Energy Drink Guru

Hot into to EDG Labs we have some Citrus Crunk to review today!

This FULL 16 oz can is bright vibrant yellow calling your name to open it!  Let’s crack this beast open!

Upon opening you get a nice lemon juice aroma that reminds you of those small plastic lemon shaped juice containers.   Citrus Crunk displays a cloudy looking color similar to clam broth but smells MUCH better!

First sip will awaking your taste buds like a warhead candy and demands your attention! CC has very minimal carbonation and once you get past that first initial sour bit this is a tasty beverage.  We sampled this drink on a 92 degree day and ice cold Citrus CRUNK goes down smooth and is very refreshing.  If I poured this into a pitcher and served it at a picnic the guest would never guess it was an energy drink!  I did notice a nice little afternoon energy pick me up that carried me until dinner.

CC has a rich real lemon taste similar to old fashioned lemonade that hits the spot.

There is very minimal aftertaste and a slight film on your tongue but goes away quickly.

CC offers the kitchen sink when it comes to goodies: Ashwaganda, caffeine, ginkgo, ginseng, guarana, horny goat weed, inositol, licorice, green tea leaf, grape seed, skull cap, white willow bark and milk thistle!

With the summer heat in full force, if you serve Citrus CRUNK ice cold this gets 2 thumbs up!

EDG Recommended!

HOT OFF THE PRESS: The rumored Starbucks energy coffee drinks are here and in my hands at the EDG labs! We have all 3 flavors that we will be sampling for this review.

The minute after the FedEx driver left I popped these cans into the fridge and wanted to sample one later that day! The overall design of the cans is good, has the same similar style that other coffee energy drinks are using. The well known Starbucks green circle logo is top dead center to confirm what you are drinking. I like the can design and layout, they are using the 15 oz can which is probably going to become the standard for future tall boy energy drinks.
We have chosen to sample the Coffee drink first to use as our baseline. Once we opened this can you smell a nice strong coffee aroma that is very inviting and peaks your interest. SBX Coffee has a nice caramel color, non carbonated and displays a thick rich look when poured into a glass. (The aroma smells great but I am having flashbacks to Monster Java that just wasn’t too good) First sip is very robust and you immediately notice how SMOOTH and velvety this drink is. I was in shock how good this tasted, let me try another swig to make sure…. yup it’s that friggin good. I didn’t notice any aftertaste and there was no film on the tongue afterwards! I have sampled many other coffee + energy drinks and they don’t stand a chance against the Starbucks ones!

Mocha was the can we decided to sample next and it was very similar in aroma and color but possibly a tad mellower. The texture and flavor were still smooth as silk and you could possibly taste a slight chocolaty overtone but nothing overpower which was nice.

Vanilla was the final can of the trio, pretty much the same applies here but add a slight hint of vanilla. I thought the aroma of the vanilla drink was stronger than the actual taste.

Doubleshot includes the following goodies: Guarana, ginseng, caffeine, taurine, vitamin A, B6, B12, C +D. Starbucks uses sugar and not HFCS which is a nice touch also.

Look for this on your local store shelves later part of June with an estimated price of $2.59/can.

Conclusion: Starbucks has a winner on their hands, Monster Java might as well pack it up and head home. I am not sure if it’s because SBX uses better coffee or ingredients but Monster Java has such a harsh taste. If you’re looking for a great morning drink for a hot summer day, look no further! I felt a nice little pick me up boost but no shakes like some of the other energy drink! EDG Recommended!

The 2008 MotoGP season just finished its first testing session and it’s going to be a great year!  Monster has been big with the AMA Supercross series but it looks like they want to get in big leagues and get some MotoGP exposure!  Redbull sponsors the Lagu Seca race and Indianapolis so it’s nice to see Monster get in on some of the action!

From a press release issued by Kawasaki Racing:

“KAWASAKI ANNOUNCE MONSTER PARTNERSHIP

The Kawasaki Racing Team is excited to announce that it will be joining forces with the meanest energy drink on the planet, Monster Energy, for its assault on the 2008 and 2009 MotoGP World Championships.

One of the two leading energy drink brands in the United States, Monster Energy has an undoubted passion for racing, with involvement in many motorsport activities worldwide. The partnership with Kawasaki in MotoGP, the pinnacle of two-wheeled motorsport, is a natural progression for Monster Energy, as they look to expand into the European market following their successful collaboration with Kawasaki’s factory road racing and motocross teams in America.

It’s an exciting start to a new era for the Kawasaki Racing Team. The two-year partnership with Monster Energy marks the first time that a major consumer brand has appeared on the side of Kawasaki’s Ninja ZX-RR MotoGP machines since the Japanese engineering powerhouse returned to the premier class six years ago, after an absence of more than two decades.

The Kawasaki Racing Team’s new livery, complete with Monster Energy branding, will be unveiled for the first time during pre-season testing in Phillip Island, Australia on 29 January, when riders, John Hopkins and Anthony West, continue their build up to the 2008 MotoGP season.”

I will be at the Indy GP race in September and hopefully Redbull and Monster will be dishing out the free samples like they do at other events!

I must give props to Rob for scoring me this sweet sealed case of Omega Energy! Fuse discontinued the Omega line of energy drinks for some reason and you can’t find it anymore… Rob managed to find this gem stashed in a back of a C-store in Georgia!!

As you all know Omega is one of my all time favorite energy drinks!!!

Rob, thanks for liquid gold!

Do you have an odd ball drink that you really love but don’t find many people that share your same feeling? EDG wants to hear from you about your good ‘ol standby!! Send me over something good and I’ll even post it up as a guest entry! Send your entries to energydrinkguru {at} gmail {dot} com.

One of my old time favorites has been discontinued by Fuse it was Omega Energy (Mango Passionfruit). My buddy Rob introduced me to this fine nectar and it was an instant hit in my energy drink book! This drink was the perfect compliment to a draggin’ ass Monday morning, fresh vibrant orangy passionfruit flavor that just got ya going even before the taurine and ginseng hit ya! This drink was in the #1 position for quite some time in my ratings book. Rockstar Guava is in my current top 3 along with Omega but not quite sure if it takes the win.

It’s just not the same anymore with Omega in the fridge!  If you have seen Omega in you r area please drop me a line, I need to get me some more!!!!!!!!

Time for bed, I’m outta here for tonight!

Today we have another selection from the Rockstar “Juiced” line. Rockstar Guava has a pretty cool purple can with a diamond plate design and black/gold lettering.RS Guava has sweet fruity aroma when you crack the can open, pinkish/red color and mild carbonation. If you have ever flown on an inner island in Hawaii they give you these little 4 oz cups of guava juice and this drink will remind you of it.

RSG used to be 70% juice but that had been knocked down to 50% juice but the same great taste is still there! I really enjoy this drink, you can crack one of these open first thing in the morning and serve it at breakfast (to people that say they don’t like energy drinks).

This drink really breaks out of the standard energy drink taste and brings a new flavor to the table! Props to Rockstar on this grade A winner! I rate this drink in my top 3 of energy drinks I have sampled!