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.