I did not expect much from Red Rain Precipitation. Although I have had some dollar energy drinks that kicked ass (Knockout Energy and Slap energy, for one), Red Rain is just not the same caliber. This is a decently tasting super syrupy cheapo energy drink without very much going for it - unless you are a huge fan of Watermelon Jolly Rancher hard candy or are in need of a very cheap fix.
Packaging:6
The good news is that Red Rain is functionally cool. They double face their product name so it does not get lont. They printout all their ingredients easily to read and have a website and phone number in case you have more questions. They list the caffeine content along with warnings in a nice easy to read format, but that is about as good as it gets.
Red Rain Watermelon looks awful, the fonts are embarrassing and the whole thing does not make much sense. Firstly, we have the name of the brand. When I think of Red Rain, I think of Evil, or at least a Peter Gabriel song. When he sang about Red Rain, he was taling of a dream he had where he swam in his pool drinking cold red wine. Another version of the dream had bottles falling from a cliff, and the bottles were in the shape of people. When they were smashed on the ground, the people-shaped bottles had red liquid coming out, and then it began to rain the same red liquid. Either way, not really the imagery I would be thinking of when drinking their drink.
I get the green bottle - because it is watermelon, but the drink itself was plain energy-drink-colored. The "Precipitation" font for some reason is in a cartoon font, and there is nothing about their blue on green design that makes me feel particularly energetic.
Taste:5
I am not sure what the precipitation in here is supposed to mean. I caught the watermelon, but not sure if it was supposed to be sweaty, or if it is a play on the Rain in their name. Online, I figured it out - they name all their flavors after kinds of rain - like Storm Surge and Downpour. On cracking it open, I definitely smelled fake watermelon - almost overpowering in the strong candy watermelon-ness.
I poured it in the glass in the hopes that Cott made this drink in the Green of watermelon rind or the red fruit, but it just came out a dull light brown. Bummer. The flavor was as it smelled - like a melted watermelon Jolly Rancher. It was thick and rich and syrupy, so much so it was hard to drink all of it.
Buzz:
This is just about what you would expect from an energy drink that costs a buck at a dollar store. The sweetness comes from High Fructose Corn Syrup and it is packed with preservatives like Sodium Citrate, Potassium Benzoate food dye and artificial flavors. It really is like a melted candy - with about 240 calories a can.
Energy-wise, there is the usual cast of characters - Taurine, Caffeine, Inositol and the Vitamin B Complex team. Not a big buzz to be found - exactly that of a Red Bull (78mg per 8 ounce serving). If you find yourself dragging next to a dollar store, this might get you home, but there are quite a few tastier and more potent ways to get your caffeine fix.
