REVIEW OF STEEM

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 170 MILLIGRAMS PER 2 TABLESPOONS.

RATING: 7.7 OUT OF 10.

For those of you who have been hoping for a new review since January, you're finally in luck. I never announced it officially, but I had retired this project due to loss of interest and lack of new products. However, it appears that 2nd reason is completely illegitimate because I have received several emails from companies asking me to try their product. What's interesting is that none of them were actual energy drinks. Instead they were items such as caffeinated gum, energy shots, and even caffeinated peanut butter. It almost seems as if energy drinks are going out of style and the cool innovative products are here to stay. You see, when you've reviewed nearly 400 products, there's not much that surprises you. Unless it's something like caffeinated peanut butter. Apparently the folks at Steem thought it was a good idea to jack up peanut butter with some good ol' fashion caffeine. Let's see if they're right.

Judging by its initial appearance, Steem has gone for a fairly simplistic design, which fits well with their ingredients list, which I'll discuss in the next section. I decided that it would be best to use this product while making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but first I had to try it on its own. The texture of the peanut butter isn't quite crunchy, nor is it creamy. It's somewhere in the middle, like finely ground. It has a natural peanut flavor and isn't overly sweet like Jif. There is some caffeine bitterness peaking through, but that is to be expected and it isn't overpowering. As for being on my sandwich, I thought the peanut butter worked well with some raspberry fruit spread. So far, Steem has received the seal of approval when it comes to flavor. Can their ingredients do the same?

If you want taurine, glucuronolactone, guarana, and all that other stuff commonly found in energy drinks, you should look elsewhere. Steem provides a very simplistic ingredients list, which I find very satisfying. The only stuff in here is peanuts, salt, peanut oil, organic agave nectar, and caffeine. Specifically there is 170 milligrams of caffeine per 2 tablespoons. I commend Steem for using agave nectar as opposed to high fructose corn syrup. It really shows that they created a quality product.

I did not measure out how much peanut butter I put on my sandwich, but it was easily enough to completely cover 1 side of bread. At least 100mg of caffeine, probably more, was in my sandwich, and I must say the effects weren't too drastic. There was a slight increase in energy and alertness, but nothing too serious. Then again, the efficacy of this product depends on how much of it you consume. I could have slapped on a ton of it on my sandwich and gotten my socks knocked off.

The folks from Steem did a nice job here. I appreciate their efforts in making peanut butter that is of high quality. In fact, the only flaw is that there is some bitterness from the caffeine. Another complaint of mine is that I wish it was a bit crunchier, but that's just my personal preference. It's not very often I see a product that makes me think "wow, I haven't seen that before", but Steem has successfully pulled that off.

REVIEW OF KIRKLAND ENERGY SHOT

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 180 MILLIGRAMS PER 2 OUNCE BOTTLE. 

RATING: 7.1 OUT OF 10.

     I never thought it could happen, heck I'm even breaking out in hives as we speak, but a new review is being written on Addicted 2 Energy. As you may have noticed, I told you guys that this website might not have any new reviews, and that I had lost interest. To be honest, I have lost a lot of interest, and it seems as if most of my colleagues have too. Possessed By Caffeine hasn't reviewed anything since October 27th, Edjunkie is completely shut down, and Energy Heaven's latest review dates back to mid April. As depressing as it may be, the energy drink review blog is slowly dying. So before it can die any further, here's a review of a private label energy shot from Costco.

     Kirkland, which is the private label brand for Costco, has manufactured an energy shot to sell to the masses. The packaging isn't too striking, but I must admit it does pop off the shelf more than 5 Hour Energy does. Kirkland lists the flavor as Pomegranate which isn't a very common flavor among energy shots, so I was eager to give it a try. When you've reviewed hundreds of energy drinks, you kind of know what to expect when it comes to flavor. Energy shots are usually very medicinal and almost unpalatable at times. Not this one. There is some medicinal qualities peeking through, but for the most part it's a sweet and tart flavor profile. Is it better than a major label energy shot like 5 Hour Energy? I would say yes.

     Under the cap of this little 2 ounce slammer is 150 percent daily value of niacin, 2,000 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 100 percent daily value of folic acid, 8,333 percent daily value of vitamin b12, and 200 percent daily value of pantothenic acid. Well that's the vitamins and minerals side of things, as for the energy blend, we have n-acetyl l-tyrosine, taurine, glucuronolactone, malic acid, l-phenylalanine, caffeine, and alpha glycerylphosphorylcholine. The energy blend totals 2,150 milligrams, but none of the ingredients have specific amounts listed. Oh, and in case you're wondering, Alpha-GPC is used to enhance memory and cognitive function.

     Believe it or not, I've really cut back on my energy drink consumption over the past month or so, so this energy shot should have provided a decent effect. As it turns out, the effect was in fact decent, but nothing too spectacular. This makes a lot of sense, considering this probably doesn't have that much caffeine in it. The mild buzz lasted for about a couple hours and tapered off with no crash.

     I want to say it's good to be back, but I'm not sure if I'm officially back yet. I might go another month or two without reviewing anything, or I might not. It all depends. As for the energy shot, Kirkland provided a decent drink that is on par with pretty much every other energy shot. It doesn't set itself apart, but then again it doesn't try to. It's just your standard private label energy shot.

REVIEW OF SPORT MAX

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 140 MILLIGRAMS PER 2 OUNCE BOTTLE. 

RATING: 5.9 OUT OF 10. 

     300,000. That's the number of pages that have been viewed on this site. Granted, it's taken over 4 and a half years to get to that milestone, but nevertheless I still thank you profusely. Anyways, let's get started with this review. Today I bring you yet another energy shot, except this one is slightly different. It still comes in that same bottle shape as 5 Hour Energy, but this energy shot is marketed as a liquid b12 booster. Sounds intriguing, so let's give it a go.

     First things first, if you've never had the opportunity to try an energy shot, you should be advised that not all of them are very tasty. As a matter of fact, most of them are decent at best. You do get some gems here and there. And then we have products like Sport Max that are on the opposing end of the spectrum. I'm going to be as honest as possible right now, regardless of how rude it might sound. Sport Max tastes awful. It's difficult for me to describe exactly what makes it so bad. I always try to be exceptionally kind to companies when I review their product, but this is just terrible in my opinion. Hopefully this provides a substantial amount of energy to offset the poor flavor profile.

     Before we get into its effects, lets take a look at what it's packing under the cap. Each shot has 200 percent daily value of vitamin b1, 100 percent daily value of vitamin b2, 75 percent daily value of vitamin b3, 300 percent daily value of vitamin b5, 250 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 67 percent daily value of vitamin b7, 100 percent daily value of vitamin b9, 16,666 percent daily value of vitamin b12, 250 milligrams of choline chloride, 50 milligrams of coq10, and 140 milligrams of caffeine. It also contains an energy blend worth 4,300 milligrams containing l-arginine, l-glutamine, taurine, beta-alanine, inositol, malic acid, and magnesium. I'm not going to beat around the bush, this is a wonderful energy blend. Sport Max has certainly gained back some of the points they've lost. Let's see if they can gain more in the effects section.

     You're supposed to consume Sport Max before working out, so I slammed the contents of the bottle down and headed to the gym. I have consumed workout-enhancement drinks before, so I kind of knew what to expect. What I noticed was a little bit more energy and drive, but I also noticed a bit more endurance. It was nothing too substantial, but it was still enough to be noticed. Does it gain back points it lost for tasting terrible? I believe it does.

     The clear downfall of this beverage is the flavor. Everything else is actually up to par or above it. The drink's strong point is it's comprehensive energy blend, which has every b vitamin known to mankind. This energy shot has some potential, but they just need to reformulate their flavor profile.

REVIEW OF MONSTER REHAB ROJO TEA

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 161 MILLIGRAMS PER 15.5 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 7 OUT OF 10.

     I have tried over 350 energy products on this site, and hands down the best line-up of drinks I have had the pleasure of reviewing is Monster Rehab. Every drink in the Rehab line-up is refreshing, delicious, and a treat for my taste buds. Here we have another flavor of Monster Rehab. This time, it's the Rojo Tea flavor.

     This energy drink comes in a black and red 16 ounce can with the big Monster "M" claw mark on the front. I have yet to try a Monster Rehab flavor that doesn't taste spectacular, and this one doesn't disappoint. As the liquid reached my palate, I was hit with a light, refreshing tea flavor. A drink like this would be perfect for a hot summer's afternoon, and it is non carbonated so it goes down smoothly. What more is there to say except for the fact that this is another success by Monster Rehab?

     As with all Monster drinks, you get that wonderful Monster Energy Blend. Here's the specifics: 200 percent daily value of niacin, 200 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 200 percent daily value of vitamin b12, and 200 percent daily value of pantothenic acid. It also contains glucose, taurine, panax ginseng extract, caffeine, l-carnitine, glucuronolactone, guarana extract, inositol, and quercetin, A full can of this contains 161 milligrams of caffeine. Although I have seen better blends from Monster, this one isn't too shabby.

     As always, you can expect a decent increase in energy and alertness after consuming this drink. I personally receive a subtle increase in energy from this drink.

     Monster Rehab Rojo Tea is just another hit in the Rehab line-up. It has a crisp and resfreshing flavor, coupled with a decent energy blend. Even if this doesn't work for you, you can still drink it for its awesome flavor.

REVIEW OF 5-ALARM PEPPERMINT

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 100 MILLIGRAMS PER 2 OUNCE BOTTLE. 

RATING: 6.3 OUT OF 10. 


     Time and time again I receive samples from an energy shot company claiming to be different, when in reality it is just another 5-hour energy clone. They always seem to have the same medicinal flavor that is never too pleasing on the palate. Of course, there are some exceptions, including this product that recently arrived in the mail. It may have the same bottle shape as 5 Hour Energy, but this might just be the world's first peppermint flavored shot.

     Before we get into the flavor experience of a peppermint flavored energy shot, I'd like to point out that the packaging is relatively basic, and it does point out that a percent of the proceeds are donated to fire fighters for training and evidence. Being the first and probably only peppermint flavored shot, I really had to idea what I was getting into. As I twisted open the cap, I was hit with a refreshing peppermint scent. I proceeded to slam the contents of the bottle down and what happened next was one of the most unique flavor sensations I've had in awhile. I could feel a cool rush of peppermint around my mouth and my nostrils. It's similar to eating a handful of mints. Some may say it tastes like mouthwash, which really wouldn't be far from the truth. All things considered, this was an extremely interesting flavor experience. And I liked it.

     Inside each bottle of 5-Alarm, it has 125 percent daily value of niacin, 2,500 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 8,333 percent daily value of vitamin b12, and a 180 milligrams proprietary blend consisting of caffeine, n-acetyl-tyrosine, and glucuronolactone. I really think they could have added a few more ingredients to their proprietary blend, but that's just me.

     This energy shot isn't filled to the brim with caffeine and guarana, so the effects are pretty mild. I noticed a slight increase in alertness and focus, but nothing too substantial. I'm not suggesting they put more caffeine in, because I can tell that is not the main focus for this beverage. Overall, this should provide the same effects as an 8 ounce cup of coffee.

     Although it may be lacking in the energy ingredients department, the flavor is so unique that it makes up for it. Yes, it may taste similar to taking a big gulp of mouthwash, but obviously this won't make you sick. Besides, where are you going to find another peppermint flavored energy shot? Oh, and it's also pretty cool that they are donating some proceeds to fire fighters.

REVIEW OF RUNA

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 120 MILLIGRAMS PER 8.4 OUNCE CAN. 

RATING: 6.9 OUT OF 10. 

     I'm not mysophobic by any means, but I do appreciate it when things are clean. And I think most people would agree. So when I heard of a company that sells a "clean energy drink" I had to see what all the fuss was about, and after a quick email exchange, I acquired some samples. So without further ado, here's what I think of Runa Clean Energy.

     The can itself is certainly very clean and sleek, with its silver 8.4 ounce bullet can. While I have seen better package designs, I do enjoy the simplicity of Runa. As I looked for a flavor on the can, the only thing I could find was the word "original" which leads me to believe that this could either be a Red Bull clone or something very unique. Thankfully, it was the latter. It's very difficult to describe the flavor of this drink, but basically it is an extremely lightly carbonated, lightly flavored beverage. As a matter of fact, you could describe the flavor as clean, like water. While it isn't big on flavor, it still manages to be a refreshing drink.

     With a name like Clean Energy, you'd expect it to have a very limited amount of energy enhancing ingredients, and you'd be right. It does have something called guayusa, which is an all-natural Amazonian leaf that delivers a "clean energy boost." I don't know how much guayusa is in this beverage, but it's enough to yield 120 milligrams of caffeine.

     So now that we know why it's called Clean Energy, the question now is, does it feel like a clean energy boost? I suppose what they mean by a clean boost is that there are no jitters or edginess. If that's the case, then yes, it did it's job.

     With all the lawsuits that are happening to the big energy drink companies, a drink like this is actually a smart idea. It doesn't really make sense for companies to cram in every single chemical that ends in -ine into their drink, so Runa just went with what works: Caffeine. From guayusa of course. In a nutshell, I like the drink, and I can't wait to review the other flavor they sent me.

REVIEW OF ROCKSTAR SUPERSOURS GREEN APPLE

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 240 MILLIGRAMS PER 16 OUNCE CAN. 

RATING: 7.3 OUT OF 10.

      First of all, I'd like to apologize for not reviewing anything for nearly 2 months. I have been on quite a long review hiatus, but rest assured this site has not been discontinued. Not yet, at least. I won't review products nearly as often as I used to based on the lack of samples and the absence of new products at my local grocery store. However, I did manage to find one drink that I haven't evaluated yet: Rockstar SuperSours Green Apple. I enjoyed the blueberry flavor, so let's see if Green Apple can step up to the plate.

     If you've ever tasted any of the SuperSours drinks, the first thing you'll notice is an absence of any detectable sourness. Of course, you wouldn't want to drink anything sour so I could see the logic behind not making it a sour flavor profile. Nevertheless, it still has that sweet and tart green apple flavor reminiscent of Jolly Ranchers. If sweetness isn't your cup of tea, then I suggest you skip this one. On the other hand, anyone who loves an artificial green apple flavor will be jonesing for more of this stuff. Personally, I fall into the later category, so I happened to enjoy the flavor, even if it did taste like liquefied Jolly Ranchers.

     Inside a can of Rockstar SuperSours Green Apple we have 200 percent daily value of niacin, 200 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 200 percent daily value of vitamin b12, 200 percent daily value of pantothenic acid, 2,000 milligrams of taurine, 240 milligrams of caffeine, and an undisclosed amount of inositol, milk thistle, panax ginseng, and guarana. All things considered, this looks like your standard Rockstar blend, only with 50 percent more caffeine.

     After consuming one of these bad boys, you should feel a pretty hefty jolt of energy. With 50 percent more caffeine than your favorite energy drink (which is probably Monster), it will easily provide a much more potent effect. From my personal experience, I would say that this is definitely stronger than Monster or even the original Rockstar.

     While I don't fully understand the marketing tactics behind a drink that looks and tastes like only 13-16 year olds would consume it, I still believe that this is a pretty good energy drink. Sure, it does have some flaws, such as the flavor can get annoyingly sweet after you're 2/3rds of the way through the can. All in all though, I'd still give this drink one thumb up.

REVIEW OF FUGA

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 135 MILLIGRAMS PER 12 OUNCE CAN. 

RATING: 6.6 OUT OF 10. 

     We're back. After a period of not being able to find any products to review, I have located several different drinks that I can evaluate. One of which was that Monster Ultra Blue, and another is this drink called Fuga. There isn't really anything too special about this drink, at least at first glance. Let's see if it can change my mind.

     The 12 ounce can is a nice touch, but the packaging is average at best. Of course, not only is packaging design subjective, but it doesn't affect the flavor of the beverage. Speaking of flavor, there isn't one listed on the can, so I expected yet another Red Bull clone. I cracked open the can and was relieved to see that the color inside was a pinkish-red. This was an immediate indication that this wasn't another Red Bull clone I was getting into. As a matter of fact, I found the flavor to be sweet, light, and fruity. I believe strawberry is the fruit I'm looking for. Anyway, I'm extremely happy that they decided to use a different flavor besides Red Bull.

     This drink also has a pretty nice blend as well. It's definitely a lot better than your basic blend of b vitamins, caffeine, taurine, and inositol. It has 29 percent daily value of riboflavin, 150 percent daily value of niacin, 375 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 150 percent daily value of vitamin b12, 150 percent daily value of pantothenic acid, 135 milligrams of caffeine, 1,500 milligrams of taurine, 37.5 milligrams of panax ginseng, 150 milligrams of prickly pear extract, 900 milligrams of yerba mate, 15 milligrams of acai extract, 112.5 milligrams of glucuronolactone, 300 milligrams of gingko biloba extract, and 112.5 milligrams of milk thistle extract.

     While the energy blend is certainly better than the average energy drink, the caffeine content is very similar to a Red Bull. Granted it is slightly higher, but that wouldn't make too much of a difference. I only received a very mild increase in energy, but it should have a greater effect on people who haven't been trying energy drinks for over 4 years.

     I began this review by making an assumption that Fuga is an average energy drink. My assumption was partially right. Yes, it does have ingredients that you are included in some energy drinks, but for the most part are not ubiquitous across the energy drink industry. And while the flavor isn't Red Bull (thank God), it still isn't immaculate. So no, this energy drink isn't average. It's minutely above it.

REVIEW OF MONSTER ULTRA BLUE

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 140 MILLIGRAMS PER 16 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 6.8 OUT OF 10. 

     Is Monster Energy ever satisfied with how many drinks it has? There are currently 13 Monster Energy drinks, 7 Java Monsters, 3 Muscle Monsters, 3 Extra Strengths, 6 Monster Rehabs, and 2 Monster Dub Editions. In total, that's 34 different varieties of Monster Energy. Today I'll be reviewing the 22nd Monster drink on this website: Monster Ultra Blue.

     This is the sister drink to Monster Zero Ultra, which is a smooth and light flavored energy drink. Ultra Blue has that same textured can, except this one is obviously blue. Sure enough, the liquid inside is also blue, and after taking a sip, I noticed that the flavor was smooth, sweet, and delectable. It reminded me of blue cotton candy in a way, but nevertheless it was pretty tasty. I've always found Monster drinks to be pretty tasty beverages.

     Another area that Monster consistently performs well at is the energy blend. This one has 200 percent daily value of vitamin b3, 200 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 200 percent daily value of vitamin b12, 200 percent daily value of vitamin b5, and a Monster Energy Blend of taurine, panax ginseng extract, l-carnitine, caffeine, glucuronolactone, guarana extract, and inositol. The energy blend should be around 5,000 milligrams, but it is not indicated on the can. The caffeine content is 140 milligrams.


     That amount of caffeine should give an adequate uplift to the average consumer, and it certainly gave me a very slight boost. It's really nothing to run home about, but then again, this drink isn't made to knock your socks off.

     With 34 flavors, there truly is something for everybody at Monster Energy. Monster Ultra Blue is just another solid drink from them. It's very sweet and smooth on the palate, and the energy blend is pretty decent. The effect is a bit lackluster, but you can expect that with a lower caffeine content. Overall, I'd definitely buy this one again.

REVIEW OF MONSTER ZERO ULTRA

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 140 MILLIGRAMS PER 16 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 7.6 OUT OF 10. 

     Monster is just one of those companies that is constantly coming out with new drinks. Unfortunately, about 50 of those are variants of Monster Lo-Carb, just like this one here. It's called Zero Ultra and I'm sure you've tried it before, or at least heard of it. It has one of the most unique can designs I've seen in awhile, so let's see how it performs.

     As I said, the can design is incredible. It's a white can with an intricate silver design on it. The design gives the can a rough texture, which I found to be very unique. What's even more impressive is that it tastes as good as it looks. As soon as I took a sip, the flavor instantly reminded me of Sprite. Not in the sense that it is lemon-lime flavored, but it has that same refreshing crispness that Sprite has. Not even artificial sweeteners can hinder the flavor of this beverage. Once again, Monster delivers well on flavor.

     One of the other categories that Monster seems to always deliver on is energy blend. Let's see how they do this time. We have 200 percent daily value of vitamin b3, 200 percent daily value of vitamin b6. 200 percent daily value of vitamin b12, and an undisclosed amount of taurine, panax ginseng extract, l-carnitine, glucuronolactone, inositol, and guarana extract. There are 140 milligrams of caffeine inside each can of Monster Zero Ultra. Overall, it's not a bad blend but I've seen better from Monster Energy.

     This does have slightly less caffeine than your standard Monster, so naturally you should expect a slightly weaker effect. I noticed an adequate increase in alertness and focus that lasted for a few hours. Not bad considering my high tolerance to caffeine.

     Despite the fact that this is yet another variation of Monster Lo-Carb, I am very impressed with Zero Ultra. The smooth, crisp flavor is definitely the drink's strong point, and the effect isn't too far behind. The energy blend could use a very slight bit of work however, but it's nothing major. Oh, and let's not forget about that intricately designed can!