Verve Energy Drink Review

Cost: $1.99
Cost Per Ounce:$0.25
Active Ingredients:Guarana, taurine, green tea
Taste Rating:8.5
Kick Rating:8.5
Final Judgment Rating:8.7
Energy Drink Ratings Explained

Verve Energy Drink Review
Well the Verve Energy Drink from Vemma is a recent entry into the health category of Energy Drinks. I know what you are thinking... a healthy energy drink? Well believe it or not there are some out there and the Verve Energy Drink from Vemma has a slogan on the front of their well designed 8 ounce can saying "An insanely healthy energy drink." There are 72 calories and 18 grams of sugar, so the Verve Energy Drink does not really qualify as a low carb or low calorie energy drink I am not going to go in depth on all the ingredients of this beverage, but I will tell you that one of the ingredients is the popular Mangosteen. Other than that if you want to know more about the health benefits of this drink I suggest you check out their site because I am going to try and stick to the taste and kick review format.

Buy Verve Here

Verve Energy Drink Review: Taste
Alright I cracked the 8 ounce Verve Energy Drink from Vemma and took my first sip. I had to take a couple more before I could figure out what it was I was tasting. To me it tasted somewhat fruity but on the other hand it also tasted somewhat like a lightly carbonated carrot juice? Really not sure how to pinpoint to the taste on this one, it wasn't bad but it was unique. Not sure if I like the carrot juice flavoring, but overall I would have to say the blend was pretty good. Taste Rating -8.5

Verve Energy Drink Review: Kick
Alright the taste blend was unique, but will the drink provide an ample kick? Well with energy ingredients like 200 milligrams of Guarana, 100 milligrams of taurine, green tea blend and a bunch of b-vitamins the kick should do quite well. Top those ingredients off with a laundry list of other vitamins and minerals and you have yourself a decent kick without all caffeine and sugar. No, this is not one of the strongest drinks on the market, but it does deliver a decent kick. And with only 18 grams of sugar (about 1/3 of normal ED's) you don't have to worry about a huge sugar crash. Not too bad. Kick Rating 8.5

Verve Energy Drink Review: Final Judgment
Above average kick and taste packaged in a healthy alternative to your normal energy drink. Final Judgment - 8.7 (couple extra points for focusing on health)

Buy Verve Here

Zipfizz Mango Lemon Lime Energy Shot Review

Cost:$2.00
Cost Per Ounce:$0.50
Active Ingredients:Caffeine, B-Vitamins, Green Tea, Taurine
Taste Rating:8.5
Kick Rating:9.3
Final Judgment Rating:8.9
Energy Drink Ratings Explained

Zipfizz Mango Lemon Lime Energy Shot Review
Well this would be my third Energy Shot Review and I have to say that I have been pretty pleased with the previous two of their Energy Drinks, the original and Orange Lemon Lime. I stated in my original review of Zipfizz that I hope they make more flavored shots and sure enough they did (probably not on my account, but that's what I like to think). So enough fluff, let's get to the review of the 4 ounce Mango Lemon Lime review.

Zipfizz Mango Lemon Lime Energy Shot Review: Taste
As I have stated before, probably numerous times, it is hard to make a concentrated energy shot as you have to cram a ton of energy ingredients into a small container. 4 ounces is not the smallest on the block, but it still constitutes a shot in my book and Zipfizz pulled off the Mango Lemon Lime flavoring beautifully. The exotic mango taste is followed up by a hint of lime. And although lime is not my favorite, the sweetness of the mango blend seemed to work great. Again there is a slight medicinal aftertaste to this one, but far less than your normal energy shot. Not my favorite from Zipfizz, but still a good showing. Taste Rating - 8.5

Zipfizz Mango Lemon Lime Energy Shot Review: Kick
Again, Zipfizz delivered on taste and I knew before getting into this review that they were going to deliver in the kick category as well because all the flavors use the same energy blend which consists of 120 milligrams of caffeine, green tea extract, taurine and an unbelievable amount of b-vitamins. And by unbelievable I mean 41,667% of your daily allowance. That's a lot of B-Vitamins! All this kick and flavor is delivered while being a Sugar Free Energy Drink - no sugar crash! Not too shabby. I can't wait to try the last flavor. Kick Rating - 9.3

Zipfizz Mango Lemon Lime Energy Shot Review: Final Judgment
Nice kick and a great flavor combination packed into a portable 4 ounce resealable plastic shot. With only 30 calories you can't go wrong. If you are into energy shots, give one of these a try. Final Judgment - 8.9

OC Energy Kik-It Diet Energy Drink Review

Cost: $30.00 / 12 Pack
Cost Per Ounce:NA
Active Ingredients:Caffeine, Taurine, Guarana, Ginseng, B-Vitamins
Taste Rating:8.4
Kick Rating:8.9
Final Judgment Rating:8.7
Energy Drink Ratings Explained

OC Energy Kik-It Diet Energy Drink Review
Well what's the concept behind the Diet OC Energy Drink? Looks like the makers of this drink are trying to do something a little different as they came up with a unique 10 ounce resealable plastic bottle that they hope "captures the essence of the OC (Orange County)lifestyle." Well I did see the old MTV show, but I have never been to Orange County so I won't comment on whether or not this drink captured the essence of OC for me. It also looks like the OC Energy Drink is promoting this as a viable mixer for alcoholic beverages as they have a slogan on the bottle and included several mixer recipes with the product they sent. To me this also seems like a viable workout drink as it is non-carbonated, meaning you don't feel full when working out. However, I am going to stick with trying this alone and as a mixer and let other users comment as to whether or not it would pass as a workout energy drink. OC Energy also makes a regular version as well as a 2 ounce shot so stay tuned for those reviews as well. So enough fluff and onto the review of the OC Energy Kik-it Diet Energy Drink Review.

Buy OC Energy Drinks Here

OC Energy Kik-It Diet Energy Drink Review: Taste
Alright first I tried the diet OC Energy drink by itself and I do have to say that it does have a distinct lime aftertaste. Now personally I am not too fond of lime / citrus type beverages, but to each their own (besides taste is subjective anyways). Even though the lime aftertaste is pretty prevalent the drink itself goes down pretty smooth as there is no carbonation. There are zero calories / zero carbs in this Diet OC Energy Drink. So as a stand alone energy drink I will give it an 8.0 out of 10. Now for the fun part, let's try it as a mixer (which I don't promote - I am only doing this in the name of Science!) The mix drink recipe I am going to try is called Go Go Stoli Doli which is vodka based. However, I am going to substitute Stoli for the cheap crap I have in my cupboard. The recipe is as follows:

GO GO Stoli Doli
1 can Dole pineapple
2 cups vodka
1 bottle Diet OC Kik It

With no carbonation this drink was a very smooth blend and I have to say pretty damn good. The diet OC was definitely a nice touch as the lime taste set the drink off quite well. So yeah, the diet OC makes for a good mixer. Mix Rating - 8.8

OC Energy Kik-It Diet Energy Drink Review: Kick
Alright so the lime aftertaste is alright, but how is the kick? Well I don't have specific numbers but the energy ingredient list includes the following: Taurine, Caffeine, Guarana, Panax Ginseng and a bunch of b-vitamins. Nice list that seemed to do the trick quite well. It is not one of the strongest drinks on the market, but it is definitely stronger than market leader Red Bull. And since it is sugar free I didn't have to worry about a sugar crash at all. Kick Rating - 8.9

OC Energy Kik-It Diet Energy Drink Review: Final Judgment
Both the kick and taste are above average. Even though I am not a huge fan of the lime / citrus flavor I can see it appealing to others. I do look forward to trying the other OC Drinks, especially the 2 ounce shot as I hear it goes good as an addition to beer (think lime in a Corona). Either way the OC Drinks are a nice addition to the ever growing ED market. At least OC came up with an original concept, which I can't say about a lot of the beverages I reviewed. You can pick up a 12 pack of these for $30.00. Final Judgment - 8.7

Buy OC Energy Drinks Here

Snickers Bars - with Caffeine?

Alright everyone has heard of Snickers Bars, but did you know that there is a new batch of Snickers Bars coming out that are designed for energy? No, I am not talking about the Marathon Bar, I am talking about the new energized Snickers Bars or "Snickers Chargerd" as they are to be known by. So what does this new Snickers Bar from Mars Snackfood Company contain for energy ingredients?

Buy Snickers Charged Here

Well, according to the companies Press Release, the new bar will contain 60 milligrams of caffeine, b-vitamins and taurine. It will boast the same ingredients that the original Snickers Bars have including peanuts, chewy caramel and nougat center and will weigh in with 250 calories which is slightly less than the 280 calories from the original Snickers bar.

So how does this "Snickers Charged" bar compare to Energy Drinks? Well the easiest thing to compare would be the caffeine content. Usually energy drinks contain anywhere from 70-200 milligrams of caffiene (with some exceptions as some ED's have over 500 milligrams of caffeine). So if you take a look at the industries most popular energy drink Red Bull you will see that it has 80 milligrams of caffeine for about $2.00. So 60 milligrams of caffeine from the Snickers Charged Bar, at an estimated $0.75 does not seem to bad at all. The only thing I am wondering is how the energy ingredients in this new Snickers Bar are going to blend in with the peanuts, caramel and nougat center? I have yet to try one, but if I see one at the store I will probably buy one, after all I am addicted to caffeine.

I know this blog post is slightly out of the scope of the normal review, but this new Snickers Charged Bar also makes me wonder what other mainstream companies are going to start adding caffeine and other energy ingredients to their products. We already have caffeinated gum, beer, water, chewy candy, breath spray and now bars. What's next? My vote would be for a nice caffeinated loaf of bread. Then you can say that caffeinated bread is the next best thing to sliced bread!

Feel free to add any other products that have added caffeine or comment on this post if you have tried the new bar.

Buy Snickers Charged Here

Recoil Energy Drink Review

Cost: $2.49
Cost Per Ounce:$0.30
Active Ingredients:Caffeine, Taurine, Guarana
Taste Rating:9.4
Kick Rating:8.5
Final Judgment Rating:8.9
Energy Drink Ratings Explained

Recoil Energy Drink Review
Well today's review will be on the Recoil Energy Drink. Never heard of it? Well I had not heard of it until recently either so I decided to do a little digging to get some background information on it. First off the Recoil Energy Drink comes in a slim line 8.4 ounce can. You can buy 6 packs of them for $14.95 - which includes free shipping. These drinks are made by Samantha Lyle Fitness and are part of the program which is a lifestyle transformation system that combines personalized weekly meal and exercise plans to transform your life and your body. If you want to find out more about this program visit the site. So enough fluff, let's see if the Recoil Energy Drink performs in the taste and kick categories.

Buy Recoil Here

Recoil Energy Drink Review: Taste
I cracked open the slim 8.4 ounce drink and took my first sip only to be surprised. Why was I surprised? Well, I was not expecting this kind of taste from an Energy Drink that is an "integral part" of any fitness plan. The smooth cherry taste, with a hint of citrus, was actually very good which immediately made me look at the back of the can to check the calorie count. To my surprise there was only 5 calories in the entire can - and it was sugar free. This drink actually tastes very similar to one of my all time favorites the Bing Energy Drink. The only difference seems to be that there is less carbonation in Recoil which makes sense if you are going to use it as a pre-workout drink. To sum up, great cherry taste with no medicinal aftertaste, nice carbonation levels and only 5 calories. Taste Rating - 9.4

Recoil Energy Drink Review: Kick
Alright we have established that Recoil tastes great, but will it perform in the kick category as well? Well this is stronger than your typical Red Bull type drink as it has 75 milligrams of caffeine, 1000 milligrams of taurine and 50 milligrams of Guarana (natural caffeine). So no it is not going to be the strongest energy drink on the market, but the combination of aforementioned ingredients coupled with this drink being sugar free gave me a nice boost of energy without the crash. Kick Rating 8.5

Recoil Energy Drink Review: Final Judgment
Great taste above average kick and only 5 calories. Really not too much else to say about this drink. Might be worth picking up a six pack to try it out as the taste alone is worth it. Final Judgment - 8.9

Buy Recoil Here

Nuspeed Hardcore Energy Drink Review

Cost: $2.30
Cost Per Ounce:$0.14
Active Ingredients:Caffeine, Taurine, Green Tea extract (EGCG), Yohimbine
Taste Rating:6.0
Kick Rating:10!
Final Judgment Rating:8.8
Energy Drink Ratings Explained

Nuspeed Hardcore Energy Drink Review
Well I have had several other hardcore Energy Drinks throughout my 200 + reviews here and all of them have been exactly that - hardcore. One of them literally gave me enough energy for two days so I will come into the review of the 16 ounce Nuspeed Energy Drink a little more careful than I did with the other hardcore ED's in the past. This meant that I will read the warning labels and follow the directions before consuming. The Nuspeed Energy Drink comes with a warning saying that "this product is intended for healthy individuals only. Do not consume more than one bottle per day. Not recommended for any one under the age of 18." Nuspeed also recommends starting out with only a 1/2 bottle to access tolerance level. And that is exactly what I am going to do. I drank a 1/2 bottle before my morning workout. Here are the taste and kick results.

Nuspeed Hardcore Energy Drink Review: Taste
Alright as stated several times before, this is a hardcore energy drink, meaning it is meant for intense physical activities. That right there tells me the taste is probably not going to be the best because this drink is not focused on taste, it is focused on performance. That being said this drink definitely had no noticeable flavor at all. Maybe there was a hint of watermelon flavor? You could also taste the medicinal ingredients. Now this is not the worst energy drink I have ever tried, but the taste is definitely lacking. I didn't have to choke it down, but I was not enjoying it. Good thing I only had to drink 8 ounces (1 serving). Taste Rating - 6.0

Nuspeed Hardcore Energy Drink Review: Kick
Alright the taste was not the best, but as I stated above performance should be the main focus of this drink. And boy did it deliver. I drank 8 ounces of Nuspeed 20 minutes prior to my workout and before I even got to the gym I could feel it kick in. So I put it to the test and did a grueling lower body workout (which I hate doing). It helped me explode through all my sets and then some. I did extra sets of everything as my mind was motivated and my energy levels were off the chart. This is definitely going to be added to my list of Strongest Energy Drinks. So yeah it gave me a huge boost of energy right off the bat and the energy lasted until several hours after my morning workout. I also want to say with Hardcore ED's and working out, I usually try to double my water intake as to avoid any cramping issues. What are the energy ingredients you might ask? Well 1095 milligrams per serving of caffeine, taurine, Green Tea extract (EGCG), Yohimbine and a bunch of stuff I have never heard of. Basically this beverage lives up to it's name - it is the "new speed." Kick Rating - 10

Nuspeed Hardcore Energy Drink Review: Final Judgment
Alright the taste is not the best but Nuspeed definitely delivers on performance. If you are looking to up the anti on your workouts then you should give this one a try. If one serving of Nuspeed is not enough for your workout then don't worry there are two in each bottle. I did end up finishing the bottle 6 hours after my workout, so it is possible. But don't drink it too close to bed time, because you won't sleep. From what I can tell you can get a case of these for (24 - 16 ounce aluminum bottles) for $54.95 which puts one bottle at approximately $2.30. Final Judgment - 8.8 (more points awarded for performance as that is what this ED is meant for).

Please heed the warnings on the bottle!

Shock - Hyper-Caffeinated Coffee

Cost: $9.99 for 13 ounces
Cost Per Ounce:Doesn't Apply
Active Ingredients:Caffeine!
Taste Rating:Average
Kick Rating:Way Above Average
Final Judgment Rating:Great Kick - Average Taste
Energy Drink Ratings Explained

Shock - "Hyper-Caffeinated Coffee" Review
Well I took interest in Shock coffee the moment I heard about it. I mean, who wouldn't want to try a Hyper Caffeinated Coffee? (Decaf Lovers can leave now) Shock Coffee has several products, actual coffee (ground and whole beans), several Ready to Drink coffee flavored drinks (which I will review later) as well as the "world's first hyper caffeinated cappuccino". I was excited to review all the products, but in all honesty I really don't know much about coffee. To me coffee is coffee. I don't know much about the taste, brewing process, bean quality or really anything else. So this review is going to be a little different than what you normally see on the Energy Drink Ratings Site. I am going to have an esteemed colleague, Larry Stopa, who is way more experienced in the realm of coffee review Shock Coffee for me. Here is what Larry had to say about Shock Coffee word for word:

If you need four cups of coffee to wake up, but only have time for two, or if a pot of coffee doesn't get you through the night like it used to, then Shock is for you. This stuff delivers full Crank. No doubt about it.

However Shock's tuning to the "most potent, butt-kicking blend of coffee beans ever assembled" leaves off good taste. Shock has more taste than Folger's or Hills Bros. But it lacks the flavor or character of decent mass market coffees such as Eight O' Clock.

But how much does taste matter to you? If you load it with Creamora and some flavoring like Mint Julep, then it tastes like those expensive latte's found on every downtown street corner. After two cups of Shock, your mind will be going too fast to worry about mundane issues like taste.

Shock claims "Over 50% more caffeine than other gourmet coffees." I do not have the means to scientifically qualify that. I do feel Shock kick in like no other offee.

This is rocket fuel for when you need it.

Larry Stopa does search engine optimization full time. So he understands the strategic importance of full throttle caffeinated beverages.

Caballo Negro Zero Carb Energy Drink Review

Cost: $2.00
Cost Per Ounce:$0.13
Active Ingredients:Caffeine, Taurine, B-Vitamins, Guarana & Ginseng Extract
Taste Rating:8.7
Kick Rating:8.8
Final Judgment Rating:8.8
Energy Drink Ratings Explained

Caballo Negro Zero Carb Energy Drink Review
Well this will be the first "Hispanic" targeted energy drink that I have tried this year. I opted to try the 16 ounce sugar free version of the Caballo Negro Energy Drink first in lieu of the original. I don't know too much about this brand, but from what I have read that this is the leading Energy Drink in the Hispanic Category but don't quote me on that. I believe Caballo Negro it also comes in an 8.4 ounce slim can as well. It is also nice that the text on the can is in both English and Spanish, otherwise this beverage would have been harder to review. Enough fluff and onto the review.

Caballo Negro Zero Carb Energy Drink Review: Taste
What does it taste like? In my opinion the Caballo Negro Zero Carb has both a citrus and berry like flavor that is somewhat similar to Red Bull. The only exception seems to be that Caballo Negro has figured out a way to remove the medicinal aftertaste that most people associate with Red Bull. The carbonation level on this drink is somewhat mild as well, at least it's not over the top. So if you are a fan of Red Bull, or at least like it a little bit, broaden your horizons and give this one a try. Pretty good entry into the zero carb / zero calorie energy drink market. Taste Rating - 8.7

Edit There is also a hint of pinneapple flavoring which adds a nice touch.

Caballo Negro Zero Carb Energy Drink Review: Kick
Alright the taste is similar to Red Bull (but improved) but how does the kick hold up? Well Caballo Negro Zero Carb has a laundry list of energy ingredients including taurine, b-vitamins, caffeine, guarana extract and ginseng extract. I am not sure of the exact levels but the kick I got from this was pretty decent. Definitely not one of the Strongest Energy Drinks on the market but it still does the trick. Besides, not everyone is looking for 500 milligrams of caffeine, just a few of us weirdo's. Kick Rating - 8.8

Caballo Negro Zero Carb Energy Drink Review: Final Judgment
Above average kick and a nice low carb / low calorie tasting ED. Not exactly sure what areas or what stores these are available, so if anyone knows feel free to chime in. I liked it and would gladly try one again. Final Judgment - 8.8

Ammo Energy Shot - Blu Razz

Cost:$1.79
Cost Per Ounce:$1.79
Active Ingredients:Caffeine
Taste Rating:8.9
Kick Rating:9.0
Final Judgment Rating:9.0
Energy Drink Ratings Explained

Energy Drink Review
Well this would be my second Ammo Energy Shot Review. Ammo is made by Bevolution Brands and weighs in at a tiny one ounce which still makes it the smallest energy shot that I have tried. Basically the Ammo Up Energy shots were developed for the military and then perfected for use by consumers. Ammo Up is available in 3 flavors - Citrus Ice, Red Punch and Blu Razz which I will be reviewing today.

Buy Ammo Energy Shots Here

Energy Drink Review: Taste
I did learn from the last review that you can either take these shots straight up or mix them in with your favorite beverage. I took the Blu Razz straight up and thought the flavor was pretty darn good. It is basically a highly concentrated blue raspberry flavor. No shit right, it says so on the bottle. However a lot of energy shots with high caffeine / energy content tend to screw up the flavor. Not so with Ammo. The flavor is quite good, there is no medicinal aftertaste and it is quite easy to down, especially since it is only one ounce. So far Ammo is 2 for 2 in the taste category. If you are in to energy shots I highly recommend you give one of these a try, the taste is probably better than what you are used to. Taste Rating - 8.9

Energy Drink Review: Kick
The taste of the Ammo shots is good but I also like the fact that they have a measurement on the side of the shot telling you exactly how much caffeine you are going to ingest. So you can take in 1 to 171 milligrams of caffeine, just look at the side of the drink and stop when you have had your fill of caffeine. I took the whole thing and enjoyed the sugar free kick I got. Just think of it this way... A Red Bull has 80 milligrams of caffeine in 8.3 ounces so you would have to drink more than 2 of them to get the same punch as one of these Ammo shots. Kick Rating - 9.0

Energy Drink Review: Final Judgment
I have not been as active posting over the last week or two and the reason is because I keep downing the Ammo Shots. They are convenient, great tasting and provide an ample kick. Not too bad for $1.79. Nuff said. Final Judgment 9.0

Buy Ammo Energy Shots Here

Ace Energy Drink

Cost:$0.99
Cost Per Ounce:$0.06
Active Ingredients:Caffeine, Taurine, B-Vitamins.....
Taste Rating:8.9
Kick Rating:8.7
Final Judgment Rating:8.7
Energy Drink Ratings Explained

Ace Energy Drink Review
Well the Ace Energy Drink has been around for quite some time. I have had it several times in the past so I suppose it is time to do an Energy Drink Review on it. Why not, the 16 ounce can is pretty cool looking with the old WW2 military style picture. Besides you can find the Ace Energy Drink all over the place and if you are lucky you can pick one up at a Big Lots or similar style store for $0.99. So enough fluff and onto the review.

Ace Energy Drink Review: Taste
Alright, the taste of this one is unique. It actually took me drinking all 16 ounces before I could really pinpoint the flavor. First off the drink is really sweet (56 grams of sugar). Second there is somewhat of a grape / cotton candy type flavor present. There also seems to be some other kind of fruity flavor in Ace that is similar to Monster Energy - Khaos (at least in my opinion). Overall I was pretty pleased as the sweetness and unique flavoring masked any of this Energy Drinks medicinal aftertaste. I liked it and was somewhat disappointed when I finished the last of the 16 ounces. Taste Rating - 8.9

Ace Energy Drink Review: Kick
Alright, Ace has a good taste but will it supply a decent kick? Well it has 2,000 milligrams of taurine, 400 milligrams of Panax Ginseng, bunch of B-Vitamins and 4400 milligrams combined of Caffeine, Guarana, Inositol and a bunch of other stuff I can't pronounce and don't feel like typing. So yeah it delivers a pretty darn good kick that lasts for a couple hours. But once all the sugar leaves your system you can feel some energy leave your body. Not a big crash, but the loss of energy was noticeable. Kick Rating - 8.7

Ace Energy Drink Review: Final Judgment
Alright I really enjoyed the cotton candy / fruity grape flavor. The kick was good but the sugar content was a little high for me and ended up giving me a mini crash. Good thing they have a lo-carb / lo calorie version as well. I will review that one as soon as I can. In the meantime if you see one of these for $0.99 it is definitely worth a try. Final Judgment - 8.7

Guru Lite Energy Drink Review

Cost: $2.00
Cost Per Ounce:$0.13
Active Ingredients:Guarana, Ginseng, Ginkgo Biloba
Taste Rating:8.7
Kick Rating:8.6
Final Judgment Rating:8.7
Energy Drink Ratings Explained

Guru Lite Energy Drink Review
Sorry I was on a mini Hiatus from reviewing Energy Drinks but I am back in full force (hopefully). Today I am going to review the 8.3 ounce all natural Guru Lite Energy Drink. The can states that it is 100% natural and it only has 10 calories and 2 grams of carbs. The Guru Lite is also made with no preservatives. Other than that the only thing I know about this drink is that there is a regular version as well that seems to follow the same standards but with the extra calories. So onto the taste and kick review.

Guru Lite Energy Drink Review: Taste
So I have tried several all natural and organic energy drinks before, but I can't really recall whether or not if I had a lite (low carb / low cal) one before. Either way the taste of the Guru lite was pretty refreshing. It was slightly carbonated and had a taste that was hard to pinpoint. However, I believe it had a citrus taste followed by a more prominent cherry aftertaste. That's right a cherry aftertaste which is way better than the normal medicinal aftertaste you get from the likes of Red Bull. So no the taste is not going to shock you, but what do you expect from an all natural lite energy drink? I was pleased. Taste Rating - 8.7

Guru Lite Energy Drink Review: Kick
Alright the taste is light and refreshing and has no medicinal aftertaste, but will the all natural kick be worth it? Well there is no taurine but there are plenty of other energy ingredients. In fact there are 1629 milligrams of the following energy ingredients; guarana seed extract (natural caffeine), echinacea flower extract, panax ginseng, ginkgo biloba and stevia leaf extract. Although not the strongest kick on the market, you do have to realize this one is only 8.3 ounces. However, the plethora of all natural energy ingredients did provide a pleasant kick. Overall I was satisfied. Kick Rating - 8.6

Guru Lite Energy Drink Review: Final Judgment
Decent taste and kick. The best part of this drink is that it is all natural so it is a healthier alternative to your everyday sugar laden energy drink. So if you want a decent kick and taste, without all the sugar and preservatives then look no further than Guru lite. Final Judgment - 8.7

Marquis Platinum Vitality Drink Review

Cost: $3.99
Cost Per Ounce:$0.33
Active Ingredients:Guarana, Green Tea, Caffeine
Taste Rating:8.8
Kick Rating:8.2
Final Judgment Rating:8.4
Energy Drink Ratings Explained

Marquis Platinum Vitality Review
Alright this may not technically be an Energy Drink as it is a new breed of drinks labeled Vitality Drinks. What's a vitality drink you may ask? Well this is a drink that is supposed to deliver long term benfits through ingredients like green tea (anti-oxidants), calorie burning (through green tea) as well as a cosmetic benefits through pine bark? Ther is also a difference in ingredients when comparing Energy Drinks and Vitality Drinks as well. Vitality drinks have all natural sources and ingredients including natural caffeine, natural coloring and flavoring, and are low in sugar and calories. Well I am not an expert on some of these aspects but I will let you know how the Marquis Platinum Vitality drink tastes and if it delivers any kick. So enough fluff and onto the review.

Find out More about Marquis Platinum Vitality Here

Marquis Platinum Vitality Review: Taste
First off as I covered above, this is an all natural flavored drink with all natural ingredients so you are going to give up some taste aspects for the health benefits. That being said, the 12 ounce Marquis Platinum Vitality drink was slightly carbonated and has a mild fruit flavor followed by a somewhat mint aftertaste. Even though the fruit flavor is not that prevelant the drink maintains a classy taste. All this with only 45 all natural calories and only 11 grams of sugar (complete 12 ounce can). Not too bad at all. Taste Rating - 8.8

Marquis Platinum Vitality Review: Kick
Alright the taste is mild yet still fruity. How does the kick perform? Well with guarana, green tea and caffeine as energy ingredients you do see a noticeable kick; however, it is a little less potent than say a Red Bull. So even this vitality drink gives a comparable kick to Red Bull that lasted a couple hours. Kick Rating - 8.2

Marquis Platinum Vitality Review: Final Judgment
Not being an energy drink per se effects how this drink rates on this site. However, the tradeo offs are (IMHO) worth it if you are looking for some energy with out all the sugar and jitters associated with some ED's. Marquis also delivers several other benefits as discussed above including anti-oxidant properties that other ED's do not. So it is somewhat of a Hybrid drink that delivers some kick as well as health benefits. It's worth giving one a try at least once. Final Judgment - 8.4

Find out More about Marquis Platinum Vitality Here

Crave Energy Drink Review

Cost: $0.75 / serving
Cost Per Ounce:Doesn't really apply
Active Ingredients:Caffeine, Guarana, Taurine, B-Vitamins, Hoodia, Green Tea
Taste Rating:8.8
Kick Rating:9.0 (more value based)
Final Judgment Rating:9.0 (again more value based)
Energy Drink Ratings Explained

Crave Energy Drink Review
I don't know about you guys but I have been hearing tons of news about the Crave Energy Drink. Why so much hype for this new drink? Well first off the Crave Energy Drink is a multi level marketing business so there are a lot of crave independent distributors out there trying to earn a living selling this stuff. That's right one packet is about $1.50 and you get two servings from it. Second, it is a cheap, healthier alternative to your normal every day sugar laden energy drink. Third it is really portable as it comes in a tiny .18 ounce packet that is ready (it only has 9 calories and 1 gram of sugar per serving) to mix into 8 ounces of water. Fourth, it is also supposed to be a fat burner. Now I don't know whether or not this is true. I am only going to try the one packet so there is no way of me finding scientific evidence that supports this claim. Fifth it is supposed to be all natural. I am sure I am missing a couple points about this beverage but I am pretty much just here to tell you how it performs in the taste and kick category. If you want more information on becoming a crave independent distributor, making money off of crave, or company information this might not be the site for you. So enough fluff and onto the review of the Crave Energy Drink.

Crave Energy Drink Review: Taste
So with all this fuss and hype, does the drink actually taste good? Well I followed the directions on the packet and poured roughly half of the packet into 8 ounces of bottled water. Now I have had experience with other ED's that you have to mix into water and they were not that pleasant as they usually did not mix well. However, after only a couple shakes of the water bottle, Crave quickly dissolved. This made me happy because I knew that in the middle of a drink I would not get any chunks of powder (like I did with A.C.T. Alright, back to the taste aspect. To sum it up the Crave Energy Drink has a smooth lime taste to it. There is no carbonation (unless you plan on mixing it with a carbonated beverage) and their is no bitter aftertaste. It actually tasted somewhat comparable to a Hi-C Ecto-Cooler except without all the sugary aftertaste. To sum up I was pretty pleased. I was expecting no taste and a clumpy mix and Crave delivered way better results. Taste Rating - 8.8

Crave Energy Drink Review: Kick
Alright the taste was way better than I was expecting, but how is the kick going to perform? Well from what I could gather from the packet the energy ingredients include caffeine, guarana, taurine, green tea, b-vitamins, hoodia and a **fat burning complex**. Now I have no idea what amount of each of these is actually in here, but I do know that caffeine and guarana are available in very potent powder forms. I also know that after drinking the packet I did feel a surge of energy. Now it was not an over the top kick like some of the 500 + milligram ED's that I have had, but it was noticeable and well sustained. I believe it lasted for about 2-3hours which is not bad at all, especially when you consider the value you are getting. $1.50 is the cost of a whole packet. So a half packet at roughly $0.38 got me 2-3 hours of energy. Take the whole packet at $1.50 and you should get roughly 4-5 hours of energy. Again, not bad for the price. Also, when you consider that there was no sugary crash, the value becomes even better. Kick Rating - 9.0 (more points based on value)

Crave Energy Drink Review: Final Judgment
After trying this drink I think I can shed some more light on all the hype I discussed in the opening paragraph. Yes, it's still a multi-level marketing business and sure some Crave independent distributors will make quite a bit of money (especially since they have a good product to sell). Second, it is cheap and it seems to be healthy as it only has one gram of sugar and nine calories. At $1.50 for two serving giving you about 4-5 hours of energy, it's a pretty good deal. Yes, it is portable. You could probably take 50 of these in place of one regular 16 ounce ED. The fourth aspect of being a fat burner I can not weigh in on as I only tried it once. However, it did seem to curb my appetite slightly. Fifth - it looks to be all natural, but I can't be precise on that factor either as I don't know what they are considering to be "all natural." It does have artificial coloring which does not seem to be natural to me, but I could be wrong (it has happened two other times now). So sure there was a lot of hype and a lot of promises made by this company, but it seems that they have lived up to most of them as far as I can tell. Final Judgment - 9.0

Order Crave Energy Drink Here

Ammo Energy Shot - Red Punch Review

Cost: $1.79
Cost Per Ounce:$1.79
Active Ingredients:Caffeine
Taste Rating:8.8
Kick Rating:9.0
Final Judgment Rating:9.0
Energy Drink Ratings Explained

Ammo Energy Shot - Red Punch Review:
Another first for the new year. That's right the Ammo Energy Shot from Bevolution Brands will be the first energy shot this year (2008). I believe the Ammo energy shot is also the smallest shot I have ever reviewed weighing it at only one ounce. According to the website this shot was developed by and for the military and was recently released and perfected for public use. This little one ounce shot comes in 3 distinct flavors; Red Punch, Blu Razz and Citrus Ice. Today I will be reviewing the Red Punch flavor. So enough background fluff for now, let's see if the Ammo Energy Shot delivers a solid kick.

Buy Ammo Energy Shots Here

Ammo Energy Shot - Red Punch Review: Taste
Being the smallest energy shot I have ever tried, I was a little worried about the taste as I have had largest energy shots that just taste horrible. However, I was pretty lucky with the Red Punch Ammo. The fruit punch flavor was noticeable, albeit slightly strong. You could also taste a slight hint of medicinal aftertaste. However, Ammo is by far one of the better tasting energy shots on the market. I was amazed at how well this shot tasted, especially considering the amount of caffeine in it (caffeine usually has quite a bitter taste). Besides, the ever so slight bitter taste quickly vanishes; after all it is only one ounce and I kind of felt like a chump sipping it when it is meant to be slammed. But hey, I had to put a finger on the taste for you guys. Taste Rating - 8.8

editTurns out you can either slam it or mix it in to your favorite drink to up the kick! It's up to you.

Ammo Energy Shot - Red Punch Review: Kick
The taste and size is great. But what I really liked is the fact that they tell you exactly what kind of energy you are going to get right on the bottle. That's right, there is 171 milligrams of caffeine in this little one ounce bugger making it a pretty powerful concentrate. There is also a cool little measurement scale on the side that allows you to figure out precisely how much caffeine you are consuming based on how much you drink. So if you want to drink 80 milligrams of caffeine, consume to that line. I love it, it's so simple yet ingenious. So how does this shot compare to other full size energy drinks? Well the Monster's and Rockstars all have various levels of caffeine, but most hover around 160-200 milligrams (16 ounces). So it is very comparable, yet way more compact. Kick Rating - 9.0

Ammo Energy Shot - Red Punch Review: Final Judgment
If you are into energy shots, then I recommend giving this one a try. I wasn't disapointed and you shouldn't be either. And if you are not into shots, it looks like you can just mix this in with 16 ounces of water or any other beverage. I just got straight to the point and took it as a shot and the Ammo Red Punch got straight to the point and delivered the energy I needed. I think I will add this one to my arsenal for use in the gym or bring it along next time I go backcountry backpacking. After at it is only one ounce! Final Judgment - 9.0

Buy Ammo Energy Shots Here

Vitamin Water - Fruit Punch Energy Drink Review

Cost: $2.00
Cost Per Ounce:$0.13
Active Ingredients:Natural Caffeine, Taurine, B-Vitamins
Taste Rating:8.8
Kick Rating:8.9
Final Judgment Rating:8.8
Energy Drink Ratings Explained

Vitamin Water - Fruit Punch Energy Drink Review
Well I have been hearing quite a lot about the Vitamin Water Energy Line up from Glaceau so I thought it time to give it a review and compare it to the other Energy Drinks that I have reviewed. Now Glaceau has several different categories of products including the regular Vitamin Water (15 different flavors), smart water (which is enhanced with electrolytes), fruit water (4 different flavors) and vitamin energy (3 flavors). Although I would like to review all the different Vitamin Water products from Glaceau, I will be focusing on the energy lineup. So today I will be reviewing the 16 ounce Vitamin Energy Fruit Punch flavor. To me it looks likte Glaceau is focusing their products on the health conscious market which seems to be growing larger and larger everyday as society places more of an emphasis on health. So let's see how the Fruit Punch Vitamin Energy does in the taste and kick reviews.

Vitamin Water - Fruit Punch Energy Drink Review: Taste
First off I would like to say that you can find this stuff pretty much anywhere which is why I finally opted for a review of it. The fruit punch taste of this drink is actually quite refreshing, although slightly watered down. It is not as strong as some of the other fruit punch flavors that I have tried but the right blend of carbonation and light and crisp flavor actually tastes quite well and masks the energy ingredients quite well. I enjoyed the taste but I would just like to mention that there is 200 calories in this drink, which is not what I was expecting from a health conscious brand. All 200 calories of this beverage come from carbs. Sugar to be more precise. So let's hope that this does not affect the kick rating as sugar sometimes tends to make you crash. Overall though I was very pleased with the flavor and look forward to trying the two other Vitamin Energy flavors. Taste Rating - 8.8

Vitamin Water - Fruit Punch Energy Drink Review: Kick
The light and crisp fruit punch flavor gives you a refreshing flavor, but will the kick hold up to the competition. Well the energy ingredient list includes 150 milligrams of caffeine (natural caffeine), 2000 milligrams of taurine and a bunch of b-vitamins. So the list is not the most impressive. However, the kick was still quite impressive as it lasted several hours. And even though there is a bunch of sugar in this drink I did not experience any crash at all which might have to do with the fact that there are electrolytes present (magnesium lactate, calcium lactate ). Also the fact that there were electrolytes present and not a ton of caffeine made me believe this would be a great ED to use for a workout (although I did not try it). Kick Rating - 8.9

Vitamin Water - Fruit Punch Energy Drink Review: Final Judgment
Light crisp fruit punch taste and a relatively decent kick means this is the best drink I have had all year so far (all though it is the only!). My only complaint comes into play with the sugar content. If Glaceau could cut the sugar content of this Vitamin Energy then I would be very pleased and would definitely add this drink to my workout regimen. Maybe a sugar free ED is in the works? Regardless, this is a relatively good ED. The fact that you can get it pretty much anywhere is nice as well. Final Judgment - 8.8

Vitamin Water Commercial

It's a new year so I will be reviewing tons more Energy Drinks. Unfortunately, I am a little hung over at the moment so instead of writing a full review I am going to pop in a Vitamin Water commercial as tomorrow I will be reviewing the ever so popular Vitamin Water Energy Drink (the Fruit Punch Flavor to be exact). So take a look at the commercial and feel free to post your comments. Or just be lazy on the couch like me! Oh yeah, happy new year as well!