FRS Low Calorie Peach Mango

Okay, so I caved. But I couldn't resist. I just had to pop this baby open, the FRS Low Calorie Antioxidant Health Drink Peach Mango. Whew! With such a long name, this drink must have some special properties. I'm thinking it may re-vitalize rather than energize my body. The thought of peach-mango makes my mouth water, yet, I'm a bit concerned over what the sweetener may be. I looked at the back and saw surcalose, better known as Splenda. It seems to be the sole sweetener, but I'm not completely sure, considering there is a multitude of other ingredients I'm not familiar with. I'll see what they are along the way.

Oh, the smell is delightful. I smell the peach and mango emerging as one, and there's a definite sourness to it. It's not quite as sweet and artificial as I thought it would be. It's not carbonated, and brings very little gumminess, which is good. There's a very mild sweetness that's noticably artificial, as Splenda is, and it blends into the flavor of the mango a bit, being close to earthy tasting. The peach doesn't have much presence, but leads on to the also subtle mango. Energy Guru was right about this drink; it doesn't taste very natural, and has a strong vitamin taste. I was dumb to pour it out into a cup... Dang. This thing is getting thicker and more vitaminy by the second. Oh, man. Not great on taste, but it's necessary to ingest the stuff in order to feel the effects, obviously.

Now, this is a Low Calorie drink, and it's to be expected that there are less calories, less sugar, and some kind of artificial sweetener. Well, we already know that the sweetner is Splenda, and there are 5g of sugar per can. I'm quite sure that's the least per can I've ever seen in an energy drink. As for those weird ingredients I was referring to earlier, they are Quercetin, Locust Bean Gum, and Catechins. It is stated that Catechins come from the Green Tea extract, and I've found out that they help prevent the "big four:" stroke, heart failure, cancer and diabetes. They also may act as antibiotics. Quercetin, I also learned, is anti-inflammatory. And as for Locust Bean Gum, that one's been put in to simply thicken the drink; it is a thickening agent. The ingredients sure are non-standard; there's no Taurine, Caffeine, Guarana, Inositol, Glucuronolactone, or Ginseng anywhere to be found. There are lots of vitamins, like other drinks, but I doubt this will do any more than make me feel more aware and just plain healthy.

Taste: 4.5 - Not the tastiest drink
Kick: 4.5 - So I'm feeling vitalized...
Overall: 5 - I guess it wasn't marketed as an energy drink

Reviewed by: Jeff

Ed Hardy Pomegranate

Today, Jeff went over to BevMo to check out their inventory. Luckily he found the Ed Hardy drinks. Ed Hardy is the "Godfather of Tattoo" who introduced color in the art of tattoo 40 years ago. Odd enough, he made a line of energy drinks to be put on the market. I have a good feeling that this one will be a real winner, in my book, and for Canned Reviews. This one, however, has a large, vicious tiger, ready to strike. Beyond that, I see a pomegranate red background. I heard that this is a natural, light, refreshing drink, so I am predicting a calm pomegranate flavor. Okay, I'm ready for the dramatic can opening ritual.

Just as the can opens, Jeff and I immediately smell a light refreshing pomegranate flavor. That's odd, I was expecting a red color. Instead, I got a usual Monster-like color, otherwise known as amber. Oh, I hope this isn't just another Monster clone. Thankfully it's not. I wasn't as pleased with the taste as much as I thought I would, though. It first attacks my taste buds with an extremely weak pomegranate flavor, a bit disappointing. Following that, I get a cheek-pinching sourness, which isn't too bad, but drives the main pomegranate flavor away even more than it already is. In my opinion, Ed Hardy made a pretty lousy drink, it's not even worth coming across and looking at. Thankfully, this drink isn't too carbonated, but it doesn't matter, it doesn't help it in any way. However, I do get a lot of gumminess, nearly unbearable to most energy drink lovers, like Jeff and I. Overall, this drink wasn't bad, but it wasn't good in any way, no need to purchase...

Now for the ingredients. I'm pretty glad to announce that this drink is HFCS free. I must say, though, it had the gumminess that HFCS provides. Taurine, then comes in at number four, followed by natural and artificial flavors. I don't really think that this drink has enough flavor to have natural and artificial in it. Now, why does this drink contain caramel color? We may never know, but it probably gave the drink it's amber color. Per can, you get 220 calories, about average for an energy drink, as well as 56g of sugar, about average too. The taurine count is average coming in at 1,000mg per serving(8 fl oz). This drink was just too plain to write very much about, no actual flavor whatsoever. If you actually do come across Ed Hardy's drink, just keep walking.

Taste: 5 - It didn't really appeal to me
Kick: 5 - Not very much at all...
Overall: 5 - Just a lousy drink in general

Reviewed by: Chan

Jeff Gordon 24 Energy

Ha! I laughed when I saw this product at my local market. So, I knew I had to get it. Actually, I'd say 1 in 20 people out there know about this drink, pretty funny, and odd. As you might have noticed, just about every famous NASCAR driver, or almost every celebrity has their own energy drink nowadays. This drink, however, has the number 24 in large letters. I see a blue background, with orange unrealistic flames, under the phrase," High Octane Energy Supplement." I am so eager to try this drink, because I, personally, enjoy watching Jeff Gordon race, whenever it's on. I predict a strong tangerine taste, with a slight orange aftertaste, and maybe a hint of yerba mate, since I saw that it contains yerba mate. So, I'm done rambling, let's review!

After the dramatic can opening ritual, I am excited to get a sniff. The sweet aroma of tangerine the fills the whole room, and I'm pretty pleased. It comes out of the can a dark orange, after a whole lot of fizziness goes away. To me, this color sorta resembles the color of papaya, or cantaloupe. Hm, a lot different than I expected. This one will be tricky to explain, but I'll try my best. When I take a sip, I get a thick mix of orange, tangerine, sugar, lime, and a hint of lemon. When it first hit my tongue, I nearly threw my head back, as if all the flavors at once are fighting to be first. I can easily say that it has way too much sugar for my liking, but if you are a 'sugar' person, you would definitely like it. This drink is so thick, I'm actually afraid I might choke on it... Jeff Gordon 24 is really too heavily carbonated, so don't you dare try to chug this one. Honestly, I've had maybe 5 sips, and my mouth is backed up with gumminess, a really unique drink to me. Besides the carbonation and gumminess, this drink was pretty flavorful and quite tasty. Overall, if you do happen to come across this drink, you should maybe get it, I mean it's an interesting one, and it says "Limited Edition."

Lastly, we see the ingredients. First, I see carbonated water and High Fructose Corn Syrup. There's the culprit for the major gumminess, that HFCS, you can't escape it. Taurine comes in after citric acid, which is number three. I think the taurine is kicking in, or maybe it's just the sugar. Surprisingly, I see only natural flavor, I guess it's there, beyond all that sugar and carbonation. Ooh, I see yerba mate, in this Jeff Gordon mix; I forgot all about it, but it's hardly noticeable, anyway. Per can, you get 280 calories, which is way too overpowering for me. You also get 66 grams of sugar. Sigh, I feel full just drinking half the can already, it's all that sugar bringing me down. Like most other energy drinks out there, you get 2,000mg of taurine and 200mg of yerba mate seed, which is rarely found in drinks. I just think that this drink was too sugary and sweet, I wouldn't be doing any physical activity after this one.

Taste: 7.5 - The taste was good, the carbonation and gumminess threw me off, though
Kick: 8 - I feel a bit focused and pretty jittery
Overall: 7 - You really won't find anything special about this drink, it's mainly just a novelty

Reviewed by: Chan

Glaceau Vitamin Energy Fruit Punch

After a long day, I went to my local store and said, "Eh, why not" and I got the Vitamin Energy Fruit Punch. I'm pretty excited to see yet another company start making energy drinks. I mean, who doesn't, now? So, I found it on sale for $1.50, a great buy, wouldn't you say? To me, this can kinda looks like a pill capsule, you know, half purple, half white. Basically, the front of the can has a few large paragraphs explaining why this is better than your usual Monster, or Rockstar out there. I predict that this will have a multi-fruit taste, almost similar to the Archer Farms Fruit Punch Energy. Hm, I figured out that it is a relatively light drink, which I would most likely enjoy. So, here it goes.

As soon as I pop the can open, I get a curiously familiar scent, light wild berry. For some reason, when I smell it, I think of a meadow, blooming with flowers and fruits. It comes out of the can a fluorescent pink color, similar to the Archer Farms Fruit Punch. However, the taste is slightly different than those I've tried. It's a bit tough to explain, but I'll try my best. This drink comes at you with a blend of mixed berries, such as: raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, and cranberry. The aftertaste is a bitter, sugary, bland, type of carbonated water. That might be my least favorite part of this drink. I also enjoy how light the flavor is, especially since it has a terrible aftertaste. It's actually quite a bit carbonated, so I don't think you want to chug it, unless you want an aftertaste so large that you may have to wash your mouth out...I also observed that this drink actually has no gumminess whatsoever, which allows for pleasurable drinking and enjoyment. This is definitely one odd drink on the market. I mean, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't too great either, like Jeff noted in his Vitamin Energy Dragonfruit review. I actually think you should skip this one; there are many better fruit punch energy drinks out there you'd be better off with.

This drink, unlike many others, uses crystalline fructose, just another name for table sugar, or sucrose. Coming in at number three, I see taurine, a chemical not proven to actually have an affect, but is placed in nearly all energy drinks. After that, I see only natural flavor. Notice it doesn't say artificial flavor, I don't know about you, but that tells me that I'm consuming a somewhat healthy energy drink. Later in the ingredients, I see fruit and vegetable juice, put in for color. That's interesting, only put in for color? Hmm, anyway, per can, you get 200 calories, which is average for energy drinks worldwide. You also only get 50g of sugar, still a lot, but not a lot for an energy drink. You also get 150mg of natural caffeine, 200mg of Bioenergy Ribose, and 2000mg of taurine per can. It seems to me, the fellows at Glaceau don't seem to put much effort into their energy drinks. If you read Jeff's review, he basically says the same thing about Vitamin Energy. Altough it may be one of the healthiest energy drinks you come across, there's no need to get it. End of story.

Taste: 6 - It was just alright to me...
Kick: 6 - I didn't feel much either
Overall: 6 - Decent, but not great

Reviewed by: Chan

Amp Overdrive Turbo Boost (Yerba Mate)

Chan's done all of the Amp drinks so far, and I wanted to have the chance to review one. This one I was lucky to find. It's the Overdrive, but it now fits in with the rest of the Amps, because of the can design and the tagline that reads "Turbo Boost." I was thinking that this was a new Amp flavor, but I just realized that it has become the regular Amp Overdrive. Anyway, it might be worth testing, because the formula may have changed. So I'm going to do a short revisit anyway.

Now, the color of this one is similar to the previous Overdrive, being a dark and vivid red, like a maraschino cherry. It also tastes a lot more like a maraschino cherry; there's much more cherry in this than the old Overdrive. And I swear I taste just a bit of Yerba Mate, a tea that has many beneficial properties. After the cherry flavor erupts in your mouth, the regular Amp flavor comes in, being that characteristic lemon-lime. And I can also taste some of that nasty brominated vegetable oil. It's not unbearable, but it's there. I guess Amp just made some minor adjustments to the flavor and the color.

Some interesting changes to the ingredients list: There's less sugar; 29 grams instead of the 30-something that used to be in the Amp. It's good that they reduced the amount, but I'd say it's not enough. It still tastes very sweet. Also, There are 8mg of Yerba Mate added in. That's not much at all, but it's something. Other than that, the new Amp Overdrive appears nearly identical to the older one.

Taste: 7.2 - Better than the old one, but still a bit too sweet and overpowering
Overall: 7 - Still not the best Amp

Reviewed by: Jeff

Max Velocity Uncaged

Hey, I have the second of four Max Velocity products out on the market. I purchased this drink along with the original Max Velocity, reviewed earlier in the day. By the way, I got this drink for $1.50 at Albertson's. They have a great selection there, so I do advise you to shop there for energy drinks. I am eager to drink this because its can design caught me. It contains a speeding cheetah with a glossy yellow background consisting of random orange lines. I predict that this will taste more exotic and fruity than the original I really enjoyed the first Max Velocity, so I know this one will be just as good, if not better. So, here I go.

After the dramatic can opening ritual, I pop open the can and go up close for a sniff. I am greeted by a bold citrus scent, similar to the Bookoo Zero Carb, or the Rip It Citrus X. However, the color opposed. When it comes out of the can, I get an opaque lemon-yellow color. To me, this company differs than the other energy drink companies out there. My taste buds are met with a thick citrus taste, with a slight hint of orange. I really have not tried a thick drink before, but I like it. The citrus is strong as it first hits you, but then fades away a light orange flavor. This drink, however, has a lot of carbonation, so it is really tough to chug. This drink gets really strong, after a few ounces, so take it easy on this one. I enjoy how this drink, too, contains minimal gumminess, for pleasurable drinking. However, towards the end of the drink, I noticed more of a passion fruit-like flavor, consisting of: pineapple, mango, a bit of lemon, and a hint of berry. To me, the flavor was unique, almost like the taste changed every sip. Overall, this one was pretty good, a bit strong and overpowering, but I got used to it.

Now the ingredients. Like the original Max Velocity, this drink contains HFCS, An added sweetener made from corn, which makes the drink a bit dull. After that comes taurine, which isn't proven to have an affect, but is placed in energy drinks for "energy." This drink contains artificial and natural flavors. I think Max Velocity is a great company because they make it so can actually taste the natural flavors. I think the citrus was pretty natural, but the orange, to me, was quite artificial. Per can, you get 240 calories, which is slightly above average, as well as 62g of sugar. I honestly don't think 62g is suitable for an energy drink. As you observe in many other energy drinks, you get an average of about 52-55g, per can. It doesn't list the amount of taurine, but I assume it's about 2,000mg, like most others. I feel like this drink hasn't given me much energy, so it's kinda just made for taste. You can get this drink, but it won't really have an affect on you, other than a brief "sugar high."

Taste: 7.5 - I enjoyed its fruity taste
Kick: 7 - Not too much right now...
Overall: 7 - It was good, not worthy of one of the best, though

Reviewed by: Chan

Monster Java Lo-Ball

Yes! This will be Canned Reviews' last Monster Java review, the Lo-Ball. It follows the same look as the other Javas, with the woodgrain look and the embossed Monster M. This one, however, is white, to symbolize the fact that it is the low-calorie, low-sugar- low-everything Monster Java. And it's true; there are only 100 calories in the drink. And - Oh, my God - only 8g of sugar. Monster truly strived in making this a low-everything drink, and I"m ready to tear in.

After the long and dramatic can-opening ritual, I didn't know what to expect but a less sweet version of the Mean Bean. I was quite surprised. The smell was normal and smelled faintly of coffee, but the taste was just a little odd. It tasted sweeter than I had predicted; with a hint of Splenda. I'm not so fond of Splenda, or as it is put in the ingredients list, surcalose. It tastes the most artificial of the Java Monsters, and I honestly think it's equivalent to drinking watered-down coffee with lots of Splenda. It's thoroughly disappointing and pales in comparison to Rockstar's light coffee beverage, the Rockstar Roasted Light. The Light had a warm, inviting vanilla taste with a genuine coffee taste and a very minute sweetness. This, however, has a questionable coffee taste with a definitely artificial sweetness. It disappoints me, because every other Java Monster I've tried I completely fell in love with. This is Monster's first energy drink failure, in my eyes.

Even though the taste was lame, I'm still optimistic about the ingredients. They've got to be the same as all the other Javas, and they should give me a respectable boost. There's the regular 5000mg per can of the Monster Energy Blend, which includes L-Carnitine, Glucose, Caffeinie, Guarana, Inositol, Glucuronalactone, and Maltodextrin. Along with that, there are 2000mg total of Taurine, and 200mg of Panax Ginseng. It's often considered a lot, but in my experience, Monsters have never actually given me a spectacular boost. I found out this was true with my previous review, the hemp drink, when I realized there are drinks that provide much greater boosts than a Monster. It's just okay, I would say. I would not suggest that you really try it; if you're desperately counting calories, don't even bother to have anything at all.

Taste: 5 - Disappointing for a Java Monster
Kick: 6 - The regular Monster kick; nothing much
Overall: 4 - I'd say, Monster's first failure

Reviewed by: Jeff

Max Velocity

I'm so happy to get a review in after in a few days. As I was in Albertson's the other day, I noticed a drink called Max Velocity. What caught my eye was its extremely glossy look and has a realistic looking cheetah seemingly going fast on in. It has an apple-red background with some black dashes going vertically up and down the can. I don't know, but I've never heard of this drink, so I am really eager to get it opened up and reviewed. It also says the words Max Velocity vertically across the can. So without further ado, let's go!

As the can opens, I get a Monster-like smell, like apple-raspberry. I'm starting to think that this is just another Monster clone, but I'll let the taste decide that. As it comes out of the can, I notice a dark amber color, similar to Monster, with little fizziness. As soon as I taste it, I am met with a sweet and sour green apple taste. Almost completely different than a Monster, I think. Imagine eating a green apple, with a dash of sugar and some syrupy taste. I am surprised that this drink is as good as it is, being that it is a no name brand, if you will. I now realize that this drink actually tastes like a Red Bull, only lighter and more crisp and sharp. I like how this drink is light and easy to drink. Which means it easy to chug or take big sips. Like most Red Bull/ Monster clones, this drink has great chuggability. Also, I get minimal gumminess, which as you should know, I enjoy. Overall, If you can find this drink, you should get it because it tastes almost exactly like a Red Bull. So, instead of using all your money on an overpriced Red Bull, get yourself one of these beasts.

Now to talk about the ingredients. Sadly, I see HFCS in this mix. I don't recall seeing HFCS in Red Bull or Monster, so that's one difference. Taurine then comes in at number four, another difference, but yet it only has 2,000mg per can. I also see natural and artificial flavors. In this drink, I can point out the natural parts and the artificial parts, so that's okay. Per can, you get 240 calories, which is pretty above average for an energy drink. You also get 62g of sugar per can. That is the most I've seen in an energy drink thus far. Basically, this drink has great taste advantages, but the ingrdients disadvantages to this drink. I am surprised to say that I'm not really feeling too much energy, but it's noticeable. I don't think I'll have this drink again due to its large amount of calories and sugar. You might not care about what you consume, but if you ever try this drink, be careful how much you actually have. This drink is pretty interesting. If you can actually find one, go ahead and try it out. It's one of those drinks where you either like it, or you hate it.

Taste: 7.5 - It was surprisingly tasty
Kick: 7 - The kick didn't please me, nor did it upset me.
Overall: 7 - It's an addicting drink, most likely due to its high sugar content

Reviewed by: Chan

Jack Herer 420 Hemp Energy Infusion

This is a weird one. That local market, I noticed recently, just restocked with a previously unseen 8oz drink. I didn't have time to see what it was the first time I ran by it, but I picked it up today, surprised and interested and ready to try it. Supposedly, there's a bit of hemp in this. Hemp, if you don't know, is a cousin to Cannibis, or Marijuana. Now, don't freak out, hemp isn't used as a drug to make you high, but rather is grown for its many useful properties. It's highly nutritious, I learned, and is used for a variety of things, ranging from rope, to clothes, and even to concrete, which it is used to strengthen. After a quick glance at the ingredients list, I learned that the exact part of the plant used in this drink is the seed. I doubt it will get me high, but I'll see. I hope it's not illegal...

I didn't know what color liquid to expect from the drink. I found out just now, after I poured the drink out, it's kind of a rose-purple, like pomegranate juice. It smells a bit like pomegranate mixed with red grape, and there's a noticable herby-ness in the smell. Perhaps the hemp seed. The flavor, not surprisingly, is that of grape, or artificial berry. It's not bad; quite robust. The flavor really gets through because of the very little carbonation. Now, this is what I expect when drinks label themselves as "lightly carbonated." It's just enough to tickle your tongue and brighten the drink up. There's not any gumminess, but there is that kind of feeling on the roof of your mouth and teeth that you get from drinking grape juice. Not bad at all. I'm quite pleased with the flavor and I hardly notice the hemp or grape seeds at all.

I'm just a little concerned about what this drink might do. I'm hoping there are no adverse effects, and I just get a healthy, normal boost, like most energy drinks. And that's true about this one. I extracted a pretty good amount of energy and awareness out of it, and that was only an 8.4oz can. I presume a larger 16oz can of this could really do some damage and get you up and going. The energy is a win, but I still have to take a look at the ingredients. Let me see: Surcrose and Glucose are the two sweeteners, giving this one a crisp, bright sweetness, which it would not possess, had it corn syrup. The first energy ingredient I see is Taurine, standard in energy drinks, and it comes in at number 6 in the list, which is not bad. Oh, but it's not listed in the Nutrition Facts... That's a disappointment. Next, there's Glucuronolactone, which is also standard and Guarana. Ooh, then, it lists Mate Extract. Yerba Mate is a tea that has many beneficial health effects. I've had it made as a tea before, and I've always felt great after it. Now, I see the Hemp Seed Extract and Grape Seed Extract. Grape seed is a great thing to see in the drink, because it's a believed-to-be antioxidant and which delivers many great benefits to the body. Other than that, all I see is vitamins and Caffeine, along with Inositol. These are all things you'd regularly find in an energy drink, and it doesn't surprise me that they're in there. Boy, I'm wired. This is powerful stuff!

* Whoa!!! Thirty minutes after having this drink, I was seriously wired. The Jack Herer 420 Hemp Energy Infusion, I found out later, delivers some INTENSE energy. You HAVE to try this one.

Taste: 7.6 - Above average, and tasting very natural
Kick: 10 - Simply amazing, the amount of energy you get from this little can!
Overall: 10 - A great one to try

Reviewed by: Jeff

Amp Relaunch

Wow! I didn't know Amp sold their new products out in this part of the country. Amp finally spilled the beans, announcing the release of their three new flavors: Relaunch, Elevate, and Traction. They originally released in random parts of the Midwest and East Coast; test markets. I guess now, they've been released all throughout America; and as of right now, Amp has six total products. This drink, I found while shopping around for drinks, and I got excited. It is called Relaunch and supposedly is a orange-citrus 'burst.' When I look at the can, I see a glossy orange background, with random black lines going down and around the can. In front of that, I see a stylized 'A', their trademark logo, as well as the word Amp in lowercase. I know Amps are known for their quality taste and great energy, but I also know them for their weird ingredients, which I will speak of later. I'm eager to open the can.

When the can opens with a loud CRACK, I go in for a sniff. I am met with a subtle orange soda-like scent, similar to the Sobe Essential Energy. It rushes out of the can an orange creamsicle color, with a lot of carbonation. I don't think I've seen an energy drink with this much carbonation before. At first, I get a sweet orange soda taste, with what seems to be cream, and a hint of citrus added into it. As it fades away, I get a regular Amp flavor, which is why they dub it Orange + Amp. This is a unique flavor, the orange is light, and the Amp flavor (lemon-lime), takes over the drink. The Relaunch is more bitter than a regular Amp, I noticed, but it keeps me coming back for more. The Relaunch, I think has too much flavor all at once, so it kinda throws me off, but I know people like Jeff would appreciate it. This drink actually doesn't have much gumminess, which pleases me. Also, I don't really get a lot of carbonation, unlike what I had predicted. Overall, it was a pretty good drink, not excellent or phenomenal, just pretty good. I think I would enjoyed it more if it wasn't so bitter...

Next comes the ingredients. First off, I see carbonated water and HFCS. If you didn't know already, Amp uses HFCS in all their products, except the Sugar Free Amp, which I am yet to review. If I were to make an energy drink, I know I wouldn't put HFCS in it because the adverse health effects. Following that, I see natural and artificial flavors. I'm pretty sure the natural comes from the orange, and the 'artificial' refers to the regular Amp flavor. Taurine comes in at number six, although you only get 296mg per can. As I said, Amp adds weird ingredients to their drinks. For example, I see sodium hexametaphosphate, which is found in common cosmetics. I also see brominated vegetable oil, pretty gross. If you recall, that is all found in the Rip It products; just an unusual ingredient. Per can, you get 220 calories, which is about average for a 16 ounce energy drink. You also get 58g of sugar, just above average for an energy drink. This was a good drink, it kinda got old towards the middle, and frankly not as good as the regular Amp.

Taste: 7.9 - It was good, I can't bring myself to give an Amp a low rating, though
Kick: 9 - I love how Amps give a great kick
Overall: 8.5 - I'd say it's the best out of the newest Amp flavors

Reviewed by: Chan

Rockstar Roasted Latte

Ah, yes another version of coffee, done by energy drink companies. This time, I found the Rockstar Roasted Latte. As you may have noticed, Jeff reviewed the Rockstar Roasted Mocha and Rockstar Roasted Lite Vanilla. Rockstar debuted three Roasted drinks, consisting of coffee, cream, and a blend of energy. To me, it sounds like they want to show up the Java Monster; Jeff and I will be the judge of that. If you look at the can, you see a coffee-brown background with a lot of parallel lines going diagonally across the can. Rockstar has a different interpretation of their logo; this time, it's slapped on the can, as if they had not a care in the world where their logo should be. I like this can, it gives you a good feeling of coffee and latte. Sounds good.

As I open the can, I get a more bitter coffee smell, as if they didn't put as much creamer in it. That's okay, most are like that anyway. As it rushes into the cup, I get an extremely light color, almost like milk, with a dash of brown. This drink reminds me of the Nut Up. As soon as it hits my tongue, I get a rich, strong genuine coffee taste, followed by a nutty aftertaste. You could relate this drink to a black coffee when it hits your taste buds, but you then get an extremely sweet blend of cream. The aftertaste tastes similar to the Nut Up because it has a blend of nuts, but it's not as noticeable as the Nut Up. The aftertaste is also a bit gummy for most coffee energy drinks out there, but I wont let that bring this drink down. Obviously, there is no carbonation, so it is easy to chug and/or take big sips. If it were up to me, I would advise you not to because this is one drink meant to be savored, period. I am surprised Rockstar actually has this much power to make such an insane drink. This one easily outplayed most of the Java Monsters. Overall, you NEED to get this drink if you are a coffee lover. However, this is a stronger blend than your usual Java Monster, so be careful, beginners.

Now the ingredients: I first see brewed espresso coffee. All you coffee fans know what that is. It's basically a type of coffee, not anything real special. Next comes sucrose, or table sugar and whole milk. Unlike the Java Monsters, these guys use whole milk. Java Monster's contain reduced fat milk. Taurine comes in at number four, almost average for energy drinks. Per can, you get 220 calories, not bad of a coffee-like drink. You also get 34g of sugar, a lot for a Rockstar Roasted, but a little for an energy drink. Next, you get 2,000mg of taurine, about average as well as 300mg of ginkgo biloba leaf extract. Ginkgo biloba is a tree, found by the Japanese and spread to America. It is placed in many energy drinks on the market to improve focus, instead of jitteriness. I am totally blown away by what Rockstar had to offer with 15 ounces of intense coffee, I apologize for the bad remarks I have said about Rockstar. This is one drink you absolutely have to get your hands on, though you might find it a bit strong.

Taste: 9 - Wow, I'm truly impressed with Rockstar
Kick: 9 - The Ginkgo helps this drink maintain a steady kick
Overall: 9 - It was great, I needed a good energy drink, It's been awhile...

Reviewed by: Chan

Rockstar Roasted Light

I'm excited to have another coffee! That Rockstar Roasted Mocha was so good and this one I expect to be better. It's light, meaning it's got vanilla instead of chocolate. The can design is pretty neat, fitting in with the whole series of Rockstar Roasteds. Oh, and guess what! It's got 50% less fat and 50% fewer calories than the original Rockstar Roasted. Ah, so this is the low cal, low carb, low sugar, low everything Rockstar Roasted. And to the extreme! In the Supplement Facts on the back, it lists only 7g of sugar per serving. That's incredibly low compared to any other drink you find on the market. Maybe it's even got less sugar than a regular sweetened latte you get at Starbucks. What I really like about this, though, that makes it unique, even to its competitor, the Monster Javas, is the addition of Ginkgo Biloba and Milk Thistle. Some pretty non-standard ingredients that have some interesting properties. Ginkgo Biloba delivers great concentration, I learned when I found it in the Mocha. Milk Thistle has protective effects on the liver, I found out, and is also good for lowering cholesterol levels. By far, this is the healthiest energy drink I've ever come across.

I opened the can after my can-opening ceremony and found that, rightly so, the drink didn't smell as sweet as most drinks. It's a very subtle coffee scent and is quite mild. There's no carbonation, since it's a coffee, and the texture is smooth as silk with no extra fat left behind on your tongue. It possesses a moderately pleasing flavor, where the sweetness comes first, followed by a bitter coffee bean, and ending with warm vanilla. I like it; it's not overpowering and has genuine coffee bitterness. I could chug it, and I might, considering the flavor is light enough and there are no painful bubbles to hold you back. And I think I can safely say that this is definitely not as sugary and syrupy as those thick Starbucks Lattes. This one is pleasing and subtle and light, and I'm diggin' it.

I'm going to have to switch gears and see how well I can feel the kick. I definitely know that I felt more awake and aware as soon as I took a swig. I'm hoping for more of the same electric energy with the same amazing concentration to keep me going and in-tune. And after a little while, I get that and also that kind of energy like you're ready to run a marathon at any time. Not quite the jitters, but just lots and lots of energy. It seems I get loads more from this than any Monster, and I'm loving it. As for the ingredients, they seem to be far above-par just as the rest of the drink. There are 2780mg of the energy blend, which includes the standard amount of Taurine, Caffeine, Guarana, Inositol, L-Carnitine, and Panax Ginseng. And there are those two interesting ones, Ginkgo Biloba and Milk Thistle. I feel the Ginkgo Biloba; I know I'm concentrated; and I hope the Milk Thistle is helping me liver. Overall, this is a great light drink if you're up for coffee and some seriously intense energy.

Taste: 8.5 - Light and subtle, with that genuine coffee taste
Kick: 9 - That was amazing
Overall: 9 - Man, you gotta have this one

Reviewed by: Jeff

Archer Farms Sugar Free Grapefruit Energy

Wow! I'm so happy to get a review in. It's been awhile, huh? Well, as I move along with part III (and the final) of my Archer Farms reviews, I decided to review the sugar free one. As you know, these drinks are pretty cheap over at Target, but you gotta get over there fast because I believe they raised their price to $1.00. Anyway, this can has the same basic design as the Fruit Punch and Tropical Fruit drinks, but this one has a light green color to it, similar to a Monster. I guess this light color is supposed to resemble the fact that it is sugar free...who knows? Well, I'm finished writing this paragraph up, so let's see how this beast tastes...

As soon as the can opens with a loud crack, I get a bold grapefruit aroma, similar to that of Squirt. I am so excited now because I recognized this scent, the Bookoo Zero Carb! However, I do get that scent you get when having a low calorie drink, you know, that artificial scent. Right when the cup gets filled with a grapefruit-like energy drink, I notice an odd, bright pink color. I would never have guessed that would be the color... The first thing I notice in this drink is the sweetness and sourness fighting for flavor. What this drink reminded me of is if you've ever had a grapefruit and dipped it in sugar, you get that exact taste. I don't why this says sugar free, because I can taste a noticeable amount of sugar. Unlike what I said, this drink tastes nothing like the Bookoo Zero Carb; instead, it tastes like Squirt, with quite a lot of sugar, most likely artificial. The grapefruit in this drink is hardly noticeable, after a few ounces. This artificial sugar has taking over the drink, and started a reign of terror, which is starting to bug me because I kinda wanted a fruit drink, not a sugar-filled drink. This drink does contain a lot of gumminess, like the two other Archer Farms Brand energy drinks. The gumminess, to me, doesn't effect me too much, simply because I am used to many drinks being gummy, but this may effect you. There is also a quite large amount of carbonation, similar to a soda. Overall, this drink just tastes like a diet soda. I mean, it has no real flavor, just artificial sugar.

I now turn the can around to see the ingredients and take note of the important facts. Citric acid is number 2, no surprise there, considering there is no sugar to be listed. Taurine then comes in at number 3, an astonishing move by Archer Farms. Oh, hm, let's see, what's this? ASPARTAME. Aspartame is a dangerous, artificial sweetener placed in sodas. I guess I was right, this is basically a diet soda, with taurine. Per can, you get only 20 calories, similar to the Lo-Carb Monster. If it were up to me, however, I would choose the Lo-Carb over the this because you get a healthier sugar placed in, as well as more flavor. Obviously, you don't get any sugar whatsoever; this has advantage over other low carb/calorie energy drinks because, although they are low on that, they have sugar...You also get 2,000mg of taurine, a standard dosage for almost all energy drinks out there. As you have read in my review, you're better off getting a Low carb Monster, or a sugar free Amp. This leaves me wondering why Archer Farms would even bother making a sugar free energy drink if it isn't gonna taste good, compared to all the other low carb energy drinks out there.

Taste: 5.5 - It wasn't too good, way too artificial, and frankly, no flavor
Kick: 8 - These do pack a kick, though
Overall: 6 - Eh...

Reviewed by: Chan

Monster Mixxd

This is one I've desperately been wanting to try. I haven't had a Monster Mixxd in a long time, and it was the only non-coffee Monster we hadn't yet reviewed. All this time, I had been on a hunt for this one, until I finally found it at a local market. I was ecstatic. Monster called this one "Mixxd" because, as it states on the back of the can, it's a mix of all their backup flavors. I'm expecting a pretty crazy combination of flavors, and I know for sure that there's at least going to be red grape. The design of the can is the same as the M-80 and Khaos, with a riveted metal look and the name of the drink at the bottom in all caps. I just can't wait to tear in.

I once again went through with my dramatic can-opening ritual, and when the can burst, I went in for a sniff. Whoa! That's a funky mix. It smells like red wine, even with the sourness like decomposing grapes. But there can't be alcohol, no way. It must be all of Monster's backup flavors. Anyway, I poured it out, and I saw that the color differs from the rest of the Monsters; it's sort of a dark rose with an orange tinge. As for the taste... it's a hard one to describe. I'm certain there's grape and some cola, and there might be orange along with some floweriness, like Hibiscus flowers. It's pleasant and there's adequate sweetness, I'd say, to carry the flavors along. I really like it because it's strong and not too light like some of the other drinks I've reviewed. It's a great mix, in my opinion, and I goes down easily, with minimal gumminess and little carbonation, though I admit, the flavor gets a little old after a while. You'd like it if you're for stronger and more flavorful drinks, like Amp or Red Bull.

Like all the Monsters, you get an incredible kick. I got some intense energy and persevered all throughout my workout. It's what you get from a quality drink like Monster. I was buzzed almost immediately and it lasted till the end. What kept me going must have been the 5000mg total of Glucose, Caffeine, Guarana, L-Carnitine, Glucuronolactone, Inositol, and Maltodextrin in the Energy Blend, along with the 2000 total mg of Taurine and 400mg of Ginseng. Oh, and the slightly higher-than-normal 27g of sugar, not HFCS. Mix it all together with your daily value of B vitamins, and you've got a potent elixir to get you through the day.

Taste: 7.7 - Tasty and very unique, but it gets a little old towards the end
Kick: 8.5 - The magnificent boost you get from a Monster
Overall: 8.4 - One of the best and strongest Monsters

Reviewed by: Jeff

Nitro2Go Firepower Extreme

I'm back, finally, after my Nos review and a mild cold. Now, I'm feeling much better and I'm ready to review yet another drink. This time, it's a Nitro2Go Firepower Extreme, and boy, these guys mean business. The background of the can is a raging inferno and the words Firepower and Extreme are bold and big. Below, it reads, "A Powerful Blast of Vitamins and Herbs," so I know to look for some kind of special plant or additive. I've had a Nitro2Go before, namely, the Nitro2Go Firepower Unleashed. I'm expecting something similar, maybe with a greater kick. I can only find out by taking a drink.

The smell surprised me. It's moderately herbal, I would say, with subtle fruit mixed in. It doesn't seem to be very potent and I have to take a sip to better figure out the flavor. I poured the drink out and the color didn't surprise me, being the popular amber-gold color that many drinks are. The flavor isn't very surprising, either, being plainly sweet and nothing else. It's such a shame that there are 26g of sugar in the drink, yet no flavor. Even though the taste is sub-par, the flavor is still quite addicting. I feel a little guilty for drinking this. It just seems like a load of sugar because there's no flavor. I can detect not a trace of herbs, as I had suspected there would be. The flavor is just disappointing. I doubt the kick will make up for the taste.

In the drink: Filtered Water, HFCS, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Natural (Yeah, right) and Artificial Flavor, Caramel Color, Taurine, Caffeine, Ginseng Extract, Guarana Extract, Niacin, and a whole array of other minute ingredients. It's pretty lame; the amounts of the energy ingredients must be extremely little because they're not listed. And they're not very high up in the ingredients; Taurine is #7, below Caramel Color and HFCS. Overall, it's just a sad and lame drink with a misrepresentative cover. The Monster is more potent and flavorful than this and doesn't brag with the words "extreme" and "powerful blast." This drink phails.

Taste: 2 - Tastes like... sugar
Kick: 3 - Just like having spoonfuls of sugar
Overall: 2 - Skip this one; it's just sugar in a can

Reviewed by: Sugar... I mean, Jeff

Amp Overdrive

After a long day, it's always good to unwind with a cold Amp. This time, I am reviewing the Amp Overdrive. If you recall, former member, Chris has reviewed this. We feel, for quality means, we should re-review this drink. Anyway, Amp has released a new can design, a blood red color with knife-like black lines going up and down the can. However, Amp has released this can with a more glossy touch to it. Like all Amps, you see the disfigured 'A' and the word 'Amp' in lowercase letters. To me, it seems "overdrive" is a powerful word to put in a drink, so Amp better have made this a quality drink.

As I open the can, I immediately, smell an intense aroma of cherry. You can tell the scent is artificial, but it has so much taste. As it comes rushing out of the can, I see a smooth red color, similar to Gatorade Fruit Punch. So far so good. As soon as I taste it, I get a pleasant cherry flavor, with a hint of lemon. The aftertaste is sour, pinching the sides of your mouth, but you don't get any cherry whatsoever. Imagine, having a mix of cherry and lemom juice, with a bit of carbonation. However, the flavor does disappear after a few seconds in your mouth, almost like what a sugar free drink will do. Surprisingly, this drink doesn't contain much carbonation, so it easy to chug or take big sips. You should not though because this drink has a unique cherry flavor, which you won't find in many other energy drinks. The gumminess is a large factor for most energy drinks, like Amp. If you've ever tried an Amp, you know that they are real gummy, and it builds p in the way back of your mouth. This drink, is no exception. After a little while, I notice the flavor gets weaker as it hits your mouth. Overall, this wasn't the best energy drink out there, but it's alright, not too bad, but not too good.

Okay, last paragraph...ingredients. First I see carbonated water, like usual. Then, I see, *sigh* HFCS. Well, you know how Amps are, they contain a lot of gumminess. Next, you see, hmm, natural flavor. This drink doesn't taste natural at all, I guess Amp is bad at making a natural taste. Next, I see sodium hexametaphosphate, which is found in cosmetics such as lipstick, makeup, and eyeliner. You may recall seeing this ingredient in NOS, so you can conclude that this is a rare ingredient. However, it's not a good ingredient either. Per can, you get 220 calories, which is just about average for an energy drink. You also get about 58g of sugar, pretty predictable for an Amp. Like usual, 2000mg is the amount of taurine you get in the Overdrive. This drink was just pretty lame for Amp to make a drink like this. I mean compared to the regular, this drink was almost nothing. I can obviously say that you don't need to purchase this one, as long as you have the original Amp out there, you're alright.

Taste: 7 - It was just alright to me
Kick: 9 - Amps always do pack a punch
Overall: 8 - It's only a good drink, served chilled, after a long day, other than that, it just wasn't as good as the regular Amp

Reviewed by: Chan

Chan's Reviews

...Lost
...Lost Five-0
All In Citrus
Amp
Amp Elevate
Amp Energy Juice Mixed Berry
Amp Energy Juice Orange
Amp Overdrive
Amp Relaunch
Amp Traction
Amp Sugar Free
Archer Farms Energy Fortified Pink Grapefruit
Archer Farms Fruit Punch
Archer Farms Juice Infused Pomegranate Blueberry
Archer Farms Sugar Free Grapefruit
Archer Farms Tropical Fruit
Archer Farms Wild Berry
Arizona Green Tea Energy
Arizona Diet Green Tea Energy
Awake Orange Tangerine
Bawls G33k B33r
Bawls Guarana
Bawls Guaranexx Sugar Free
Blox Orange Rush
BooKoo Citrus
BooKoo Jugo
BooKoo Wild Berry
BooKoo Zero Carb
Cocaine
CRUNK!!! Berry
CRUNK!!! Citrus
CRUNK!!! Sugar Free
Damzl Fuel
Deton 8
Ed Hardy Orange
Ed Hardy Pomegranate
Ed Hardy Sugar Free
El Sol
El Sol Ultra Red Ginseng
Ex Pure Energy
Extreme 6-Hour Energy Shot
Foosh Energy Mints
Freek Maniac Sugar Free
Freek Rage
FRS Orange
Full Throttle Blue Demon
Full Throttle Coffee Caramel
Full Throttle Coffee Mocha
Full Throttle Coffee Vanilla
Full Throttle Mother
Glaceau Vitamin Energy Fruit Punch
Glaceau Vitamin Energy Tropical Citrus
Go Fast
Go Fast Light
Go Girl
Hansen's Energade Orange
Howling Monkey Cola
Hydrive Acai Berry
Hydrive Blue Raspberry S

Hydrive Citrus Burst V
Hydrive Kiwi Strawberry A
Hype MFP
Independent
Inko's White Tea
Jeff Gordon 24 Energy
Jetset Club Soda
Jetset Original
Jetset Tonic
Joker Mad Energy
Jolt Blue Raspberry
Jolt Passion Fruit
Jolt Ultra
Kronik
Kronik Entourage
Kronik Low Carb
M-150
Max Life Green Tea
Max Velocity
Max Velocity Uncaged
Mojo
Monster
Monster Black Ice
Monster Java Chai Hai
Monster Java Irish Blend
Monster Java Loca Moca
Monster Java Mean Bean
Monster Java Russian
Monster Lo-Carb
Mountain Dew White Out
Muud Original
No Fear
No Fear Bloodshot
No Fear Motherload
Nos Grape
Playboy
Red Bull
Red Bull Simply Cola
Red Jak
Redline Triple Berry
Rip It A'tomic Pom
Rip It Chic Sin A Man
Rip It Citrus X
Rip It Gin-Zing-R
Rockstar Energy Cola
Rockstar Juiced Guava
Rockstar Juiced Pomegranate
Rockstar Punched
Rockstar Roasted Latte
Rockstar Sugar Free
Rockstar Tropical Punch Shot
Rockstar Zero Carb
Rumba Energy Juice
Snapple Antioxidant Water Dragonfruit
Snapple Antioxidant Water Strawberry Acai
Sobe Adrenaline Rush Sugar Free
Sobe Energy
Sobe Essential Energy Berry Pomegranate
Sobe Essential Energy Orange
Sobe No Fear
Spot On Energy Patch
Starbuck's Doubleshot Cinnamon Dulce
Starbucks Doubleshot Energy+Coffee
Starbucks Doubleshot Energy+Coffee Mocha
Steven Seagal's Lightning Bolt Cherry Charge
Talon
Trek Nitro Blue Raspberry
Turn Left
Vegas Fuel
Venom Black Mamba
Venom Mojave Rattler Low Carb
Vital Lifestyle Water Energize Dragonfruit
Vitamin Water Focus
Vitamin Water Power-C
Wave
Who's Your Daddy Cranberry Pineapple
WWE Raw Attitude
WWE Raw Attitude Slammin' Citrus
Xyience Xenergy Big Apple
Xyience Xenergy Blu Pom
Xyience Xenergy Cran Razz
Xyience Xenergy Pink Lemon
YJ Stinger Sinful Citrus

Jeff's Reviews

...Lost Five-0
24:7 Cherry Berry
24:7 Green Apple
5-Hour Energy
Ace Energy+Juice
Amp Lightning
Amp Overdrive Revisit
BooKoo Bite
BooKoo Punch
BooKoo Wet Pomegranate Plus
BooKoo Wet Wild Berry Rebound
BooKoo Wet Zen Again Lime
BooKoo Wild Berry Zero Carb
Coolah Energy
CRUNK!!!
CRUNK!!! Berry
CRUNK!!! Citrus
DareDevil
Diesel
Freedom
Freek Psycho
FRS Lemon Lime
FRS Low Calorie Peach Mango
Full Throttle Fury
Glaceau Vitamin Energy Dragonfruit
Hansen's Diet Red
Hype
Hype Enlite
Inked Chikara
Inked Maori
Jack Herer 420 Hemp Energy Infusion
Joker Lo-Carb
Joker Energy+Juice
Jolt Cola
Jolt Power Cola
Jolt Wild Grape
Jones Energy
Liquid Ice
Lost Cadillac
Lost Five-O
Monster Assault

Monster Heavy Metal
Monster Java Big Black
Monster Java Chai Hai
Monster Java Lo-Ball
Monster Java Nut Up
Monster Khaos
Monster M-80
Monster Mixxd
Muud Dyn-O-Muud
Nitro2Go FU: Firepower Unleashed
Nitro2Go Firepower Extreme
Nos
Ol' Glory
Pit Bull
Pure Fuel
Raw Dawg
Rehab Recovery Supplement
Rip It Chic Berry In O Scent
Rip It Power
Rip It Power Sugar Free
Rip It Sting-er Mo
Rockstar
Rockstar Juiced
Rockstar Roasted Light
Rockstar Roasted Mocha
Rush! Lite
Sobe Adrenaline Rush
Sobe Power Fruit Punch
Starbucks Doubleshot Energy+Coffee Vanilla
Steaz Berry
Talking Rain Fusion Energy Orange Mango

Tight!
Vitamin Water Energy
Who's Your Daddy Green Tea
Xtazy Cranberry Blast
YJ Stinger Enraged Raspberry

YJ Stinger Pounding Punch

Worst

Here is where you'll find a list of all the nastiest, gummiest, weakest energy drinks tried by Chan and I. You want to make sure you never, ever pick up one of these.

Bawls Guaranexx Sugar Free

Liquid Ice

Nitro2Go Firepower Extreme

Nitro2Go FU: Firepower Unleashed

Rip It Power Sugar Free

Rockstar

Rockstar Sugar-Free

Starbucks Doubleshot Energy+Coffee

Best Kick

The following list is a group of energy drinks sure to keep you wired all night long. They may have an excellent amount of caffeine, sugar, taurine, ginkgo biloba, and/or guarana that'll want you to keep buying more and more.

Cocaine

Diesel

Jack Herer 420 Hemp Energy Infusion

Kronik

Monster (All Flavors)

Rockstar Roasted Mocha

Rockstar Roasted Latte

Best Taste

The following list is group of quality energy drinks, made with care and highly recommended. Not only are they worthy of the best taste, but have no artificial aftertaste, little to no gumminess, and/or light carbonation.


CRUNK!!! Citrus

Full Throttle Coffee Mocha

Monster Java Chai Hai

Full Throttle Blue Demon

Monster M-80

Red Bull Simply Cola

Red Jak

Rip It A'tomic Pom

Rockstar Zero Carb

Archer Farms Fruit Punch Energy

Hey, I am finally reviewing this drink after it being chilled in my fridge for a few days. Like the Tropical Fruit, I purchased this drink at Target for about .85 cents. I'm telling you, these drinks are the real deal. I mean, for .85 cents, why not? If you recall, my last Archer Farms review explained how good the Tropical Fruit was, so I am excited to crack this one open. This can has its Archer Farms logo, a small red rooster, just above a pinkish fruity color; most likely resembling the drink's color. I have noticed some frost on the can, that'll make it really cold, and in my case, better Other than that, this drink has a pretty basic design to it, mainly what Archer Farms usually does with their products. So, here comes the pitch.

As the can cracks open, I get some of this drink everywhere, due to the carbonation. However, the smell is similar to a mixed berry aroma. I smell a blend of raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, and strawberry. It comes out of the can a dark orange color, similar to the Full Throttle Fury. Hm, that's an odd taste. Imagine strawberry soda, with a hint of wild berry...I wouldn't call that fruit punch. As soon as it hits your mouth, you get a sour strawberry taste, and the aftertaste is a sweet blueberry and raspberry blend. However, you do get a lot of carbonation, which draws you away from the real flavor, so be aware of that. This drink reminds me of the Summer, where you aren't really doing anything but hanging out in your front or backyard, and just drinking a soda. The good part of this is you don't get a lot of gumminess, which I, and many other people prefer not to have. After about 5 ounces into the drink, I start to notice a great amount of melon, almost instantly after it touches your tongue. Now, you do not want to chug this because you will get a weird feeling in your throat like you get after drinking some cranberry juice; the carbonation will hurt you as well if you are trying to take big sips, so please savor and enjoy this drink. Overall, I guess it was alright, it tasted a bit natural and a bit artificial. If you want to make a drink with many flavors such as strawberry, melon, and various berries, you need to support it with less carbonation and no artificial sweeteners. Enough said.

Following the taste test, we have the ingredients. I first see carbonated water and and HFCS, no surprise. You will find HFCS in almost any food or drink out there, you just gotta be careful. Taurine comes in at a whopping number four, pretty good for a generic brand. Per can, you get 220 calories, which is almost average for your every day energy drink. You also get about 52g of sugar, which is about average as well, so you can count on this as being your average drink on the market. You will get supplied with 2,000 mg of taurine and 100mg of inositol. I know I never mention inositol in a review, but this is an exception. This drink was alright to me, I thought the Tropical Fruit was a lot better, but you can't beat it for .85 cents. If you want a drink that'll give you a punch of various fruits, you can get this drink, but why when there's better fruit-like drinks on the market?

Taste: 7 - I won't give this drink a bad rating only because I like fruity drinks, artificial, or not
Kick: 8 - Just like the other one, I get a great kick
Overall: 7 - It was pretty good, not as good as your genuine fruit drinks, though

Reviewed by: Chan

Sobe Essential Energy Orange

Here I am again, in a never ending search for energy drinks all over the world. This time, I dug out the Sobe Essential Energy Orange. I know that they make a blue one, or berry, but I decided to try orange. You can find this drink at your local market or store. I found this one at Ralph's, so I guess they aren't too hard to spot. This can explains and describes how it is better for you than most other energy drinks. It has the two orange lizard logo along with a larger golden lizard in the back. Other a few dents and scratches, this can is pretty basic. I do remember trying this drink about 5 months ago, but all I remember is that it's crisp and light. Let's find out if my memory is right...

As soon as I pop open the can, I get a real orange-like smell, similar to the Rip It Citrus. However, this one doesn't smell as artificial as the Rip It. As I tip the can towards the cup, I get a bright orange color with a bit of light yellow mixed in. This drink's color resembles orange juice, because of its opaque orange tint. I don't know what Sobe is saying because I notice quite a lot of carbonation, although they say it is lightly carbonated. Wow, that is one tasty drink. If you can remember what Sunny D tasted like, back in your childhood days, you know what this taste like. However ,there isn't that artificial taste. Instead, you get a burst of natural orange flavor, sorta like a freshly squeezed orange, in a cup, or in this case, a can. The people at Sobe weren't lying when they said "Better for You Energy: because I cannot taste any artificial part to this drink at all. Like many other drinks, this one contains a lot of gumminess that builds up in the back of your mouth. Next, I was in disbeliefwhen they mention "lightly carbonated" because you know how many companies do that, right? Well I was wrong, this drink is light and very easy to chug. You should not though, because you most likely won't find a tastier energy drink thats 'better for you', so I do suggest you savor it. Overall, you need to try this drink, maybe for a breakfast drink, instead of coffee. Trust me, you'd get a healthier breakfast blend with this drink, for a better price than Starbucks.

Now the ingredients. I first notice, of course, carbonated water. Then I see, crystalline fructose. You might be thinking "Woah, what is that?. " That's just a fancy name for table sugar, or sucrose. Next comes orange, grape and pear juice from concentrate. That's odd because I never tasted any grape or pear in the drink, so I guess they don't put as much. I also noticed Yerba Mate leaf extract. It's a tea leaf rarely seen in most energy drinks, but natural ones. Per can, you get 240 calories, which is quite a few for an energy drink, but I guess they need it to pack this much energy. You also get 59g of sugar per can, which is pretty above average for an energy drink. Just so you know, this drink isn't all energy, it is 30% juice, which I prefer out of most drinks out there. This drink met my expectations and I know Sobe makes great energy drinks. You need to get yourself one right away.

Taste: 9 - The taste was phenomenal, but the gumminess kinda threw me off
Kick: 9.5 - I am really focused and a bit jittery
Overall: 9.3 - Wow! this is a true energy blend here!

Reviewed by: Chan

Full Throttle Blue Demon

Hey, I am here with yet again another review. This time, I purchased the Full Throttle Blue Demon. You may recall Brigham reviewing this awhile ago, but I feel that was in need of a more quality review. So I expect this to be a good drink. Surrounding it are two red outlined yellow flames. I also notice a metallic blue background that shines off the light streaming in my room. Lastly, I see the words Blue Agave Flavor, I'll find out what that means later. I know that this will be a good drink because I have heard many praise for it. So I'm getting ready to dive in...

As soon as I pop open the can, I get a sweet, tea like aroma, similar to the Rockstar Zero Carb. The color is an electric purple. That is a neat color, unlike anything I've seen before. However, there seems to be a large amount of carbonation. At first, I get a bold grape-like flavor with a slight taste of grass. That's from the blue agave, though. So, if you think you're drinking 'grass', think again, it's a type of cactus. The same cactus used to make Tequila. The aftertaste is similar to a blueberry, but is light and not very strong. If you've ever tried a Full Throttle, you might know that they pack a weak flavor in some of their products, but this, however is unlike others. I can tell you that is a light drink, but not light enough to chug, so take it easy on the sips. This drink is sweet, so, like me, you might get a stomach ache if you ingest too much at a time and will not be pleasant. Unlike what I have heard, this drink contains a large amount of gumminess, most likely due to the HFCS. Other than that, this drink is one tasty drink, and if you like a sweet, light taste to your energy drinks, I advise you to get this drink at a market, store, or wherever you buy drinks now.

Now the ingredients. First, I see carbonated water, and then, what do you know...HFCS. You can't hide from it, it's everywhere, but it's just a matter of how much you eat or drink of it. After that, you see...hmmm natural flavors, at number three? I guess that's how you know you're drinking a quality drink, right? Following that we see citric acid, sucrose and taurine. I haven't seen too many drinks that contain sucrose and HFCS, but that's okay. Taruine clocks in at number six, not too bad. Per can, you get 220 calories, about average for an energy drink, but I would refer around 170-200. You also get 57g of sugar, that's a lot, in my book. 50g is about average, which I am fine with, but I wouldn't drink more than 60g, that's just unhealthy. Oh, and by the way, the sucrose is part of the energy blend(caffeine, guarana, taurine, carnitine, ginseng, sucrose), which you get 3,000mg of. This was pretty good, not as good as I had predicted, but I would recommend it.

Taste: 8.5 - Unique, delicious, satisfying flavor, though it might be an acquire taste
Kick: 8 - I feel pretty jittery
Overall: 7.5 - Definitely a go-to drink

Reviewed by: Chan