Rockstar Tropical Punch Shot

With energy drinks on the rise, companies have to think fast for a new flavor. Once all the flavors are covered and being sold, they move onto the next generation of energy, 2-4 ounce shots. Shots are pretty convenient because they're obviously smaller, have less sugar, are more powerful, and are just less to drink if you need the energy right now, right here. So, when one company starts the trend, soon all the rest like Rockstar, Monster, and Amp fall in line to do the exact same, just their version of it. So far, I know Monster and Amp have created and released their energy shots, yet I have not spotted one. All I've seen is this Rockstar Tropical Punch, and the original Rockstar shot, so it's cool until I can find the other few out there. I also have word that CRUNK!!! has recently released their newest flavor, CRUNK!!! Berry; I really hope to find one of those too and review it with Jeff immediately. Well, following Rockstar's tropical 16 ounce energy drink's scheme, I see a design of just red, white, and black. Red, being on the cap and in the star; black being on the background; and white lettering. One thing I notice on the brim of the bottle is the caffeine content, 200mg. Some will argue that that is powerful, but I for one, believe that it is not powerful enough to sustain the same boost an energy shot would usually give.

Twisting the cap open, I dig deep for a scent that's almost exactly like the regular Rockstar Tropical Fruit, but all the scent packed into one shot, thus making it much more potent. It's color
oddly clear, though I may have been over expectant for a red or similar to red color. Before I taste it, I have to remember that it's a shot, or in other words, it's not meant to be sipped. So, I'm just going to down the 2.5 ounces now and describe the flavor as best as I can. Bottoms up! Okay, so chugging it was not the greatest idea in the world...After swigging an ounce my face turned almost priceless, twisting and jerking. As I take a smaller sip, I analyze a smooth and up front wild berry/cherry flavor for just a split second, and shortly afterwards, you find an overbearing extreme bitterness. I'm not talking about just a mild bitterness you find in handfuls of energy drinks, I'm talking uncontrollable bitterness, like nothing I've come across so far. The flavor spreads quickly throughout your mouth and pinches the sides of your cheek as well as the back of your tongue and down your throat; it's pretty intense. If I may recommend one thing about this energy shot, it's to down this real quickly to avoid this fake, bitter flavor. As I top off the minute bottle, I surely find that same berry and bitter combination, but this time with a bit of citrus added to the aftertaste. All in all, I really don't like rating the taste of energy shots because that's just how they are, so I'll just let this one slide, like I do with most others.

Ingredients-wise, I haven't glanced at anything on the back of the bottle, so I'm not too sure what to expect, other than standard Rockstar ingredients. I would be extremely impressed if this had ginkgo biloba; let's find out... All it's ingredients are listed here: purified filtered water, taurine, natural flavors, malic acid, phosphoric Acid, caffeine, sodium citrate, benzoic acid, sorbic acid, L-carnitine, inositol, milk thistle, niacin, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hyrdochloride, acesulfame potassium, guarana seed, neotame, ginseng, Sucralose, red #40, and cyanocobalamin. Sadly, there is no ginkgo biloba, but knowing Rockstar, there's a legitimate reason behind it. All the main energy ingredients are listed as one of the last, which shows Rockstar focused mainly on giving what is called a "caffeine kick", which, as you may or may not know, gets you jittery for a short period of time and releases a crash. I truly hope this shot doesn't give that effect. For a sugar free drink, I was surprised to see all the artificial sweeteners listed near the bottom of the list, so that goes to show what kind of flavor you receive drinking this, natural-fruit flavors. Again, there's about 200mg of caffine for 2.5 ounce bottle, no calories, no sugar and an energy blend of roughly 1.44g (That's 1440mg). Coming back about an hour later, I determine this kick is about 60% jitteriness, 20% focus, and 20% alertness. Good statistics, though I'm pretty sure I'd find more focus with a hearty amount of ginkgo biloba in the mix. Overall, Rockstar nailed the energy shot, for the most part, until I can grab a Wild Berry Shot.

Taste: 3 - So what? The flavor in shots are usually neglected anyways
Kick: 9 - Great, steady kick so far; mild crash ~four-five hours later
Overall: 9 - To crown a winner of shots, I'll have to find the other major products...but for now, I recommend this one

Reviewed by: Chan

Jolt Wild Grape

Jolt is a unique energy drink company. They were one of the first to dream up the idea of highly-caffeinated soda and make it mainstream with their slogan, "All the sugar, twice the caffeine." Well, some odd years later, we have Jolt, now in a handful of flavors in addition to cola, with the unique 24oz "battery" cans, featuring the special resealable caps. Well, here's another pristine example of Jolt's innovation with the revolutionary resealable 16oz cans nobody's done before. What exactly does a resealable can mean for energy junkies? Well, it means the choice of saving your 16oz-er for later, for those who can't restraint themselves or those who don't care for a whole can. What it also means is a special treat for the ears while opening the can; you achieve that wonderful POP Jolts are notorious for. It's a win-win situation until you think about the price; I think I payed a bit too much for this (in excess of 3 dollars), but I knew I had to have it. I trust, however, that as this grows in popularity, the price will begin to drop.

I resurrected Spawn of Uamenti just for this very special occasion and I opened the lid hoping for the pop, but unfortunately there was no pop and more of a hiss and rush of air. I took a long whiff and the smell was your characteristic deep purple grape flavor, kind of like cough syrup, but more natural and with some great zing. The smell is delicious, but a little bit flat compared to the Nos Grape, in my mind. However, I find that it is quite a bit more robust. When I take a sip, I'm hoping for the same thing, but I find there's less robustness to it and it tastes a bit flat still. To describe it in greater detail, the beginning of the sip is just sweet enough and then some mild but coarse carbonation comes in and gives the drink some nice texture, which I like. What's good is that the carbonation isn't foamy and doesn't linger for long. Then, as with many drinks, the grape flavor comes in halfway through and gets stronger until oddly, it just disappears. Chan has remarked upon this, the situation where a drink suddenly loses nearly all its flavor at the end of each sip. This is a bad thing if you're trying to drink slowly, since you lose the flavor and crave more soon after every sip. I think what Jolt was trying to encourage was a rapid intake, and now that I think about it, it's quite a genius idea, to make the flavor disappear after every sip. As I've explained, you'll crave the drink more after every sip, which does two things. For one, it makes you take more frequent sips so that you're likely to run out sooner and buy more, but what may be less obvious is that this means a greater percieved kick. Because you'll be drinking faster, this means the energy ingredients are taken in faster and you have a greater boost. I'm confident Jolt knew what they were doing when they designed this and all of their drinks and I find it brilliant. Already, by the end of this paragraph, I'm completely finished with the can. What I've observed is that this is a more mild, subtle grape flavor in comparison to grape soda and the Nos Grape, a drink I quite enjoyed for it strength. This Jolt seems to be lacking strength but is still good in general. Average soda drinkers shouldn't be disappointed while, someone like me, who is used to a quality drink like Monster might find this lacking. I'm optimistic about the kick, however.

Well, after about 8 hours, I have a mixed opinon about the drink. For a short period of about two or three hours, Jolt does provide a sizeable jolt, as you would expect. But what troubled me was, about 8 hours later, long after the slow, steady kick following the caffeine boost, my energy levels plummeted, leaving me tired and apathetic. I wasn't at all expecting a crash so severe from a Jolt, but I suppose the bigger they are, the harder they fall.

Anyway, for ingredients, Jolt has: Carbonated Water, HFCS, Taurine, Citric Acid, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Caffeine, Sodium Benzoate, Red #40, Guarana Seed Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Blue #1, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin.

The drink also has 210 Calories total and 26g of sugar per serving, 52g per can.

Taste: 8.4 - A quality grape you can expect from Jolt, however, a bit flat
Kick: 6 - A respectable caffeine kick, but with a ghastly crash
Overall: 7.8 - Rather drink one casually

Reviewed by: Jeff

Raw Dawg Sugar-Free

Many people detest sugar-free drinks for a few reasons. Some are used to real sugar sweeteners and won't stand for the taste of the artificial sweeteners. Others will say these artificial sweeteners are bad for one's health. What sugar-free drinkers and advertising will tell you is that sugar-free drinks have virtually no calories or carbs and therefore are healthier than sugared drinks. Regardless of what your view is on the health of artificial sweeteners, the fact remains that sugar-free drinks are a hit and many people actually prefer them. This may seem odd, but when you've had so many, like Chan and I have, you gain a new perspective and see that sugar-free drinks have their unique and favorable qualities.

Well, why do I bring up sugar free drinks? Because I'm reviewing the Raw Dawg Sugar Free, since I was feeling like a sugar free drink tonight. What I find interesting about this can is that when I look at it, the first thing that pops into my head is "sugar-free," not "Raw Dawg," as you would expect. To me, this means Raw Dawg has a weak image, since it doesn't really get me excited, on account of the busy and messy can design on a sliver background. But you can't judge a drink solely on its can design, so I'm prepared now to open it up.

My first smell reminds me of those budget drinks you find in small markets, with the generic weak, sugary, Monster clone flavor. Since this is a sugar-free drink, I think I can bet on this drink being less sugary and bland than those cheap drinks. As I take another deep whiff, I realize this is that generic artificial strawberry and it almost saddens me because I had been hoping for something more original. Now, as I pour the drink out into a cup, I notice a very nice deep rose color I wish I'd seen in more drinks. This color is really nice, but I'm not too optimistic about the taste, considering I just noticed the Splenda logo on the can. My first sip reveals that same exact mild strawberry under some fine and stinging carbonation, giving this drink nice texture. After the carbonation clears, The strawberry is still there, but with an odd aftertaste that's part salty, part bitter, part sour. There's all sorts of odd flavors from the artificial sweetener, even gnarly gumminess, but I can't easily identify sweetness in the drink. I would assume it's that illusion of sweetness you get with pure Sucralose, but quickly checking the ingredients, I oddly find Ace-K and Sucralose. I hate to say it, but I think Raw Dawg hasn't done a very good job at all at sweetening this drink artificially. The Splenda was a very bad idea, if you ask me, considering it gives the drink a terrible aftertaste, slightly lessened by the Ace-K. As I finish this drink, I'm dissatisfied, wishing the flavor weren't so generic and boring, the sweetener so poorly executed.

As if I weren't bored enough already with this drink, I have to examine the ingredients. I see Water, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Ascorbic Acid, Caffeine, Taurine, Red 40, Dipotassium Phosphate, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Pyridoxine, Hydrochloride, Yellow 5, Cyanocobalamin, Guarana Extract, Epimedium-Aerial Portion.

Well, this list is a bit different that most I've encountered and I'm curious about certain interesting ingredients in it. First odd ingredient I noticed was Dipotassium Phosphate, which I find out quickly is simply Phosphoric Acid, that commonly found in soft drinks. The other oddity in this ingredient list is something called "Epimedium-Aerial Portion," something I would associate with aviation or aircraft. What my first search led me to was a poorly designed vitamin website, which started to worry me. But I soon realized Epimedium is actually a weed which is believed to act as an aphrodisiac. The rest of this ingredient, "Aerial Portion" must refer to the top part of the leaf, though I don't know what significance that has.

Anyway, the sweeteners are Sucralose and Acesulfame Potassium, a combination I've tried many times before. In my experience this is not a bad combination, but Raw Dawg poorly uses these two ingredients to convince me there was only Splenda as a sweetener. And for your information, that's never good, considering Splenda is a disgusting sweetener. Overall, I can't find one good think about the drink itself; the taste was bland and a bit nasty, the kick virtually nonexistent and the can design doesn't get me too excited. But there's one good thing in all this - Raw Dawg has a lot of room to improve.

Taste: 4.5 - Completely disliked the sucralose/ace-k sweetener, though I don't usually
Kick: 5 - Hardly noticable, to me at least
Overall: 4.7 - I can't recommend this drink in the least

Reviewed by: Jeff

Blade Sugar Free

I had a few minutes to type up a review so I found the most interesting drink I had, which was the Blade Sugar Free. Now, I really had no clue what I'd find in CVS the other day as I walked into the store, until I found an interesting and eye-catching Blade Sugar Free. Eventually, when I got home, I did a bit of researching and found out that Blade is CVS Stores brand of energy drinks, but I didn't see regular Blade. HM, I'll probably go back another time for it. I scoured the can thoroughly for any important details, and at the bottom in the back I found the caffeine content, which, you wouldn't believe, is 240mg per can. I think that's worth a picture to go along with the can itself. Out of all the 16 ounce cans, this has the largest amount of caffeine I believe I've ever come across. I'd say drinking a can of this would equal a little more than a 24 ounce Monster, which is pretty impressive if you're not into drinking more than 16 ounces. I've been thinking about the energy upgrade and how it may affect the flavor. I mean, if this is a CVS brand energy drink, it's most likely a Monster Clone, but to be a Monster Clone it has the same or similar energy ingredients and the same general flavor, so if the energy ingredients are different, the flavor may be too.

Opening up the can, I find a familiar scent almost exactly like the Lo-Carb Monster, which is an extremely refreshing scent of apple, berry, citrus, pineapple, you name it. Pouring it out of the can, the color is the same as the scent, being a smooth caramel-golden amber type, just nice in general. This Blade Sugar Free tastes quite different than Monster Lo-Carb, but it's the subtle differences that make them so unlike. Being so used to Monster Lo-Carb, I find this to be a bit more bland, as the flavor seems to dissapear faster, and the flavor you find, is much sweeter, but not necessarily artificial. Tasting more of this addictive flavor, I find to be more mixed in with a Sugar Free Red Bull, having more of that caramel flavor and that sour snap from a green apple. It's got a nice balance of sweetness and sourness to make it more diverse and not like a one-flavored drink. Moving on to the aftertaste, I observe a small, mellow note of artificial sweetener that's not too noticeable. As for carbonation, Blade Sugar Free is about average, compared to all of the other similar drinks, like Red Bull, Monster, Rockstar, etc. Lastly, I have been drinking out of the can more often than usual, so I'll find gumminess more easily, and I can't say I have found any at all. Overall, I have to say, CVS sure knows how to make a Sugar Free energy drink, and now my hopes are up for the Blade original, and the kick to follow this beast.

As for ingredients, Blade Sugar Free has about the same ingredients you would find on a Monster Lo-Carb or a Joker Low Carb. I see a list consisting of: carbonated water, malic acid, taurine, sodium citrate, D-Glucuronolactone, natural and artificial flavors, caffeine, potassium benzoate, Sucralose, inostiol, niacin, caramel color, acesulfame potassium, D-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, yellow 5, red 40, and cyanocobalamin. See? Standard ingredients, like caramel color in particular. I love the energy drink companies that put in caramel color; it enhances and brightens the overall color of the drink, as well as making it more distinct. I see it has Sucralose and Acesulfame potassium, which are both pretty standard in a sugar free energy drink, though I would really like to see one with one Ace K. Per can, you get 30 calories and only 2g of carbs (sugars, sugar alcohols, etc.), which is truly amazing, tasting so great. As I move on to the kick, I can't say I'm too satisfied right now. After downing this can, I find a slight boost of jitters and awareness, but I soon crashed and felt extremely drowsy. So, I may find a heavily caffeinated energy drink like this to be lame on kick, but for others, who's tolerance are different, may find it better. All in all, a great sugar free energy drink, you may want to pick up a few of these next time you're at CVS, instead of the Lo-Carb Monster, maybe if you want to taste something slightly different.

Taste: 8.6 - Great Monster Clone, with just a hint more of apple and a dash of sweet vanilla
Kick: 8 - Good kick, but not as large as I was anticipating
Overall: 8.3 - This is one Monster Clone I definitely recommend

Reviewed by: Chan

Inked Maori

It's been a while since I reviewed my last energy drink, partly because I've been busy and partly because I felt like I was becoming a bit tolerant of the common energy ingredients. So I took a break and caught up on other activities while I continued to scour the markets for new drinks. Well, lucky me, somehow I obtained the Inked Maori. I remember the Inked Chikara, a drink that turned out to be quite tasty and good for the price. Inked is 7-11's own brand of energy drink and comes in grapefruit/orange, dubbed Chikara, and Maori, which I have here. At the moment, I'm curious about the flavor. Chikara had a red color to the word and emblem, while Maori has a luxurious indigo. However, the background is the same delightful gradient from orange to yellow. I'm going to attempt to get the best idea of how this drink will taste based on the ingredients. Per 12oz can, I see 47g of sugar, which comes out to just over 31g of sugar per 8oz. Back in the early days of Canned Reviews, I would call this a very sugary drink, but in recent times, I've seen quite a large number of drinks with a sugar level this high, so in these times, I'd call it about average, yet on the sweet side. I'm excited to find out.

Hearing the can open was a delightful sound I've missed. I immediately went in for a whiff and found myself unable to immediately describe the smell. What's true, however, is that I did find myself thinking of the color blue, so I suppose the emblem fits the flavor. Trying to fit the smell together, all I can describe it as is a Monster clone with that common "bubble-gum" energy drink flavor lingering in the background faintly. At this point, I can only imagine the color being a dark or light amber. What interested me but did not surprise me in the least was a pleasant light fluorescent amber with a chartruce glow to it, which seems to fit the brightness and depth to the smell. Another smell, from the cup, this time, makes me think vividly of another drink I remember having many times before - possibly one of the many Monster clones I've had in my time, but not a Monster exactly. Sipping this, Inked's take on a Monster starts out strong with a pleasant fruity and sugary flavor until it turns sour while the carbonation overcomes the flavor. At the end of each sip, I'm left unsatisfied with more of a sour taste in my mouth than a sweet taste. And what I find to be true after at least 3 sips is some brutal gumminess rivaled only by Sunny D and Capri Sun, two childhood drinks I wish I weren't reminded of. This is not your petty, harmless gumminess you experience in a quality drink like Monster or Rockstar, but rather something common in your second-rate drinks loaded with HFCS. This is the kind of gumminess you'll be occupied with trying to remove with great effort. However, each time I take a sip of this, I have to admit it gets tastier every time. The sourness fades slowly each sip and the carbonation is less of a problem after about halfway through the can. I suppose you could call this another one of those drinks that isn't terribly addicting but very tasty with infrequent sips. This flavor, if you require an explanation, could be called berry, however it won't make you think "berry" right away, as many budget drinks do not. Overall, I have a mixed opinion of this drink; I recognize its strength as a cheaper drink, but its weaknesses turn me off, such as the gumminess, troublesome carbonation, and unbalanced sweetness.

Now, although I wasn't all that pleased with the flavor of Inked Maori, the kick is something I hadn't expected. This 7-11-brand budget drink manages to provide some very nice energy, rivaling that of a Rockstar. Having this near 5PM, my energy level was moderately high without any jitters whatsoever, which I liked very much and which is good if you need a steady hand while gaming. This steady boost lasted for a good 5 hours, which is more that what I expect from an energy drink. I don't well remember what ingredients the Inked Chikara had, but I'll be examining the Maori's ingredients quite closely this time.

Inked Maori's ingredient list is as follows: Carbonated Water, HFCS, Malic Acid, Taurine, Sodium Citrate, D-Glucuronolactone, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Caffeine, Potassium Benzoate (a preservative), Inositol, Niacinimide (Vitamin B3), Caramel Color, D-Calcium Pantothenate (B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (B6), Yellow 5, Red 40, Cyanocobalamin (B12).

Examining that ingredients list, I see the basic and average energy drink ingredient list. HFCS is a staple of an average drink, a cheaper sweetener made from corn that isn't nearly as bright as pure cane sugar. Per can, there are 47g of the stuff, which means just over 31g per 8oz serving, what I typically gauge sweetness levels by. As for the energy ingredients, there's no way of knowing exactly how much Caffeine, D-Glucuronolactone, Inositol, or Taurine is in here, but considering Caffeine's position in the middle of the list, I'd guess that it's about average (80-100mg/8oz), which could explain why I didn't get the jitters from this drink. That smaller amount is less than what my body has become used to, and thus it has less of an effect. However, to someone who only has energy drinks occasionally, this amount could possibly be enough to yield the jitters. That's what you have to be careful with when you're dealing with energy drinks. What may give one person loads of energy may do nothing for the next. So before you have an energy drink, I advise you assess your Caffeine tolerance. Anyway, all I can say for this drink's kick is it seems to be designed for longer, more steady energy than a quick burst unlike many drinks I've encountered recently.

Taste: 7.5 - A decent take on the common "Monster clone" flavor with its ups and downs
Kick: 8.2 - I appreciate the longer, sustained energy
Overall: 7.8 - Worked for me, someone with a high caffeine tolerance who needs the concentration

Reviewed by: Jeff

Coolah Energy

I was feeling great today and wanted to assure myself I'd have the chance to review a great drink. So I pulled out Coolah Energy from the fridge. The drink's can has a lemon yellow background and sports a nifty stylized boomerang in motion. Below this, it calls itself "energy from down under," which I personally like. Anything from Australia appeals to me, and I've tried this one once before, and I remember some great flavor coming through. This time, I'll have the time to focus on the taste a bit more and learn a bit more about it. Something interesting about this drink is the fact that it has something I haven't yet seen in an energy drink: Boronia. A quick search tells me this is some sort of evergreen herb. As I learn more about this shrub, I find that it's indigenous to Australia and is found all over. I can't recall exactly what sort of effects this drink gave me last time I had it, but I'm going to be sure to pick them up today.

I took a deep whiff and smelled a delightfully mild lemon-lime, reminding me exactly of Sprite. It's incredibly similar, except somewhere in here I smell a small tinge of sour lemon like Lemonhead candies. Taking a sip, theres that same lovely lemon-lime soda taste with minimal to moderate carbonation with a bit of the usual lime absent, resulting in more of a simple and narrow flavor, however every time I take a sip, I'm yearning for some depth, probably missing because of the absence of lime. This doesn't mean it's a bad drink, but it does mean you may become tired of the flavor sooner. Describing the taste from start to finish, we first have a bit of carbonation masking the lemon and then pretty generic natural lemon comes through with some pleasantly stinging carbonation giving this drink some texture. On the way down, that same flavor fades and you have plain sourness. Overall, it's a bit bland, but it is very refreshing if had over a period of time, with infrequent sips. You have to understand this isn't one of those insanely addicting drinks like Monster or the Monster Javas, but it is one that'll keep you going for a night of gaming, as it has proven itself to me as a decent gaming drink.

After slamming this thing down reluctantly, I have to say my focus was intense in a game of Combat Arms. Yes, I've heard of its reputation, but opinions aside, I must admit my focus was intense and I did much better than I have recently. My focus was increased greatly which you always look for from a drink while your gaming. My energy level was good, but not over-the-top, which would have me unable to keep still, something I don't want when I'm playing a first person shooter.

This drink has 30g per serving, 60g total of sugar and the calorie count is 240 per can, which is slightly higher than most drinks. The ingredients list is as follows: Filtered Carbonated Water, HFCS, Citric Acid, Taurine, Natural and Artificial Lemon Flavor with Other Natural Flavors (Including Boronia Extract), Potassium Citrate, Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate, Caffeine, Modified Corn Starch, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Ester Gum, Niacinimide (Vitamin B3), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Calcium Disodium EDTA, Yellow 5, Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12).

Overall, it's not an extraordinary ingredients list, looking at the HFCS and the few energy ingredients, but what does interest me is the fact that Boronia is not meant for energy but for flavor. That's something I like a lot, seeing unique and distinct flavors blended with traditional ones. Boronia isn't something I've ever tasted myself but I suppose it accounts for that very distinct flowery tang behind the lemon. Overall, I can sum this drink up as a delightful, heritage-rich Australian lemon soda on steroids. Considering the great price I found it at, $1.25, I would definitely get one of these again, for a night of gaming or what have you.

Taste: 7.8 - Nice take on lemon; not addicting, but satisfying and refreshing
Kick: 6.5 - Just decent for an energy drink, but non-jittery, which is favorable
Overall: 7.5 - Not the best drink, but I like it a lot and the heritage is facinating

Reviewed by: Jeff

Archer Farms Juice Infused Pomegranate Blueberry

It doesn't happen too often where I review two or more drinks in a row of the same company, but tasting Archer Farms Wild Berry really kicked it off to try more of their great drinks. I have not yet seen every new flavor they have came out with, but I know that I can easily access them at my local Target, which supports Archer Farm's line of everything, practically. Like I said before, Archer Farms changed things up a bit, now coming in 12 ounce cans, rather than 16 ounces, and they require a bit more money. Per can, they want about $1.79 for 12 ounces, and honestly, it's not the best deal, but if all of them are just like the Wild Berry, I'll guarantee to you, it's worth it. Archer Farms has never used high fructose corn syrup in their drinks, and looking at the can, I do not see HFCS in this one, which most likely means I won't find it in any more Archer Farms. I see no real sweeteners in this can, instead I see it's sweetened with fruit concentrates and artificial sweeteners like Sucralose and Acesulfame K. Well, seeing those two aren't so bad in a sugar free drink, but I can't seem to find a reason why they would put it in a regular energy drink.

As I break open the can, I note a scent of intense blueberry and pear, with a small amount of pomegranate in the background, but a potent scent in general. Pouring it out of the can, I see a golden amber color, similar to that of a Monster, looking like pear, blueberry, and pomegranate juice combined. Oh man, I would have never seen this type of flavor coming at me. You imagine blueberry, pomegranate, and pear as an insane blend, especially in an energy drink, but as I taste it, I find the artificial sweeteners have become a large factor to this energy drink. As soon as you were to take a sip, you find a usual and crisp blueberry and pomegranate flavor, but as soon as the flavor actually sinks in, you're hit with an artificial and bland pear flavor, that's bitter on the tongue, and just plainly has no fruitiness whatsoever. Tasting more, I struggle to find a better flavor, as this is seeming to be a poor attempt of a juice-induced blue pom energy drink. It's aftertaste is nothing really but a small amount of pear juice, and blueberry, which combined tastes slightly like apple. In terms of gumminess, I have not yet had half of the can, but only drinking a small amount, I find that it's pretty gummy, especially in the back of the throat. It's carbonation is nice and mild, just like all other Archer Farms energy drinks. I thought it would be smart to come back in a few and taste this at room temperature, it's a whole lot different. In fact, it's most subtle and less artificial, with also much more primary blueberry and pomegranate flavors. Overall, a lame drink chilled, and an okay energy drink at room temperature. It still doesn't impress me in general.

As for ingredients, Archer Farms is pretty nice, although there are a few I'm not liking up there. Here's the complete list: Water, pear juice concentrate, citric acid, calcium, pomegranate juice concentrate, magnesium, blueberry juice concentrate, ascorbic acid, caffeine, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, panax ginseng, guarana, zinc, taurine, niacin, Sucralose, natural flavos, acesulfame K, pyridoine hydrochloride, riboflavin, cranberry juice concentrate, glucose. cyanocobalamin, and caramel color, Well first of all, Sucralose and acesulfame potassium should never be in an energy drink together unless it is labelled 'sugar free'. I noticed cranberry juice concentrate is one of the last ingredients, meaning there's less of it. So if there's more Sucralose than cranberry, that's a bit sad, being that I can taste more of that than more cranberry. Per can, you get a small 80 calories and an even smaller 19g of sugar. The sweetness was all right for 19g of sugar, I mean, there's wasn't too less. I don't see any energy ingredients listed so I'll assume they're pretty small amounts, which brings me to the kick. The kick is weak, that's why I say what I say when there's small amounts of caffeine, taurine, guarana, and ginseng. I felt a short buzz, and a lame crash following shortly afterwards. All in all, this brought my hope in Archer Farms down a lot, I hope they can regain it with a few more drinks to come.

Taste: 6 - Lame blueberry and pomegranate flavor, with an artificial pear to follow
Kick: 6 - The kick is no better than the taste, both being below par
Overall: 6 - As much as a fun of juice I am, I can't say I was satisfied with this juice-induced energy drink

Reviewed by: Chan