REVIEW OF HARD 8 .50 CAL

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 120 MILLIGRAMS PER 2.4 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 7.9 OUT OF 10.


I've always enjoyed the products that have a theme to them, like this .50 Cal Energy from Hard 8. The only problem is, they didn't do a very good job. It is the same old 2.4 ounce aluminum bottle but the top is supposed to be the head of a bullet. To me, the entire container should resemble a bullet, and not just the top. But it was a nice try, anyway. The flavor is labeled as blueberry pomegranate, but to me the flavor didn't resemble any of those fruits. This shot uses three sweeteners, two of them artificial, so the shot is quite sweet. It is by no means unpalatable, but if you are looking for a high quality shot that delivers the taste of pomegranate and blueberry, you should look elsewhere. .50 Cal is the second drink in the Hard 8 Line-Up that I have reviewed that contains the antioxidant blend, nicknamed the warrior blend in this one. Before we get to that, I'll list the b vitamins and energy blend. Per shot, it has 240 percent daily value of vitamin b3, 240 percent daily value of vitamin b5, 960 percent daily value of vitamin b6, and 9,600 percent daily value of vitamin b12. It also contains ginseng extract, gingko biloba, taurine, guarana extract, carnitine, glucuronolactone, and glutamine. The warrior blend consists of acai berry extract, goji berry extract, blueberry extract, grape seed extract, and pomegranate extract. Sweeteners are sugar, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium. I'm going to give Hard 8 props for doing the antioxidant blend on a couple of their drinks. I've always been a sucker for those superfruits. Alright, now for the kick. If you've read any of my recent posts, you probably know when I drink these. If you don't know, I suggest you go read some of them. This shot hit me in 15 minutes and gave me a nice uplift to last me into roughly 4th or 5th hour. It's not overpowering by any means, and the buzz is completely jitter free without any crash. .50 Cal Energy is an all-around decent shot. It's sweet, it has a nice little antioxidant blend, and it gives off a nice boost. 7.9 out of 10.

REVIEW OF HARD 8 G

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 120 MILLIGRAMS PER 2.4 OUNCE BOTTLE.

RATING: 7.5 OUT OF 10.


Here we have the green tea flavor of the Hard 8 Energy Shots. This one is simply called 'G'. G stands for gingko biloba, green tea, and ginseng. The package is a black and silver solid aluminum 2.4 ounce bottle with a plastic screw on top. As for the taste, I have tried multiple tea based shots and I think the best is the Dragon Pearl Shot. This Hard 8 Tea Shot would take second in my book. I found the flavor to be quite pleasing and it left no bitter aftertaste and needed no chaser. Well, that covers the taste, now let's get to some energy enhancing ingredients. It has 240 percent daily value of vitamin b3, 240 percent daily value of vitamin b5, 960 percent daily value of vitamin b6, and 9,600 percent daily value of vitamin b12. It also includes green tea extract, ginseng extract, gingko biloba, taurine, guarana extract, carnitine, glucuronolactone, and glutamine. Apparently, this shot doesn't have the antioxidant blend. It does contain a modest 120 milligrams of caffeine per 2.4 ounce bottle. I wish they put the amount of energy blend they put in this shot. All of this comes with 8 calories, 2 grams of total carbohydrates, and 2 grams of sugars. It is sweetened with sugar, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium. That must explain the drink's incredible sweetness. I never mentioned this before but this shot is quite sweet. Ok, moving on to the kick. Like always, I took it before school to get me ready for Chemistry. It didn't actually get me pumped to do some stuff on the Atomic Theory, but it did give me a nice uplift comparable to a few mugs of tea. Thus far, the Hard 8 line-up hasn't necessarily brought anything new to the table, but of course that is difficult when the energy shot market has grown substantially since it's beginnings in 2004. The thing that really stuck out were the solid aluminum bottles. No plastic here! So that basically wraps it up for me. 7.5 out of 10.

REVIEW OF HARD 8 POM B

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 120 MILLIGRAMS PER 2.4 OUNCE BOTTLE. 

RATING: 8 OUT OF 10.


Here we have another flavor of Hard 8 Beverages, and this has not been reviewed by anybody except for me as of September 28, 2010. First of all, this comes in basically the same 2.4 ounce solid aluminum bottle as the Caffe B Energy Shot. I unscrewed the top of the bottle and took a nice whiff. A fruity smell danced through my nostrils as I proceeded to take a sip. Thankfully, there is no chaser required here. The fruits-mostly pomegranate and blueberry-hit my palate with ease. I slammed the rest of the can without incident. Before we get to the kick, what powers this bad boy? Well, there is 240 percent daily value of vitamin b3, 240 percent daily value of vitamin b5, 960 percent daily value of vitamin b6, and 9,600 percent daily value of vitamin b12. It contains an energy blend consisting of ginseng extract, gingko biloba, taurine, guarana extract, carnitine, glucuronolactone, and glutamine. Now here's something different from the Caffe B flavor: it has an 85 milligrams antioxidant blend consisting of acai berry extract, goji berry extract, blueberry extract, grape seed extract, and pomegranate extract. It comes with 8 calories, 8 grams of total carbohydrates, and 2 grams of sugars. It is sweetened with sugar, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium. Fortunately there is no high fructose corn syrup, but they are still using these sweeteners: Sucrose, Splenda, and Sunett. Those are just some brand names, by the way, except for the Sucrose. That one is just another name for table sugar. Right, now the kick. As always I downed this puppy before school started and felt a low to mid-level rush. The 120 milligrams of caffeine is about as much as a cup of gourmet coffee, and it had the same effect (I know I said that on the Caffe B review). It lasted for about 3 or 4 hours with no crash. So far I think these products are fairly good. You can purchase Hard 8 Products at www.kingofcaffeine.com. Other than that, they are sold at Ralph's in Southern California, QFC Stores in Washington, Fresh Encounter Stores in Ohio, and about 300 Convenience Stores in North Carolina to the Canadian border. So there you have it, now it's time to rate this thing. 8 out of 10.

REVIEW OF HARD 8 CAFFE B

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 120 MILLIGRAMS PER 2.4 OUNCE BOTTLE.

RATING: 7.3 OUT OF 10.


I've always enjoyed getting samples from companies, but what really pleases me is when I get a product that I have hardly even heard of. Over the next several days, I'll be taking a look at some of the shots offered by Hard 8 Beverages. First up, we have Caffe B Energy Shot. This is the first coffee energy shot that I have reviewed on this site. So, let's get right to it. Let me say, if you don't like coffee, you will not like this. I found it to be a harsh coffee and mocha flavor that wasn't too overpowering. Thankfully, I like my coffee black, so I could handle the flavor. Also, this shot is quite thick, it's almost like drinking coffee syrup. So if you like coffee, you'll probably like this. If you don't like coffee, chances are this is going in the wastebasket after the first sip. Now let's move on to the energy enhancing ingredients list. It has 240 percent daily value of vitamin b3, 240 percent daily value of vitamin b5, 960 percent daily value of vitamin b6, and 9,600 percent daily value of vitamin b12. They also have an energy blend which is comprised of ginseng extract, gingko biloba, taurine, guarana extract, carnitine, glucuronolactone, and glutamine. Each 2.4 ounce bottle has 120 milligrams of caffeine, or about the same as a cup of brewed coffee (sorry I used as much caffeine as coffee junk). One ingredient that stuck out was Glutamine. In fact, Glutamine is marketed under the name Gluta-Force by American Body Building. For more information on Glutamine, click here. Alright, I slammed this bad boy before school started and waited for the rush. In about 20 minutes, I felt a mid-level boost come over me. It had about the same affect as Arabican Coffee. The buzz lasted for about 3 hours and ended with no crash. All of this energy comes with 8 calories, and 2 grams of sugars. And now I'm going to let you into a little sneak peek of what's to come. Over the next several days, I will be reviewing: Pom 50 Energy, G Energy, .50 Cal Energy, Go Fast Light, Ex Slim, and Arizona Rescue Water. So there you have it. I'll give the Caffe B Energy Shot a 7.3 out of 10.

REVIEW OF UP! GRAPE

CAFFEINE CONTENT: UNKNOWN.


RATING: 5.7 OUT OF 10.

Ever since Living Essentials developed 5 Hour Energy in 2004, energy shots have been an ideal way to get some energy. Their small, portable, they don't need to be refrigerated, and they have barely any calories. On the downside, they usually taste like Robitussin, and some of them don't even work at all. So how will Up! fair? Well to start, let's talk about the package. It's either orange or purple depending what flavor you have, and it's pretty much generic in every way. This one is flavored grape, and that got me a bit worried. You see, grape is a common cough syrup flavor and with all these medicinal ingredients I hoped that it didn't taste like dextromethorphan. When I unscrewed the cap, my nostrils were greeted with a familiar smell: artificial grape candy. And when I slammed it down, things went well. The grape flavor was definitely artificial and candy-like, which is fine. It shot down my throat with ease and there was absolutely no aftertaste. So far, so good then. Now let's move on to the energy blend. Up! Energy Shot is powered by 100 percent daily value of vitamin b3, 2,000 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 100 percent daily value of folic acid, 8,333 percent daily value of vitamin b12, and their 2,125 milligrams energy blend: taurine, malic acid, caffeine, glucuronolactone, n-acetyl, l-tyrosine, and l-phenylalanine. Unfortunately for me, the people at Up! thought that they would be cool by not listing the caffeine content. Instead, they put that "contains as much caffeine as a cup of brewed coffee" nonsense that hardly makes any sense. Although, I can think of a reason why they put this phrase. If a new consumer of energy drinks and shots looked at the label and saw "caffeine: 200 milligrams", they wouldn't really know how much that was. But if you put the "as much as a cup of coffee" junk, he/she would understand. As for us caffeine junkies, it's one of the most annoying phrases in the entire world. So, does it work? No, actually. I actually took this before a workout and I honestly did not feel a single thing. Their was absolutely no change whatsoever. I can't tell you how long it lasted because it never kicked in in the first place. So their you have it, Up!. It's an energy shot that tastes good but has no effect on me at all. I'll give this 5.7 out of 10.

REVIEW OF GO FAST TEA

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 162 MILLIGRAMS PER 16 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 8.8 OUT OF 10.


Go Fast Sports and Beverage Company, based out of Denver, Colorado, has continued to amaze me. I think they really nailed the coconut flavor and the original was pretty good as well. Here we have their tea flavored energy drink. Go Fast uses green tea, black tea, and white tea to flavor this energy drink. When I cracked open the can and took a sip, I was blasted with all three of the aforementioned teas. And like the original, it gave me quite the cottonmouth. There was just a hint of bitterness from the teas, and I like it that way. I've never been a fan of extremely sweet teas, especially the ones that taste more like sugar than tea. Unlike the coconut flavor, I couldn't notice any of the original flavor coming through. Overall I think Go Fast nailed this flavor down. It looks like Denver knows their energy drinks. Well, at least this company does. Before we get to the energy enhancing ingredients, let me just say that you could drink two of these and still take in less calories and less sugar than your typical Monster or Rockstar. Alright, now lets get to it. It has 200 percent daily value of vitamin b2, 200 percent daily value of vitamin b3, 300 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 260 percent daily value of vitamin b12, 200 percent daily value of pantothenic acid, 2,000 milligrams of taurine, 182 milligrams of ribose, 162 milligrams of caffeine, 500 milligrams of panax ginseng extract, 150 milligrams of guarana seed extract, 150 milligrams of gingko biloba leaf extract, 50 milligrams of inositol, and 100 milligrams of milk thistle herb extract. Like I mentioned in my last two reviews, this blend tops out at over 3,100 milligrams. It is sweetened with sucrose and stevia extract. It has no preservatives and no High Fructose Corn Syrup. I think Go Fast did a really nice job with the blend in these drinks. I just wish they would've sent me some of their new product called Core, which is essentially a Spike Shooter replica except it doesn't contain all of those weird chemicals. Don't quote me on that last few words about the chemicals. Anyway, moving on to the kick. Once again, Go Fast got me going.....uh....fast. I drank it before I went to school and I had a good amount of energy to last through the day. It was jitter free and no absolutely no crash. I am impressed with these Go Fast drinks. It's a good thing they gave me a lot of cans. 8.8 out of 10.

REVIEW OF GO FAST COCONUT

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 162 MILLIGRAMS PER 16 OUNCE CAN.

9 OUT OF 10.


This is the first energy drink I have ever tried that is coconut flavored. Go Fast got my seal of approval last time, so let's see if they can do it again. First of all, let me just say that I am not a big fan of coconut. Almond Joy? No thanks. Mounds? Not happening. Despite my disliking coconut, this drink tasted phenomenal. It still had that lemon citrus base of original Go Fast, but it was enhanced with this delicious coconut flavor. This is one of those taste combinations that doesn't sound good on paper (at least in my opinion) but tastes great while drinking it. Alright, that covers the taste, now on to the energy enhancing ingredients list. It has 4 milligrams of vitamin b2, 40 milligrams of vitamin b3, 6 milligrams of vitamin b6, 16 micrograms of vitamin b12, 20 milligrams of pantothenic acid, 2,000 milligrams of taurine, 182 milligrams of ribose, 162 milligrams of caffeine, 500 milligrams of panax ginseng extract, 150 milligrams of guarana seed extract, 150 milligrams of gingko biloba leaf extract, 50 milligrams of inositol, and 100 milligrams of milk thistle herb extract. The full blend exceeds 3,100 milligrams and has roughly 12 to 13 energy enhancing ingredients. What really stuck out was the calories and the sugar. This drink has 100 calories per can. That means that you could drink 2 cans of Go Fast Coconut Energy Drink and still take in less calories than a Monster. The same goes for the sugar. Monster has about 57 grams of sugar per 16 ounce can. This only has 24 grams of sugar per 16 ounce can. This drink uses sucrose, honey, and stevia extract as it's sugars/sweeteners. So, I chugged this beverage before school started and in 20 minutes I could definitely feel it. I didn't necessarily have any jitters but I did have a hard time sitting completely still. I was on full buzz mode for about 4 to 5 hours with no crash to speak of. I say if you want an energy drink that tastes great, has lower sugar than most energy drinks, and works pretty well, then go with Go Fast Coconut. Go and try some and let me know what you think. 9 out of 10.

REVIEW OF GO FAST

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 162 MILLIGRAMS PER 16 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 8.7 OUT OF 10.


Just recently I received a "full" case of Go Fast Energy. Well, it was full until one of the cans exploded, and now I have 23 cans left. Actually, make that 22 since I just drank one this morning. The very first thing that popped out at me was this little medal. Apparently, this energy drink, Go Fast, has received the Superior Taste Gold Medal Award by the American Academy of Taste. That got me wondering. What is the American Academy of Taste? How prestigious is this award? Will my own expectations be met in the taste department? After a quick google search I did find a relatively small site on the American Masters of Taste. I'm not the greatest paraphraser so you might want to have a look at this site. So, with my expectations set higher than usual, I dove right in. Interestingly enough, on my first sip I couldn't figure out what the flavor was. When you sip it, it gives you cottonmouth, sort of like eating a lemon. And that's really all I can compare it to. It's definitely a citrus flavor that focuses more on lemon than any other citrus fruit. The real question is, would I give this an award for taste. The answer is simply no. But keep in mind, I am nowhere near the delicate palates of the American Academy of Taste. Don't take my word for it, buy some cans yourself and let me know what you think. I though it tasted quite good. Ok, here is Go Fast's energy blend: 200 percent daily value of vitamin b2, 200 percent daily value of vitamin b3, 300 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 260 percent daily value of vitamin b12, 200 percent daily value of pantothenic acid, 2,000 milligrams of taurine, 182 milligrams of ribose, 162 milligrams of caffeine, 500 milligrams of ginseng extract, 150 milligrams of guarana extract, 150 milligrams of gingko extract, 50 milligrams of inositol, and 100 milligrams of milk thistle herb extract. That totals out to be 13 energy enhancing ingredients and 3,294 milligrams. So, surely all of these lovely ingredients will give me a boost. To my surprise, it did. I slammed this drink before school started and I wasn't expecting a whole lot. Boy, I don't know what they put in this thing but the kick I received from this was definitely noticeable. It was nice and smooth with no jitters and it wasn't overpowering. I'm quite glad I still have almost a full case of this stuff left. To conclude, I enjoyed Go Fast. The kick was above average, the taste is great, and the blend is awesome. Rating? 8.7 out of 10.

REVIEW OF CLIF ENERGY GEL

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 50 MILLIGRAMS PER PACKET.

RATING: 6.5 OUT OF 10.


Even the protein induced aisle can have it's share of caffeine. Sometimes I even see energy jelly beans and other times I see numerous chews. While at Harvest Health I bought two packets of Clif Energy Gel. One of them is a mocha flavor and the other is chocolate. I will be tackling both flavors today. First let's start with the mocha flavor. I did this sort of like medicine by squeezing it unto a spoon, until I realized my spoon couldn't hold every drop, so I made a small mess in the sink. The first thing I realized is how gunky and how sticky this is. It's a cross between a syrup and a gel. The cool thing is, these packets don't taste bad at all. Sure it's not your average Starbucks Mocha flavor but for a concentrated gel like this, it's pretty good. The only thing that might put people off is the stickiness. The second flavor I tried was the chocolate flavor. This is basically the same story as the mocha except it has no coffee flavor. It's still stick, gunky, and quite thick on the palate. After a quick swig of water, I had it down in no time. Right when I looked at the package I noticed this small phrase at the top of the packet. It said, "50 milligrams of caffeine". This equates to about the same amount as a weak shot of espresso or a can of Mountain Dew. Then I took a gander at the chocolate flavor. It didn't have any caffeine at all. No protein either. And no B Vitamins. So where is the supposed "energy"? Then I spotted it: carbohydrates. Both flavors have 25 grams of carbohydrates. They also make a double espresso version with 100 milligrams of caffeine. About as much as a cup of brewed coffee. Now, it says to take this about 15 minutes before a workout. Unfortunately, I wasn't what you would call ready when I took it, so I ended up taking it about half an hour before I fired up the treadmill. During my 1.5 mile warm-up run, I didn't really feel a whole lot from this. But I do realize that this stuff isn't exactly what you would call potent. After my run, I swallowed the second one with a swig of water and got to my boxing session. Again, not really a whole lot from this. It's hard to say what exactly your supposed to feel when you take these. Energy drinks are supposed to give you a boost of energy via caffeine, taurine, ginseng, guarana, etc. These packets are more like gelled versions of energy bars, only without the protein. It relies mostly on carbohydrates then it does anything else. Although I'm sure the double espresso would be nice. I think I will give this product a 6.5 out of 10.

REVIEW OF STEAZ LIME

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 80 MILLIGRAMS PER 12 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 6.6 OUT OF 10.


For my second review of the day, I will be tackling the lime version of Steaz Organic Fuel. I first tried Steaz on July 21, 2009. Over 1 year later I am back with another review of Steaz Organic Energy Drink. I picked up this drink from Harvest Health Foods for a sale price of 1 dollar and 69 cents. It also appears that  Steaz has a new version of their drink with 100 milligrams of naturally occurring caffeine, as opposed to the version I am reviewing, which has 80. The new cans also look nicer as well. Anyhow, it is time to get to the taste. So, was the lime flavor noticeable? You bet. Was the green tea good as always? Oh yeah. Was the overall flavor delicious? Sort of. I wouldn't put this as my top energy drink as far as taste. In fact it is somewhere in the middle of the pack range. While the organic green tea is nice, the lime sort of ruins the flavor a little. The drink is by no means unbearable or disgusting. It's just not one of my favorites. Alright then, onward to the ingredients list. Since this is an organic energy drink, I have decided to list every single ingredient in here. sparkling filtered water, organic evaporated cane juice, sambazon organic acai juice, organic guarana extract, guayaki organic yerba mate extract, natural flavors, citric acid, organic fair trade certified ceyton green tea, sodium citrate, and ascorbic acid. As I said earlier, this drink contains 80 milligrams of natural caffeine per can. You get this with 34.5 grams of sugar and 135 calories. 34.5 grams of sugar may sound like a lot, but this drink isn't getting it's sugar with anything that ends in -ose. This drink also contains 90 percent of your daily value of vitamin c. I like the ingredients list and it is certified organic by the United States Department of Agriculture. That's USDA for all you acronym fans. I wouldn't say it's more organic then the Sambazon drink I reviewed earlier, but it's still plenty enough to get that seal. And now, onto the kick. Because this drink has the same amount of caffeine per ounce as a bottle of Bawls, I wasn't expecting too much. The funny thing is, I actually forgot that I drank this. I think that might be a problem. Either my memory sucks these days, or I didn't feel a thing from this. By the way, that last remark was supposed to be humorous not derogatory toward Steaz. Remember, I have always been a fan of natural and organic energy drinks. Sometimes I just get sick of the High Fructose Corn Syrup. Let me put it this way. If you want an energy drink that will pound you back into 1969, grab a hardcore energy drink like Redline or Spike. If you want a gently uplift with the benefits of the aforementioned organic ingredients, then have yourself a look at Steaz Organic Fuel. Available at Harvest Health Foods. 6.6 out of 10.

REVIEW OF SAMBAZON AMAZON ENERGY

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 80 MILLIGRAMS PER 12 OUNCE CAN.


RATING: 8.1 OUT OF 10.


I've always been a fan of the organic energy drinks such as Steaz. I enjoy their gentle uplifts as opposed to some of the hardcore energy drinks that knock you into the next century. I have a cold and I need something to give me a nice uplift without leaving me feeling jittery or anxious. Enter Sambazon Amazon Energy. This organic energy drink can be found at Harvest Health Foods for about 2 dollars and 50 cents. It is a tad bit on the expensive side, but it does use quality ingredients. I'll get to those ingredients later. For now, let's talk about the taste. Sambazon uses Acai to flavor this drink, which is quite nice. I enjoy the taste of Acai juice so this should do well. It did. Of course, it's not pure Acai juice, in fact it's mixed with cane juice and acerola juice. Despite this drink sporting an organic logo on it, I found the flavor to be quite nice. Yes, their is some bitterness from the Acai but it's not enough to take away the quality of the flavor. If you don't like the taste of traditional energy drinks such as Red Bull, you might like Sambazon Energy. Now it's time for that aforementioned ingredients list. Since this is a organic health drink with nothing artificial, I am going to give you the entire list of ingredients. Here we go. sparking filtered water, organic evaporated cane juice, organic acai juice, organic acerola juice, organic natural flavots, citric acid, organic guarana extract, guayaki organic yerba mate extract, organic green tea extract, and fruit and vegetable juice for color. It contains 80 milligrams of natural caffeine from guarana and yerba mate. It also contains 1,125 percent daily value of vitamin c. Great for boosting your immune system. You get all of this organic greatness with 120 calories and 29 grams of sugar. The sugar may sound like a lot, but remember that this drink uses the sugar from the fruits to sweeten it, so it should be better for you then adding a hit of Glucose, Sucralose, Dextrose, or any other -ose. So the final question is...does it work? Well first of all, you have to understand that this isn't actually what you would call hardcore like a Spike, or a straight up energy drink like Rockstar. That being said, this drink uplifts you gently like a few mugs of green tea. You can also think of it this way: a Spike is like the Ferrari Enzo or McLaren F1 of energy drinks. The Sambazon Amazon Energy is the Rolls-Royce Phantom of energy drinks. It just gently lulls you along in great comfort. But enough of the car analogies and back to the drink. For what it is, this drink is pretty good. It tastes fine, it has nothing artificial, the average human being is able to pronounce nearly all of it's ingredients, and it gives a gentle uplift. I will give this an 8.1 out of 10.

REVIEW OF ARIZONA ENERGY LOW CARB

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 200 MILLIGRAMS PER 15 OUNCE CAN. 

RATING: 8 OUT OF 10.


Arizona Beverage Companies latest trek down the energy drink isle resulted in the Arizona Energy Low Carb. I tried the regular version of this yesterday and I really liked the taste. Will sucralose affect the taste of this fruity drink? Actually, yes it did. The flavor is still that lovely mix of pear, apple, mango, and peach but with the aftertaste of sucralose. In my opinion, the sucralose ruins the flavor. But hey, it's a low carb drink so I don't expect it to taste like the original drink. If you are watching your waistline and sugar intake, the 20 calories, 6 grams of sugar and 6 grams of total carbohydrates should fit the bill. And who knows? You might like this version better than the original one. I liked Monster Lo-Carb better than Monster Original. Alright, now we must move on to the energy enhancing ingredients list. Per can this has  200 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 200 percent daily value if vitamin b12, 200 milligrams of vitamin b5, 2,000 milligrams of taurine, 200 milligrams of caffeine, 200 milligrams of l-carnitine, 200 milligrams of panax ginseng extract, 200 milligrams of inositol, 200 milligrams of guarana extract, 200 milligrams of glucuronolactone, and 70 milligrams of milk thistle. Including the b vitamins, this 15 ounce drink tops out at at 3,282 milligrams and 11 energy inducing ingredients. I would say those are some pretty nice looking numbers. The caffeine content is 40 milligrams higher than a regular Monster. Ok, onto the kick. Unfortunately, it appears I am suffering from a minor cold so this review may not be accurate, but I am too darn impatient to not review this drink today. My suggestion is to buy some, try some, and tell me what you think in the comment section below. Now, this drink did take a while to kick in, and despite the small cold it did work fairly well. I was still a little tired but Arizona Energy Low Carb did a nice job of warding some of it off. It lasted maybe 3 hours without a crash. I think overall I would pick the original Arizona Energy. But that's my opinion. Go out and try the low carb and tell me what you think. 8 out of 10.

REVIEW OF ARIZONA RX FAST SHOT

CAFFEINE CONTENT: UNKNOWN.


RATING: 8 OUT OF 10.

It appears that Dr. Oz Garcia has teamed up with Arizona Beverage Company to create the line up of shots for Arizona. I have already reviewed the A.M. Awake and P.M. Relax, and both of them did fairly well. Now it's time for the Arizona Fast Shot. This comes in the same size and shape as all the other Arizona Shots. I recall that when I drank the A.M. Awake shot, I noticed that there was a bitterness in the flavor. Did I experience that with the Arizona Fast Shot? No, surprisingly enough it tasted quite good. Albeit it is quite on the sweet side but I don't mind that since it's a shot and the flavor is going to be a bit strong. When I slammed it, I waited for an awful bitterness to creep up on me, but that never came. It's definitely a very sweet concentrated green tea and citrus flavor. The usual from our friends at Arizona Beverage Company. On the energy enhancing ingredients side of things, this shot has a pretty nice list. It has 150 percent daily value of vitamin b3, 2,000 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 8,333 percent daily value of vitamin b12, 100 percent daily value of vitamin b5, and a 1,445 milligrams performance blend consisting of 7 ingredients: taurine, caffeine, guarana seed extract, inositol, glucuronolactone, milk thistle seed extract, and panax ginseng root extract. So that's a total of 11 energy inducing ingredients and over 1,525 milligrams. The exact amount of caffeine in this beverage is unknown, but I can tell you that on the back of the can it states that this drink has the caffeine equivalent of 2 cups of coffee. If your an energy drink junkie or if you also review energy drinks/shots/etc. then you know this is meaningless. Coffee varies a bunch depending on how you make it. For instance, two cups (16 ounces) of brewed coffee has 216 milligrams of caffeine. Two cups (16 ounces) of drip coffee contains 290 milligrams of caffeine. That's a difference of 74 milligrams. About as much as an original 8.4 ounce can of Amp Energy. So as you can see, saying this drink has two cups of coffees worth of caffeine is a load of meaningless garbage. Ok, no onto the kick. I slammed this drink right before I went to school. I was very tired and needed to be awake for Chemistry, my first class. Arizona RX Energy Fast Shot did not ignite my brain with a furious amount of energy, which is fine, instead it gave me a gentle uplift. It's similar to drinking 2 or 3 cups of green tea. The effect lasted for roughly 4 hours with no crash. Overall I would say this is a pretty good shot. Go out, buy some, and tell me what you think about it. 8 out of 10.

REVIEW OF EX PURE ENERGY

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 80 MILLIGRAMS PER 8.4 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 7.7 OUT OF 10.


Let's dive right in to the natural side of things with Ex Energy. Extreme Drinks (Extreme is what Ex stands for) are the creators of the Ex Chill drink I reviewed not too long ago. Ex uses absolutely no artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, or preservatives. The can design is definitely pretty cool. It has somewhat of a paint splatter design to it. The can alone will tell you that it is all natural. The interesting thing about these natural energy drinks is the taste. I actually had 2 cans of Ex Pure Energy and I could not figure out the taste. I tried comparing it to Verve, but that is more of a carbonated carrot juice. I really don't know what to say about this drink as far as taste goes. Even my good friend Big Red Boots at Possessed By Caffeine said that he could not pinpoint the flavor either. Instead, he mentioned Kombucha which is most likely where the flavor comes in. Most likely, if you like the taste of Kombucha, you might like this. Buy it and give it a try. All I can say is that I thought it was good. Not great but just good. Ex Pure Energy doesn't particularly have your basic energy drink ingredients. Strike that. The only difference is Kombucha Tea Extract. Ex has also given a little blurb about the ingredient. Kombucha is an ancient healthy food culture containing organic acids, probiotics, acids and enzymes that helps your body find its natural balance, which promotes overall well being. Ex Pure Energy has 300 milligrams of Kombucha Tea Extract. The second ingredient is Ginseng. Ginseng is an herb that helps to maintain both stamina and a healthy immune system. Ex Pure Energy contains 50 milligrams of Panax Ginseng Root Extract. The next ingredient is Guarana. Guarana aids mental and physical performance and helps and helps cleanse your body of lactic acid after exercise. It is also a natural source of caffeine. Ex Pure Energy contains 80 milligrams of natural caffeine. The last ingredient in Vitamins. Along with immune-defense titan Vitamin C, B-complex vitamins can help the body with a whole range of good things from breaking down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins to maintaining healthy organs. This drink contains 83 percent daily value of vitamin c, 74 percent daily value of vitamin b3, 83 percent daily value of vitamin b6, and 50 percent daily value of vitamin b5. Considering this is trying to be a healthy energy drink, I have to say I like the energy enhancing and body enhancing ingredients used in this. This is the first drink I have seen that uses Kombucha Tea as the flavor and as an energy ingredient. Pretty cool stuff. Alright, since this has 80 milligrams of caffeine, I knew I needed two cans. Two cans gave me 160 milligrams of natural caffeine, 600 milligrams of Kombucha, and 100 milligrams of Ginseng. The kick was similar to the big boys. It wasn't a huge rush by any means but more of a low to mid-level jitter free boost that lasted about 4 hours-ish. Overall I have to say that Ex Pure Energy is a pretty decent beverage.  7.7 out of 10.

REVIEW OF SHOCK TRIPLE MOCHA

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 231 MILLIGRAMS PER 8.4 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 9.5 OUT OF 10


Yesterday I was absolutely stunned by the performance of Shock Coffee as it took the number 1 spot away from Wired X-344 in the Top 10 Highest Rated Energy Products List. Today I sucked down one of their canned beverages: the Shock Triple Mocha. Triple meaning triple espresso. The only difference in the can design is a black ring at the top of the can. Since the flavor is mocha, I expected a rich chocolate flavor along with the traditional iced coffee flavor. When I did take a sip, I got a nice mocha flavor playing along with a rich iced coffee. Of course the mocha does take a back seat behind the espresso coffee, but it's not too far back in the bus for me to not notice it. I slammed the can in no time because it tasted so great. I think I'll stop making trips to Starbucks for a Mocha and crack a can of Shock instead. I also like the products from Shock because they don't screw around with their drink by adding ginseng, guarana, or taurine. They do actually add caffeine (maybe about 25 to 35 milligrams) to their beverage. The first ingredient is of course brewed espresso coffee. The caffeine content is a mouthwatering 231 milligrams per 8.4 ounce can. It comparison, regular Shock Coffee comes in at about 223 milligrams per 8 ounce cup. Since this product has over 200 milligrams of caffeine in just 8 ounces. you would expect it to get me wired. Your assumption would be right. I slammed this down before going to church, of all places, and in 15 minutes I was definitely feeling it. I wasn't necessarily jittery (i.e my hands weren't shaking) but I had a very hard time sitting still. This drink will definitely give your old java a run for it's money. And it would be a run that Shock would win. The products of Shock continue to amaze me with this great coffee drink. I won't be drinking regular coffee before I go to school. I will be using every last drop and every last ground until I have no trace of Shock left in my house. I only have one more thing to say about this fabulous company: Shock Rocks! 9.5 out of 10!

REVIEW OF SHOCK COFFEE

CAFFEINE CONTENT: OVER 50 PERCENT MORE THAN REGULAR GOURMET COFFEE.

RATING: 10 OUT OF 10.


In the ever expanding world of coffee, some people, like me, are noticing that regular coffee just doesn't really cut it. Fortunately for caffeine junkies like myself, there is Shock Coffee. It contains no added caffeine, but they select the most potent beans available to give you over 50 percent more caffeine then regular coffee. This indicates that if you drink 12 ounces of this coffee using the drip method, the caffeine content could top out at over 300 milligrams. Obviously I had to try it, so I pulled out my Beaners thermos, set my Keurig Coffee Maker for a full 12 ounces and brewed away. After waiting about 45 minutes for my coffee to cool down, it was time to take a sip. I like my coffee black, but sometimes the flavor can be so overpowering it will make me shudder with disgust. That never happened with Shock. I'm no coffee aficionado, but I can tell you that it my opinion it appeared the drink had a fair amount of body and the coffee went down smoothly. I have nothing to complain about here. It's a darn good cup of joe. I suppose there is nothing to say about the energy blend since I already mentioned the amount of caffeine in the product. So let's get straight to the kick. Wherever they are getting their beans, they work. In about half an hour I felt a massive rush come over me. I had a huge grin welded to my face as I had never felt this type of kick in a very very long time. I had to do something so I went downstairs, fired up the treadmill, and blasted through the mile in 7 minutes and 29 seconds. My recovery time was lickety spilt and I went on to play some Guitar Hero. The kick just doesn't quit. It's just ridiculous. Thankfully I have 3 bags of the stuff because I will be using it a lot. Heck, screw the Monsters and Rockstars and Red Bulls. Shock is my drink of choice. Final Rating? 10!

REVIEW OF EX CHILL

CAFFEINE CONTENT: NONE.


RATING: 8.7 OUT OF 10.

Being a junior in high school can be a lot of hard work. ACTs, SATs, MMEs, XYZs. Fortunately, after my first week of school, I can unwind by drinking an Ex Chill Drink. So what do we have here? This chill drink? Well, it uses multiple roots and extracts to get you to just relax and let go. However, it does state "The Natural Alternative" smack dab on the front of the can. This is immediately a warning signal to any energy drink/product reviewer. Natural usually means it lacks in the ever important taste category. When I did crack the can and take a sip, I noticed the flavor was quite tolerable. The flavor is said to be apple-lemon which is true. Well, sort of. I definitely tasted the apple, there was no question about that. But, I really had to think about whether I tasted the lemon or not. It's there, it's just hard to notice. I also found out that it is much better over ice. So, overall despite it's natural statements, it's still a pretty good drink. Ex took the time to list and explain every relaxing ingredient they use, so here goes. The first ingredient is chamomile which is "valued throughout the ages for its soothing qualities". Next we have valerian which is "an herb used since Roman times that is well known for its ability to maintain a feeling of calmness. In 3rd, we have lemon balm, which has been "recognized since Greek times for its soothing smell, this fragrant herb can also help maintain healthy digestion. Next we have vitamins. "B-complex vitamins can help your body with the whole range of groovy things from breaking down carbs, fats and proteins to maintaining healthy organs. And then we have the sweetener: fruit up. "A natural fruit sweetener with a balanced ratio of fructose, glucose, and sucrose. The Glycemic Index is a very low 34." Immediately after I read that quote, I researched Glycemic Index. I found out that Stevia actually has a 0 glycemic index. Anyway, it's time for you to find out if this thing did its job. I drank this as fast as I could to get the best effect. In about 15 minutes I was already feeling tired. When I sat on my couch to play Madden 09, I was more interested in a power nap then a HB Power Toss. If your getting stressed at work or school or wherever, find these drinks. I don't know where you get them, but i'm sure you can buy them online. 8.7 out of 10.

REVIEW OF SHOCK-A-LOTS

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 20 MILLIGRAMS PER BEAN.

RATING: 8.7 OUT OF 10.


Chocolate covered coffee beans have become a another part of the caffeine junkie lifestyles in recent years. Products such as Chargers, Crackheads, and especially Jitterbeans used ridiculous amounts of caffeine in their products as a marketing tool. Shock-A-Lots are one of the most popular candy-coated, chocolate-covered coffee bean. They come in small, maroon 1 ounce bags with roughly 12 to 16 beans inside. I popped on in my mouth and was absolutely delighted by the taste. I've always been a fan of coffee and chocolate-covered coffee beans, but this was amazing. The texture was that of a peanut M&M and the flavor was a rich coffee and chocolate flavor. Absolutely stunning, I could eat these like M&Ms. Shock doesn't bother on adding taurine or ginseng or anything. The caffeine content on the package seems to be a bit misleading. It says 1 bag has the same caffeine as 1 cup of coffee. Yet, on the reliable Energy Fiend Caffeine Database, it says they have 20 milligrams per bean. And since there are 12 to 16 beans in a bag, this equates to 240 to 320 milligrams of caffeine which is substantially higher than a typical 8 ounce cup of coffee. Despite this product having loads of caffeine, I must say I didn't feel much. I would put this about 1 notch below the big boys in energy drinks. The buzz lasted about 3 or 4 hours with a slight crash. I know it seems like I am saying that Shock-A-Lots aren't a great product, because they are. In fact, their amazing. It's just that the kick is arbitrary (240 to 320 milligrams of caffeine should have no problem wiring you). If you don't get a kick from 1 bag, eat 2. I know I was craving another bag of these things. But be careful with this one. They are extremely addictive and could have harmful effects if not taken responsibly. Try and limit 1 or 2 bags a day. Now go out and buy some Shock-A-Lots. 8.7 out of 10.

REVIEW OF MONSTER IMPORT

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 186 MILLIGRAMS PER 18.6 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 8.4 OUT OF 10.


This is one of the latest products from Monster Energy. Apparently, Monster saw this can design in Europe and said they had to have it. It comes in a slim 18.6 ounce can with a unique resealable top. It's not a cap, but more of a sliding mechanism that I can't explain. I opened the can and took a gulp. The flavor is definitely traditional Monster, which, if you don't know what that tastes like, I don't know what to tell you. Monster has a very unique flavor to it, somewhat similar to a green apple flavored candy when it's at room temperature. It's much smoother when it's cold so I highly recommend not drinking this warm or room temperature. Moving on now to the energy enhancing ingredients list. Per can it has 230 percent daily values of vitamins b2, b3, b6, and b12. It also has 2,300 milligrams of taurine, 460 milligrams of panax ginseng, and a 5,750 milligrams energy blend consisting of l-carnitine, glucose, caffeine, guarana, inositol, glucuronolactone, and maltodextrin. I have to hand it to Monster, they really know how to make a great energy blend. In all, this can boasts an energy blend of over 8,564 milligrams. That's over 460 milligrams of energy blend for every ounce. It's over 15 milligrams for every milliliter. It's not as big as Monster Nitrous but it's still darn good. Ok, onto the kick. This Monster was a little bit bigger than an original Monster which means it has more caffeine. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to drink the whole thing, but I did manage to at least get 16 ounces down. Since my caffeine tolerance is pretty high, I felt that the kick was just average. Just a nice mid-level boost with no jitters or crash. I think the main question is would I recommend this drink over regular Monster? The answer is no, unless you want to pay extra for less than 3 more ounces of liquid and a sweet looking can. I say get the original. Before I rate the product, let me tell you about some products I will review in the future. I'm still waiting for EX drinks to arrive at my doorstep but it the meantime I will be reviewing the Arizona Fast Shot, Arizona Energy Low Carb, Arizona Rescue Water Energy, and if the samples get here their will be Shock Coffee, Pit Bull, and some new stuff from 5150. Until then, see you tomorrow. 8.4 out of 10.

REVIEW OF ARIZONA A.M. AWAKE

CAFFEINE CONTENT: UNKNOWN.


RATING: 8 OUT OF 10.

Along with the P.M. Relax shot I reviewed a few days ago, This A.M. Awake Shot is also developed by nutritionist Oz Garcia, PH.D. So, that's basically all the background I can give you so let's get right to the taste. Like normal shots, this comes in a 2 ounce resealable bottle. I unscrewed the top and slammed down the citrus green tea flavored shot. The flavor isn't what I would call great. I've never been a fan of tea shots, although Dragon Pearl did do a nice job. I would describe the flavor as simply being a citrus and green tea flavor with a bitter aftertaste. I felt that the overall flavor wasn't that bad but the aftertaste wasn't pleasant. Let's face it, no one likes bitterness. Upon looking at the label I was extremely impressed with Arizona's 2,060 milligrams Performance Blend. Here is the big list. glutamine, l-valine, l-leucine, l-isoleucine, wild green oat extract, rhodiola rosea, acetyl-l-carnitine, gingko biloba, pomegranate extract, taurine, kola nut extract, n-acetyl-l-tyrosine, guarana, bacopa monniera extract, resveratrol, dmae, choline bitartrate, phosphatidyl serine, and vinpocetine. It also has 10 percent daily value of riboflavin, 50 percent daily value of niacin, 10 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 125 percent daily value of folic acid, 5,000 percent daily value of vitamin b12, and 10 percent daily value of pantothenic acid. Where is the caffeine? Although caffeine isn't listed in either the Performance Blend or the ingredients list, this shot does contain caffeine, but how much? Arizona says the caffeine content is comparable to 2 cups of coffee, which is almost always a meaningless phrase since it varies on how you make your coffee. But we will make the best of it and say that this shot has around 200 milligrams of caffeine, although we cannot be sure of that amount. Alright, onto the kick. Arizona's latest energy shot gave me a decent kick. I got a medium low boost that lasted about 2 or 3 hours. For a "seasoned veteran" like me, that's pretty good. Nowadays, the only energy drinks that really give me a substantial boost are hardcore energy drinks like American Body Building, Spike, and others. I would recommend this shot for someone who wants to get a boost in the morning before they go to work. Final Rating? 8 out of 10.

REVIEW OF ARIZONA ENERGY

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 200 MILLIGRAMS PER 15 OUNCE CAN.


RATING: 8 OUT OF 10.

Almost everyone has heard of Arizona Iced Tea, especially Arizona Arnold Palmer. This is Arizona's latest run down the energy drink isle. It's called AZ Energy, but since I hate abbreviations we'll call it Arizona Energy. Arizona Energy comes in a black and white 15 ounce can with great artwork on it. This is a very nice can design, definitely one of the best I have seen. Since this drink is made by Arizona Beverage Company, I was expecting an iced tea flavor. Upon looking at the ingredients, it seemed this was more of a fruit based drink then a tea based drink. Either way the taste was outstanding. All of the natural fruit flavors were coming through (pear, apple, mango, and peach) and it was just amazing. Normally I can only taste the apple or grape or whatever but this time I could taste every single juice. The drink does contain a measly 10  percent juice. This is without any question one of the best tasting energy drinks I have tried. This drink does also has a great energy blend. It has 25.6 grams of glucose, 2 grams of taurine, 200 milligrams of caffeine, 200 milligrams of l-carnitine, 200 milligrams of panax ginseng extract, 200 milligrams of inositol, 200 milligrams of guarana seed extract, 200 milligrams of glucuronolactone, and 70 milligrams of milk thistle. If you leave out the glucose, you are left with a 3,270 milligrams energy blend. Add the glucose and you have a crazy 28,870 milligrams of energy blend. That equates to almost 2 grams of the energy blend for every once of liquid. That's insane except for the fact that I will have to take some points off because of the glucose. Glucose is basically just a simple sugar. Before I get to the kick, let me just say that I have a very high tolerance to caffeine. Now don't come barging in with comments saying that you can drink 5 pots of coffee or something. I only weigh about 103 pounds, I'm 5 foot 7 and I am 16 years old. I'm not exactly some 250 pound heavyweight that can suck down 10 Monsters without being phased. With that out of the way, I suppose you are guessing that there wasn't much of a kick. You would be right. The only energy drinks that truly work for me are the hardcore energy drinks such as American Body Building. However, don't shy away from this drink. I would drink this anytime. Why? Because the taste is phenomenal. I wouldn't even need an energy boost from it. It tastes that good. 8 out of 10.

REVIEW OF MONSTER X-PRESSO HAMMER

Courtesy of The Impulsive Buy

CAFFEINE CONTENT: UNKNOWN.


RATING: 8.8 OUT OF 10.


While Indulging myself in the plethora of samples I have, it's nice to go back to the basics. At a Meijer Gas Station I spotted a Monster X-Presso Hammer. This is the latest drink from Monster and it certainly isn't cheap. At $2.50 for a 6.75 ounce can, it's cheaper then a shot, but for an energy drink, it's a bit pricey. Since they use expresso I was hoping the taste would be a rich coffee flavor. Thankfully, I was right. This espresso based beverage was probably the best coffee drink I have ever had. The espresso is rich and creamy-it didn't taste like I was drinking coffee flavored milk. I could tell that they were using quality espresso in this drink. If you want an espresso based drink, skip the Starbucks Doubleshot and get one of these. Obviously Monster couldn't leave without putting in their energy blend so here goes. It has 1.7 milligrams of vitamin b2 (103 percent daily value), 20 milligrams of vitamin b3 (103 percent daily value), 2 milligrams of vitamin b3 (103 percent daily value), .006 milligrams of vitamin b12 (103 percent daily value), 1,000 milligrams of taurine, 200 milligrams of panax ginseng, and they Monster Energy Blend which is glucose, l-carnitine, caffeine, inositol, l-glucoronolactone, guarana, and maltodextrin. The Energy Blend tops out at 2,500 milligrams. Add the taurine, ginseng, and b vitamins and you get nearly 3,724 milligrams of energy blend in one can. That equates to almost 552 milligrams of energy blend in every ounce. Not too shabby at all. As for the caffeine content, I am yet to know how much is in this drink. Energy Fiend says it is comparable to all their other coffee drinks (160 milligrams), but What I Drink At Work claims that it has a massive 225 milligrams of caffeine. 225 milligrams would put it at the same level of concentration as the Cocaine Energy Drink I reviewed yesterday. So to solve my dilemma, I e-mailed Monster and asked them the amount. As soon as I get a reply with an amount, I will change the "Unknown" up at the top. Ok, now onto the kick. I slammed Monster X-Presso Hammer when I was really tired. I don't know what was going on but I was dead. X-Presso perked me up a little. Not a lot, but a little. It was a nice jitter free low to mid level boost that lasted about 3 hours. I have had a lot better drinks in the past, but this one still gets the job done fairly well. 8.8 out of 10.

REVIEW OF COCAINE

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 280 MILLIGRAMS PER 8.4 OUNCE CAN. 

RATING: 9.6 OUT OF 10.


This is the original flavor of the Cocaine Energy Drink made by Redux Beverages. I already told you about the history of Cocaine Energy Drink in my review of Cocaine mild so I'm going to leave that alone for this review. Cocaine comes in a firetruck red can with the name "Cocaine"' written in what looks like either chalk or cut cocaine (the illicit cocaine). Regardless of what the font is, I cracked the top and took a gulp. The bright red fluid hit my palate as a sweet cherry flavor, but after that it was the most unique taste sensation I have ever come across. Slowly, a peppery heat started to creep up my throat. My mouth and tongue didn't feel like I had taken something spicy, but my throat was beginning to feel like I generous pinch of pepper. Then my throat went almost completely numb. This is the coolest drink I have ever tried. First it's this cherry flavor and then it just morphs into this....peppery awesomeness. Definitely a 10 in my book. So unique. Alright, before I get to the energy blend I'm just going to point out that this drink has 280 milligrams of caffeine. That's a crap load for an 8 ounce drink. So, with that covered, here is the rest of the list. It has 750 milligrams of taurine, 100 milligrams of inositol, 300 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 600 percent daily value of vitamin b12, 100 percent daily value of vitamin c (who says energy drinks aren't healthy?), 50 milligrams of l-carnitine, and 250 milligrams of d-ribose. So that is 8 energy enhancing ingredients. Pretty darn good. Alright, the kick was the ultimate test for this drink as I only got 4 or 5 true hours of sleep. I sipped on this for about 30 minutes and waited for a nice buzz (ha, buzz get it?). The drink definitely woke me up with mid-level jitter free energy. Now, mid-level might seem low for a drink this concentrated, but I was completely exhausted. In conclusion, the original Cocaine Energy Drink gets a whopping 9.6 out of 10. Moving into number 7 in my Top 10 Energy Products.

REVIEW OF COCAINE MILD

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 280 MILLIGRAMS PER 8.4 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 9.4 OUT OF 10.


Well here we have the infamous Cocaine Energy Drink made by Redux Beverages. When this drink first came out, it had quite a sketchy marketing scheme. Not only did they use the name Cocaine, but they also used tag lines such as "The Legal Alternative", "Speed in a Can", and so on. The drink was banned by the Food and Drug Administration for having false statements about their product. In 2009, the drink came back with a new name: Censored. Censored then became No Name, a simple white strip where consumers can put their own name. Then finally, Redux decided to use the Cocaine name yet again, and this time it stuck. The first difference I noticed in the two products in the old Cocaine says "The Legal Alternative" at the top rim. The newer version says "High Caffeine Energy Supplement" and high caffeine is right. They also have changed their warning label. It now reads "This message is for the people who are too stupid to recognize the obvious. This product does not contain the drug cocaine (duh). This product is not intended to be an alternative to an illicit street drug, and anyone who thinks otherwise is an idiot." That message always gets a laugh from me. Ok, now on to the taste. I briefly examined the solid blue can, proceeded to crack open the top, and took a sip. The flavor is best described as a mixed berry flavor with some Red Bull going on in the background. For having such a high amount of caffeine (yes there was a little bitterness) this tasted awesome. I loved the mixed berry flavor mixed with that traditional energy drink flavor, definitely a twist. Alright, now that we have the taste covered it's time for the energy enhancing ingredients. It has 750 milligrams of taurine, 100 milligrams of inositol, 300 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 600 percent daily value of vitamin b12, 100 percent daily value of vitamin c, 50 milligrams of l-carntine, and 250 milligrams of d-ribose. Alright so that is.......? Did I forget something? Oh yeah! Caffeine. I almost forgot to tell you about it's insane amount of caffeine. It has 280 milligrams of the white stuff (no, not that white stuff, stop snorting that, your freaking nose is gonna fall off. Seriously, stop.) 280 milligrams of caffeine. Can't get a nice mental picture? Let me give you some comparisons. That's 8 cans of Coke (again, not that kind of Coke, they don't even sell it in cans. At least I don't think they do....hmmm.) or 5 cans of Mountain Dew. But the biggest comparison is 3 and a half Red Bulls worth of caffeine in the same sized can. That's just a lot of caffeine. And now the moment you've all been waiting for....the kick. Well, I have to say the 280 milligrams of caffeine took a little bit to kick in, but when it did, it was nice. I could no longer hold off the chore I was supposed to do, and I just randomly decided to run a mile on the treadmill. I wanted to break 8 minutes, so I set off at 7.8 miles per hour (7:30 mile, give or take a few seconds) at finished in 7 minutes and 43 seconds: My personal best. Needless to say I was dead afterwords. Overall, this drink does have a pretty good kick. If you find that your favorite drinks like Red Bull or Monster just aren't cutting it anymore, then reach for one of these babies. Oh and by the way, seriously, lay off that stuff. Seriously. The final rating is a 9.4. Extremely good, but not enough to make the top 10.

REVIEW OF ARIZONA P.M. RELAX

CAFFEINE CONTENT: UNKNOWN.

RATING: 8.4 OUT OF 10.


Ever since Purple Drank first hit the shelves, multiple companies have now jumped on the bandwagon of anti-energy drinks. Anti-energy drinks are simply drinks that help you unwind after a stressed out or caffeinated out day. Most of these drinks contain melatonin, valerian root, and rose hips. Recently, Arizona Ice Tea decided to jump on the bandwagon. Developed by celebrity nutritionist Oz Garcia, Ph.D the Arizona fast shots were born. They come in too different styles: A.M Awake and P.M. Relax. For now we will be focusing on the P.M. Relax. First of, it's a 2 ounce shot so I wasn't expecting it to taste very good. I unscrewed the lid, and took a swig. The flavor is a very sweet iced tea flavor. It only contains 3 grams of sugar, but the drink is loaded with acesulfame potassium and sucralose. Sucralose, or Splenda, is 600 times more sweet than table sugar and it definitely showed in this drink. It has quite an exceptional taste, however  the only downside is the supreme sweetness. And that isn't really a down side at all. Ok, moving on to the anti-energy drink relaxation inducing ingredients. It has 1,050 milligrams of a proprietary blend consisting of inositol, chamomile, l-theanine, magnesium aspartate, gaba, wild green oat extract, resveratrol, and zinc aspartate. It also contains 10 milligrams (500 percent of your daily value) of vitamin b6. Now, most energy drinks use vitamin b complex as a tool to give you more energy. I'm not entirely sure if vitamin b6 is proven to give you a boost, but it seems funny that they are putting it into their drink. What really interested me was the brewed green tea. It doesn't say anywhere on the bottle that the tea is decaffeinated. Although green tea has a minimal amount of caffeine, it still surprises me that they would put it in there. Perhaps it's because they are an iced tea company and they have to put tea in everything they sell. Ok, so how about the anti-kick. Well, it's summer vacation (albeit it's over in 5 days, including today) so my stress levels are usually in the tank. I decided to down the shot anyway while watching Ms. Doubtfire. I could feel my body slowly go into a daze. It's a very interesting effect. I actually did feel quite relaxed and tired. However, the effects were not strong enough to put me to bed at 10 o'clock or make me so tired that I didn't want to surf the world of Youtube on my Ipod. Overall, the Arizona P.M. Relax Fast Shot is a great tasting product with moderate effects. 8.4 out of 10.

REVIEW OF DRAGON PEARL

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 100 MILLIGRAMS PER 2 OUNCE BOTTLE.

RATING: 7.8 OUT OF 10.


While I am still being bombarded with samples, I decided to review Dragon Pearl Super Natural Energy. Dragon Pearl is a 2 ounce shot with the caffeine equivalent of 3 cups of green tea. That's 100 milligrams according to Energy Fiend. Right of the bat, I like this shot. We all know that green tea is good for you, it's loaded with antioxidants and polyphenols. So to base a shot off of it is a great idea. Unscrewing the top and taking a whiff, I noticed a lovely grape smell mixed with sweet green tea. Upon taking a sip, the fruits (grape, pomegranate, blueberry, and acai) of the drink took a front seat at first. Then, the green tea takes over the top spot and leaves a bitter aftertaste. This shot is certainly better than the one Steaz offered. Alright, with taste gone it's time to talk about the energy blend. It has absolutely nothing besides good, wholesome, concentrated green tea. And of course some citric acid and the fruit concentrates I mentioned earlier. I like it that way. Tea doesn't need guarana or taurine or anything like that. It just needs simple, honest to god, caffeine. Right, so the kick. Well I took this shot before running a mile on a treadmill. I got the loud music going, cranked the treadmill to 7 miles per hour, and set off. Now, 7 miles per hour is an 8 and a half minute mile and I wanted to beat 8 minutes. I'm only 5 foot 6 so my stride is not that lengthly. Unfortunately, I didn't crack 8 minutes, but my focus and energy allowed me to do the mile in 8 minutes and 5 seconds: my personal best. I then recovered, and then set off headbanging to Slipknot, Skillet, Trapt, and other hard rock/metal bands. The energy then tapered off 2 or 3 hours later. A bit short lived, but certainly fun while it lasted. To end, the Dragon Pearl Energy Shot gets a 7.8 out of 10.