I want to be savoring.

The citrus one is not that bad - although way too aromatic. The taste reminds me of a tangerine or a blood orange, but there is an underlying medicinal quality that makes the whole experience unpalatable. I am not sure if it is all the other ingredients in this that they can not disguise or if there is a deeper problem.

But the problem only gets worse when you switch to the berry flavor. It is not just me either - I must have given a half dozen of these away, and the general consensus is this really is not a yummy drink. Not a single person who tried it liked the berry flavor, and only 2 of 7 would try the citrus again. If you like the buzz enough to have this - I would recommend slamming it down fast with a chaser.

Buzz:6

This is not supposed to be just an energy drink - but a drink to help your body get more energy and better mood over the long run. They do this by addign gionseng, acai Ginko Biloba, SAMe, Gaba and Coenzyme Q10. This is a beautiful mix of ingredients - many of which I approve heartily of. Coenzyme q10 is one of those miracle health foods - used to treat heart conditions, muscular dystrophies, Parkinson's disease, cancer, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS - although, like Acai, the word is out on whether eating them actually does anything to you. Same goes for the ginseng and SAMe, where they are supposed to be good for you if you take it for a long time - but the results are still debated. A nice addition is the potassium, so it helps after a day of working out too.

What is the clincher for me (of course) is the caffeine - which is unlisted and most likely an afterthought. I did not feel even a little more happy or a touch more caffeinated from drinking down a bottle. My mood did not really improve after a week of drinking it, which probably has to do with frustrations of cubicle life more than a factor of the drink. Still, you would think that a stressful week would be a good test for if this help me cope - and the only thing which really helped me get through the days are a good wife and a good amount of alcohol. It took a full three cans for me to feel any caffeine at all from this - so I am guessing there is around 45-55mg of caffeine per 12 ounce can - about as much as a Diet Mountain Dew.

For a healthy functional drink this has a lot going for it - but for any sort of energy - I would Thinq of a different beverage to drink.

I am always on the lookout for new and exciting energy shots - as this category has pretty much settled down to the top 5 or 6 boring competitors. The market is just too small for lots of different players - at least without offering something revolutionary. So I was taken by surprise when my local corner stores started carrying a new brand, E6 energy - which is a straight-on energy shot, taking on Rock On, 6 hour, 5 hour, and Worx. For this to even make it this far into stores is an accomplishment, so I had to pick up a couple and try them out. Will this drink be a big contender with the big boys? Probably not unless they really go all out with marketing and promotions; which is a shame. I thought this tasted better than most of the other energy shots filling my 7 11 shelfspace - and gave a nicer buzz too.

Packaging:6
There is only so far you can go making a shot in a 5 Hour Energy container - and this one did not go very far. E6 is about as standard as they come - with a decent yet non-original logo and color scheme, utilizing basic bet easy to read fonts and clip art drawings of fruit. THere is no listing of caffeine either, which does not make sense - as they advertise they have 150mg all over their website. While they did not make any errors with this run-of-the-mill package, they did not take any chances either.

Taste:8
I had the choice of a whole bunch of flavors - all with more or less the same ingredients. I chose a berry and a peach one - as they seemed the most different than the other standard energy shot flavors - like grape and fruit punch. Neither of them were particularly good - but not particularly bad either. I enjoyed both in a very superficial way - like I would enjoy a fruity Sour Skittles. I could not really say that either tasted much like the fruit they were based on, but compared to the slew of crappy flavored energy shots out there, these ranked pretty well.

Buzz:9
Now about the actual buzz - you wil not be disappointed. While there is not six hours of energy, there is a good deal of power in here: enough that I was able to power through an extra four hours of life that I barely had in me beforehand. Both times I tried I found an explosive burst of energy - although not enough that I got jittery or felt over-caffeinated.

They also load this with a nice lookin' energy blend; taurine, a usual overdose of vitamin B complex, tyrosine, glucurolactone, and interestingly, Phenylalanine. Now, I have seen Phenylalanine before, but usually it is something found in aspartame (Nutrasweet, Equal), and is usually followed by one of my most favorite sayings on diet soda cans "Phenylketonurics - Contains Phenylalanine!". This always sounds very scary - even though it is really harmless. Unless you have the metabolic disorder called Phenylketonuria, you are safe. And how do you know if you are a Phenylketonuric? Simple. Chances are - if you have never heard of it and live in the US, you don't have it. You can find out more about PKU by clicking here.

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