Monday, July 30, 2012

REVIEW OF TANGO

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 170 MILLIGRAMS PER 15.5 OUNCE CAN.


RATING: 8.1 OUT OF 10.



     During my Big Lots raid, I discovered two very similar energy drinks that have always amused me. The first is Tango Energy Juice, and the other is Samba Energy Juice. There is a third flavor called Rumba, but I have already had the pleasure of reviewing that. For this review, I'm going to check out the Tango version, so let's get cracking.

     At first glance, I can immediately see that this drink is made with 100% juice. Judging by the color, I assumed that this drink would be grape flavored, but my prediction proved to be inaccurate. Tango is a blend of 6 juices from concentrate: apple, orange, tangerine, acai, elberberry, and guava. As for the flavor, this drink goes down smoothly and quickly due to the lack of carbonation. As a consequence of having 6 different fruits, it was difficult to distinguish what fruits were more pronounced. However, this drink pleases the palate and I was left very satisfied.

     Powering this juice is a very familiar energy blend. How familiar? Well, Tango Energy Juice is made by Hansen Beverage Company. That's right, the same people who make Monster are making this delicious concoction. Here is that Monster blend once again: 191 percent daily value of vitamin b2, 191 percent daily value of vitamin b3, 191 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 191 percent daily value of vitamin b12, 1,910 milligrams of taurine, 382 milligrams of panax ginseng, and 4,771 milligrams worth of glucose, caffeine, guarana seed extract, l-carnitine, glucuronolactone, inositol, and maltodextrin. As you probably know by now, Hansen does know how to make a pretty nice blend.

     Inside each can of Tango, you will find 160 milligrams of good ol' caffeine. Couple that with the multitude of other ingredients, and this provided a pretty decent kick in the pants. Unfortunately, there is a drawback. This drink has 60 grams of sugar, so consequently I crashed pretty substantially. I hardly ever crash after an energy drink, but I actually felt lethargic after the effect wore off.

     With a delicious amalgamation of fruits and the same blend as the original Monster Energy, you really can't go wrong with this drink. I also really enjoy the fact that it is 100 percent juice, and not something that is 50 percent or lower. I can't find a single reason why you wouldn't want to pick this up, and at 70 cents from Big Lots, that's quite the deal.

Sunday, July 29, 2012

REVIEW OF BIG JAK ORANGE

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 164 MILLIGRAMS PER 16 OUNCE CAN.


RATING: 7.2 OUT OF 10. 



Over the past day or so, I have been trying to renovate this site and update its layout. After hours of meticulous work, it has finally been completed. We sincerely hope you enjoy the new and improved layout of the site. Anyhow, I found this next drink at a place where no energy drink wants to be: Big Lots. If your drink shows up here for around 60 cents, you are either trying to get rid of old inventory or you simply didn't make it in the energy drink industry. Nevertheless, I am eager to review the orange flavor of Big Jak, which I purchased for 70 cents.

     At first glance, I thought I had purchased the original flavor of Big Jak, but with further inspection I discovered that this is actually the orange flavor. Almost instantaneously, I figured that this would taste like orange soda. Of course, my assumption proved to be accurate. I mean, what else is an orange flavored soda supposed to taste like? The drink does go down smoothly and leaves no noticeable aftertaste. The only negative aspect is that you may get cottonmouth after consuming this beverage, due to the high amounts of sugar and citric acid.

     Now it's time to find out what ingredients are powering Big Jak. It has 200 percent daily value of niacin, 500 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 160 percent daily value of vitamin b12, 100 percent daily value of pantothenic acid, 1,894 milligrams of taurine, 300 milligrams of glucuronolactone, 200 milligrams of panax ginseng root extract, 96 milligrams of inositol, and 50 milligrams of l-carnitine. It also contains 164 milligrams of caffeine, on par with the industry average. As expected, this is just an average energy drink blend. No harm done here.

     After consuming this orange flavored refreshment, I was hit with a decent boost in alertness, but certainly nothing spectacular. I would compare the effectiveness to the vast majority of 16 ounce energy drinks. If you are looking for a basic increase in energy and alertness, this drink should do the trick.

     In an aforementioned statement, I said that no energy drink wants to be at Big Lots. Needless to say, you can still find quality energy drinks that simply couldn't make it in the overly-saturated energy drink industry. The question remains, is Big Jak one of those quality drinks? I don't see why it isn't, but I'll leave you to decide that one.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

REVIEW OF FUEL IN A BOTTLE

CAFFEINE CONTENT: UNKNOWN.


RATING: 6.8 OUT OF 10.


     Straight out of Charlotte, North Carolina comes a new energy shot called Fuel in a Bottle. Powered by BYB Brands, this two ounce energy shot is designed to provide hours of energy without a crash. As of July 2012, they only have one flavor, but I assume that more will be one the way. So, without further ado, let's dive right in to Fuel in a Bottle.

     As previously mentioned, this energy shot only comes in one flavor. What is the flavor, you may ask? It's berry, which is the flavor that most energy shots come in. And why not? It's a tried and true flavor that worked for 5 Hour Energy. However, Fuel in a Bottle has created an energy shot that tastes better than 5 Hour Energy. It's not as bitter, and leaves a minimal aftertaste on the palate. Overall, it has a solid score from me in the taste department.

     The energy blend is where Fuel in a Bottle starts to worry me. It is quite similar to 5 Hour Energy. Here's the full list: 150 percent daily value of niacin, 2000 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 100 percent daily value of folic acid, 8,340 percent daily value of vitamin b12, and 1,870 milligrams of taurine, malic acid, l-phenylalanine, caffeine, and glucuronolactone. That's certainly not a bad blend, but there are some similarities to 5 Hour Energy. Both shots have 30 milligrams of niacin, 40 milligrams of vitamin b6, and 500 micrograms of vitamin b12. Fuel in a Bottle contains 5 of the 7 ingredients found in 5 Hour's blend and both are worth 1,870 milligrams. The story continues with the other ingredients. There really is no other way of saying it, Fuel in a Bottle is a 5 Hour Energy clone.

     Well, despite being a near identical duplication of 5 Hour Energy, Fuel in a Bottle does appear to have a higher caffeine content. Unfortunately, the caffeine content is hidden in the energy blend, but it states on the bottle that it contains "as much caffeine as one and a half cups of coffee." After consuming the product, I was hit with an ample boost of energy that lasted for a few hours, and tapered off without a crash. Yes, there are more effective energy shots out there, and I suggest you skip this if all you want is energy.

     Fuel in a Bottle is simply another 5 Hour Energy clone, and that doesn't bother me too much, but I prefer originality. Sure, it does have a nice flavor, and it is relatively effective, but I just wish they could have come up with something a little bit more original. If you've tried Fuel in a Bottle, let me know what you think of it in the comment section below.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

REVIEW OF ZIPFIZZ ORANGE SODA

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 100 MILLIGRAMS PER TUBE.
Grape Flavor Shown


RATING: 7.1 OUT OF 10. 



     I recently noticed that I have been slacking quite a bit on reviews, and my co-writer has written 7 of the last 10 of them. I haven't reviewed anything in almost a month, so it's only appropriate to finally get one in. What's in store for today? It's Zipfizz Energy, a mixable energy powder that comes in a few neat flavors. Let's check out the orange soda flavor first.

     My biggest concern with these mixable energy powders is that they may not mix as well as they should, leaving a powdery residue at the bottom of the glass. Thankfully, Zipfizz mixes quite well, and the next step was to take a gulp. The first thing I noticed about the product was that it had a slight fizz to it, thanks to potassium carbonate. Don't expect it to be a soda, because it's a lot calmer and doesn't tickle your esophagus. As far as the actual flavor goes, I picked up a sweet and artificial orange flavor, somewhat similar to orange soda with minimal carbonation. Sucralose has managed to find its way into the product, so it does have some artificial sweetener flavor to it. All in all, it's not too bad, but there are tastier mixes out there.

     What's inside Zipfizz that makes it so zippy? Well, there's 25 percent daily value of riboflavin, 50 percent daily value of niacin, 125 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 41,667 percent daily value of vitamin b12, 25 percent daily value of pantothenic acid, and 317 milligrams worth of l-arginine, taurine, caffeine, grape seed extract, green tea extract, alpha-lipoic acid, KonaRed coffee fruit, ginger root, and american ginseng root extract. The caffeine content is listed at 100 milligrams per tube.

     After consuming the contents of zipfizz, I received a decent effect from the caffeine and other stimulants found in the product. I also enjoyed the fact that there is 833 percent of your daily value of vitamin c in here, which helps with your immune system. However, i dislike the fact that they use some unpronounceable ingredients, such as chromium dinicotinate glycinate. Of course, just because I have difficulties pronouncing a few ingredients doesn't mean those ingredients are harmful.

     In short, Zipfizz is all-around decent energy mix. It does provide some health benefits, and an adequate amount of caffeine. I wouldn't say I completely dislike anything about the product, but there is nothing about it that really makes me say "wow." If you would like, you can check it out and let me know what you think of it in the comment section below.

Editor's Note: Through further research, I discovered that chromium dinicotinate glycinate may cause several side effects, and you should consult your physician before taking any nutritional supplement containing chromium or chromium dinicotinate glycinate. Courtesy of Livestrong.

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