REVIEW OF CRUNK MANGO PEACH

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 194 MILLIGRAMS PER 16 OUNCE CAN. 

RATING: 6.9 OUT OF 10. 

     I've had all the Crunk drinks available to me for a while now, but I've just kept passing them over. Mango Peach is my 3rd favorite of the line-up, and is nowhere near as enjoyable as the top two (Original and Grape-Acai). I chose to get it out of the way now, as I found it for a reasonable 99 cents at a out of the way, ghetto gas station. Lets see how it fairs.

     The taste is accurate enough to the given flavor, but just isn't enjoyable. It is overbearing, and even more so as it warms. This one had a bit of bitterness to it, which I don't remember from my previous experience with this variety, but as it stands is unenjoyable. If not for that, I may have enjoyed it.

     With only 91 mgs of caffeine, it isn't that impressive. What does is impress me is these not so common ingredients, like horny goat weed, ashwaganda, skull cap, and white willow. After drinking this, I did receive a lift, a good 3-hour one. A pretty common lift, but not what I expected when drinking this. I'm not complaining though, as I am happy I was given a rise out of this. It came at a time when I needed it.

     Crunk has a decent product here. All of the Crunk drinks are solid, except for citrus. I hate the citrus variety, but that is a bit off topic. These seem to be fairly common around me, and they actually seem to sell well. Most of the time I see the shelves almost emptied of them. I can't say that it is the best product to blow your money on, though.

Reviewed By Dylan

REVIEW OF SCHECKTER'S ORGANIC - 350TH REVIEW

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 135 MILLIGRAMS PER 8.4 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 7.8 OUT OF 10.

     When I started this site back in March 2009, I had absolutely no idea where it would end up. Now it seems like I have the answer. This review will mark the 350th product ever reviewed on Addicted 2 Energy, which I believe is an incredible accomplishment. Now that the celebration is over, let's dive into this review. Under the review microscope this time is Scheckter's Organic Energy, which is comparable to drinks like Guru and Verve. Let's hope Scheckter's can deliver in all three categories.

     Scheckter's Organic Energy is packaged in a surprisingly thin 8.4 ounce aluminum can. It also has a textured can design, reminiscent of Rockstar Recovery. When a drink is advertised as being organic, the flavor is usually not up to par. Fortunately, that wasn't even slightly accurate with Scheckter's Organic Energy. The flavor is a lightly carbonated amalgam of miscellaneous fruit flavors, with pomegranate being the most pronounced. I found the flavor to be quite refreshing and the minimal carbonation helps it go down smoothly. All in all, I would say this is a winning formula.

   Scheckter's prides itself on delivering all natural ingredients, so the energy blend is pure and simple.  Inside each can of Scheckter's Organic Energy, organic ginseng, organic guarana, green tea, and raw green coffee bean. The total caffeine content is a highly respectable 135 milligrams per 8.4 ounce can. I must admit, I was expecting an energy blend that was filled to the brim with nearly unpronounceable herbs and plant extracts. On the plus side, this drink is certified organic by the United States Department of Agriculture, which is something you don't see very often in the energy drink business.

     An 8.4 ounce Red Bull contains 80 milligrams of caffeine, which is considered to be a modest amount. Scheckter's Organic Energy contains nearly 69 percent more caffeine than Red Bull in the same size container. Based on caffeine per ounce, this drink would rate up there with NOS, which has 260 milligrams of caffeine in its 16 ounce package. With that in mind, you can expect a nice little pick-me-up from this earth friendly energy drink. I personally received a nice increase in my alertness that lasted for a couple hours. All things considered, this beverage can deliver a nice effect.

     You don't see very many organic energy drinks on the market, and I start to question why. Scheckter's Organic Energy is a perfect example of an organic energy drink done right. Even the light energy blend is not seen as a major flaw, because the company intended to have a simplistic ingredient list. Overall, a fruity flavor, simple energy blend, and nice effectiveness makes this a pretty solid beverage.

REVIEW OF XS CLASSIC BLAST

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 118 MILLIGRAMS PER 12 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 7 OUT OF 10.

     I have always admired XS Energy's ability to develop new and original flavors to add to their lineup. Most energy drink companies will simply ditto the flavor of Red Bull and put it on sale, but XS avoids this cliche. However, this is still one problem I have with the XS lineup. I wonder, what is their original flavor? Do they actually have a flavor that would be described as "a basic energy drink flavor"? Well, there's only one way to find out. So without further ado, let's dive into a review of XS Classic Blast.

     This particularly variety of XS comes in a 12 ounce, silver aluminum can with the classic XS logo. With a name like Classic Blast, I was expecting a Red Bull clone. More specifically, I was expecting a sugar-free Red Bull clone, due to the beverage's lack of sugar. To my surprise, my prediction was only partially accurate. XS Energy manages to incorporate a crisp, citrus undertone to the flavor that helped Red Bull become the leader in energy drinks. Despite being sugar free, I would still choose this drink over the original Red Bull, because the flavor is light and delicate on the palate. In short, it's the classic energy drink flavor with a welcomed twist.

     Not only does XS Energy always have unique and delicious flavors, they also have a unique energy blend with a multitude of herbs including eleutherococcus senticosus, panax ginseng, panax quinquefolium, schisandra, astragalus, and reishi. It also contains 150 percent daily value of vitamin b3, 150 percent daily value of vitamin b5, 450 percent daily value of vitamin b6, and 7,500 percent daily value of vitamin b12. Finally, it contains approximately 118 milligrams of caffeine per can and undisclosed amounts of taurine and inositol. For the most part, this is a basic energy blend, but the herbs give it a unique twist.

     You can expect this drink to give you an adequate increase in alertness, focus, and all the other perks that go along with drinking energy drinks. For me personally, this amount of caffeine isn't enough to really get my wheels turning, but I could notice some slight effects.

     The question I proposed at the introduction of this review was, "Do they actually have a flavor that would be described as "a basic energy drink flavor." The answer is no. The term "unoriginal" isn't in the vernacular of XS Energy, Limited Liability Company. This company strives to produce flavors that are tasty and original. And that's one thing I love about this company.

REVIEW OF WEST COAST CHILL

CAFFEINE CONTENT: NONE.

RATING: 5.6 OUT OF 10. 

     As a reviewer, I get to try some pretty cool products. West Coast Chill is one of those. It comes in a self-chilling container, one designed to drop the temperature by thirty degrees in minutes. The drink is caffeine free, much to my disappointment; though I'm sure it has some kick, right?

The most common of all energy drink flavors. Red Bull. And that is what West Coast Chill emulates. It is a pleasurable taste nonetheless, though hardly creative. It has a candy like taste to it as well, with some gumminess to it. It is a small disappointment, but I kind of expected this. No real aftertaste, so this drink is solidly average.

     No caffeine. Usually, I prefer not to touch these, but I really wanted to try this drink so I stepped out on the limb. It has a proprietary blend of 2,350 mgs. Taurine, ginseng, l-carnitine, and B vitamins highlight the group, while creatine, ginkgo, and others make up the rest. I waited for a while after consuming, and never felt a kick. How disappointing. I'm going to assume this is because of my being used to caffeine heavy drinks, and not its weak blend.

     The self-chill device is effective. I flipped it over and pressed the button, to what I expected to be a 'gentle hissing sound', though it was a bit louder than that. I had to wait a little longer than anticipated for the hissing to die out, though I'm not complaining. I cracked the lid, and of course the drink was cold. It wasn't as cold as I expected, but I guess I over exaggerated that part in my head. Overall, it was chilled nicely and was very refreshing.

     West Coast Chill has a nice thing here. It needs some work though. The flavor is generic and overused, and their kick is below average. The can design isn't that great either. That being said, I feel this company can turn things around and make a killing off of this. It is a cool product, and people will be interested in it.

Reviewed By Dylan

REVIEW OF XS SUMMIT BLAST

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 118 MILLIGRAMS PER 12 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 6.7 OUT OF 10.

   I've always been a bit overwhelmed as to how many flavors of XS Energy there are. I have already reviewed 12 different varieties, including caffeine free, and I still have a few more reviews on the way. Being short on products to review, I had no choice but to evaluate a drink that tries to replicate one of my favorite sodas. Enter XS Summit Blast.

     If you're clever, you've already figured out which famous soda this drink is trying to replicate. If you're a bit slow, allow me to share an excerpt from the can. "Summit Blast contains mountains of B12 with a dewy blend of herbs, caffeine, and vitamins that will help you climb to new heights." If you haven't figured it out by now, XS Summit Blast is being marketed as an alternative to Mountain Dew, specifically the diet version. Being that I love Mountain Dew, I was eager to take a sip. Unfortunately, my expectations fell a bit short. I was hoping for a flavor that was nearly identical to Diet Mountain Dew, but that wasn't the case. XS Summit Blast has a light, crisp citrus flavor that is overwhelmed by acesulfame potassium and sucralose. As for as flavor is concerned, I'll stick with my Mountain Dew.

     XS Energy is known for its healthy dose of b vitamins and herbs. In this drink, it contains 150 percent daily value of vitamin b3, 150 percent daily value of vitamin b5, 450 percent daily value of vitamin b6, and 7,500 percent daily value of vitamin b12. It also contains taurine, eleutherococcus senticosus, panax ginseng, panax quinquefolium, schisandra, astragalus, and reishi. I'm not entirely sure what those unpronounceable herbs do for me, or even if they are necessary, but they are certainly unique to the XS brand.

     Each 12 ounce can of XS Summit Blast contains approximately 118 milligrams of caffeine, which puts it right on par with a 12 ounce Red Bull. This means that the effects are very similar, and both drinks should provide you with an adequate increase in energy. As for me, I noticed a mild uplift in my energy levels that lasted for a couple hours.

     XS Summit Blast is not my favorite XS flavor, but not because it doesn't taste anything like Mountain Dew. It's because it doesn't have a great flavor profile at all. It could have worked as a light citrus drink, but the artificial sweeteners ruined it. Sometimes, it's best to just add a heap of sugar.