Let me take the guess work out of buying energy drinks for you! Energy Drink Reviews

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!

Let’s jet into the weekend with Jetset Energy Original review!

Jetset has a fun looking can with the Austin Powers swirl effect in the background, the DJ working a pair of turntables on the backside of the can and all the world clocks at the top of the can. I did notice the can was slightly large than a Redbull at 10.5oz (310mL) so you score an extra swig or two with Jetset!

Lets crack this can open and start this review………. Jetset offers a very similar aroma to the ‘bull and has a strong orange/gold color that draws your attention. The color, aroma and taste also remind me of a drink called “Dark Scorpion” and that was a tasty drink also. Jetset has very fine micro bubbles that assault your tongue, I am not a fan of heavy carbonation but I enjoyed the micro bubbles! I also noticed some there is a metallic aftertaste if you take a small sip but if you take a big swig you don’t notice it that much. There is a slight aftertaste/cottonmouth but nothing more than a light residue film that disappears after 60 secs.

Jetset has a slightly tart flavor, it’s milder than Monster but similar to Red Bull.  Edit 8/7/08  I just had another Jetset and I noticed more cottonmouth and aftertaste than I had originally posted.

Jetset offers the usually suspects:HFCS, 1000mg taurine, 50mg inositol, 25mg ginseng, 120mg caffeine, 25mg guarana and B vitamins.

If you are out and about, grab a Jetset and let me know what you think.

Amp Elevate is part of a new 3 flavor release by Mt Dew.  The can design is similar to the others but I really dig the blue color combo and blue pull tab!

Elevate is branded as “Focus” with L-Theanine, this is the first energy drink I have sampled that has highlighted this amino acid that is normally found in tea.  Theanine has been shown to reduce mental and physical stress and also promotes alpha wave production in the brain.

Let’s crack this open and see what we get!!!!  I spy a crimson maroon color that is slightly cloudy upon pouring in a cup. (Very similar to Chambord liqueur)  The first sip produces a very sharp taste followed by strong carbonation that assaults your tongue.  I can handle the strong carbby feel that Elevate provides, it’s not overpowering or distracting.

Elevate is listed as a “Blast of Mixed Berry” and I will agree 100% on that, there is almost any kind of berry you can think of…. blueberry, cranberry, raspberry, blackberry and it finishes up with a light citrus aftertaste and a slight filmy residue on the roof of your mouth!

As for the goodies it seems that L-Theanine is the highlight that provided a nice focus factor (which could be all BS but I thought so), only 248mg of taurine, 160mg of caffeine, 148mg of guarana and 34mg of ginseng.

I would have no problem drinking Elevate anytime, it was refreshing, not overpowering and besides the slight filmy aftertaste I’d give this 2 thumbs up!

Today I found a can of Amp Traction at the local C-store this morning and had to pick it up. The can looks cool but the $2.69 price tag was not… (OUCH) but me being the energy drink whore I couldn’t pass it up.

Amp Traction (AT) has a black & purple can with a purple pull tab releases a heavy grape aroma once opened. The grape aroma is very inviting, smells good and so far the whole package is looking nice. Once we sample the AT we discover a very faint grape taste, the aroma does not even come close to matching the taste at all… I would compare this to a mild tasting Mountain Dew Pitch Black, it was a very forgettable taste that left me disappointed.

AT has very minimal carbonation, light metallic tingle on the tip of your tongue but does leave that filmy residue on the roof of your mouth. I would give this drink a high “hawker factor”… you could produce a mean high volume hawker to spit after just 1/3 of a can of Amp Traction.

Traction includes taurine, guarana, caffeine, d-Ribose, ginseng, HFCS and B vitamins.

Overall I could drink a whole can of this with no problem, but it tastes like a plain dull grape soda.

Radioactive Energy (RE) comes in a 10.5 oz can with a vinyl overlay label. The label is pretty cool since it will glow in the dark BUT you need to hold the label to a light to “charge” it for a better view.

RE has a dull yellow color with no foamy head when poured into a glass. I really couldn’t smell a distinct aroma that was describable so I will call this a dull aroma.

Radioactive has a very sour / bitter taste that will really make you pucker up on that first sip. I did not find my first sip pleasant at all, I was ready to pour out the rest of the can….. RE is not sweet tasting by any means but it is very dry and has a blah aftertaste that I can’t pinpoint. RE is a very forgettable drink, it does not have an qualities that really make this stand out besides the name and label. I do have to mention that this drink gets SLIGHTLY better after the first few sips, but I would still have to rate this 5/10.

Save your $2 and pick a different drink!

Today we are going to review a drink that Emilie was so kind to donate to the site. Mini Thin Rush (MTR) comes in a 2 oz plastic screw top bottle with a plastic color wrap and the slogan of “Feel the RUSH!”. The label shows various activities such as swimming, bike riding, tennis and basketball.

Mini Thin Rush claims

*Instant Energy

*No Crash

*Sugar Free - less than 1 carb

This version of MTR is berry flavor and once you open the top it has a very fragrant fruit punch aroma that is very pleasing, reminds me of Hawaiian Punch. We have just sampled Rockstar Punch not too long ago so I was thinking MTR may be similar due to the aroma and solid red color….. I was wrong in every aspect of that assumption. MTR taste nothing like it smells, this has a very medicinal flavor that reminds me of Robitussion cough syrup. I could even create a new category called Jekyll and Hyde since this is such a drastic change from smell to taste. Once you get past the medicine taste MTR will leave a slight metallic aftertaste.

OK, enough with the taste… what does 6 hr energy do for you? The first time I sampled this drink I didn’t really notice much of a pick up boost…. I then tried it again the next day and noticed a good 3 hr boost of energy that didn’t crash on me.

Bottom line: Mini Thin Rush does not taste good BUT it can give you a energy boost without having to drink a 16 oz can of other drinks. Twist the cap, slug it down and move along!

Today we are sampling Nature’s Nitro2Go thanks to Rob who donated this drink to EDG for review! N2G has a different look on each side, the picture you see here is the vertical design and the other side offers a horizontal design that claims “Liquified Intensity”

Once you crack open N2G you don’t really notice any distinct aroma, just the standard hints of Red Bull. N2G has a solid gold color and is super fizzy when pured into a glass. (Just think draft beer) I would classify this drink as a champagne of energy drinks, you need to sip this drink you don’t chug it. The carbonation will work your tongue overtime and then you will notice the similar taste of red bull but with some fruitier overtones!

Nitro includes Vitamins C, B6 + B12, niacin (without the flush feel), inositol, taurine and caffeine.

Overall this is not a bad drink, fruity taste and smell but ranks in with all the other average drinks out there.

Recoil Energy will grab your attention with the military inspired can and the long set of legs shown on this can! The can shows a tall girl with camo hot pants, holding a SKS rifle and wearing some belt fed ammo over her shoulder! I give credit to the marketing team for this design!

Here is a quick blurb from the distributors website:

“How are you going to get through a long day of work, soccer practices, and bedtime stories? Samantha’s RECOIL ENERGY is specifically formulated to give that needed boost. RECOIL ENERGY reinvigorates you with L-Carnitine, Taurine, Ginseng, and B Vitamins with only five calories per can (8.3 FL OZ). RECOIL ENERGY gives you that extra boost without the diet busting sugar. At the office or on-the-go, RECOIL ENERGY will help you outlast the competition. RECOIL ENERGY is an integral part of the Samantha Lyle Fitness Plan.”

Lets crack this can open and see what we get…. the aroma is very faint and cant really describe but maybe a slight Red Bull smell.

Recoil has a yellowish gold color that is pretty similar to multiple other energy drinks we have sampled.

The first sip of Recoil is very sweet, I think this may be due to the artificial sweeteners (this is the same for almost all sugar free energy drinks) but it is only 5 calories for those of you interested. There are very tiny carbonation bubbles that attack your tongue to produce a nice effervescent feel. The taste that recoil offers is similar to a citrus Jello, not lemon but something in that range. Unfortunately Recoil has a very forgettable taste that really stand out… Some people may like that feature but I personally like a more robust tasting energy drink.

I would rate the energy boost of Recoil similar to a Red Bull, no niacin flush feel and it doesn’t give you the shakes which is good! Recoil normally sells for $2.49/can but I want to say thanks to Adam for sending me this sample to review!

Hot off the shelf from the local Speedway gas station, EDG is proud to bring you Monster Mixxd! Monster has just release another batch of new flavors and this is the first one (energy + juice) that I have found.

The can is very similar to the M80 design but with purple, not a bad looking can. The pull tab is black and has the “M” etched on it.

Lets crack this open and see what we get…. very little carbonation upon opening and minimal fizz when poured into a glass. Mixxd has a deep purple color that almost looks like a cola from certain angles and light conditions. The first swig of Mixxd is very interesting….. it reminds me of a diet cola mixed with prune juice. (yes, that bad) I had to call in a second opinion from my coworkers to confirm my findings and they all agreed on the prune juice flavor and smell. I have to admit that Mixxd gets better after a few swigs, that first one really shocks you!! I had left a few sips in my glass while I took some phone calls and I decided to drink that about 20 mins later. WOW, what a difference 20 mins made on this flavor! The horrible prune taste has disappeared and now we have smooth apple / grape taste that is smooth, finishes cleans and no aftertaste at all! I didn’t know energy drink were like fine wine, we have to sample certain type at specific temperatures!

Mixxd includes all your standard goodies that previous Monster drinks had (taurine, ginseng, B vitamins, guarana, inositol and L-carnitine)

Overall I rate this as an average drink, I will not be running out to buy more but if someone gave me a can I would be more than happy to drink it.

If you don’t like it….. Monster will refund your $$$ (Limit 1 refund per customer)

Seems to be a big run on “punch” flavor drinks lately…. But let’s get to it and start off 2008 with NOS Fruit Punch!

NOSFP comes in a red can with their trademark style logo and similar to the other drinks in the NOS family. When you first crack open this can it gives you a strong Hawaiian Punch aroma that makes you wonder if this really is an energy drink….. Now that you’re done sniffing lets take a swig and see what we get: we start with medium carbonation that lightly tingles your tongue, the flavor has some bite on the back of your tongue and it changes as it sits in your mouth. I would venture to say that NOSFP tastes like a generic fruit punch flavor that has hints of cherry near the end. I was totally stoaked after drinking Rockstar Punched so NOSFP had some big shoes to fill and NOS totally let me down… I was not pleased with this drink, you will be better off with a RS punched or even a BooKoo Punch.

Cottonmouth…. unfortunately NOSFP will give you some cottonmouth and that is not very refreshing or thirst quenching.

Overall I was rather disappointed with this drink!