REVIEW OF FEEL RASPBERRY LEMONADE

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 85 MILLIGRAMS PER 10.5 OUNCE CAN. 

RATING: 6.9 OUT OF 10.

     A few weeks ago, I noticed that I was running low on reviewable products, so I decided to engage in a mass contacting spree to gather as many samples as possible. Over the course of an hour or so, I managed to contact over fifty companies. Unfortunately, my co-writer pointed out a very important factor that I failed to think of. Most of the companies I contacted are probably out of business. That seems to be the case, since only a few companies have actually responded. One of those companies is Feel Natural Energy, and I am here to give you my take on their raspberry lemonade flavor.

     Most energy drinks either come in 8.4 ounce or 16 ounce containers. Feel Energy decided to take a unique step and package their product in 10.5 ounce cans. I'm not entirely certain of the reasoning behind this, but it is certainly unique. Taking a sip, I noticed a refreshing and welcoming raspberry flavor accompanied by the sourness of lemon. There is no doubt that the lemonade takes a back seat in this one while the raspberry is the one driving the bus. The ingredients list indicates that they use carbonated water, but this has to be the least carbonated drink I have ever consumed. This is usually seen as a negative, but this drink is less viscous than most sodas, therefore the lack of carbonation doesn't hinder the experience. In short, it's a refreshing combination and would be perfect for a summer's day.

     Since this is labeled as a natural energy drink, I was expecting the energy blend to have all natural ingredients, and perhaps even some unique stuff thrown in. First off, we have 100 percent daily value of riboflavin, 100 percent daily value of niacin, 100 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 100 percent daily value of vitamin b12, and 100 percent daily value of pantothenic acid. You also have undisclosed amounts of guarana extract and ginseng root extract. The total amount of caffeine is 85 milligrams per can, placing it right at Red Bull territory.

     With that said, this drink should provide you with an adequate increase in alertness. If you find yourself consuming two or three cups of coffee because one of them doesn't cut it, then this might not work for you. As for myself, I received a mediocre increase in my alertness levels. It was noticeable, but nothing to run home and tell your mother about.

     Despite the lack of effectiveness, I actually like this product. The refreshing combination of tart raspberry and sour lemonade is the clear highlight in this beverage. Also, this drink has 100 percent of your daily value of vitamin c to boost your immune system, and 10 percent of your daily value of calcium to help build strong bones. It's even sweetened with stevia and pure cane sugar. So yes, it may not knock your socks off in terms of energy, but the flavor alone should make up for that.

REVIEW OF TOPPLEZ 125 VANILLA

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 125 MILLIGRAMS PER 8 OUNCE BOTTLE. 

RATING: 8 OUT OF 10. 

     The vanilla flavored sister product of the previously reviewed ToppLez 125 comes in an inverse bottle of the same design, but it is more attractive in my opinion. I was looking forward to this one after the my first foray into ToppLez. I am really hoping it delivers as much as the original.

     It delivered more than the other flavor. The sweetness is still there, but the vanilla flavor goes well with it, and makes it less noticeable. Like the other, I'm still gonna say that the sweetness can be taken down a notch, but it is still good either way. Another solid product from these guys.

     Once again, identical blend. 125 mgs of caffeine highlights this RTD coffee/energy drink, which is not much, but is still fairly impressive. The 13 gs of protein are still here, helping fuel your next workout, which I like, actually. Not overly impressive, but it does the trick.

     I feel this review was a bit more to the point than usual. Seems incredibly short in comparison to the previous ToppLez 125. Its vanilla counterpart is literally the twin of the original, and it is clearly the more attractive of the 2 siblings. If you see this, pick it up, along with its sister drink.

Reviewed By Dylan 

REVIEW OF TOPPLEZ 125

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 125 MILLIGRAMS PER 8 OUNCE BOTTLE. 

RATING: 7.7 OUT OF 10. 

I have a few days in a row that I will be reviewing coffee drinks, starting today with ToppLez 125 and continuing with their other drink as well as the CafFusion drinks. Turning my attention back to ToppLez, it comes in an 8 oz glass bottle with a black wrap on it. It looks alright, but the way they logo is placed, and the drawing on the front detract from it. The drawing is confusing until you see the paragraph at the bottom explaining it, and telling you that it is a Sei HeKi. I spent a long time trying to decipher the drawing before I noticed it, so I feel like the informative verse could use more prominence.

The flavor is their original variety. Opening the lid, I get a nice coffee scent, but it smells pretty sweet. And it tastes the same. Not to say that is a bad thing, I really like it. I do think it could have the sweetness level toned down a bit and still taste well. Other than being sweet, the coffee flavor is prominent, and tastes excellent. This takes the cake for the best tasting coffee drink I've tried on the year. I haven't had many, but that is saying something.

The way ToppLez looks, it suggests just a regular RTD coffee. When one looks at the back, it begins putting out text saying such things as 'Increases stamina', 'Increases mental clarity', and 'Enhances physical performance', giving it the persona of energy drinks. The 125 in the name of the drink represents the caffeine content, at 125 mgs. It is more than a Red Bull, but not that much after that. Another thing it contains is 13 g of protein, which I assume is the reason behind the 'Enhances physical performance' text. I had a nice 2 and half hour buzz, maybe 3, from this drink. Overall, it is pretty solid.

ToppLez 125 left me pretty impressed, and eager for trying the next drink. The taste was good and the buzz solid, everything one could ask for in an energy drink. It is one of the better coffee drinks I've had in a long time, and I kind of wish they were available around me. I would buy this if I came across it.

Reviewed By Dylan

REVIEW OF GUAYAKI CLASSIC GOLD

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 80 MILLIGRAMS PER 12 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 7.6 OUT OF 10. 

     Now we step back into the realm of organic energy drinks, with Guayaki Yerba Mate, and its Classic Gold variety. Yerba mate drinks don't come into my possession often, so I am happy to have the chance to try the Guayaki line. Well, let’s begin, shall we?

     I do not like the smell of this drink very much. Despite being pushed away by the smell, the taste redeems the drink well. A classic yerba mate flavor, with a little citrus and a few other flavor hints pushing through. It is a very enjoyable drink, I think. The lack of an aftertaste helps its cause, and solidifies its impressive showing.

     The obvious main focus here is the yerba mate, but for me, it is the caffeine. 80 mgs isn't much; just on par with Red Bull, but this hit me much better. One problem that I had with this drink was the research linking yerba mate to cancer, as I was a bit hesitant to consume these as a result. That being said, mate makes a nice fuel, and I'm hoping the cancer accusations are nothing more than bull crap.

     For my first real yerba mate beverage, I was left impressed. While not having a kick that is going to blow you away, it does have a great taste. It also hits you better than a common energy drink with 80 mgs of caffeine. I'm looking forward to trying the other 2 drinks and their shots. If they are anything like this, I'm in for a treat.

Reviewed By Dylan

REVIEW OF COYOTE MANGO

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 200 MILLIGRAMS PER 16 OUNCE CAN. 

RATING: 7.2 OUT OF 10. 


     As much as I enjoy reviewing organic energy drinks with multitudes of healthy ingredients, it's always nice to go back to the basics and review a large energy drink with gratuitous amounts of sugar. As it turns out, that's exactly what I have in store for today's review. This particular energy drink comes from a company called Coyote Energy, which comes in seven distinct flavors including Mango, Jamaica, and Tamarindo. I decided to grab the mango flavor first.

     Coyote Mango comes in a black and orange 16 ounce aluminum can that is reminiscent to drinks such as Monster, Rockstar, etc. Curious to see how it tasted, I cracked open the can and took a few gulps. I was immediately hit with a rush of refreshing mango flavor that pleased my taste buds. I believe that mango is an overlooked flavor, and this is an example of mango done right. The flavor is not too strong, and it's even a bit refreshing. Even though I have two more Coyote flavors left to review, it will be tough to defeat this sweet concoction.

     This energy drink looks to be pretty standard so I am expecting a standard energy blend. First of all, you have 200 percent daily value of vitamin b2, 200 percent daily value of vitamin b3, 200 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 200 percent daily value of vitamin b12, and 200 percent daily value of vitamin b12. Then you have an energy blend worth 2,900 milligrams. This consists of taurine, caffeine, glucuronolactone, inositol, l-carnitine, and ginseng root extract. The total caffeine content is 200 milligrams per can.

     With that amount of caffeine, this should have no trouble getting you into high gear. With its smooth mango flavor, the contents were emptied in a hurry. I noticed a modest uplift in my energy levels that lasted for a few hours and tapered off without a crash. If drinks like Monster or Rockstar get you up and running, you should also check out this drink.

     Unfortunately, Coyote will never be able to compete with Monster or Rockstar due to its market share, and that's okay. Here at Addicted 2 Energy, we rate drinks based on performance, not popularity. And I believe that this mango flavored drink is better than any of the original Monster flavors. I have two other flavors of Coyote to review, and so far they are one for one.

REVIEW OF +RED RESCUE ELIXIR

CAFFEINE CONTENT: UNKNOWN.

RATING: 6.4 OUT OF 10. 

     3 reviews that I had planned on posting during the week disappeared (Xenergy Twisted Tangerine, Joe Buzz, and Rip It Red Zone), so now I have to redo them. One drink, which I had reviewed, that didn't disappear was +Red Rescue. It comes in 12 oz. bullet can, with a reseal-able plastic lid on the top, which is pretty cool despite the red plastic ring making it somewhat irritating to open. On the front of the can it says it is powered with Red Super Food. What is that? Who knows, lets get on with this review.

     The main reason I contacted them was for the positive thing I've heard about their taste, and it certainly lives up to it. This is a nice cranberry citrus taste, and one of the more unique drinks I've had recently. It has a nice tartness to it, and I find it refreshing. It is stellar when cold, but as it warms the taste isn't nearly as enjoyable. The beverage has no real aftertaste.

     With no caffeine listed, all it says is 1007 mgs of proprietary blend, consisting of natural caffeine, taurine, L-carnitine, inositol, and Red Super Food. I probably should have done some research on Red Super Food before starting this review, but I didn't unfortunately. I got lifted for a little over 2 hours, a period of time that doesn't reach as high as others. It is a little disappointing, but the taste makes up for it.

     While I don't feel like I'd buy this for a lift, the taste is wonderful. It makes it a very worthy buy, and if this drink ever gets reformulated to have more kick, it might be a good contender. That is if they drop the shrink-wrap, and edit the plastic ring to make it friendlier with opening. That being said, overall a nice tasting beverage.

Reviewed By Dylan