Review for Go Fast

CAFFEINE CONTENT

182 mg

EASE IN ACQUISITION—4

While easier to come by than most other products the company produces, you still may have to look around a bit to find it.  Just be patient, and you’re bound to come across it eventually.

APPEARANCE/PRESENTATION—8

The appearance is relatively standard—lots of red with diagonal logo front and center—but still different enough to ensure that it won’t be overlooked.  A nice touch is the gold emblem certifying its approval by the American Masters of Taste.  However subjective a factor taste may be, the seal itself is quite enough to pique one’s curiosity (now the question is…to get the seal, does one need to actually taste good, or do they just buy the American Masters of Taste out?), as evidenced by my purchase.

TASTE—6

With the seal on the can in mind, I took a swig, and…I don’t know what to think.  It’s unique to be sure, but it is one of the strangest drinks I’ve ever tasted.  There is a taste and sweetness that reminds me of honey (no surprise there; it’s the first ingredient listed on the front of the can), a tartness that reminds me of lemon, and a cooling effect in my mouth and throat after the fact that reminds me of mint…so, maybe carbonated honey, lemon, and mint tea?  I’m going to just say grab a can and try it, decide for yourself what it is and how you feel about it.  I’m still at the point where I’m not sure about either.

KICK (INTENSITY) —8

Leaving the thoroughly strange taste behind, Go Fast delivered a heck of a pick-me-up.  There were some very mild jitters, but mostly I just felt very clear of head and very lucid.  If only for that effect alone, it’s an experience worth buying the can for.

KICK (DURATION) —8

We’ve established that Go Fast will make you do just that, and once you’re going, you will be for hours.  The post-energetic period was uneventful, with no crash worth remembering.

THE DRINK OVERALL—7

I very much liked the kick Go Fast provided, it’s just the taste that I’ve taken off points for, and that only because I really have no idea what to make of it.  I’m going to give my recommendation if any out there would like to give it a shot; as for myself, I’m going to get a few more reviews taken care of and maybe give Go Fast another shot after that.  I’d really like to see how I feel about the taste a second time around.

WEBSITE: gofastsports.com

KEYWORDS: Go Fast Energy Drink review, stronger for longer, sports energy drink

Review for Jolt Orange Blast

CAFFEINE CONTENT

186 mg

EASE IN ACQUISITION—2

As with all Jolt products in the battery can (except the cola), this one’s been discontinued.  Looking to try it?  Good luck finding it.

APPEARANCE/PRESENTATION—7

The battery can idea is cool, even if it’s a little plain looking.  As with the other cans of the line, it feels very comfortable in one’s hand.  Not 100% certain why it’s so notably so.

TASTE—6

Out of all the discontinued Jot beverages, this is the one I like the most, though I wouldn’t say that I love it…not by a long shot.  It’s got a pretty potent medicinal aftertaste, and the balance between the sweet and sour of the orange flavor is pretty subpar, but still, I could still get it down without having to take breaks for the sake of my gag reflex or wince every time I take a swig.

KICK (INTENSITY) —8

I didn’t find the kick to be out-of-the-ballpark awesome, or especially unique in terms of effect.  This said, it still performed admirably, placing me at a point where I was more substantially awake than especially jittery.  Which is a nice place to be.  Sometimes.

KICK (DURATION) —8

I found the extent of effectiveness to provide an experience similar to that I had with Jolt Passion Fruit—long-lasting peak, with a quick tapering off at the end.

THE DRINK OVERALL—7

Well, the drink’s discontinued (or at least this variant has been), but really, you aren’t missing a whole lot.  The taste is so-so and the kick is decent.  How many other drinks are there out there that are like that, though?  Or better?  My answer: plenty.  If you missed your chance at it, move on unless you’re desperate, in which case I suggest keeping an eye out for it on eBay.  Otherwise, put off the ashes of mourning and find a better beverage.  There are plenty of ‘em out there.

WEBSITE: joltenergy.com

KEYWORDS: Jolt Orange Blast review, battery can, discontinued

Review for Jolt Passion Fruit

CAFFEINE CONTENT

186 mg

EASE IN ACQUISITION—2

I’d call this scarce, but one needs to take into account the fact that it’s been discontinued when contemplating ease in acquisition.  I don’t have a clue how common this would have been back in its day.

APPEARANCE/PRESENTATION—7

Jolt Passion Fruit presents with the same battery motif as Jolt Cherry Bomb, just with yellow highlighting the upper portion.  I’m not especially wild about the look, but I have to take into account the fact that the can feels so dang nice in my hand.  Wish more cans could be like that.

TASTE—5

Jolt Passion Fruit was far easier to get down than Cherry Bomb, even if I was far from wowed by the taste.  The initial sensation is relatively agreeable, but Jolt seems to have done a pretty half-hearted job of masking the taste of the caffeine and whatever other energy ingredients they have in there, a conclusion I reach from the fact that it reminds me more of the Triaminic formula for chest and nasal congestion than it does NOS.

KICK (INTENSITY) —8

The kick’s pretty decent, if it’s a bit less kicky than Cherry Bomb.  The sensation was reminiscent of a wall between the fatigue and myself—I had the feeling that the fatigue was there somewhere, but there was no way it was going to get to me anytime soon.

KICK (DURATION) —8

Jolt Passion Fruit was pretty dependable as far as staying power was concerned—my peak energy level (where there was that proverbial wall between myself and my fatigue) was fairly long-lasting, which is why it wasn’t surprising to me that the tapering off of the effectiveness was a little quicker than some.

THE DRINK OVERALL—7

To sum it up: good kick, not-so-good taste.  Well, to be perfectly fair, the actual taste isn’t that bad, it’s more the really noticeable medicinal aftertaste that you get after the fact that gets you.  If you don’t care about that sort of thing, well, this might be the beverage for you…if you can find it.  Which I wouldn’t plan on.

WEBSITE: joltenergy.com

KEYWORDS: Jolt Passion Fruit review, battery can, discontinued

Review for Jolt Cherry Bomb

CAFFEINE CONTENT

186 mg

EASE IN ACQUISITION—2

Pretty scattered in terms of where it can be found, though that may have something to do with the fact that it’s been discontinued.  I don’t know.  Just a thought.

APPEARANCE/PRESENTATION—7

The basic idea behind this particular generation of Jolt products is a battery can—long, black section, shorter section of varying colors (reddish-purplish, in this case), with a lid sporting a “+” sign in imitation of a positive terminal.  Overall, it’s a nice idea, even if the result is so-so.  Gotta say, the can fits quite nicely in one’s hand, which I consider to be to its credit.

TASTE—4

I’ve had good and bad experiences with cherry-flavored energy drinks, so I approached this one with an open mind.  The first whiff didn’t make much an impression, so I decided to take a swig—it’s not good.  Think Cherry Coke, except particularly thick and syrupy, with a cherry aftertaste that I found to be pretty sickly.  The overall experience is pretty far south of agreeable.

KICK (INTENSITY) —9

One thing I can say about Jolt is that it should deliver just that—Jolt Cherry Bomb’s kick was pretty formidable…if you want something fast acting and particularly effective, this is certainly an option.

KICK (DURATION) —9

Jolt Cherry Bomb shouldn’t let you down in terms of staying power…it will wake you up, and it will wake you up for hours.

THE DRINK OVERALL—7.33

So…in case you haven’t noticed, Jolt Cherry Bomb is a very effective energy drink, though I’m still not particularly enthused about the fact.  It’s the taste…to me it was just sick.  Don’t get me wrong, I was pleased with the results I got out of it, but there are drinks that taste much better that will do the same job or better, which are preferable to having to choke down an entire can of this stuff.

WEBSITE: joltenergy.com

KEYWORDS: Jolt Cherry Bomb review, Cherry Coke knockoff, battery can, discontinued

Review for Xenergy Xtreme Citrus Slam

CAFFEINE CONTENT

200 mg

EASE IN ACQUISITION—1

I found Xenergy Xtreme Citrus Slam to be particularly hard to come by, at least that’s the way things are in my neck of the woods.  But it’s going to vary, depending on where you live.  I might just do away with this category…at a later date.  NOTE (1-7-12)—It appears that Xenergy Xtreme Citrus Slam has been discontinued—it's vanished from the website.

APPEARANCE/PRESENTATION—7

The lemon yellow and lime green over black didn’t do much for me; it looked to me kind of what Sprite tried to toughen up its image.  Even if the getup isn’t terrible, it is pretty generic-looking.

TASTE—6

If you’ve been reading my Xenergy drink reviews up to this point, you probably expect to hear at least one of the following: 1) that Xenergy Xtreme Citrus Slam does have an authentic taste, as do the rest of the line, and for that is worthy of commendation, and 2) that the artificial sweeteners didn’t do it for me.  In this case, I found the sweetener blend particularly hard to deal with; there were moments where the aftertaste reminded me of the smell of the cadaver lab where I do a lot of studying.  Not pleasant, even if I doubt any of the ingredients here doubles as a tissue fixative.

KICK (INTENSITY) —9.5

All Xenergy drinks tend to rate pretty well in terms of potency, though it should be noted that this one stands out as the strongest of the line I’ve had so far, and should deliver a pretty significant wallop to anyone outside the influence of opiates and/or barbiturates.

KICK (DURATION) —9.5

As I experienced the blessedly potent effects of Xenergy Xtreme Citrus Slam, I began to worry…was it to last?  But a week or so before, the effects of Xenergy Xtreme Orange Fuel had forsaken me in the hour of my greatest need, and I was quite concerned that history was doomed to repeat itself.  Yet…no such thing occurred.  It was a solid four hours before the effects had worn off, and left me without a crash to deal with.

THE DRINK OVERALL—8.33

While contemplating how to word my final verdict, I concluded that while I wasn’t wild about the taste, the kick rocked­—this is definitely a beverage that means business.  For this kind of effect, I’m quite willing to overlook the flavor and give it the thumbs-up.

WEBSITE: www.xyience.com/index.cfm?fa=shop.beverages 

KEYWORDS: Xenergy Xtreme Citrus Slam Energy Drink review, authentic taste, official UFC energy drink, low carb, zero calories, sugar free, discontinued

Review for Bawls Guarana Cherry

CAFFEINE CONTENT

67 mg/10 oz. bottle

100 mg/16 oz. can

EASE IN ACQUISITION—4

Bawls Guarana Cherry is somewhat harder to find than the original, though it isn’t by any means impossible.  10 oz. bottles are also much easier to find than 16 oz cans, but this doesn’t matter unless you’re a collector like unto myself.

APPEARANCE/PRESENTATION—8 (CAN); 9 (BOTTLE)

The can features the same layout as the original Bawls Guarana can (Bawls logo/flavor up front and uniform pattern of white/silver circles over the rest of the can), the only difference being the use of metallic red as the background color.  The result is quite pleasing to the eye, even if it has a festive look that I’m not certain was intended (imagine the can at the center of a Christmas wreath…yeah, you get the idea).  The bottle gets an extra point for being very eye-catching with an extreme minimum of pretentiousness.

TASTE—9

The taste is not very different from the original, save for the expected hint of cherry.  As with the original, my first experience was a bit on the lukewarm side, but out of the chilled bottle—delicious.

10 OZ. BOTTLE

KICK (INTENSITY)—6

If you’ve read my review of the original 10 oz. bottle, you have the gist of what’s coming.  The boost I got from drinking 10 ounces of Bawls Guarana Cherry wasn’t the most formidable I’ve had—but, if all you’re looking for is something to give you a little extra pep, you couldn’t ask for better.

KICK (DURATION)—6

That pep I just mentioned lasted me about two and a half hours—like I said, a little on the low end if you’re really needing something heavy duty, but excellent if not.

THE DRINK OVERALL—7

Even though I’ll probably be sticking with the original, I would have no trouble picking up a bottle of Bawls Guarana Cherry again, and if you 1) liked the original Bawls, or 2) like cherry, this is something that I would recommend.

16 OZ. CAN

KICK (INTENSITY) —6.5

The kick from a can of Bawls Guarana Cherry lies on the border of what I consider to be adequate—enough perhaps to keep one awake while studying or driving, though looking back, I would probably pick something that packs more of a punch if I find I'm passing out.  I’m not as enthusiastic reporting on the can as I was on the bottle—while the bottle fit into its niche perfectly, this one’s more of an interniche drink—not quite strong enough for what it feels like it’s shooting for.

KICK (DURATION) —8

No real difference from the original—maybe by a hair.  My watch said about three hours and fifteen minutes.

THE DRINK OVERALL—7.83

I see no harm in grabbing a can of Bawls Guarana Cherry if one feels thus inclined, but my preference remains for the bottle.  If you like it enough, grab a can, but go with something else if you’re in need of a serious boost.

WEBSITE: bawls.com

KEYWORDS: Bawls Guarana Cherry Energy Drink review, 16 oz. can, 10 oz. clear bottle

Review for Bawls Guarana

CAFFEINE CONTENT

67 mg/10 oz.bottle

103 mg/16 oz. can

EASE IN ACQUISITION—5

Bawls Guarana comes in two sizes—a 10 oz. glass bottle and a 16 oz. can.  Around here, I can find the bottles if I look hard enough, but the cans (which I’ve been searching high and low for) are much more difficult to come by.  But unless you’re as OCD about what goes into your collection first as I am, you can just buy two bottles and you’re good for kick.

APPEARANCE/PRESENTATION—8 (CAN); 10 (BOTTLE)

Now, as for the can design—I like it.  It is exceptionally simple—logo and uniform pattern of white and silver rings over a very nice shade of blue serving as a background—but there is a good degree of boldness in that simplicity, and the result conveyed is a degree of confidence that other drinks have yet to match.  And as for the bottle—it’s an automatic 10 for being a bumped, cobalt blue beauty with contrasting white lettering and for having a resealable cap.  That’s just awesome.

TASTE—9

My first experience with Bawls Guarana left me feeling kind of lukewarm.  It was alright, I suppose, it was just…very different.  I wasn’t terribly certain how to feel about it.  Anyway, that was the can.  The second time around I bought a bottle, and I don’t know whether the taste had grown on me or whether Bawls just tastes better out of glass bottles, but I loved the stuff.  It was delicious.  It was fresh, clean, and almost citrusy—definitely not your run-of-the mill energy drink.

10 OZ. BOTTLE

KICK (INTENSITY)—6

Now, ordinarily, I don’t get enthusiastic when I give anything a 6 out of 10, but in this case I am.  This was the perfect pick-me-up after a long nap that left me feeling more groggy than usual—I drank it, and BZING—I was awake.  No cobwebs, no residual fatigue, nothing.  I wouldn’t say that this is the way to go if you’re passing out at the wheel and you have eight hours to go, but if you’re feeling a bit run down and just need one little boost to get you functional again—Bawls Guarana in a bottle has no equals.

KICK (DURATION)—6

Not terribly long lasting, but it didn’t need to be.  It was near the end of the day, and I didn’t need rock it like a hurricane for the next four or five hours.  The 2½ I got were just fine.

THE DRINK OVERALL—7

Bawls in a bottle is a situational sort of energy drink—not perfect for every situation, but for the situation in which I was in, I loved this drink.  This is the sort of thing I’d have a refrigerator full of just for those days where I’m not tired enough for a Rockstar but tired enough that I need an extra spark to keep up with things.  For being so perfect in its niche, the 10 oz. Bawls Guarana has very much earned my respect.

16 OZ. CAN

KICK (INTENSITY) —6.5

You get more caffeine with the can, but the boost isn’t so much that you’ll be exclaiming “Bawls has balls”—which I have been looking for an excuse to say.  Even if it’s not so strong as one would anticipate, the effect is still acceptable.  It woke me up at and delivered a reasonable degree of alertness for my drive from Highland, Utah to Rexburg, Idaho, and truthfully, I didn’t feel as though I really needed any more than that, though I would recommend something stronger if you’re nearly falling asleep at the wheel.

KICK (DURATION) —8

Given the relatively understated nature of the kick, I was pleasantly surprised that Bawls had the staying power that it did—it was a good 3½ hours before I was feeling tired again and could have used a second pick-me-up.

THE DRINK OVERALL—7.83

Bawls in a can was a good experience, though one is probably not enough to get you through the really tough energy-requiring situations.  That said, I liked it enough that I wouldn’t really have a problem downing a few bottles (or cans…I’m reviewing the cans) to really get wired.  Take that into account when you make your decision.

WEBSITE: bawls.com

KEYWORDS: Bawls Guarana Energy Drink review, 16 oz. can, 10 oz. blue bottle

Review for Xenergy Xtreme Orange Fuel

CAFFEINE CONTENT

200 mg

EASE IN ACQUISITION—1

At least around here, Xenergy Xtreme Orange Fuel is very tough to find.  For some reason I can’t figure out, most places that carry Xenergy products only carry a few of them—I have found one place that has ‘em all, but that’s at Smith’s Marketplace in Highland, Utah.  So unless one is up to a long drive, finding this isn’t going to be easy.

APPEARANCE/PRESENTATION—8

I’m not as wild about the orange colors over black as I am with the green and red of Xenergy Xtreme Cherry Rush, but the getup is still pretty nice.  Looking the can over, it really gives very little to complain about.

TASTE—7

With most of the Xenergy drinks I’ve had, I’ve either loved the taste or disliked it.  I’ve never felt neutral, as I do with this one—tastes like orange, as I would expect, but despite the fact that it tastes alright, it left me feeling kind of lukewarm.  Nothing bad about it, it’s just average—this isn’t good when you need to live up to expectations set by the likes of Xenergy Cran Razz Premium and Xenergy Xtreme Cherry Rush.

KICK (INTENSITY) —8

Xenergy Xtreme Orange Fuel’s performance is about on par with the rest of the products Xenergy issues, if anything it’s a bit less potent.  Still, there’s little that can be held against it in this regard.

KICK (DURATION) —6

I have no idea what happened here, but for whatever reason, Xenergy Xtreme Orange Fuel gave out long before would have expected.  I don’t have a clue why this would be the case; so far as I’m aware the energy-inducing ingredients found in all Xenergy products are found in Xenergy Xtreme Orange Fuel, so I can’t for the life of me figure why it would give out on me so much before any other Xenergy product would have.

THE DRINK OVERALL—7

As much as I hate to admit it, reviewing energy drinks (or anything, for that matter) is not an exact science, even though I try to get it as close to being such as I can.  What brings this up?  The fact that for some reason, Xenergy Xtreme Orange Fuel didn’t pull off what its cohorts had managed, and I haven’t the foggiest as to why.  At a later date, I will probably give Xenergy Xtreme Orange Fuel a second chance to prove itself, but until then, take my word for what it’s worth and go with something that has proved itself more dependable if your need to stay awake is desperate.

WEBSITE: www.xyience.com/index.cfm?fa=shop.beverages 

KEYWORDS: Xenergy Xtreme Orange Fuel Energy Drink review, authentic taste, official UFC energy drink, low carb, zero calories, sugar free 

Review for Go Girl

CAFFEINE CONTENT

100 mg

EASE IN ACQUISITION—1

Go Girl is fairly near impossible to find where I live, though on the western seaboard it’s markedly easier to come by.  Good news for those who live in Washington, Oregon, and California, if they find themselves with the urge to drink a female-oriented energy drink.

APPEARANCE/PRESENTATION—6

The packaging is just about what one would expect given the drink’s target audience (one of which I am not, but I am an energy drink reviewer, and as such must do what my duty requires of me)—the logo and certification of the beverage’s sugar free nature in the foreground, varying shades of pink and different patterns in the background.  All in all, the look is just kind of bland and unremarkable, and easy to come close to overlooking.  Oh, and we’ve got a new slogan to raise the eyebrow—“Beautiful Energy.”  I understand the desire to appeal to females everywhere, and maybe they like those kinds of catch phrases, but I found it more than a bit ridiculous.

TASTE—6

The taste was, I’m guessing, berry-inspired.  Why the guess?  I actually found it hard to tell; in addition to being light on calories the drink is very light on flavor.  I actually downed the entire can in less than a minute and a half trying to get something substantial out of it tastewise, but soon all 12 ounces were gone and I hadn’t got much more than a hint of what they were trying to do.

KICK (INTENSITY) —6

I didn’t find Go Girl to be especially strong; rather than expecting a hefty kick you should anticipate a clearing of the head and a mild pick-me-up.  I’m not going to say that this is necessarily a bad thing—sometimes the aforementioned effects are all that is really needed—but all the same, I’d recommend bypassing Go Girl and grabbing something stronger if you’re needing an energy drink that really means business.

KICK (DURATION) —7

Even if it’s not all that potent, Go Girl’s effects do have a reasonable staying power—you can expect the effects to consistently last a few hours or so before you can tell that it’s worn off.

THE DRINK OVERALL—6.33

I wasn’t wowed with Go Girl, but I’m sure it will perform better for the women it targets than it will for me.  If you are a male, I don’t see any reason why you should try this, except to prove that your masculinity can survive buying a drink so clearly meant for the fairer sex.  Mine did.

Review out of the way, I have to note that the cause which the Go Girl company supports.  In the words of the website: “Go Girl proudly supports breast & ovarian cancer research and awareness.  A portion of the proceeds of each case sold is donated to affiliated foundations.”  Seeing as I consider this a worthy cause, I am including links to a number of breast/ovarian cancer sites so that any interested parties can learn more.

National Cancer Institute’s breast cancer page:

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/breast

National Breast Cancer Foundation website: http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/

How to perform a breast self-exam (Seriously, ladies, you need to be doing these.  So many more women die than really should because they don’t take the time to learn their breast topography and do routine self-exams.  If you’re not in the habit, get into it now.): http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/about-breast-cancer/breast-self-exam.aspx

National Cancer Institute’s ovarian cancer page:

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/ovarian

Ovarian Cancer Research Fund website: http://www.ocrf.org/

WEBSITE: gogirlenergy.com 

KEYWORDS: Go Girl Energy Drink review, low calorie, pink can, beautiful energy, breast cancer awareness, ovarian cancer awareness, pink ribbon, teal ribbon

Review for NOS

CAFFEINE CONTENT

260 mg/16 oz. can

359 mg/22 oz. bottle

EASE IN ACQUISITION—10

I didn’t have any difficulty finding NOS; it seems to be just about anywhere I go.  It is perhaps a hair less common than drinks like Rockstar and Monster Energy, but not enough to make any appreciable difference in commonality.

APPEARANCE/PRESENTATION—9 (CAN & BOTTLE)

Given the simplicity of NOS’ can design (basically just the NOS logo written vertically front and center), it relies heavily on color schemes, which can make or break the look.  In this case said scheme more than makes it—the original is the best looking of all NOS products, featuring metallic blue and orange in a combination far more effective than most I’ve seen.  On the bottle, the logo is smaller, horizontal, and far more orange is exposed, which doesn’t work quite as well as in color scheme in my opinion—but the cool design of the bottle and the resealable cap more than makes up for it.

TASTE—9

The taste is easily recognizable as passion fruit—original (for the most part) and very tasty.  There is an aftertaste that sticks around for a while after the fact, but it is not at all unpleasant and certainly not worth docking a point over.

16 OZ. BOTTLE

KICK (INTENSITY) —10

I have never before been at a point where I was so wired but experiencing so few jitters as I was when I drank NOS.  The kick is effective, make no mistake about it—it manages to deliver every bit of energy the drinker could need and then some—but there seems to be a smoothness to the action that is not present in similar drinks, delivering a high degree potency without somehow delivering it in excess.

KICK (DURATION) —10

NOS’ longevity is exceptionally impressive, and for that, it earns the 10/10 in this category.  Notwithstanding, a word of warning is needed—you will probably experience a crash once the effects of NOS wear off.  Not a mere fender-bender, but a violent collision with a cement wall, complete with explosion, fireball, the works.  As long as you’re not driving all day AND all night you probably won’t have to worry about it, but just in case, you have been warned.

THE DRINK OVERALL—9.67

Aside from the crash, I can’t really find anything bad to say about NOS.  It tastes great, works well…what else can you ask for?  Seeing as I can’t think of anything, I’m awarding it a perfect score, and put forward my recommendations that it be considered for consumption in the event of just about any feasible energy-requiring situation. 

22 OZ. BOTTLE

KICK (INTENSITY)—10

When I grabbed my bottle of NOS from the local grocery store, I had a pretty good idea what I was getting into.  359 mg. of caffeine—that’s some serious shiz.  Anyway, I took it down pretty quick (it’s an agreeable beverage…I actually could have drank more), and it did hit hard—but not the balls-to-the-wall intense that I was expecting.  I mean, I can’t really complain, but I was expecting a little more.  Little did I suspect what was waiting for me over the next 12 hours.

KICK (DURATION)—10+

Yeah, you read that right.  FOR 12 FREAKING HOURS, I WAS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THIS DRINK.  It was insane.  There was a time where I thought I might have been crashing, but I took some oat straw (long story), and I was buzzing like it had never happened (for the record, it was a caffeine overload—not a crash…big difference).  Anyway, I drank it at about 10 in the morning, and it was 10 at night before I started to feel tired again.  So…I thought I was getting kind of screwed in terms of kick, just because it wasn’t 24 oz. Rockstar Zero Carb-esque.  Well, NOS, you proved me way wrong.

THE DRINK OVERALL—10+

What other rating am I supposed to assign to this drink?  I love the taste, and this drink lasted longer than any other drink I’ve had to date.  In all honesty, I find it hard to think of a beverage that requires 10+ intensity, but 10+ duration—that’s another matter entirely.  If you’re going to need something for the long haul, don’t grab anything before a bottle of NOS.

WEBSITE: drinknos.com

KEYWORDS: NOS Energy Drink review, high performance, 16 oz. can, 22 oz. bottle, 16 ounces, 24 ounces

Review for Xenergy Xtreme Cherry Rush

CAFFEINE CONTENT

200 mg

EASE IN ACQUISITION—2

Xenergy Xtreme Cherry Rush is difficult to find in the same way Xenergy Blu Pom Premium is; if you do happen upon it, you can probably attribute your find to luck more than anything else.

APPEARANCE/PRESENTATION—9

The packaging on Xenergy Xtreme Cherry Rush is pretty slick, owing to the simple yet effective combination of red and green spheres over a black background.  A similar idea was used with Xenergy Cherry Lime Premium, though rather than appearing washed out and faded, Xenergy Xtreme Cherry Rush has a bold, vibrant appearance, significantly more aesthetically pleasing than its Cherry Lime Premium counterpart.

TASTE—9

I’m not sure what the difference is between the Premium and Xtreme lines of Xenergy energy drinks, but they share one thing in common in that they deliver what they say they will in terms of taste.  Xenergy Xtreme Cherry Rush provides you with that—a rush of cherry flavor, smooth and convincing.  And with regards to the artificial sweeteners—had I drank the can before having read the nutrition facts, I would never have guessed that I was drinking something without a single gram of sugar in it.  It’s that good.

KICK (INTENSITY)—9

There’s not a lot I could say about this drink without reiterating what I have said already reviewing other Xenergy drinks…so here goes. Xenergy Xtreme Cherry Rush delivers the goods when it comes to kick, with very little lacking.  That’s all that really needs saying.

KICK (DURATION)—9

GAH!  Confound this compulsive need to be descriptive!  Alright, here goes…when it comes to duration of effectiveness, Xenergy Xtreme Cherry Rush performs admirably, perfectly matching the intensity (this is an off day as far as description is concerned...be patient with me).

THE DRINK OVERALL—9

Xenergy energy drinks are for the most part pretty dependable when you need a boost, and Xenergy Xtreme Cherry Rush is no exception.  It is uncompromisingly effective and long lasting in terms of the kick, and exceeds flavor expectations set by other Xenergy drinks as an added bonus.  I consider Xenergy Xtreme Cherry Rush to be one of Xyience’s better drinks, and well worth one’s consideration when seeking out an energy drink both tasty and potent.

WEBSITE: www.xyience.com/index.cfm?fa=shop.beverages 

KEYWORDS: Xenergy Xtreme Cherry Rush Energy Drink review, authentic taste, official UFC energy drink, low carb, zero calories, sugar free 

Review for Xenergy Blu Pom Premium

CAFFEINE CONTENT

200 mg

EASE IN ACQUISITION—2

Not sure why this is the case, but at least around here, the gas stations where I’ve picked up all my drinks in the Xenergy Premium line carry all but this one, which I found by happenstance in West Yellowstone while on vacation there.  I have not seen it before or since.

APPEARANCE/PRESENTATION—8

I actually don’t mind the vast exposure of aluminum on this can—probably because of the blue/purple spheres, with which the silver color of the aluminum seems to cooperate and create a scheme that doesn’t induce flinching and nightmares of watered-down zero carb beverages.

TASTE—8

Xenergy Blu Pom Premium tastes a good deal smoother than most others of the Xenergy line I’ve tried.  I’m not sure if a different sweetener blend is used here or if it the blend just works better with the flavoring, but in any case I found the result to be extremely pleasing.  And, as with all Xenergy drinks I’ve had so far, this actually taste like what they say they will—in this case, blueberries and pomegranates.

KICK (INTENSITY)—8

The kick is less glaringly obvious than that put forth by other Xenergy products, but is not by any means less effective.  It made no compromises in getting me going, and once I was, I was going for good.

KICK (DURATION)—9

Xenergy Blu Pom Premium’s performance in this regard was commendable—it provided a pick-me-up that lasted most of the morning and a good part of the afternoon, even going so far as to delay the after-lunch crash I usually have to deal with by about an hour.

THE DRINK OVERALL—8.33

While it is a hair below Xenergy Cran Razz Premium in terms of taste, Xenergy Blu Pom Premium is still a delicious and effective entry to the line and is, by my estimation, one of the best energy drinks that Xyience has to offer.

WEBSITE: www.xyience.com/index.cfm?fa=shop.beverages

KEYWORDS: Xenergy Blu Pom Premium Energy Drink review, authentic taste, official UFC energy drink, low carb, zero calories, sugar free