Archer Farms Tropical Fruit Energy

Wow! I didn't know Archer Farms made energy drinks. That's pretty cool. Anyways, I purchased this drink the other day for only .85 cents at Target. They make Fruit Punch and Sugar-Free Grapefruit as well. However, I will review those later. I was excited to get my hands on one of these because to me, it sounded really interesting. This can has the Archer Farms Logo in large letters, along with its little red rooster. Below it, is a simple yellow background with the words Energy Drink in capital letters. Basic.

As the can opens, I immediately smell a weak blend of mango and raspberry. Not a lot of scent, but a powerful color. As it rushes into the cup I notice a dark orange/light red color, with a lot of carbonation. As I sip it, I get a nice mango taste and as it fades away, I get a sour raspberry aftertaste. This is one flavorful drink. The mango is sweet and natural tasting, like your eating a mango, fresh picked from a tree. The aftertaste is the kind of sour taste you get from a lemon drop, pinching the sides of your mouth. It's the tasty type of sourness, not the unbearable, nasty sourness. However, the raspberry isn't as strong as the mango taste, but that's fine because good drinks usually try to get a lighter aftertaste that fades slowly and gives you a pleasant "goodbye." One factor that most energy drink companies lie about is the amount of carbonation that is placed in a drink. Some brands, like Red Bull, Pit Bull, and No Fear will note that their drinks are "lightly carbonated." Like this one, they are indeed heavily carbonated. Like I said in my Rip It Citrus review, these drinks are meant to be enjoyed and drunk slowly, so I don't really mind the carbonation. Next, I want to say that this drink does contain a noticeable amount of gumminess that takes over your entire mouth, so be aware of that. Other than that, this drink was pretty tasty. Overall, you need to stop over at Target to get this drink if you want a tropical punch for a low price.

Now the ingredients list. First, I notice carbonated water, in most every energy drink. After that, High Fructose Corn Syrup. Ah, HFCS, we meet again... Taurine then comes in at a whopping number four. Per can, you get 200 calories, the common amount in a lot of energy drinks out on the market. You also get 2,000 mg of Taurine, also standard dosage. You know, someday I will find an energy drink out there with more than 1,000 mg of Taurine per serving. You also get around 52g of sugar, which is standard as well. I guess, ingredients wise, this is a pretty standard energy drink. For a price of .85 cents, you get a flavorful boost of the tropics and a monster kick. This is way more than I expect from a brand like Archer Farms; all I can say is, great job.

Taste: 7.5 - It was pretty good, it kind of upset my stomach after a bit
Kick: 8.5 - All of the sudden...boom a large kick
Overall: 8 - I recommend you purchase this drink, even if you don't like it, it's .85 cents

Reviewed by: Chan

Rip It Citrus X

I'm here with yet another review. This time, I purchased, for the unbelievable price of $1.00, a Rip It Citrus X. Being that the Rip It Power was completely gross, I am hoping that this will give me a generous flavor. I am just guessing that this drink is just focusing on a citrus flavor. Anyway, this can has a yellow background along with the words "Rip It" going vertically along the can in all lowercase letters. This can design is neat because it has a glossy touch to it, yet it is very basic. So, I think I'm ready to review.

As the lid pops open with a loud CRACK, I smell a pleasant orange aroma. I guess it's similar to orange juice. It comes out of the can an opaque yellow orange color, resembling the background color of the can. Amazing, this drink is simply amazing. If you ever recall trying the Rip It Power, you taste an overpowering sweet and chalky taste. This, however, seems to have been from an entirely different company. As soon as it hits your mouth, you get a strong grapefruit taste. After that disappears, you get a pungent blend of lime and orange. There is absolutely no bitterness, whatsoever, which gives this drink a smooth flavor and a sweet aftertaste. There are a few tweaks Rip It needs to do with this drink. One is the amount of carbonation they put in. It is nearly impossible to take such a large sip, or chug it. That's alright because maybe they meant for it to be enjoyed. Another tweak is the amount of gumminess. I understand a lot of energy drinks out there contain gumminess due to the corn syrup. But you know, no energy drink out there is entirely perfect, so that doesn't bug too much. Other than that, this drink a incredibly good. Head over and pick this one up if you want a morning blend of orange, citrus, grapefruit, and lime. A complete winner, great job Rip It.

Alright, if you didn't know, Rip It puts some weird ingredients in their products, so let's talk about them. First, I see carbonated water. Following that, I see...*sigh* HFCS. Not the best sweetener out there, but fine. After that, citric acid and modified food starch. Hmmm, I've never seen that in an energy drink before. Woah, brominated vegetable oil. That's not healthy at all. Well, as you see, you find weird things in this drink. Per can, you get 2,000 mg of taurine and 260 calories. Sure that's a lot of calories, but hey, it's worth it. Surprisingly, you get 66 g of sugar, that is a lot for 16 ounces of pure energy. Overall, you really want to try this one as soon as you can find it, you will not regret it, trust me.

Taste: 9 - That is one tasty drink
Kick: 10 - Almost finished with the drink, and yet I am very hyper
Overall: 9 - Definitely one you need to get your hands on

Reviewed by: Chan

Nos Energy Drink

Oh snap! Is it? It is! The one and only, Nos! Nos has taken the form of and energy drink, and I've got it! The can's slick and simple with a similar design to the Nos nitros oxide bottles, with a blue background and some information in orange. I love the simplicity and the warning on the side that reads, "CAUTION: POWERFUL" Of course, it's just the regular "Not recommended for children, pregnant women... " warning, but it adds style to the drink, I must say. Around the top of the can there are listed the energy ingredients in similar fashion to the Monster line of drinks. From this list you learn that there is Taurine, Ginseng, Caffeine, Taurine again, and L-Carnitine. I just can't wait to get the flavor.

I opened the can and found a pungent and intense grapefruit taste. I suppose it suits the drink, with a sour bite. The color is an opaque bright yellow, the color of grapefruit. And, as you may have guessed by now, the taste is definitely grapefruit, but it's surprisingly not as tangy as I expected. Oh, and I find some subtle undertones of pineapple and mango. It's like a bolder and slightly sweeter version of Squirt without the bitterness. It's good, but not addicting, like a Monster Java or many other drinks I've had. Typing up this review, I wondered just how much sugar is in this drink, and I found it to be 26g, a little less than most sodas out there. It's not as carbonated as a soda, so it goes down easier and tastes much better. A sip of the Nos starts out with an inviting and sweet grapefruit, followed by a fulfilling carbonation that makes your tongue tingle, and then nothing. The flavor disappears after about 10 seconds in your mouth, like many energy drinks. Overall on the taste, this one is decent, just barely making it as a winner in my book.

Oh my. At first, I was confused about the amount of the energy blend in the drink, but then I realized that there is actually less of the energy blend in the Nos than in a Monster. There's still the standard 1000mg per serving of Taurine, but there are less energy supplements overall than in a Monster. The Nos's 1480mg of the blend, compared to the Monster's 2500mg seems weak. So I guess this drink could be said to be more of a novelty, providing no more power than a Monster. It saddens me, but nonetheless, I still should receive some kind of boost. And I do; I'm more alert, I'm more awake... I could get up at anytime and join a game of football, and I'd play my best. I believe the Nos is not a failure, after all, but simply a less powerful energy drink than most things out there. It's a little disappointing, yet the bold flavor almost makes up for it.

Taste: 7 - It gets better as you drink it
Kick: 6 - A decent kick
Overall: 7 - Overall, a novelty, but also quite tasty

Reviewed by: Jeff

Hey, all! This is Chan, and after many months, I thought I'd finally grab a NOS and touch up Jeff's review on it, sort of like a double review. I'll make this one a brief paragraph regarding my thoughts on this drink. Unlike Jeff's NOS, mine is shaped in a 22 ounce bottle, with a NOS-resembling twist-off cap. Once I picked this one up, I immediately looked at the energy ingredients to see 343mg of caffeine, which means if this one were a 16 ounce can (Or bottle) it would have 250mg of hard hitting caffeine, resulting in some major energy. as soon as I twist off the cap, I get a potent tropical fruit aroma, consisting of grapefruit, pineapple, passionfruit, and some mango. Out of the bottle, NOS shows a Sunny D color, but carbonated, like the Monster M-80. Just as I suspected, NOS gives the same taste as the smell, reminding me of a tropical place, such as Hawaii, or the Bahamas. There's definitely some noticeable grapefruit and mango, with some fade away flavor of pineapple and peach. Most energy drink fans will relate this drink to the M-80, but it doesn't compete, because for one, the M-80 is 80% juice, and two, the M-80 uses sucrose and glucose giving it that crisp taste. It's pretty lightly carbonated, allowing a chuggable taste, but resulting in a stomach ache. Since it has HFCS, I was expecting it to be really gummy, but surprisingly, there's only minor gumminess lingering around. Overall, I really sweet drink, in terms of the many fruits thrown into it, but it could have used a better sweetener, because it got a bit dull towards the end of the bottle. I'll make this ingredients listing brief: per 22 ounce bottle, you get an amazing 2750mg of taurine, 550mg of L-Carnitine, 343mg of caffeine, 274mg of inositol, and 13mg of ginseng. It's got some HFCS, passionfruit with other natural flavors, sodium hexametaphosphate, and ester gum. Per bottle, you get 260 calories, 57g of sugar and 1.48g of energy blend.

Taste: 7.8 - It's got a pretty mean taste, but there are too many better energy drink with this sort of flavor
Kick: 9 - With 343mg of caffeine you're sure to be wired (OR 250 if you have 16 ounces)
Overall: 8.4 -Sure it's a novelty, but also an interesting one to try

Reviewed by: Chan

El Sol (It's the Sun) Ultra Red Ginseng

This is my second review for the day. This time I have the El Sol Ultra Red Ginseng. Phew! Long name. But that means it has to be good, right? I love a tea-like drink, so I am really exctied to tear into this one This can has a ginseng plant, roots, plant stem, flower, and all. Behind it, you see a fire-red background with the words Ultra Red Ginseng going vertically alont the side of the can. I also notice the words El Sol inside its trademark orange-yellow sun.This drink also comes in a small, 8.3 ounce can. This thing acts so big yet its so small. I think that this one will prove to me that it has bragging rights to put large writing and designs on it. So, here it goes.

As I pop open the can, I smell the odor of dirt, pretty nasty. I hope the taste will be better though. It comes out of the can a dark amber color, with minimal carbonation. This is the most unique drink I have reviewed yet. As soon as it hits your mouth, you get sweet sensation of natural herbs and honey. Pretty refreshing. I can also notice trace amounts pf cinnamon. However, the aftertaste is like you're eating a plant. It's bitter and you can taste dirt, a little bit. I advise you take constant sips, or you might end up throwing up. I'm sorry to say that, but it's true...I cannot taste any gumminess whatsoever, that's what makes this drink natural and focusing on the flavor. As you might know, I enjoy drinks that have a natural flavor and with a hint of tea, but this drink is too natural. After about 4 ounces, I found this a little nasty and hard to drink. Now, I can't even taste the honey, the aftertaste has taken over. I would refer to this as juice instead of a carbonated drink because I can taste very slight carbonation. Overall, don't buy this drink, unless you can handle a strong, dirt-like taste...

Okay, let's talk about the ingredients. First, you see carbonated water. Then comes Korean Red Ginseng Extract (Dirty plant). Following that, I see honey, and then HFCS. Honey or no honey, this drink was pretty hard to drink. As for the HFCS, I found no gumminess anyway, so thats fine. I also notice herb flavor in the ingredients, it just helps the aftertaste get more bitter. Per can you only get 85 calroies, that's pretty low. You also only get 20g of sugar, that's okay too since all the sweetness is from the honey. On the back of the can I notice the words "Natural Health Drink." Yeah, sure it's a health drink, but you'll only get 4 ounces into it and nearly throw up. Save yourself the pain and the money, and don't buy it.

Taste: 3 - It had a weak flavor and let the aftertaste win...I couldn't drink more than 4 ounces
Kick: 5 - Well, nothing really
Overall: 4 - Just don't buy this, I mean it's no better than eating a plant with a dash of honey

Reviewed by: Chan

El Sol (It's the Sun)

As I was browsing for energy drinks at the Dollar Store, I found the 8 ounce can "El Sol." It's a small blue can with a silhouette of a man playing soccer at the bottom. Above him, I see a large yellow sun with the words El Sol printed in bold letters. I also notice the word 'Lotte.' Let me research what it means...hmm, it turns out to mean 'fights' in Italian. I'm assuming that this drink is Italian, rather than Hispanic, as I once thought it was, though it isn't. Anyway, I don't recall trying any foreign drink like this one, so without further ado, let us begin the review.

This drink has a pleasant, subtle scent, similar to a Monster, but not as strong. It comes out an amber color, same as the Monster. However, I notice a lot more carbonation than the Monster. Wow, pretty awesome flavor! This drink has a sweet, natural tasting red apple flavor with a mild raspberry aftertaste. The aftertaste is actually really mild and not bothering me whatsoever. This most likely comes in an 8 ounce can because of its light flavor and chuggability. You know, as of right now, this drink is already gone because I cannot resist its light carbonation and intense flavor. This drink has no gumminess and goes down really smooth, which is in my liking of energy drinks, as you might know. I think El Sol created this drink to give athletes a boost without the gumminess, overpowering flavor, and heavy carbonation. Overall, take this drink if you want a light flavor and big boost, and you will not regret it. However, you will probably find this drink 50 cents, worth every penny.

This drink has basic ingredients, so let's talk. First, I see carbonated water, like usual. Next, comes corn syrup, not HFCS. That's pretty interesting because this drink has no gumminess whatsoever. After that, I see taurine, which comes in at number three. As you know, we then have the usual ingredients: citric acid, guarana extract, niacin, etc. Per can, you get 110 calories, 10 more than average, but that's alright. You also get 1,000 mg of taurine, and only 28 grams of sugar, Pretty awesome drink! Okay, right now I just found out this drink was made in Korea, that's fine, I'm not feeling anything too bad. This drink is a true winner in my book. I would definitely recommend this drink to beginners to energy drinks or if you are just looking for a light drink.

Taste: 7.6 - Awesome flavor, light, easy to drink and swallow
Kick: 8 - What intense kick for a small can!
Overall: 7.8 - Do not let the Italian can design and words trick you into not purchasing this

Reviewed by: Chan

Rip It Power

This here is another dollar store energy drink, the Rip It Power. It's the red Rip It, and I believe it is to be berry flavor, but I have to test it to be sure. It's got 32g of sugar, meaning it's going to be really sweet, but perhaps that sugar will lend itself to a major boost. That's what I'm hoping as I go for the Rip It Power.

The smell was an interesting one. It's not very fruity, but it's more of a kind of designer flavor. It smells a little metallic, and the flavor is a little vitaminy. It's like dissolving a multivitamin tablet into some sugary water. It's a little chalky, as a matter of fact, and that's something that makes me think twice about taking another sip. Perhaps it's a better drink to chug rather than savor, with its simple sweetness and one-dimensional taste. The carbonation is moderate and doesn't hold you back as much as other drinks. The gumminess, doesn't appear very early in the drink, and that's something, considering the high amount of sugar. Or, wait, HFCS. And that makes sense, because HFCS is cheaper than sugar, making this one as affordable as it is. Overall, the taste is chalky and a little nasty, but just addicting enough to finish. Like steak.

Ingredient summary: carbonated water, HFCS, citric acid, natural flavor. Taurine, surprisingly, or maybe not, is not listed in the ingredients. However, listed in the Nutriton Facts, there are 2000mg of Taurine per can, as in most energy drinks and a slightly small dose of 180mg of Caffeine per can. Along with those two supplements are Inositol and Guarana in small amounts. I think overall, the ingredients are pretty standard and nothing special.

* I think this one was just old; look for a re-review in the future. A fresh drink won't taste chalky.

Taste: 4 - Chalky and just sweet
Kick: 4 - I'm not so sure I feel anything...
Overall: 2 - I'd call it a fail, don't drink it

Reviewed by: Jeff

...Lost

This part two of my double-header for today. This time, I got a 24 ounce can of Lost for only $1.00, another great buy, although I don't thoroughly trust consuming things from dollar stores. Anyways, I have never tried a Lost energy drink before, and I'm pretty curious and eager to try it. This can says 'Lost' in a large font, as well as a planet and the words ' Big Gun.' In the background, you see various random pictures making me laugh, including: sheep, surfers, Statue of Liberty, spirals, astronauts, skulls, girls, eagles, skaters, and weird quotes. This is by far, one of the weirdest looking can designs I've stumbled across... I know Monster helped ...Lost make an energy drink, and as you know, Lost is an apparel company, not an energy drink company. I guess that gives them the excuse in case it's a bad drink. Ever since I've heard of energy drinks, I've really wanted to try Lost, and now I have the can sitting in front of me, although it's probably not going to be amazing. Well, let's check it out and determine whether or not it is.

As I pop open the can, I smell an aroma similar to the Monster. It comes out of the can a greenish-golden color, or amber another similarity to Monster. This drink tastes almost exactly like the Monster, what a surprise. If you've never tried a Monster before, I'll try my best and explain the taste. As soon as it hits your mouth, you get a green refreshing apple-raspberry flavor, with a bit of mixed in grape and a bit of citrus. The only difference from the Monster is the sweetness. Monster, after awhile, gets a little boring, and slightly bitter. This, however, has a pungent taste that doesn't get old after a few sips, in other words, it's real crisp. I like that this drink has no gumminess and about average carbonation, that right there shows you that an energy drink is good. You might not want to chug this because, like most energy drinks, you may get a minor pain in your stomach, nothing major, but sometimes a nuisance. Another note, don't drink energy drinks after you have eaten a meal because it'll just give you more stomach pain. As for this drink, I enjoy its refreshing flavor and will give you a decent kick that will leave a smile on your face. Overall, this is just another Monster type drink, mainstream, basic, you know, but also really tasty and delectable.

Let's talk ingredients now. These ingredients are almost exactly the same as the Monster. First, carbonated water. Then we have sucrose and glucose, a better sweetener than HFCS. Next I see citric acid and natural and ARTIFICIAL flavors. That disappoints me, I thought energy drinks were supposed to be good, not artificial. However, like the Monster, taurine comes in at number 4. Per can, you get 300 calories and 3,000 mg of taurine, (REMEMBER, 24 ounces, don't freak out). I don't enjoy drinking energy drinks with too many calories and sugar and what not because when I'm not reviewing, I stick to the Lo-Carb Monsters and Zero Carb Rockstars, but it's up to you whether to drink 24 ounces of Lost or not. I liked this drink, it sweet and pungent, but it was pretty basic, much like the Monster and not like the Rockstar. Whether you stick with the Monster or Lost, you'll get the same amazing taste, no disappointment.

Taste: 8 - It was pretty flavorful and really tasty
Kick: 8.5 - All Monster-like drinks will give you a good kick
Overall: 8 - Your every day energy drink, not bad though

Reviewed by: Chan