Energy Drink (337 reviews)
NOS Active Energy Drink Raspberry Lemonade
It has recently come to my attention that through all the gallons of beverage that I have drank throughout my 34 years I have never once had a NOS energy drink. I’ve drunk far more energy drinks than I am comfortable admitting, but for some reason I have never reached for one of these. Perhaps it’s because far too much of my time during my 20’s was spent with friends who cared far too much (in my opinion at the time) about cars. We’re talking about “pimping” and sooping up cars for cars shows and the like. Because of the boredom I underwent I became disinterested in all things car related. Now that I am older I say, whatever makes you happy, do it, but back them I was a surly bastard about it.
Anyways here I stand at my inaugural tasting, and of course it’s not even for their flagship product, but a new line that they are promoting called Active. This line is basically an energy drink/sports drink hybrid. Due to the bottle and the fact that both are distributed by Coca Cola, I have it in my mind that this is NOS mixed with Powerade. I have no idea if that is true, but that is the way it looks and that is the way it tastes.
What we have here is very light lemonade with a little bit of raspberry flavor to it with a whole lot of electrolytes thrown in the mix. Oh, and a whole lot of sodium, which is normal for sports drinks. You don’t taste the energy drink aspect of this at all. The only foreign flavor I can really taste is the artificial sweetener sucralose. Overall this isn’t all that bad. It’s not a flavor that I generally go for, but I know there is definitely a lot of people out there that would.
This is a beverage made for when you work out. My question is when are you supposed to drink it though? If you drink it before you work out you get the benefit of the caffeine, taurine and the like, but the electrolytes are wasted. If you drink it after, the opposite is true. I suppose you could drink it during your work out, but I feel like you’d only get half the benefits from each side. I chose to drink it before hand, in hopes that somehow the electrolytes are set on a time release. We can only hope.
- Website
- http://www.drinknos.com
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- Sucralose
- Categories
- Energy Drink, Lemonade, Sports/Dietary Supplement
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Jason Draper 10 hours, 52 minutes ago
- Comments
- View and Leave A Comment
Monster Rehab Tea + Pink Lemonade + Energy
Am I the only one who feels like non-carbonated energy drinks don’t work? Even thought I know they have the exact same energy giving ingredients, the absence of thousands of tiny bubbles tricks my brain into thinking that I will not be awake for much longer. Well brain, learn to work properly because I can assure you this does provide the burst of energy that it sells you on. It’s been awhile since I have physically been able to feel an energy drink, and I’m sure my nearly empty stomach played a supporting role in that.
Monster hit the nail on the head when they decided to mix their energy formula with tea and lemonade. They use a nice mixture of brewed black and green tea, instead of some garbage powder. That mixed with the pink lemonade it tastes wonderfully like summer and it does a great job of masking the typical energy drink flavor. It also 95% hides the taste of the sucralose used to sweeten this. This is decent tasting lemonade that has only 6g of sugar in the entire can. That’s some kind of magic right there. By the way what is in pink lemonade that makes it pink? Online tells me it’s just dye, but it taste different to me.
On top of this tasting great and giving you a healthy dose of hopped up energy it also has coconut water and a bunch of antioxidant rich fruits to help you recover from a rough night of some crazy scavenger hunt that you were more than likely on. I mean that’s how everyone spends their weeknights, right? Oh, and the secret to winning is to find the name of the baby gorilla buried in the pet cemetery, and get that can of Mello Yellow, no matter what.
- Website
- http://www.monsterenergy.com
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- Sucralose
- Categories
- Diet, Energy Drink, Iced Tea, Lemonade
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Jason Draper 3 days, 8 hours ago
- Comments
- View and Leave A Comment
NOS High Performance Energy Drink Zero
The Fast and the Furious 6 comes out next week. It would seem appropriate to save this can and review it alongside of the movie, but I don't think they would be so keen on that idea. I could probably wait until an engine revs in the opening credits and time my can opening to that moment so no one would notice. It would probably enhance my experience of watching it.
But let's not kid ourselves, the series is a guilty pleasure of mine and I’m already really excited to see it. Those who know me might be really shocked for my love of a tricked out car racing movie franchise because I have never had my driver’s license. I like taking the bus/ riding my bike and have never had to urge/need to drive. As for my love of the Fast and Furious movies, I look at them the same way I do the Die Hard series: they are really fun to watch.
Now for the drink at hand, it's good but not worthy to be featured next to a fancy car that costs more than I will make in 5 years (Mike is the car guy, I don't know the names/makes/models of cars). It's on the better end of diet energy drinks, but it doesn't have much character to it. It's like the racer that crashes first in each movie; they have a prominent role in the movie but are very forgettable.
- Website
- http://www.drinknos.com
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- Sucralose
- Categories
- Diet, Energy Drink
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Derek Neuland 3 days, 17 hours ago
- Comments
- View and Leave A Comment
Monster Dub Edition Baller's Blend Punch Energy
This morning Mike and I had a meeting at the local Coke bottling facility. Our new friends there told us about what they do and about the new products coming out. Once that concluded we were taken on a tour of the warehouse/bottling section. Everything was normal and on the up and up until we came to a make shift boxing ring tucked away in a back corner. When we questioned its existence, our tour guide gave us a sly smile and tossed us a can of this new Monster Baller’s Blend. He said it was a way to promote the new SKU inside the company. Every week the warehouse employees downed a can of this fruit punch flavored energy drink and had it out in the ring to see who would take the upcoming weekend shifts.
We were in luck because the week’s fights were just about to start. We sat there as approximately two dozen employees cracked open a case of Punch Energy and used their keys to pop holes in them and shotgunned the hell out of those cans. Mike and I watched on as we sipped our can. It was surprisingly good. We were actually taken aback by how decent it was. When we think of a fruit punch energy drink the only image in my mind was an overly sweet cheap tasting syrupy mess. Luckily the liquid inside has a nice fruit punch flavor that doesn’t seem too childish. I believe that was due to the fact that it’s sweetened with sugar, so it’s not too syrupy and the slight general energy drink flavor gave it a more adult taste.
We only had time to watch the first couple fights, but let me tell you those warehouse guys were no joke. This was an all out bare-knuckle brawl, with a bunch of grown men who were all sorts of amped up on energy punch. The second forklift operator lost at least one tooth that I saw. I guess when you’re weekend is at risk and the weather finally getting nice out, you’re gonna do what you have to do for some time in the sun. The invited Mike and I to go a few rounds against each other for the titled of Duke of the Dudes of Thirst, but we politely declined. There were tacos in our future and we didn’t want to take a chance of ruining that with bloody lips and black eyes. Instead we downed the last few sips of our tasty beverages, said our goodbyes and made our way out into the wild world of taquerias.
As you may have guess by that last line, none of this is actually true, except that we did have a tour/meeting and we drank this surprisingly good beverage. There are no real taquerias in Buffalo, and that is the shame of our city.
- Website
- http://www.monsterenergy.com
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- Sugar
- Categories
- Energy Drink
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Jason Draper 6 days, 14 hours ago
- Comments
- View and Leave A Comment
Liquid Lightning Energy Drink Sugar Free
Hell hath no fury like my scorn for gross energy drinks. If this were someone's first energy drink, I wouldn't blame them for never wanting to try another one again. This is hard to stomach. I don't know if it's the un-original "energy drink" taste that is as bland/gross as the packaging of this can, or the sucralose that is burning an ulcer into my stomach. I have a deadline on Monday and am trying to get ahead so I don't have much to do this weekend. Despite my stomach telling me to stop, I keep drinking this. And you know what? It's not getting any better.
I just took another sip; yup it's still nearly undrinkable.
- Website
- http://llenergy.com/
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- Sucralose
- Categories
- Diet, Energy Drink
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Derek Neuland 1 week, 5 days ago
- Comments
- View and Leave A Comment
Xyience Xenergy Honey Ginseng Tea
Honey is a wonderful thing. Think of all those millions of bees out there working their little stingers off for their queen and as a result leaving this sweet delicious waste behind. That’s right, honey is essentially bee poop, and we all love it.
Ginseng on it’s own is rather gross. Have you ever had one of those Asian energy drinks that are basically ginseng root floating in water? They taste like the water that is strained through a potted plant, or so I would assume. Ginseng mixed into other drinks can be pretty alright though.
The thing is when honey and ginseng are mixed together; all I can think of are cough drops. No one wants to be reminded of the things they need to ingest when they are ill. It just causes waves of gross feeling to wash all over you.
As a result of all I have written above, I fully expected this to taste like a cough drop bathed in a sea of chemical energy drink grossness with a hint of diet poison. I am very grateful that the Xyientists would never let that come to pass. They busted out their Erlenmeyer flasks and their Bunsen burners and burned the midnight oil (whilst listening to “Diesel and Dust”) to create a downright tasty drink that they themselves could have utilized on that late night.
This is firstly a green tea. It has a bit of a honey edge to it, but you can’t really taste the “dirt” ginseng flavor. It comes nowhere near cough drop flavor, which is a huge plus. The flavor of the sucralose blends in well with the energy drink flavor, and it ends up not tasting too much like either. It’s also non-carbonated, which is a nice direction for energy drinks to move in. These new lines of tea and lemonade Xyience beverages that come out have all put a nice twist on a beverage style that is becoming increasingly stale and boring.
- Website
- http://www.xyience.com/
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- Sucralose
- Categories
- Diet, Energy Drink, Iced Tea
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Jason Draper 1 week, 6 days ago
- Comments
- View and Leave A Comment
Monster Energy Ultra Blue
Quote direct from the can: "Ultra Blue is a little less sweet and lighter tasting with zero calories..."
They had me at less sweet. I love Monster energy drinks, but some are ridiculously sugary to the point that I feel like I’m developing a new cavity with every sip. Every word in their quote rings true. Well I can't scientifically prove that there are no calories in this, it tastes like a non-gross diet drink. My guess is due to them using erythritol to sweeten it. Not only does it taste good for a zero calorie sweetener, it's actually good for your teeth!
"Erythritol has been certified as tooth-friendly. The sugar alcohol cannot be metabolized by oral bacteria, so does not contribute to tooth decay. Interestingly, erythritol exhibits some, but not all, of xylitol's tendency to "starve" harmful bacteria."
So next time your mom or dad tells you energy drinks are rotting your teeth, as long as it's sweetened with erythritol you have a great argument.
Overall this is a great energy drink, it is delicious and light and the perfect amount of sweetness. The flavor is hard to pin point, it has a grapefruit taste to it but also has that classic "Monster" taste to it as well. The can is textured like they have been doing with their recent releases and I like it.
post script: Due to the name of this drink, "Ultra Blue", I thought it was beer at first and got really confused when it was next to the other Monster drinks.
- Website
- http://www.monsterenergy.com
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- Erythritol
- Categories
- Diet, Energy Drink
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Derek Neuland 2 weeks ago
- Comments
- View and Leave A Comment
Xyience Xenergy Lemonade Raspberry
Zero calories, zero sugar and very little diet flavor. How do they do it? Science, that’s how. Or should I say Xyience? Non-carbonated energy drinks always throw me for a loop, but this one really works. It tastes like light lemonade, with just a touch of raspberry in it. If this were served to me on a hot summer day from a pitcher into a glass full of ice, I might think there was something a little weird about it, but I would never expect it to be an energy drink, and that is something that companies strive for, but rarely achieve. Leave it Xyience to come through.
Oh and by the way, it’s April in Buffalo and I already have my second sunburn of the year. There is going to be an epic battle this summer.
- Website
- http://www.xyience.com/
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- Sucralose
- Categories
- Diet, Energy Drink, Lemonade
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Jason Draper 3 weeks, 3 days ago
- Comments
- View and Leave A Comment
Bulletproof Energy
I was all prepared to ramble about the movie Bulletproof starring Damon Wayans and Adam Sandler in this review, but then I tasted the drink. Let me preface by saying that I like sugar. I eat candy from time to time, prefer my iced tea sweetened, and put sugar (or sugar substitute) in my coffee. That being said, this is WAY too sweet. The phrase "terribly sweet" comes to mind, because nothing should be this sweet. I had 6 cavities filled 7 months ago and two sips of this makes it feel like I'm already developing another 6.
I would like to say that this would be better if it was sugar free, but Jay's review of that didn't fare well either.
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- Sugar
- Categories
- Energy Drink
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Derek Neuland 3 weeks, 4 days ago
- Comments
- View and Leave A Comment
Xyience Xenergy Raspberry Acai
Total disclaimer is that I did not want to drink this. I have been scared away from energy drinks because the last few I've drunk have made me real weird: just general nausea and spinning and stuff. I don't know what's up with me. Perhaps I'm dying from all the stuff I've been drinking since I've been doing this site. I also have no interest in extreme fighting. I don't have anything against it, let it be known, but it's not a selling point for me. Just something to keep in mind while I write and you read this review.
This drink is non-carbonated. I appreciate it because most energy drinks are carbonated and this is different. Likewise, this doesn't taste like concentrated candy like most energy drinks do. This basically just tastes like a diet raspberry juice and tea. If you didn't know better, that is what you would think this is. It has sucralose in it, which keeps it not awful for you, but it does translate during the aftertaste and should be mentioned. The flavor isn't that bad. It's fruity and the acai doesn't have that awful taste that I normally get where it's a little bitter, almost like a blackcurrant.
If you're short on energy and have some sort of cage match coming up, I actually recommend this. If you have an elbow that is just itching to go into some dude's back but just don't have the "get up and go" to bring yourself to do it, this is good for you. If you hate Red Bull and want a boost, to a lesser extent, this is for you.
- Website
- http://www.xyience.com/
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- Sucralose
- Categories
- Energy Drink, Iced Tea
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Mike Literman 4 weeks, 1 day ago
- Comments
- View and Leave A Comment
