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.

REVIEW OF ROARING LION

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 152 MILLIGRAMS PER 16 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 6.7 OUT OF 10. 

     When a company replicates the flavor of Red Bull, it is usually because their product development team is too lazy to come up with any other flavor. This is not the case with Roaring Lion Energy Drink. As a matter of fact, Roaring Lion is supposed to taste identical to Red Bull because it is marketed as a Red Bull alternative. Even the name is relatively similar, with an adjective followed by the name of an animal. Although I must admit, I like the name Roaring Lion better.

    Roaring Lion is packaged in a blue 16 ounce aluminum can with minimal text. Roaring Lion pulls off this clean look without making the can look naked. As far as flavor goes, I knew exactly what I was getting into. The only question was, how close is it to Red Bull? Actually, it is quite close, but certainly not an exact replica. Roaring Lion has more gumminess to it, making you more susceptible to cotton mouth. If I had to pick one solely based on taste, Red Bull would win in a photo finish.

     Inside each can of Roaring Lion, you will find 180 percent daily value of vitamin b2, 200 percent daily value of vitamin b3, 90 percent daily value of vitamin b5, 400 percent daily value of vitamin b6, and 140 percent daily value of vitamin b12. You also get 152 milligrams of sweet caffeine and an undisclosed amount of taurine, glucuronolactone, and inositol. Compared with Red Bull's energy blend, this takes the top spot.

     152 milligrams of caffeine is just 8 milligrams under the industry average, so the difference is basically negligible. You can still expect to receive a moderate increase in alertness and wakefulness. I personally did not notice a hefty increase in energy, but my caffeine tolerance may have something to do with that. Bottom line, this will probably give you the same effect as the 16 ounce version of Red Bull.

     I suppose the obvious question now is, which is better? Roaring Lion or Red Bull? Well, for flavor, I prefer Red Bull's smoothness over Roaring Lion's excess gumminess. On the energy blend side of things, Roaring Lion takes the cake with more b vitamins. Both drinks have basically an identical level of effectiveness, albeit Roaring Lion has 2 milligrams of caffeine more than Red Bull's 16 ounce version. Finally, there's price. Without getting into the details, Roaring Lion is much less expensive than its identical twin. All things considered, the price is the deciding factor in this match up, and Roaring Lion pulls off the victory.

REVIEW OF MOUNTAIN DEW GAME FUEL HALO 4

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 121 MILLIGRAMS PER 20 OUNCE BOTTLE.

RATING: 6.6 OUT OF 10. 

     I suppose I wouldn't consider myself an avid player of first person shooter games like Halo or Call of Duty, but I have always been a fan of Mountain Dew Game Fuel. And why wouldn't I? It's essentially Mountain Dew with a little more caffeine, perfect for an energy drink connoisseur such as myself. If my memory is correct, their have been a total of three Mountain Dew Game Fuels. The original promoted Halo and the second drink advertised World of Warcraft. They have recently come out a new version of Game Fuel that promotes Halo 4. So without further ado, let's see if this drink "pwns" the competition.

     Not only do Mountain Dew Game Fuels have extra caffeine, they also have their own flavor profile. This particular flavor is described as citrus cherry with other natural flavors. Naturally curious, I twisted off the cap and took a generous swig. My palate detected a sweet cherry flavor mixed with the lemon-orange flavor profile of Mountain Dew. It's an interesting combination and I must admit I thoroughly enjoyed it.

     A normal 20 ounce bottle of Mountain Dew contains approximately 91 milligrams of caffeine. A bottle of Mountain Dew Game Fuel contains nearly 33 percent more caffeine per 20 ounce bottle, boosting the total to 121 milligrams. This amount of caffeine puts it right in between Red Bull and Monster. Other than caffeine, the only ingredient that may give you an increase in energy is the 15.4 teaspoons of sugar.

     While 121 milligrams of delicious caffeine may be enough to help most individuals easily pwn noobs on Halo 4, it had little effect on me. However, keep in mind that my tolerance level is very high, so I suggest you try the drink yourself. Besides, I would probably drink this based on flavor alone. Come to think of it, I would drink any Mountain Dew based on flavor alone.

     As I mentioned previously, I do not consider myself an avid fan of Halo or Call of Duty. However, I do consider myself an avid fan of Mountain Dew, and this new Game Fuel is just one of the many reasons why I enjoy the brand so much. The flavor profile of citrus mixed with cherry easily managed to satisfy my taste buds, and the extra caffeine is always a plus. In short, I suggest give this drink a try. You never know if it might boost your kill/death ratio.

REVIEW OF 51 FIFTY EXTREME

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 300 MILLIGRAMS PER 8.4 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 7.8 OUT OF 10. 

     The first of these drinks I tried was disappointing for me, and the second I never got to try due to UPS and its incompetence. The third, unlike the first, was a bit of a bright spot. With no real flavor variation, the buzz carried this drink to a better mark. 300 mgs of caffeine is impressive in comparison to similar drinks I have had in the best, and sets the bar high for the future.

     The taste, much to my expectations, was a bitterer variant of the original. With that being stated, I did find it more enjoyable, as it had more character than the original, despite being a Red Bull like beverage. For the general public, the taste would likely be a miss, unfortunately, but this is definitely the most solid overall of the two I was privileged to review.

     Why is it the most solid? Does 300 mgs of caffeine sound like a sufficient reason? I thought so. Besting my expectations by a long shot, 51 Fifty Extreme provides the caffeine addict with a pretty great blend. The caffeine, along with their specials herbs in Astagalus and MACA roots combined with the usual suspects will surely have an effect and leave you energized.

    From a general perspective, while the flavor is bitter, and the packaging bland, the buzz is great, which is the one aspect that makes this a worthy buy. I was very critical of this company, but they got some of my respect back here. 51 Fifty Extreme is a very solid beverage.

Reviewed By Dylan

REVIEW OF MONSTER UBERMONSTER

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 160 MILLIGRAMS PER 16.9 OUNCE BOTTLE.

Courtesy of The Energy Drink Resource

DYLAN'S RATING: 7.5 OUT OF 10. 
AVERY'S RATING: 8 OUT OF 10.

Dylan's Review:

     After initially reading a negative review of this, I was a bit worried that my taste buds were in for punishment. Fortunately, Ubermonster exceeded expectations in flavor, though it still falls short there as well. It already met and exceeded expectations in kick and packaging respectively, so the face that I like the flavor helps its cause.

     Not to say it is a step in any direction away from the original. If any real difference is there, I don't see it. That being said, I do like the original Monster flavor very much, so from my perspective, this sits just mine with me. On a creative level, it was a bust. Fortunately for Monster, all the pre-pubescent kids who fuel their reputation wont be bothered by that fact.

     If you've had a Monster product before, you'll be familiar with their usual buzz. Ubermonster really has nothing Uber about it, other than the package. 160 mgs of caffeine, 1000 mgs of taurine, 200 mgs of ginseng, and all of the other usual suspects keep it to the point. Solid, but nothing new.

     Average is about the only word capable of describing the drink as a whole. All it manages to do is look pretty on a shelf with its cool glass bottle, but for someone who is as picky as I am, that doesn't help as much. I do like the drink, but there is no doubt this is a disappointment.

AVERY'S REVIEW:

     Today I figured I'd try something I've never done previously on this site: a double review. I recently found Monster Ubermonster in a local convenience store, so I figured it would be best to express my thoughts on the beverage in order to compare and contrast it to Dylan's review. So without any further time to waste, here's my take on this brewed Monster. 

     First things first, this packaging is outstanding. Absolutely unbelievable. The only issue is that the cap is of a very large diameter, so I had difficulties opening the bottle in an expedient manner. When I did finally get it open, I took a big gulp and was surprised by how similar this tasted to regular Monster. I suppose I was expecting some sort of weird beer-ish flavor mixed with Monster, but instead it tasted like a smoother version of Monster Original. Nevertheless, it's still a smooth and tasty beverage that anybody can enjoy. 

     My colleague briefly spoke about the energy ingredients present in this beverage, but just in case you care, here's the full list. 211.25 percent daily value of vitamin b2, 211.25 percent daily value of vitamin b3, 211.25 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 211.25 percent daily value of vitamin b12, 2,112.5 milligrams of taurine, 422.5 milligrams of panax ginseng, and a 5,281.25 milligrams blend of glucose, l-carnitine, caffeine, inositol, glucuronolactone, guarana, resveratrol, quercetin, and maltodextrin. 

     The caffeine content is the same as pretty much every single other Monster variety: 160 milligrams. This will easily provide the average consumer with a great uplift in energy and alertness. I personally noticed a decent effect from this drink that lasted for a few hours. 

     While I realize that this drink isn't amazing by any means, I must disagree with my colleague that this drink is a disappointment. I enjoyed the smooth, Monster flavor and I like their idea of a brewed energy drink. The only major setback is the price. A bottle of Monster Ubermonster sells for a wallet-emptying $4.99. 

REVIEW OF SPEED UNLEADED

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 186 MILLIGRAMS PER 16 OUNCE CAN. 

Courtesy of Edjunkie

RATING: 7.5 OUT OF 10.

     If you follow our reviews, you may have noticed that I (Dylan) have been inactive. I am sorry for this. I have a hectic schedule. That being said, I am preparing a fairly large number of reviews out of my notes for the coming week, so be on the look out. Today's drink is Speed Unleaded, the second variety I'll be reviewing, 3rd for A2E. This drinks fills the void of a low carb drink, but will it fair well?

     This drink was a bit of a bland flavor for me. The flavor resembles pomegranate in a way, but I could be mistaken. No discernible aftertaste, and a solid flavor, but I was expecting more as a follow up to Ethanol, but this didn't hit the nail on the head. I found it to be pleasing nonetheless, but 2 friends of mine who tried it had negative remarks to make on it. Those remarks are a bit vulgar to quote completely, and I don't like censorship, so we'll carry on. Taking into consideration their opinions plus mine, I give it a 6 on a 1 to 10 basis. I feel as if I was a bit generous though.

     Solid kick. The 186 mgs of caffeine is average when compared to other drinks, and the rest of the blend, with ginseng, taurine, guarana, and b-vitamins included, makes up for the sub par performance in taste, but not by a lot.

     Speed Unleaded was a bit underwhelming to me, but to be honest, I would be it if I saw it in a store. While I wasn't big on the taste, the buzz was good enough for me to consider shelling out a few dollars for. I'll give it a positive recommendation. I'll have another review up tomorrow of Ubermonster, so be on the look out for that!

Reviewed By Dylan