RSS 2.0 FeedClick an Energy Drink Can Below to Read the Energy Drink Review for that Beverage
Added 2008-05-13 14:48:16
Size: 16.0oz. · Serving Size: 8oz. Calories: 5 · Carbs: 0g · Sodium: 190mg
Ratings:
Combined Reviewer Rating:
9 out of 10
7.12 out of 10 from 8 reviewers
Can Text:
Active Ingredients *Per can, not per serving:
Well, there's no sugar and no carbs, they did sneak 5 calories per serving in there though. 210mg of caffeine in the can (which is pretty impressive btw), 2g of taurine, 76mg of glucuronolactone, 72mg of inositol, 46mg of guarana. Also, there are the following are % of USRDA per serving: Vitamin C 100%, B3 100%, B6 200%, B5 100%, B12 100%. Statistically, this drink is strong, and the only real drawback is the 190mg of sodium per serving (16% of your recommended daily sodium intake), which makes it taste good, but clearly makes it less refreshing, and is probably not ideal for your buhlud pressure.
*The Stig's Review:
Power Trip "0" Sugar Free Energy Drink tastes awesome. This is, in my opinion the best tasting sugar free energy drink I've ever tasted. After a big gulp, it does have a little of that "ocean water up my nose" sodium burn, but the threat of shark attack is next to 0. It has a light and refreshing citrus flavor, the drink is a pleasant blueish color, which magically doesn't stain your teeth. Lastly, and most importantly, there's no artificial sweetener aftertaste.
It performs well in the way of energy as well. I felt pretty good all the day long, without this elusive "crash" that I never experience with any energy drinks anyway. As is frequently the case, when I drink it on an empty stomach, my bowels are disturbed like eating a bag of Olestra Doritos.
We acquired this drink for $2/each, but we've seen prices as low as $1.50 each when you Buy Power Trip at Amazon. I think it's well worth the $2 price, but is an exceptional value at $1.50.
Jason's Review:
I saw the Power Trip Energy Drink Website on the can. Quite honestly, I usually never even look at the company's website. After reading this review, you'll see why.
I was disappointed to see that, as do most companies that lack any creativity in their marketing department, they are plugging the drink, almost exclusively with a pretty face, and a partially exposed set of breasts. In fact, the front page of the website has only 2 grainy/illegible pictures of the can, and the only time Power Trip is even mentioned (most notably without even the mention of it being an "energy drink", merely a beverage) is in copyright/trademark information. The rest of the page is dedicated to Firefox (approximately 6% of the useable space), screen resolution information (approximately 3% of the useable space), completely unused real estate (60%+), and then about 30% for Olivia, who apparently is the official spokesmodel for "P.T." (I'm assuming I'm supposed to be intimately familiar enough with Power Trip to refer to it as "P.T.").
Anyway, as opposed to joining the mailing list to win free product, I can enter to win a chance to talk to Olivia. I can imagine how that conversation would go.
<awkward silence>
Olivia: "Is anyone there?"
Some Dude: "Yeah...ur pretty. a/s/l?"
Olivia: "Thanks"
Some Dude: "Ur hair is pretty too."
Olivia: "Well thanks again, what do you do?"
<awkward silence>
Some Dude: "I ride motocross, and live off my inheritance. For fun, I rock climb, when I'm not illegal street racing. The rest of the time, I mostly party and dance at clubs, or on my yacht. What about u?"
Olivia: "That sounds exciting. I'm an integral part of pushing P.T. out the door."
Some Dude: "That's cool, I'm glad I'm not a model anymore ;)"
Olivia: "You were a model?"
Some Dude: "Mostly in Europe, u probably wouldn't have seen my stuff. That was a long time ago though, before I got that part in 'Braveheart'"
Olivia: "Wow, you're an actor too? What is 'Braveheart'?"
Some Dude: "The Mel Gibson movie?"
Olivia: "Oh, is that the crazy old cult guy that married Joey from Dawson's Creek?"
Some Dude: "No, that's Tom Cruise"
Olivia: "Dawson's Creek was awesome, that was my favorite show when I was 9."
Some Dude: "Hey, I've gtg, my 15 year old chat friend's parents just went out of town, and I need to ride over to her house, go inside with a bottle of wine, and make sure she's ok."
Olivia: "TTYL xoxo"
<awkward silence>
Some Dude: "Can I get ur number?"
Ok, so despite the fact that Power Trip's marketing department is clearly the same group that promoted "The Adventures of Pluto Nash", the drink actually is awesome in all other respects, but you wouldn't know that from any of the marketing. Interestingly, a great deal of the website's main page (not the Olivia-saturated flash/no flash page, but the actual "content") touts Doug Stuart's wealth of "brand management" experience, and notes Pepsi and Canada Dry as his proving grounds. I think it's notable that neither of these companies has yet made any lasting or meaningful impact in the energy drink market. He does mention they are going to explore "packaging enhancements", looking at the cans, I probably would have done that before sending it out the door. After Doug's bio (which is clearly of paramount importance), they finally talk about the energy drink...for 2 full sentences. Lastly, Power Trip's website is one of the very aggravating ones that resizes your browser window from "maximized" to "very large but not maximized and slightly moved toward the bottom left" periodically when you click on certain links.
As the Stig said, this drink is likely the best tasting sugar free energy drink on the market, but will you ever drink it? Probably not, because I just don't see it having shelf appeal. I'd equate this to Rush! Energy Lite, a great product, reasonable taste, no calories, and even low in sodium resulting in a thirst-quenching experience. Nearly 3 years ago, we touted it as such, but like Power Trip 0, the packaging is all wrong, everything about it looks gimmicky.
Does it work? Absolutely, I think the ingredient specs look awesome, and it was so tasty, I guzzled it down in no time flat. I was energized, and I'd pit it against any other 16oz. drink on the market. The price is even acceptable. Would I buy it at the store? No. I'm just never going to walk to a refrigerator in a convenience store, pick this product up, and make my way to the counter. This is one of the few drinks, Nature's Nitro 2 Go, Jugular Energy Drink, ...Lost, and Who's Your Daddy Energy Drink being a few of the others, which I'm adversely affected in my decision-making to purchase because of the packaging.
Power Trip 0 Energy Drink
Nutrition Information:Size: 16.0oz. · Serving Size: 8oz. Calories: 5 · Carbs: 0g · Sodium: 190mg
Ratings:
Combined Reviewer Rating:
9 out of 10
7.12 out of 10 from 8 reviewersCan Text:
I'll admit, the can looked more like you wrapped an energy bar wrapper around an energy drink can. It's relatively unassuming, and a little bland, for my taste. If packaging were the only consideration, I probably wouldn't buy this drink. It's blue, with a wavy thing down the middle. I'm pleased that there's no paragraph inspiring me to go out and conquer the world, or go that extra mile, or reinvent the wheel. They pretty much just repeat the front of the can on the back. The can only encourages me to, "get in the game", which of course, I probably won't do, but it's good that it's there.
Active Ingredients *Per can, not per serving:
Well, there's no sugar and no carbs, they did sneak 5 calories per serving in there though. 210mg of caffeine in the can (which is pretty impressive btw), 2g of taurine, 76mg of glucuronolactone, 72mg of inositol, 46mg of guarana. Also, there are the following are % of USRDA per serving: Vitamin C 100%, B3 100%, B6 200%, B5 100%, B12 100%. Statistically, this drink is strong, and the only real drawback is the 190mg of sodium per serving (16% of your recommended daily sodium intake), which makes it taste good, but clearly makes it less refreshing, and is probably not ideal for your buhlud pressure.
*The Stig's Review:
Power Trip "0" Sugar Free Energy Drink tastes awesome. This is, in my opinion the best tasting sugar free energy drink I've ever tasted. After a big gulp, it does have a little of that "ocean water up my nose" sodium burn, but the threat of shark attack is next to 0. It has a light and refreshing citrus flavor, the drink is a pleasant blueish color, which magically doesn't stain your teeth. Lastly, and most importantly, there's no artificial sweetener aftertaste.
It performs well in the way of energy as well. I felt pretty good all the day long, without this elusive "crash" that I never experience with any energy drinks anyway. As is frequently the case, when I drink it on an empty stomach, my bowels are disturbed like eating a bag of Olestra Doritos.
We acquired this drink for $2/each, but we've seen prices as low as $1.50 each when you Buy Power Trip at Amazon. I think it's well worth the $2 price, but is an exceptional value at $1.50.
Jason's Review:
I saw the Power Trip Energy Drink Website on the can. Quite honestly, I usually never even look at the company's website. After reading this review, you'll see why.
I was disappointed to see that, as do most companies that lack any creativity in their marketing department, they are plugging the drink, almost exclusively with a pretty face, and a partially exposed set of breasts. In fact, the front page of the website has only 2 grainy/illegible pictures of the can, and the only time Power Trip is even mentioned (most notably without even the mention of it being an "energy drink", merely a beverage) is in copyright/trademark information. The rest of the page is dedicated to Firefox (approximately 6% of the useable space), screen resolution information (approximately 3% of the useable space), completely unused real estate (60%+), and then about 30% for Olivia, who apparently is the official spokesmodel for "P.T." (I'm assuming I'm supposed to be intimately familiar enough with Power Trip to refer to it as "P.T.").
Anyway, as opposed to joining the mailing list to win free product, I can enter to win a chance to talk to Olivia. I can imagine how that conversation would go.
<awkward silence>
Olivia: "Is anyone there?"
Some Dude: "Yeah...ur pretty. a/s/l?"
Olivia: "Thanks"
Some Dude: "Ur hair is pretty too."
Olivia: "Well thanks again, what do you do?"
<awkward silence>
Some Dude: "I ride motocross, and live off my inheritance. For fun, I rock climb, when I'm not illegal street racing. The rest of the time, I mostly party and dance at clubs, or on my yacht. What about u?"
Olivia: "That sounds exciting. I'm an integral part of pushing P.T. out the door."
Some Dude: "That's cool, I'm glad I'm not a model anymore ;)"
Olivia: "You were a model?"
Some Dude: "Mostly in Europe, u probably wouldn't have seen my stuff. That was a long time ago though, before I got that part in 'Braveheart'"
Olivia: "Wow, you're an actor too? What is 'Braveheart'?"
Some Dude: "The Mel Gibson movie?"
Olivia: "Oh, is that the crazy old cult guy that married Joey from Dawson's Creek?"
Some Dude: "No, that's Tom Cruise"
Olivia: "Dawson's Creek was awesome, that was my favorite show when I was 9."
Some Dude: "Hey, I've gtg, my 15 year old chat friend's parents just went out of town, and I need to ride over to her house, go inside with a bottle of wine, and make sure she's ok."
Olivia: "TTYL xoxo"
<awkward silence>
Some Dude: "Can I get ur number?"
Ok, so despite the fact that Power Trip's marketing department is clearly the same group that promoted "The Adventures of Pluto Nash", the drink actually is awesome in all other respects, but you wouldn't know that from any of the marketing. Interestingly, a great deal of the website's main page (not the Olivia-saturated flash/no flash page, but the actual "content") touts Doug Stuart's wealth of "brand management" experience, and notes Pepsi and Canada Dry as his proving grounds. I think it's notable that neither of these companies has yet made any lasting or meaningful impact in the energy drink market. He does mention they are going to explore "packaging enhancements", looking at the cans, I probably would have done that before sending it out the door. After Doug's bio (which is clearly of paramount importance), they finally talk about the energy drink...for 2 full sentences. Lastly, Power Trip's website is one of the very aggravating ones that resizes your browser window from "maximized" to "very large but not maximized and slightly moved toward the bottom left" periodically when you click on certain links.
As the Stig said, this drink is likely the best tasting sugar free energy drink on the market, but will you ever drink it? Probably not, because I just don't see it having shelf appeal. I'd equate this to Rush! Energy Lite, a great product, reasonable taste, no calories, and even low in sodium resulting in a thirst-quenching experience. Nearly 3 years ago, we touted it as such, but like Power Trip 0, the packaging is all wrong, everything about it looks gimmicky.
Does it work? Absolutely, I think the ingredient specs look awesome, and it was so tasty, I guzzled it down in no time flat. I was energized, and I'd pit it against any other 16oz. drink on the market. The price is even acceptable. Would I buy it at the store? No. I'm just never going to walk to a refrigerator in a convenience store, pick this product up, and make my way to the counter. This is one of the few drinks, Nature's Nitro 2 Go, Jugular Energy Drink, ...Lost, and Who's Your Daddy Energy Drink being a few of the others, which I'm adversely affected in my decision-making to purchase because of the packaging.
Added 2008-05-02 16:53:32
Size: 2.0oz. · Serving Size: 2oz. Calories: 4 · Carbs: 0g · Sodium: 10mg
Ratings:
Combined Reviewer Rating: 9 out of 10
7.50 out of 10 from 42 reviewers
Can Text:
Active Ingredients *Per can, not per serving:
About as much caffeine as a cup of coffee, 30mg/150% of USRDA of Niacin (B3), 40mg/2000% of B6, 400mcg/100% of Folic Acid, 500mcg/8333% of B12. Also, unspecified amounts of Citicoline, Glucuronolactone, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, L-Phenylalanine, Taurine, Malic Acid. Also 1mg of the following enzymes: amylase, protease, lipase, cellulase, lactase.
*The Stig's Review:
5-Hour Energy Orange has a great flavor (particularly compared to the original that we reviewed in 2005), goes down smoothly. I prefer it cold, but it's not unpalatable at room temperature. The Original 5-Hour Energy is our most commented drink on the site. There are a range of inputs of various topics either covered in the television commercials, or on the bottle. I decided to address those myself, since I've consumed a reasonable number of 5-Hour Energy Shots.
Q. Does it provide 5 hours of energy?
A. For me, the energy is not spastic, like I might get from drinking 2 Monster XXLs, but I feel relatively awake and alert, usually ready to accomplish something for several hours.
Q. Does it cause you to crash later?
A. I never have. Some people say, "after a while, I felt like I did before I drank it", well, that's not crashing, that's natural. A crash would be if you felt far worse than you did before. My best answer, I've never drank one in the morning, and felt any more inclined to take a nap at noon than I would any other time. Also, I can usually "come down" in plenty of time to get to sleep (assuming I drink it several hours before trying to sleep).
Q. What is a Niacin Flush?
A. Of the great number of 5-Hour Energy shots I've consumed, I've had 1 Niacin Flush, my skin (particularly my face, forearms, and hands) felt warm (like putting parts of your body into a warm bathtub), mildly tingly, and turned slightly red. As described on the bottle, this lasted for a few minutes, then I was fine. Others have described profound affects, even claim to have gone to the hospital. I don't know if these claims are valid, or if perhaps the people making the claims are trigger happy on calling an ambulance. I'd recommend trying part of a bottle the first time to see how you react.
Q. Do you really need to "hold nose while drinking"?
A. No, those comments by Angie were made about the Ver. 1.0 of 5-Hour Energy, and the new versions are not despicable tasting at all.
Q. Is there a place I can get these for less than $2.49-$2.99 each?
A. Absolutely, Buy 5 Hour Energy for less than $2 each (cases of 12 for $20) from many of the Amazon stores (this is the same as the link which you may or may not see above, depending on where you are viewing this review).
Great taste, effective, no crash, and under $2, this is a good value as well.
Jason's Review:
Of the "new and improved flavors" berry is still my least favorite, the orange is relatively superior to berry, and the lemon-lime is slightly better than the orange. This is, of course, a matter of taste, but I find them all relatively enjoyable. The bitterness of the original "Chaser" branded products is almost completely gone, and the remaining tartness is almost enjoyable, like a warhead candy.
I'm energized, and can stand by all the claims that this product makes. I usually don't drink this on an empty stomach, and have never expected it to do anything unreasonable, like make me want to garden at 4AM after being awake for 47.5 hours. I only mention this, as it appears that some people do expect it to completely alleviate the need for sleep...ever. This is not true. When I use this product "reasonably", IE, I just woke up, only got 5 hours of sleep, and need to be awake and alert, I feel much better after drinking a 5 hour energy than I would otherwise. Also, if I got up early, and I need to stay awake until 2-3AM, and be relatively alert, again, this product helps. This is also true of On Go Energy, and likely of the host of new energy shots coming on the market, which we intend to review soon.
The prices have come down significantly. Our first review was at $2.99, the second at $2.50, and at the time of this review, 5-Hour Energy can be acquired through the links on this site easily for $2 each; a great value, particularly if you use these regularly, and will invariably consume at least 12 of these in a month.
5-Hour Energy Orange
Nutrition Information:Size: 2.0oz. · Serving Size: 2oz. Calories: 4 · Carbs: 0g · Sodium: 10mg
Ratings:
Combined Reviewer Rating:
9 out of 10
7.50 out of 10 from 42 reviewersCan Text:
The 2 ounce energizing bottle we've all come to know and love since our first review of 5-Hour Energy Berry Flavor back in October 2005. That guy on the front is still running!!1!!one! This bottle looks pretty much the same, of course, they've dropped the "Chaser" from the name, which happened some time ago, and have added some orange graphics and the text "New orange flavor". Also, there are directions/warnings on the back, which I appear to be new, or I didn't document them in the past. "For maximum energy: drink entire bottle at one time. For moderate energy: Drink a half bottle or less. Use or discard within 72 hours after opening. Refrigeration not necessary. CAUTION: Contains about as much caffeine as a cup of coffee. Limit caffeine products to avoid nervousness, sleeplessness, and occasionally rapid heartbeat. You may experience a Niacin flush (hot feeling, skin redness) that lasts a few minutes. This is caused by Niacin (Vitamin B3) increasing blood flow near the skin. Not for use by children under 12 years of age. Phenylketonurics: Contains phenylalanine". "Feel it in minutes – lasts for hours". Lastly, 5- Hour Energy Orange is described as a "Dietary Supplement".
Active Ingredients *Per can, not per serving:
About as much caffeine as a cup of coffee, 30mg/150% of USRDA of Niacin (B3), 40mg/2000% of B6, 400mcg/100% of Folic Acid, 500mcg/8333% of B12. Also, unspecified amounts of Citicoline, Glucuronolactone, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, L-Phenylalanine, Taurine, Malic Acid. Also 1mg of the following enzymes: amylase, protease, lipase, cellulase, lactase.
*The Stig's Review:
5-Hour Energy Orange has a great flavor (particularly compared to the original that we reviewed in 2005), goes down smoothly. I prefer it cold, but it's not unpalatable at room temperature. The Original 5-Hour Energy is our most commented drink on the site. There are a range of inputs of various topics either covered in the television commercials, or on the bottle. I decided to address those myself, since I've consumed a reasonable number of 5-Hour Energy Shots.
Q. Does it provide 5 hours of energy?
A. For me, the energy is not spastic, like I might get from drinking 2 Monster XXLs, but I feel relatively awake and alert, usually ready to accomplish something for several hours.
Q. Does it cause you to crash later?
A. I never have. Some people say, "after a while, I felt like I did before I drank it", well, that's not crashing, that's natural. A crash would be if you felt far worse than you did before. My best answer, I've never drank one in the morning, and felt any more inclined to take a nap at noon than I would any other time. Also, I can usually "come down" in plenty of time to get to sleep (assuming I drink it several hours before trying to sleep).
Q. What is a Niacin Flush?
A. Of the great number of 5-Hour Energy shots I've consumed, I've had 1 Niacin Flush, my skin (particularly my face, forearms, and hands) felt warm (like putting parts of your body into a warm bathtub), mildly tingly, and turned slightly red. As described on the bottle, this lasted for a few minutes, then I was fine. Others have described profound affects, even claim to have gone to the hospital. I don't know if these claims are valid, or if perhaps the people making the claims are trigger happy on calling an ambulance. I'd recommend trying part of a bottle the first time to see how you react.
Q. Do you really need to "hold nose while drinking"?
A. No, those comments by Angie were made about the Ver. 1.0 of 5-Hour Energy, and the new versions are not despicable tasting at all.
Q. Is there a place I can get these for less than $2.49-$2.99 each?
A. Absolutely, Buy 5 Hour Energy for less than $2 each (cases of 12 for $20) from many of the Amazon stores (this is the same as the link which you may or may not see above, depending on where you are viewing this review).
Great taste, effective, no crash, and under $2, this is a good value as well.
Jason's Review:
Of the "new and improved flavors" berry is still my least favorite, the orange is relatively superior to berry, and the lemon-lime is slightly better than the orange. This is, of course, a matter of taste, but I find them all relatively enjoyable. The bitterness of the original "Chaser" branded products is almost completely gone, and the remaining tartness is almost enjoyable, like a warhead candy.
I'm energized, and can stand by all the claims that this product makes. I usually don't drink this on an empty stomach, and have never expected it to do anything unreasonable, like make me want to garden at 4AM after being awake for 47.5 hours. I only mention this, as it appears that some people do expect it to completely alleviate the need for sleep...ever. This is not true. When I use this product "reasonably", IE, I just woke up, only got 5 hours of sleep, and need to be awake and alert, I feel much better after drinking a 5 hour energy than I would otherwise. Also, if I got up early, and I need to stay awake until 2-3AM, and be relatively alert, again, this product helps. This is also true of On Go Energy, and likely of the host of new energy shots coming on the market, which we intend to review soon.
The prices have come down significantly. Our first review was at $2.99, the second at $2.50, and at the time of this review, 5-Hour Energy can be acquired through the links on this site easily for $2 each; a great value, particularly if you use these regularly, and will invariably consume at least 12 of these in a month.
Added 2008-04-28 14:57:14
Size: 16.0oz. · Serving Size: 8oz. Calories: 110 · Carbs: 27g · Sodium: 10mg
Ratings:
Combined Reviewer Rating:
4 out of 10
5.76 out of 10 from 70 reviewers
Can Text:
Active Ingredients *Per can, not per serving:
30% Juices, 27g of sugar per serving and the following g/percentage of daily allowance per serving: B2 1.7g, B3 20g/100%, B6 2mg/100%, B12 6mcg/100%, Calcium 20mg/100%, taurine 1g/less than 1% (I think this is the first time I've seen a recommended daily allowance for taurine), panax ginseng 200mg, "energy blend" 2500mg (claims to contain unspecified amounts of glucose, caffeine, guarana, l-carnitine, glucuronolactone, inositol, maltodextrin). 100% of daily allowance of calcium, impressive.
*The Stig's Review:
Ok, before anyone else comments that all Monster energy drinks have the same proprietary energy blend, and such should all get equal energy ratings, let me clarify, for anyone who would not have determined this on their own, we are not scientist. We don't do a chemical breakdown on what's in the drink, and make a determination on how energized you should be after drinking it. We drink it, and offer a real-world report on how it works. Obviously, if it takes me 7 minutes to drink a pleasant tasting original Monster, and it takes me 4 hours to choke down a deplorable Monster Assault, I'm not going to be as profoundly affected by Monster Assault. That being said, the taste is the only pleasant thing about Monster Mixxd, and it's so syrupy, I felt nauseous if I tried to drink it too quickly. Monster indicates that the flavor is elusive because it's thousand, if not millions of different flavors jumbled together. Well, I've solved the mystery, it tastes like spiced apple cider with a hint of grape juice. It's pleasant, but I'm wanting to warm it up in grandma's kettle (that she gave me as a "parting for college" gift) and sip it next to the fire while opening Christmas presents. This is slightly more subdued than the wild house party mixer that Monster conveys in their can text.
All told, I drank this over the course of two days. Near the end it became a chore. I'd compare this to eating a family-sized bag of gummy worms, they're enjoyable at first, but after a while, you realize you're only eating them because they're there, and you can't bring yourself to throw them away.
For once, I think I found a drink that would be better distributed in 8.3oz cans. Everything else about this drink is ridiculous, the marketing is like talking to a 15 year old kid that heard some "buzzwords" and is trying to fabricate some story about this really cool party he went to, where he "got stupid crunk" and his story fades out into some incoherent mumbling about "Superman", where he hopes you'll chime in, and he can determine what he thinks he's talking about. I'm reminded of a wonderful bit in the "Powell Peralta Search for Animal Chin Video", watch in amazement.
Jason's Review:
Why is this "the beginning of the end" for Monster, you say? Well, Mixxd is like a bad joke, couple that with another 4 new flavors, developed and distributed before a great deal of the populous really even noticed your last 4 existed, and you're looking at total market saturation, and product cannibalization. Though a large market for coffee drinkers still exists, instead of doing some marketing to stealing Starbuck's customers away with the four energizing, tasty, and affordable Java Monster products they already offer, Monster decided the flood the market with 4 more flavors. Worse yet, the website's marketing drivel is all "edgy" lingo that just sounds ridiculous. "Tea with sack not bags"? Is that supposed to be funny? Also, they hype adding "shots of liquor to Java Monster", then go right on to say they took out the alcohol, that's real edgy. It's as pathetic as the 35 year-old recently separated woman at work getting giddy because there's going to be a 2 drink open bar at the company Christmas party. Monster, after years of success otherwise, is going the way of marketing gimmicks, and as a result, are themselves opening the door for up-and-comers like Amp and Jolt.
So, for those who are still with me, what do I think of Mixxd? Well, it’s a hodgepodge of flavors, and it's not that great. If you're looking for cheap "party drink" flavor, just add the Monster energy blend to Tahitian Treat and call it "James Cooks Tahitian Typhus". If You're Full Throttle, and you're batting this idea around, you can add some obscure Polynesian fruit, like noni, and expect the American palate will find it pleasing. Mixxd is drinkable, but by no means would I call it enjoyable.
For $1.99, you can make a whole batch of actual jungle juice, and spread diseases amongst yourselves like 18th century Tahitian prostitutes. On a constructive note, I'd recommend staying away from any drink "mixxd" in a bathtub, and any party with sorostitutes. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Monster Mixxd Energy Juice
Nutrition Information:Size: 16.0oz. · Serving Size: 8oz. Calories: 110 · Carbs: 27g · Sodium: 10mg
Ratings:
Combined Reviewer Rating:
4 out of 10
5.76 out of 10 from 70 reviewersCan Text:
Pretty much the same ho-hum MMORPG UI layout can design as Monster Khaos. Only the big "M" and name "Mixxd" are in purple, which is slightly misleading, as I thought this was going to taste more like grape. Here's the motivational speech Monster added to the back, I'll try to contain my comments until the end, "It's midnight Wednesday and the house party is about to go off. Everyone is jacked-up on the latest batch of jungle juice cooking in the kettle. Bring back any memories? How can a little bit of everything taste so good and work so [expletive removed] quick. That's kinda what we were thinking when we came-up with Monster Mixxd. We took a bunch of our back-up flavors, tossed'em together...F-NA it's a masterpiece. Monster Mixxd has a juiced-up flavor you can't describe and a creeper buzz you won't deny. Don't take our word for it. Check it out yourself. If you don't like Mixxd, you can have your money back. Limit one refund per customer. 30% juice-100% Monster!" Firstly, let me say that I believe this marks the beginning of the fall of Monster, I'll go more into detail on my (Jason's) full review, but let me make a few things clear. Firstly, as wild and crazy as everyone wants to make college sound, the people "house partying" on Wednesday are usually back home with mom and dad after 3 weeks. Also, "cooking in the kettle?" Yeah, grandma gave me her stove top whistle kettle when I went away to college. I can imagine it now, "Come on back here guys, I'm just brewing up a 6 cup batch of jungle juice here in the kitchen, hope you brought 3 tea bags". Monster also asks, "How can a little bit of everything taste so good?" I think the fact that it's probably about 120 proof would debilitate anyone present from remembering how it tasted. I know what does bring back memories though, every outbreak of genital herpes.
Active Ingredients *Per can, not per serving:
30% Juices, 27g of sugar per serving and the following g/percentage of daily allowance per serving: B2 1.7g, B3 20g/100%, B6 2mg/100%, B12 6mcg/100%, Calcium 20mg/100%, taurine 1g/less than 1% (I think this is the first time I've seen a recommended daily allowance for taurine), panax ginseng 200mg, "energy blend" 2500mg (claims to contain unspecified amounts of glucose, caffeine, guarana, l-carnitine, glucuronolactone, inositol, maltodextrin). 100% of daily allowance of calcium, impressive.
*The Stig's Review:
Ok, before anyone else comments that all Monster energy drinks have the same proprietary energy blend, and such should all get equal energy ratings, let me clarify, for anyone who would not have determined this on their own, we are not scientist. We don't do a chemical breakdown on what's in the drink, and make a determination on how energized you should be after drinking it. We drink it, and offer a real-world report on how it works. Obviously, if it takes me 7 minutes to drink a pleasant tasting original Monster, and it takes me 4 hours to choke down a deplorable Monster Assault, I'm not going to be as profoundly affected by Monster Assault. That being said, the taste is the only pleasant thing about Monster Mixxd, and it's so syrupy, I felt nauseous if I tried to drink it too quickly. Monster indicates that the flavor is elusive because it's thousand, if not millions of different flavors jumbled together. Well, I've solved the mystery, it tastes like spiced apple cider with a hint of grape juice. It's pleasant, but I'm wanting to warm it up in grandma's kettle (that she gave me as a "parting for college" gift) and sip it next to the fire while opening Christmas presents. This is slightly more subdued than the wild house party mixer that Monster conveys in their can text.
All told, I drank this over the course of two days. Near the end it became a chore. I'd compare this to eating a family-sized bag of gummy worms, they're enjoyable at first, but after a while, you realize you're only eating them because they're there, and you can't bring yourself to throw them away.
For once, I think I found a drink that would be better distributed in 8.3oz cans. Everything else about this drink is ridiculous, the marketing is like talking to a 15 year old kid that heard some "buzzwords" and is trying to fabricate some story about this really cool party he went to, where he "got stupid crunk" and his story fades out into some incoherent mumbling about "Superman", where he hopes you'll chime in, and he can determine what he thinks he's talking about. I'm reminded of a wonderful bit in the "Powell Peralta Search for Animal Chin Video", watch in amazement.
Jason's Review:
Why is this "the beginning of the end" for Monster, you say? Well, Mixxd is like a bad joke, couple that with another 4 new flavors, developed and distributed before a great deal of the populous really even noticed your last 4 existed, and you're looking at total market saturation, and product cannibalization. Though a large market for coffee drinkers still exists, instead of doing some marketing to stealing Starbuck's customers away with the four energizing, tasty, and affordable Java Monster products they already offer, Monster decided the flood the market with 4 more flavors. Worse yet, the website's marketing drivel is all "edgy" lingo that just sounds ridiculous. "Tea with sack not bags"? Is that supposed to be funny? Also, they hype adding "shots of liquor to Java Monster", then go right on to say they took out the alcohol, that's real edgy. It's as pathetic as the 35 year-old recently separated woman at work getting giddy because there's going to be a 2 drink open bar at the company Christmas party. Monster, after years of success otherwise, is going the way of marketing gimmicks, and as a result, are themselves opening the door for up-and-comers like Amp and Jolt.
So, for those who are still with me, what do I think of Mixxd? Well, it’s a hodgepodge of flavors, and it's not that great. If you're looking for cheap "party drink" flavor, just add the Monster energy blend to Tahitian Treat and call it "James Cooks Tahitian Typhus". If You're Full Throttle, and you're batting this idea around, you can add some obscure Polynesian fruit, like noni, and expect the American palate will find it pleasing. Mixxd is drinkable, but by no means would I call it enjoyable.
For $1.99, you can make a whole batch of actual jungle juice, and spread diseases amongst yourselves like 18th century Tahitian prostitutes. On a constructive note, I'd recommend staying away from any drink "mixxd" in a bathtub, and any party with sorostitutes. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Added 2008-04-21 13:48:17
Size: 23.5oz. · Serving Size: 7.8333333333333oz. Calories: 100 · Carbs: 26g · Sodium: 5mg
Ratings:
Combined Reviewer Rating: 9 out of 10
7.39 out of 10 from 53 reviewers
Can Text:
Active Ingredients *Per can, not per serving:
It's notable that this can contains 75g of sugar, which is roughly enough to put a dent in the annual Cuban sugar cane production. At 100 calories per serving though, Power Cola is actually 20 calories less per serving than Jolt Blue. Power Cola is also very low in sodium (5mg per serving). As the can states on the side, clearly Jolt Power Cola contains unspecified amounts of taurine, guarana, and ginseng, as well as 60% of the USRDA of Vitamin B6, and even 1g of protein.
*The Stig's Review:
Sure, you're probably not going to find Jolt products in your local GNC, or any far off GNC for that matter, but what percentage of Americans have ever actually been in a GNC anyway? At the end of the day, let's admit that we all want to pretend to care about our sugar consumption, heart rate, blood pressure, blood/sugar levels, etc., but we all think we're invincible. It's just like barrel oil, noone really cares about conserving or dependence on foreign oil, they just want 1994 gas prices. By the same token, we only care about nutrition long enough to fit into some skanky pair of jeans, or to look cool at the gym drinking $4 workout water. Vanity is a powerful thing, thankfully, Jolt is equally as powerful, and it's like the Ford F350s of the world. Sure, you don’t want to pay for the gas to drive it cross country, but if you need a tree stump pulled out of the ground, a big block 454 relocated to the vicinity of your '77 AMC Matador Barcelona, or your trailer towed to a park with fewer pregnant transsexuals, you're happy it's there. On that note, sure, you wouldn't drink Jolt Power Cola in front of your trendy friends who only drink diet Vodka with Red Bull Sugar Free, but when you're all alone, and you can come to grips with the vast charade that is your entire life, you can pour a nice tall glass of Jolt Power Cola over ice, and thumb your nose at your rail thin, racehorse Charlie friends who wouldn't thumb their nose at anything, in fear that their crisscrossing noses may gush blood all over their Evisu Limited Edition Jeans.
As for taste, if you like good ol' fashioned, kick-in-the-pants American cola, you'll love this as much as greasy American burgers, apple pie, and Dusty Rhodes. It's the ultimate in energy drink guilty pleasure.
This drink is awesome, no ifs ands or buts. Jolt named it "Power Cola", but that may be an understatement.
Jason's Review:
I'll start by making a couple of observations about this product. Firstly, the unique can allows for resealing without it going flat. So, unlike a 16oz can that goes flat after opening, you can actually enjoy three separate enjoyable approx. 8oz. servings without a severe decrease in quality of the cola (I know, as I resealed the cap on one, and enjoyed it further the following day). I know this dates me a little, but this can reminds me of the old glass 1 liter bottles that Coca Cola and Pepsi used to come in (yes, that's back in the '80's). Those bottles were nice because a family of 4 or so could have a whole bottle with dinner and the soda never went flat. In my opinion, that's where the 3 liter was essentially useless, unless you were bringing it to a family reunion or something. I digress, the can also makes me feel more inclined to drink some of the can out of a glass, and put the rest back in the fridge, meaning the drink is now cold, as well as not flat, for my later enjoyment. It also occurred to me that, though large, this drink would be great for taking on boats, to lawn concerts, race events, or any place where you could bring plastic cups, ice, and a cooler. Lastly, there are many energy drinks with a good flavor, but for people accustomed to drinking cola with lunch or dinner, I think you'll find this drink goes well with food.
This tastes like cola, I'd like to add or take away from that statement, but it's exactly as it says on the can. Since it's Jolt, do you really have to question the amount of sugar or caffeine that lies in wait within?
The price is reasonable as well, about $1 per Red Bull-sized serving, and 3 servings per portable vat of liquid energy. If you like Coca-Cola, and/or Pepsi, this is your energy drink, no more cotton candy (as apparently a great number of commenters feel all energy drinks taste like), citrus, or exotic fruit flavors to endure. Just classic cola flavor for people who didn't grow up loving the taste of acai, agave, or tamarind.
Jolt Power Cola
Nutrition Information:Size: 23.5oz. · Serving Size: 7.8333333333333oz. Calories: 100 · Carbs: 26g · Sodium: 5mg
Ratings:
Combined Reviewer Rating:
9 out of 10
7.39 out of 10 from 53 reviewersCan Text:
The can is very similar to Jolt Blue can, with red instead of blue. They've added the text, "Carbonated Energy" to the top of the can. The removed the, "it's all positive" slogan, unless I missed it. They added the following text to the side of the can, "Energized with taurine, guarana, ginseng and vitamin B complex. Lastly, the real original energy drink company (not Red Bull), touts this as "Power Cola".
Active Ingredients *Per can, not per serving:
It's notable that this can contains 75g of sugar, which is roughly enough to put a dent in the annual Cuban sugar cane production. At 100 calories per serving though, Power Cola is actually 20 calories less per serving than Jolt Blue. Power Cola is also very low in sodium (5mg per serving). As the can states on the side, clearly Jolt Power Cola contains unspecified amounts of taurine, guarana, and ginseng, as well as 60% of the USRDA of Vitamin B6, and even 1g of protein.
*The Stig's Review:
Sure, you're probably not going to find Jolt products in your local GNC, or any far off GNC for that matter, but what percentage of Americans have ever actually been in a GNC anyway? At the end of the day, let's admit that we all want to pretend to care about our sugar consumption, heart rate, blood pressure, blood/sugar levels, etc., but we all think we're invincible. It's just like barrel oil, noone really cares about conserving or dependence on foreign oil, they just want 1994 gas prices. By the same token, we only care about nutrition long enough to fit into some skanky pair of jeans, or to look cool at the gym drinking $4 workout water. Vanity is a powerful thing, thankfully, Jolt is equally as powerful, and it's like the Ford F350s of the world. Sure, you don’t want to pay for the gas to drive it cross country, but if you need a tree stump pulled out of the ground, a big block 454 relocated to the vicinity of your '77 AMC Matador Barcelona, or your trailer towed to a park with fewer pregnant transsexuals, you're happy it's there. On that note, sure, you wouldn't drink Jolt Power Cola in front of your trendy friends who only drink diet Vodka with Red Bull Sugar Free, but when you're all alone, and you can come to grips with the vast charade that is your entire life, you can pour a nice tall glass of Jolt Power Cola over ice, and thumb your nose at your rail thin, racehorse Charlie friends who wouldn't thumb their nose at anything, in fear that their crisscrossing noses may gush blood all over their Evisu Limited Edition Jeans.
As for taste, if you like good ol' fashioned, kick-in-the-pants American cola, you'll love this as much as greasy American burgers, apple pie, and Dusty Rhodes. It's the ultimate in energy drink guilty pleasure.
This drink is awesome, no ifs ands or buts. Jolt named it "Power Cola", but that may be an understatement.
Jason's Review:
I'll start by making a couple of observations about this product. Firstly, the unique can allows for resealing without it going flat. So, unlike a 16oz can that goes flat after opening, you can actually enjoy three separate enjoyable approx. 8oz. servings without a severe decrease in quality of the cola (I know, as I resealed the cap on one, and enjoyed it further the following day). I know this dates me a little, but this can reminds me of the old glass 1 liter bottles that Coca Cola and Pepsi used to come in (yes, that's back in the '80's). Those bottles were nice because a family of 4 or so could have a whole bottle with dinner and the soda never went flat. In my opinion, that's where the 3 liter was essentially useless, unless you were bringing it to a family reunion or something. I digress, the can also makes me feel more inclined to drink some of the can out of a glass, and put the rest back in the fridge, meaning the drink is now cold, as well as not flat, for my later enjoyment. It also occurred to me that, though large, this drink would be great for taking on boats, to lawn concerts, race events, or any place where you could bring plastic cups, ice, and a cooler. Lastly, there are many energy drinks with a good flavor, but for people accustomed to drinking cola with lunch or dinner, I think you'll find this drink goes well with food.
This tastes like cola, I'd like to add or take away from that statement, but it's exactly as it says on the can. Since it's Jolt, do you really have to question the amount of sugar or caffeine that lies in wait within?
The price is reasonable as well, about $1 per Red Bull-sized serving, and 3 servings per portable vat of liquid energy. If you like Coca-Cola, and/or Pepsi, this is your energy drink, no more cotton candy (as apparently a great number of commenters feel all energy drinks taste like), citrus, or exotic fruit flavors to endure. Just classic cola flavor for people who didn't grow up loving the taste of acai, agave, or tamarind.
Added 2008-04-05 16:14:13
Size: 16.0oz. · Serving Size: 8oz. Calories: 120 · Carbs: 31g · Sodium: 40mg
Ratings:
Combined Reviewer Rating: 4.5 out of 10
6.41 out of 10 from 36 reviewers
Can Text:
Active Ingredients *Per can, not per serving:
Boronia is listed, but the Wikipedia page about Boronia doesn't mention it having anything to do with energy, and we all know that Wikipedia is essentially the authority on everything ever. There are also undisclosed amounts of taurine, caffeine, and calcium, and the following disclosed USRDA amounts per can: 40% Niacin, 100% B6, 100% B12, 50% Pantothenic Acid, Not a significant source of Patrick Swayze or Iron.
*The Stig's Review:
Firstly, two of the best drinks on the market are 7up (which pwns Sprite), and Dr. Pepper (which is neck and neck with Mr. Pibb, but only one has a PhD.) I find 7up refreshing, and is great for making floats with lime sherbert. Before I get too sidetracked, this drink tastes awesome. It's refreshing, and possibly as enjoyable to drink on a hot sunny day while your pregnant wife mows the lawn as Inko's White Tea Energy. This drink has as much sugar (if not more) than most energy drinks, but this goes down far more smoothly, and is genuinely flavorful and refreshing without being overly tart or syrupy. If I were grading this on taste alone, I'd give it a 10, the flavor rest somewhere between Wink and 7up. Simply awesome. Finally, a new, inventive and enjoyable energy drink flavor.
Now, the disappointing news, firstly, I find that it doesn't take that much energy to sing, paint or throw darts, for the average person. Unlike the residents of Coolah, I did no dancing or playing rugby (though I've never otherwise played rugby anyway). Perhaps the residents of Coolah play rugby, dance, paint, sing, and throw darts, not as a result of Solo, but because Coolah is otherwise as exciting as Henderson, NC. Perhaps with careful research Cadbury Schweppes would find that residents of Coolah, like those of Henderson, also gather together for Bingo at the VA, get a Dairy Queen, noodle for catfish, and stare ominously at people from out of town. There's a fine line between having energy, and being suicidally bored, after drinking Coolah, I certainly did not have a great deal more energy.
This drink runs about $1.99, and for me, though it tastes great, I need something with a little more "Pep"...perhaps a Dr. Riffic.
Jason's Review:
Paul Hogan might say, "That's not an energy drink...this is an energy drink." If he were referring to Coolah, he'd be wrong, this is a refreshing lemony beverage, but calling it an energy drink is a stretch. Then, who can trust someone who tried to squeeze a trilogy out of Crocodile Dundee? He might as well change his name to Stallone, and start work on a "Flipper" sequel. The can describes the taste perfectly, "Refreshing Lemon Tang".
As stated previously, where the can description goes awry is at the "Energy" portion. Boronia could be Australian for "placebo" for all I know. I'd say sugar is the most active ingredient in this concoction.
I'll take the Stig's word for it on price, I have no idea where this drink came from, or how much it costs. If it's $1.99, I think it's overpriced, but it does taste great.
Coolah Energy
Nutrition Information:Size: 16.0oz. · Serving Size: 8oz. Calories: 120 · Carbs: 31g · Sodium: 40mg
Ratings:
Combined Reviewer Rating:
4.5 out of 10
6.41 out of 10 from 36 reviewersCan Text:
The can is bright yellow, orange, with some black and some original can metallic. The can claims to be "Energy from Down Under". Patrick Swayze would beg to differ, as a Coolah in the movie Roadhouse, he makes it very clear that a Coolah lets the bouncers know when to stop being nice. For those who don't know, Dr. Pepper and 7up are owned by Cadbury Schweppes, I believe this happened around the time that it was clear that Coca-Cola wouldn't get to purchase Dr. Pepper, and began, instead to get rid of the Minute Maid brands and heavily market the Fanta products as a viable product line. Aynway, Dr. Pepper and 7Up are bottled in the US by Pepsi, Coca-Cola, and a group of independent bottlers. Why does this matter? This is the only energy drink for which I know Cadbury Schweppes to be responsible, and as the owners of Dr. Pepper and 7Up, I'd call them the 3rd biggest player in the soft drink game. So, don't see Coolah and write it off as a generic "Rip it" style beverage (while I like Rip it, let's admit, it's the equivalent of Dr. Faygo...yes, that's an actual product). This has some thoroughbred roots. The lower portion of the can claims that Coolah is "Refreshing Lemon Tang" flavor (bonus points for telling me, as I'd otherwise have no idea). The top of the can list: (Boronia, Taurine, B-Vitamins) * 2. Then Cadbury Schweppes decided to enlighten us, again contradicting Patrick Swayze, "Coolah is a village in Australia where everyone's got a little more energy. They paint (looks like point on the can). Play rugby. Sing. Throw darts. Dance. And they drink Solo, the beverage with a lemon tang that was the inspiration for Coolah Energy. We added Australian Boronia, Taurine, and B-Vitamins to make this one bonzer drink. So pop the top and give it a bash! Welcome to the land of Coolah. Energy from Down Under." Lastly, this is a naturally and artificially flavored beverage.
Active Ingredients *Per can, not per serving:
Boronia is listed, but the Wikipedia page about Boronia doesn't mention it having anything to do with energy, and we all know that Wikipedia is essentially the authority on everything ever. There are also undisclosed amounts of taurine, caffeine, and calcium, and the following disclosed USRDA amounts per can: 40% Niacin, 100% B6, 100% B12, 50% Pantothenic Acid, Not a significant source of Patrick Swayze or Iron.
*The Stig's Review:
Firstly, two of the best drinks on the market are 7up (which pwns Sprite), and Dr. Pepper (which is neck and neck with Mr. Pibb, but only one has a PhD.) I find 7up refreshing, and is great for making floats with lime sherbert. Before I get too sidetracked, this drink tastes awesome. It's refreshing, and possibly as enjoyable to drink on a hot sunny day while your pregnant wife mows the lawn as Inko's White Tea Energy. This drink has as much sugar (if not more) than most energy drinks, but this goes down far more smoothly, and is genuinely flavorful and refreshing without being overly tart or syrupy. If I were grading this on taste alone, I'd give it a 10, the flavor rest somewhere between Wink and 7up. Simply awesome. Finally, a new, inventive and enjoyable energy drink flavor.
Now, the disappointing news, firstly, I find that it doesn't take that much energy to sing, paint or throw darts, for the average person. Unlike the residents of Coolah, I did no dancing or playing rugby (though I've never otherwise played rugby anyway). Perhaps the residents of Coolah play rugby, dance, paint, sing, and throw darts, not as a result of Solo, but because Coolah is otherwise as exciting as Henderson, NC. Perhaps with careful research Cadbury Schweppes would find that residents of Coolah, like those of Henderson, also gather together for Bingo at the VA, get a Dairy Queen, noodle for catfish, and stare ominously at people from out of town. There's a fine line between having energy, and being suicidally bored, after drinking Coolah, I certainly did not have a great deal more energy.
This drink runs about $1.99, and for me, though it tastes great, I need something with a little more "Pep"...perhaps a Dr. Riffic.
Jason's Review:
Paul Hogan might say, "That's not an energy drink...this is an energy drink." If he were referring to Coolah, he'd be wrong, this is a refreshing lemony beverage, but calling it an energy drink is a stretch. Then, who can trust someone who tried to squeeze a trilogy out of Crocodile Dundee? He might as well change his name to Stallone, and start work on a "Flipper" sequel. The can describes the taste perfectly, "Refreshing Lemon Tang".
As stated previously, where the can description goes awry is at the "Energy" portion. Boronia could be Australian for "placebo" for all I know. I'd say sugar is the most active ingredient in this concoction.
I'll take the Stig's word for it on price, I have no idea where this drink came from, or how much it costs. If it's $1.99, I think it's overpriced, but it does taste great.
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*As of May 2007, Angie is no longer contributing reviews to Screaming Energy Drink Reviews. Since the guest reviewer does not want to be identified, we've affectionately been referring to them as "The Stig". "The Stig" is the creation of BBC television show "Top Gear". More about "The Stig"
