REVIEW OF ZOMBIE BLAST

CAFFEINE CONTENT: UNKNOWN.

RATING: 6.5 OUT OF 10.

     A few of my fellow reviewers are suckers for themed products, which are generally made by Harcos. After all, they did manage to extract Charlie Sheen's Tiger Blood and sell it for a decent price. However, this themed product doesn't come from the folks at Harcos, it comes from Zombie Blast LLC, and as you may have guessed, it's zombie themed. Oh, and the bottle looks like a shotgun shell. If you aren't intrigued yet, you probably don't like Zombies. Or shotguns.

     After a brief struggle I managed to rip off the entire label to reveal the plastic shotgun shell container. I thought the packaging was a great homage to one of the best zombie killing weapons. I found a shot glass and began to pour in the contents. It surprisingly came out a deep red color, as opposed to the faint pink I'm used to. I expediently guzzled it down and was hit with a sweet berry flavor with a bite at the finish. Once again, the cornucopia of berry flavors halted me from discerning which berries I was actually tasting. Nevertheless, it was easy to drink and it didn't require a chaser.

     Inside every bottle of Zombie Blast, you get 100 percent daily value of riboflavin, 150 percent daily value of niacin, 2,000 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 100 percent daily value of folic acid, 8,333 percent of vitamin b12, and 100 percent daily value of pantothenic acid. Of course there is also 2,620 milligrams worth of taurine, d-glucuronolactone, malic acid, n-acetlyl l-tyrosine, l-phenylalanine, d-ribose, caffeine, yerba mate extract, cognizin, citicoline, ginseng extract, and guarana extract. The only caffeine content information provided is the cup of coffee nonsense, but despite this downfall it is still a respectable blend with plenty of herbal stimulants.

     Each time I had Zombie Blast, I wasn't necessarily blasted in any way. The effect it provided was decent at best, probably due to a low caffeine amount. After all, an employee did say that they were shying away from caffeine and leaning toward vitamins and herbs. Still, caffeine is what really makes energy drinks work, and it doesn't seem like their is a lot of it in this drink.

     This is one of only two zombie themed products that I have had the pleasure of reviewing, and while Zombie Blood is more authentic, I thought that Zombie Blast stepped up nicely to the plate and delivered a unique and tasty energy shot. Pick this up if your into the whole zombie thing or if you just want a decent energy shot.

REVIEW OF FACEDRINK

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 140 MILLIGRAMS PER 2.5 OUNCE SHOT.

Courtesy of Vocus PRW Holdings

RATING: 4.9 OUT OF 10.

     Harcos puts out a bunch of cool novelty items, generally enjoyed by the reviewing community. I really haven't been to impressed with their tastes, even though they do have nice appeal. Facedrink is an attempt to mimick Facebook, an attempt I'd prefer for them not to have released. They should stick with their potions and powders. This idea is rather silly, and in no way do I like it.

     The taste is merely ok. It is a sloppy fruit flavor, but more like a generic energy drink minus carbonation. I was hoping it'd be

more on level with the Love Potion, but I am very disappointed. I would not add this as a friend of tastebuds.

     140 mgs of the ever so wonderful caffeine is pretty good. While it isn't blow me away good, it is on par with what I expect out of a novelty item. Of course, most people who buy this would probably buy it for its novelty status, so this caffeine level is very adequate.

     Facedrink surely isn't on my friends list, but I think others will enjoy the idea. It doesn't accomplish as much in terms of energy, but it just another silly concept from Harcos, one that I'm sure will sell.

Reviewed by Dylan.

REVIEW OF XYIENCE XENERGY MELON MAYHEM

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 184 MILLIGRAMS PER 16 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 7.9 OUT OF 10.


     It isn't too often that I receive an offer to try a brand new energy drink from a large company, but when I do, I never turn it down. In this case, it's two Xyience flavors: Melon Mayhem and Tangerine Twister. Today I will be focusing on Melon Mayhem, so without any further time to waste, let's head right into this one.

     As you probably know by now, Xyience is the official energy drink of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. When I cracked the seal and took my first gulp, I had a very tough time describing the flavor. Obviously, it's just one big amalgamation of melons, and there is a lack of caffeine bitterness, which is always nice. And despite having Sucralose and acesulfame potassium, it still doesn't have that unpleasant artificial flavor.  While I can't tell you exactly what melons I was tasting, I still found this flavor of Xyience to be pleasing to my palate.

     What powers the official energy drink of the Ultimate Fighting Club? Well, it has 200 percent daily value of niacin, 500 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 160 percent daily value of vitamin b12, 1,000 percent daily value of pantothenic acid, and a mixture of taurine, glucuronolactone, caffeine, guarana extract, ginseng extract, l-carnitine, and inositol. That's a solid blend, but I wish they gave amounts on everything.

     With 184 milligrams of caffeine along with a host of other ingredients, Xyience does deliver nicely in the kick department. I drank this after an early dentist appointment and it got me out of my morning state. This drink also has no sugar, so that means a crash is non-existent. I would put it's effectiveness at just above average.

     As I previously mentioned, it isn't too often that I get an opportunity to try a brand new energy drink from a major company, and this one didn't disappoint. The only real downfall is a slightly unpleasant aftertaste, but other that that it's a very solid drink. I am looking forward to trying the other flavor.

REVIEW OF STACKER 2 XTRA

CAFFEINE CONTENT: UNKNOWN.

RATING: 7.8 OUT OF 10.

     Yesterday evening, I strolled into Meijer in search of some new energy drinks. But instead of hauling over to the beverage isle, I popped over to the health food section. Here, I found some of the most powerful energy drinks you can find. I noticed Endorush, and the infamous Redline. So what did I settle for? A 1 dollar energy shot from Stacker 2. I decided that eventually I would review Endorush, but that will be at a different date.

     From what I've heard, Stacker 2 does not make any tasty energy shots. Thankfully, it appears that I purchased one that doesn't taste like rat urine. When I twisted off the cap I noticed that it had the same pinkish hue as 5 Hour Energy. I checked the bottle and discovered that it was indeed a berry flavor. I was suspecting another 5 Hour clone. Was I correct? No. Stacker 2 is sweeter than 5 Hour Energy, and it tastes better too. It still utilizes that same artificial berry flavor, which tastes nothing like berries, but nevertheless it is still a palatable drink.

     Hiding inside this energy shot are several energy enhancing ingredients. Here's the full list: 100 percent daily value of niacin, 2,000% daily value of vitamin b6, 100 percent daily value of folic acid, 8,333 percent daily value of vitamin b12, and an energy blend worth 2,125 milligrams. That includes taurine, malic acid, caffeine, glucuronolactone, n-acetyl-l-tyrosine, and l-phenylalanine. They also managed to throw in a small enzyme blend totaling 1 milligram. That has amylase, protease, lipase, cellulase, and lactase. Not bad, Stacker 2. Not bad at all.

     Since Stacker 2 decided to hide their caffeine content in an energy blend, I truly have no idea how much caffeine this thing has. That being said, I would say it does pack a decent punch. I would put the effectiveness at a medium-high level that tapered off without a crash, thanks to the absence of sugar.

     For just 1 dollar, Stacker 2 Xtra is truly a bargain. It tastes good enough to not require a chaser, and it kicks just as hard as some of the other energy shots that cost almost 3 times as much. I say, if you can find this anywhere, don't be afraid to pick it up. You'll probably enjoy it more than the 3 dollar shot you were looking at earlier (5 Hour Energy).

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.

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.

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.

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.

REVIEW OF FIRESTAR SHOTZ COLA

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 200 MILLIGRAMS PER PACKET.

Courtesy of Possessed By Caffeine

RATING: 8.4 OUT OF 10.

     Firestar is an energy product out of the U.K., and one that I tried to get numerous times, all unsuccessfully. After a package from Chemical Evolution arrived bearing this product, I decided it would be a perfect time to try it. I picked out the cola variety first, seeing as I like the idea of something like a pixie stick flavored as cola. 

     Upon first opening the small container, I smell the scent of BottleCaps candy, which is also a candy I really love. When I pour the powder onto my tongue, I get a nice candy cola type flavor, easily enjoyable, and fir my expectations. Of all the powder type energy candy I've ever had, I have to say Firestar made the best tasting one of all.

     I pulled the total caffeine from Energy Fiend, and it said it had 200 mgs. That is impressive. It was especially a good pick me up for today, seeing as I've been drowsy for the most part and desperately needed this. I'm happy to say Firestar out did other similar energy powders as well in terms of energy,and it uses only caffeine as a source of energy. Really impressive.

     Firestar set a nice starting place for the products I have received from Chem Evo, and has made me feel confident that all my goodies will be awesome. It is easily one of the best caffeinated candy type products I've had, though there haven't been that many of them. It's really sad I don't see these in the U.S. that much, because I'd buy these for sure. Speaking of buying them, stop by http://www.chemicalevolution.com to get your hands on them.

Reviewed By Dylan.

REVIEW OF GOLAZO JAMAICA

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 100 MILLIGRAMS PER 12 OUNCE CAN.

Courtesy of Golazo Energy

RATING: 6.5 OUT OF 10. 

     When I first looked at Jamaica, I wasn't sure what to expect with it being labeled as hibiscus punch, which after later research I learned hibiscus was a flower. I envisioned a tropical type floral taste, something unique and light, something that'd be very good. I was very eager to try the drink in hopes of finding just that.

     It has some floral taste to it, but not as unique and amazing as i had envisioned. It tastes like a light, floral accented fruit punch (hence the name hibiscus punch?), and was very refreshing when chilled. Between the original and the mandarin, this, in my honest opinion, outdoes them both in taste, as well as how unique it is. One of the brighter spots of the last few months of energy drink sampling for me.

     Like the others, it only carries 100 mgs of caffeine, along with yerba mate, and then the usual ingredients like b-vitamins and guarana. And like the other two, it isn't as much as someone like me would want, but is ok for those seeking a light buzz. And I suppose the amount of caffeine is also appropriate for the targeted person, the soccer fan, but I wouldn't know.

     Golazo managed to impress me with another great tasting energy drink. While still lacking that ever so wonderful caffeine, they still have a drink worth trying here. I surely do hope I see these in stores soon, because I really do love the taste, and it'd be a shame not to have them around here.

Reviewed By Dylan