Review for Klr Bz--Dragon Spit

CAFFEINE CONTENT

200 mg

EASE IN ACQUISITION—N/A

Can’t seem to find it anywhere, online or offline.  The new line is still pretty new on the scene, however, and I’m hoping to see more of it as time goes on.

APPEARANCE/PRESENTATION—9

It is very nearly impossible to go wrong with the combination of black and orange, but Klr Bz deserves recognition for producing a motif that lends itself so effectively to said combination.  Anyone can take a color scheme and use it as a crutch to make an otherwise lackluster can look good, but it’s another thing entirely to do as Klr Bz did and use that combination to highlight the strength of an already effective design.

I have, however, one complaint.  I mentioned it my review of Proto, and plan on mentioning it in my future reviews, because it is a fact that very much deserves attention, and is given very little on the can itself.  Klr Bz gets its name from a blend of ingredients unique to their beverage, known as Giant Hornet Amino Acid (GHAA).  From the website: “GHAA, Giant Hornet Amino Acid, is a synthetic version of the secretion of the larvae of the Giant Asian Hornet. This secretion contains 17 amino acids that metabolize the fat stored in the hornet’s abdomen and turns it into energy, allowing it to fly up to 60 miles in a single day at speeds of up to 25 miles per hour—thus providing SUSTAINED ENERGY.”

Now…if you had so unique a blend of ingredients, something that essentially defines your drink, wouldn’t you expect to see that advertised front and center, giving the casual energy drinker the chance to see it and be intrigued?  Sadly, Klr Bz does no such thing, apart from including it on the left side of the can (not even front and center) in the band circling the top of the can and including a paragraph on it in a positively miniscule font next to the ingredients.  I love that Klr Bz is so distinct with respect to its energy blend, and I would love to see it advertised more prominently.

TASTE—10

With a name like “Dragon Spit,” you’d better hope you’ve got something seriously delicious going on, because I actually consider the name to be very unappetizing.  Popping open then can, I got a uniquely tropical scent that got my mouth watering—maybe that’s where they got the idea to name their drink after a mythical creature’s saliva.  Taking a drink…holy cow.  Dragon Spit is indeed some seriously delicious stuff, with dragon fruit carrying most of the weight (which is probably where the “Dragon” part of “Dragon Spit” came from…I’m a quick study), and a few other miscellaneous tropical fruits included to round out the flavor.  I’m not sure when Klr Bz will become more widely available, but I’m hoping for it to be sometime soon—this is something I’d really love to buy by the case.

KICK (INTENSITY)—8

After dedicating so much time to writing about the GHAA, you are probably wondering—does it do the trick?  My answer is yes—it does.  Mind, this isn’t the sort of beverage that’ll get you super jittery after drinking it—it’s more of a smooth experience, geared more towards getting you awake and functional than really wired, and is in this respect works extremely well.

KICK (DURATION)—10

So far, so good—tastes great, delivers an excellent kick…but for how long?  Best guess is about 5 hours, during which the original intensity of the drink diminished very, very little.   And, once the effects had finally worn off, there was absolutely no crash whatsoever—just felt good and slightly sleepy, and honestly felt better off than I had before I drank it.

THE DRINK OVERALL—9.33

Klr Bz has another winner on their hands in the form of Dragon Spit—the taste is excellent, and the kick is one of the better energy experiences I’ve had since I started energy drinking.  I heartily endorse Klr Bz—Dragon Spit, and offer my emphatic recommendation that one make it a part of their energy drinking regime.

WEBSITE: killerbuzz.com

KEYWORDS: Klr Bz Dragon Spit energy drink review, Killer Buzz energy drink review, new Killer Buzz energy drink, tropical fruit

Review for Klr Bz--Proto

CAFFEINE CONTENT

200 mg/16 oz. can

EASE IN ACQUISITION—N/A

Only place I’ve seen this is online.  Hopefully I’ll be seeing it stocked nearby soon.

APPEARANCE/PRESENTATION—8

All-in-all, I think that the look of Klr Bz—Proto is a success, and is a definite improvement over the semi-generic looking first generation drink.  I like the geometric nature of the design, I wholeheartedly approve of the color combination employed (even with the aluminum it looks nice), and enjoy how these elements work together to give the can an appropriate insectoid appearance.  There is one thing, however, that I’d like to see featured a little more prominently, and that’s what it is that makes the drink unique—the ‘Giant Hornet Amino Acid.’

From the website: “GHAA, Giant Hornet Amino Acid, is a synthetic version of the secretion of the larvae of the Giant Asian Hornet. This secretion contains 17 amino acids that metabolize the fat stored in the hornet’s abdomen and turns it into energy, allowing it to fly up to 60 miles in a single day at speeds of up to 25 miles per hour—thus providing SUSTAINED ENERGY.”

See, this is cool.  No other drink in the world can say they have integrated a specific amino acid combination employed by a species of frickin’ big, frickin’ energetic Asian hornet so that we, also, might enjoy a similar energy experience as said hornets enjoy.  Alas, this characteristic doesn’t get much attention on the can.  It can be seen written on the topmost band on the left side of the can, and to the right of the ingredients a short blurb on it can be found written in miniscule font.  There is much that the drink can do with this fact, but compared with the potential, very little is actually done.  I suppose, however, that’s why I’m here—to fill in the blanks, assuming that the energy drink in question deserves said filling.

TASTE—8

The taste of the drink is the traditional energy drink flavor, also known colloquially as ‘Red Bull clone.’  Wait…before you skip this section and move on to the kick, this one’s different—yeah, it’s got a familiar flavor profile, but I honestly did not feel that I was drinking the same thing that I had several times before.  See, the flavor’s done with a twist—in addition to the familiar taste, front and center, you get a texture that’s unique to the drink—I’d call it a smoothness.  My guess that it’s from the GHAA, but who knows?  All I really know is that I found the drink to be very pleasant, and is something I’d definitely go with over a Monster or Wired or Red Bull (especially over a Red Bull) any day.

KICK (INTENSITY)—8

So…given everything I’ve said about the GHAA, the question on everyone’s mind is probably the following: how does it work?  Well, as far as intensity is concerned, I found it to be quite satisfactory.  I had slept rather fitfully the night before, and even after my morning run (which usually perks me right up) I was pretty exhausted.  Drank this (slowly, so as to savor it) and it woke me right up.  However, it wasn’t something I experienced as a harsh, jitter-filled blast of caffeine, rather, it was more of a smooth experience.  I was very awake, very alert, and very functional—in short, ready to tackle the day ahead.

KICK (DURATION)—10

After reaching a peak, most drinks tend to taper off at a relatively steady rate, often culminating in a crash.  However, Klr Bz—Proto deviated from that norm in two ways: first of all, the energy peak wasn’t exactly a peak—it was more of a plateau.  That lasted about 4½ hours, followed by a very steady, hour-long wearing-off period, after which there was a remarkable lack of crash.  I’d go far as to say that even though I could have slept, I was definitely less tired than I felt before I drank it.

THE DRINK OVERALL—8.67

I drink plenty of energy drinks, and it’s really not very often I experience something new and different enough to really get excited about.  This, however, is one of those moments.  I’d go so far as to say I loved this drink—I loved the different take on a common flavor, I loved the functionality of the kick, I loved how dang long it lasted, and I loved that I not only did not crash, but felt better during the aftermath than I did before I drank it.  Do what you can to get your hands on a can of this and let me know what you think.  Will be interested in knowing if the GHAA did as much for others as it did for me.

WEBSITE: killerbuzz.com

KEYWORDS: Killer Buzz energy drink review, Killer Buzz Proto energy drink review, Klr Bz Proto energy drink review, traditional energy drink flavor, Red Bull clone

Review for Wired X Strawberry Lemonade

Okay…kind of lost it on my last review (Wired Diet Berry).  The…average-ness was just too much.  I think I’m under control now, but this is a Wired beverage we’re talking about here, so I make no promises….

CAFFEINE CONTENT

94 mg

EASE IN ACQUISITION—6

Kind of tired of finding new ways to write this, but if you’re after a Wired beverage, go to WinCo.  They have them in appalling abundance there.

APPEARANCE/PRESENTATION—6

Meh…better than X Lemonade, but still not all that great.  One would think that red and yellow on the Wired motif would work wonders for the flames, but all I can think of when looking upon it are strawberries—which works with the flavor, but not the flames.

TASTE—6.5

Taste is alright—identifiable as strawberry lemonade, kind of agreeable, kind of fake, and…carbonated.  Call me weird (which is a rearrangement of the word “Wired”, now that I look at it), but I just don’t think strawberry lemonade should be carbonated, unless you’re at Applebee’s.  That’s my biggest issue with it.

KICK (INTENSITY)—7

Must…maintain…control…while…reporting…(swallows)…jitter-free...AVERAGE…kick.  Whew.  There.  Took a lot of effort, but no ranting.  But…two categories to go still.

KICK (DURATION)—7

(Grinds teeth)…average.

THE DRINK OVERALL—6.83

Alright.  I think I’m done with the 94 mg caffeine/bare-bones energy blend Wired drinks—which is good, because I’m sick of the multitude of ordinary energy drinks.  Take this, for example.  It’s strawberry lemonade.  It has caffeine.  And…that’s all I really have to say about this.  It’s ordinary, just like most Wired products I’ve reviewed as of late, and there are far too many drinks out there begging to be reviewed to spend so much time on these cookie-cuter beverages.  Drink this if you feel thus inclined.  Otherwise, buy something else.

WEBSITE: wiredenergydrink.com

KEYWORDS: Wired X Strawberry Lemonade review

Review for Wired Diet Berry

CAFFEINE CONTENT

94 mg

EASE IN ACQUISITION—6

As common as your local WinCo.  Go there, and you can buy it by the case.

APPEARANCE/PRESENTATION—6

The presentation of the original didn’t work too well with the purple (which is a first in my book), and the white can with purple flames works even less.   It’s just bland.  I really don’t feel the drink merits more elaboration than that.

TASTE—6

Diet Berry turned out to be a little more berry-esque than the original, but not by a whole lot.  The improvement is negated by a misapplication of sucralose, which in this case proves to be a distracting and somewhat disagreeable influence.  As an aside, I found that  this drink smells like…cantaloupe.  Which is weird, because there’s none in there.  But I found it strange enough to be worth mentioning.

KICK (INTENSITY)—7

Average, average, average, AVERAGE!!!  This is becoming a common theme with the Wired beverages I’ve had, with the exception of X B12 Rush, X 3000, and X 344 (I hate those X’s; they’re so unnecessary).  Want just an AVERAGE, jitter-free kick?  Get a WIRED drink!

KICK (DURATION)—7

AAAVERAAAGE!!!

THE DRINK OVERALL—6.67

Don’t look for anything new and exciting here.  Just go this road if you liked Wired Berry but aren’t wild about the empty calories.

WEBSITE: wiredenergydrink.com

KEYWORDS: Wired Diet Berry energy drink review, sugar free, zero carb, zero calorie

Review for Sambazon Amazon Energy--Lo Cal

CAFFEINE CONTENT

80 mg

EASE IN ACQUISITION—8

Got a Wal-Mart in the area?  Check out the energy drink section there—that’s where I found my can.

APPEARANCE/PRESENTATION—6

There has GOT to be a way to indicate you’re a low calorie drink without sapping all the color out of your can—in fact, I know there is.  Take a look at Monster Energy—Absolutely Zero.  Monster makes a GREAT case for the fact.  You drain a can of color, it’s going to make you think of a drink that has also been drained of flavor.  Pretty shoddy try here, Sambazon.  I’m only giving you a below average rating rather than a failing rating because I like your tribal dude on the front.  For HIS sake alone I don’t flunk you!

TASTE—7

Taste really isn’t that bad, considering it’s sweetened with stevia (I would have laughed really hard if it had been sucralose or one of those other sweeteners, since this is a USDA certified organic beverage)—the effect of which is typically devastating.  I actually thought this one tasted more like the açaí than the original (berry-ish, earthy…you know what I’m talking about).  Still, I’ve had better—just go to Jamba Juice and get one of their açaí antioxidant smoothies, then add a dropper of caffeine from a 5150 energy shot.  That’ll do the job AND taste awesome.

KICK (INTENSITY)—6

Meh.  Enough to wake me up a bit, and satiate my craving for caffeine.  But not enough to make much of an impression.

KICK (DURATION)—6

Better than the original, at least I thought, but I’ve consistently found that to be the case with lower-calorie energy drinks.  Anticipate a 2 hour boost without a crash.

THE DRINK OVERALL—6.33

This is most definitely a niche drink—it’s the sort of thing you’d expect a diehard organic food junkie to get if they needed a small boost and felt the need to watch their calories.  I wasn’t terribly impressed with this, but then again, I’m not the aforementioned sort of individual.  If you are…well, try Sambazon Amazon Energy—Lo Cal.

WEBSITE: sambazon.com

KEYWORDS: Sambazon energy drink review, Sambazon Amazon Energy, Sambazon All-Natural Amazon Energy, USDA organic, organic energy drink, low calorie, stevia, Stevia rebaudina

Review for Wired X Lemonade

CAFFEINE CONTENT

94 mg

EASE IN ACQUISITION—6

Aside from the occasional appearance at outlet stores, the only place I’ve seen Wired X Lemonade is at WinCo—so it’s not terribly hard to come by, as long as you have one of those nearby.

APPEARANCE/PRESENTATION—5

…Yeah, I’m not a fan of the packaging on this one.  Yellow background, black flames, red logo.  I don’t typically mind yellow with black (see Rockstar Recovery—Lemonade for an example in which the combination is successfully employed), but the shades used here are almost faded-looking and reminded me of the trashy lockers I saw at East Hartford High School when I was younger—and the last thing you want to be thinking about as you drink an energy drink are the lockers at a ghetto high school.

TASTE—6

Wired X Lemonade has managed to approximate the flavor of lemonade, but that’s about it.  Tastes the part at times, but all in all is unconvincing and chemical-y.  Oh, how I longed for a Monster Rehab—Lemonade after the fact….

KICK (INTENSITY)—7

Given the relatively low caffeine content, the bare-bones energy blend, and my previous experiences with similar Wired beverages, I wasn’t expecting all that much out of X Lemonade.  An average, jitter-free boost was all I got.

KICK (DURATION)—7

2½ hours, with no crash.

THE DRINK OVERALL—6.67

Wired X Lemonade adds absolutely nothing to the energy drink world.  It’s just a fake-tasting, half-hearted stab at roping in more consumers.  If you love lemonade and you love it with caffeine, here’s my advice: there is a drink called Monster Rehab—Lemonade.  It is marvelous.  If you want me to elaborate, read the review here, then go out and buy yourself a can of it.  Pass over Wired X Lemonade.

WEBSITE: wiredenergydrink.com

KEYWORDS: Wired X Lemonade energy drink review