Tag: Energy Drink

REVIEW: Red Bull Winter Edition Arctic Berry Energy Drink

Marvo 8 Comments

Red Bull Winter Edition Arctic Berry Can

Maybe my head is broken, but I swear this Red Bull Winter Edition Arctic Berry Energy Drink smelled and tasted like blueberry with my first sip. Of course, that’s impossible because there’s already a blueberry-flavored Red Bull. And it clearly states it’s a “cool raspberry” flavor on the can.

This Winter Edition Red Bull started being available in Summer 2020. Yes, it’s a bit early, but not surprising anymore since the brand released its 2020 Summer Edition in Winter 2020. Ugh. I feel I broke my head a little more by typing the first half of this paragraph. I could really use something that vitalizes my body and mind. Arctic Berry replaces Plum Twist, which was the Winter Edition from 2018-2019 in the U.S.

Red Bull Winter Edition Arctic Berry Closeup

The energy drink looks like a pre-freezer or melted Louie-Bloo Raspberry Otter Pop, but it doesn’t taste like one was poured into a Red Bull. It’s a blue raspberry-flavored Red Bull, but its tartness is heavier than an Otter Pop. And, of course, there’s that medicinal aftertaste the energy drink is known for. The blueberry scent I initially sniffed turned into a cotton candy-like aroma as I nursed the can.

It’s an okay flavor, but I wouldn’t repurchase it. There’s something about it that I don’t quite like, and I’ve been wracking my possibly broken head trying to figure out why. I enjoy blue raspberry-flavored products (Louie-Bloo Raspberry has always been my favorite Otter Pop), but maybe my taste buds think it doesn’t go well with Red Bull. I dunno. I asked my friends Little Orphan Orange, Alexander the Grape, and Poncho Punch, but they don’t know why either.

Like all 12-ounce cans of Red Bull, this also has 114 milligrams of caffeine, which gave me a decent energy boost. Also, I kind of like the muted baby blue can color.

Arctic Berry is not my favorite Winter Edition Red Bull. Granted, there have only been two in the US, so it can either be the best or second-best (or worst) US Winter Edition Red Bull at this time. So I guess it’s the second-best. It’s definitely much lower down the list when it comes to all the brand’s flavors.

Purchased Price: Paid way too much on eBay
Size: 12 fl oz can
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 can) 160 calories, 0 grams of fat, 125 milligrams of sodium, 40 grams of carbohydrates, 38 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Monster Hydro Super Sport

Marvo

Monster Hydro Super Sport

What is Monster Hydro Super Sport?

It’s a spinoff of Monster’s Hydro sports drink line. There are two varieties available — Blue Streak and Red Dawg. Like all sports drinks, they have electrolytes, but these also contain 200 milligrams of sweet, sweet caffeine and 1000 milligrams of BCAAs, which could be what makes them “super.”

We all know what caffeine is, but if you don’t know what branched-chained amino acids are (Full Disclosure: I had to look up the acronym BCAA, which I thought was British Colombia Athletic Association), then here’s a Wikipedia link, so I don’t have to drop some science on you.

How is it?

I usually post photos of the beverages in a container that inappropriate, like a soda in a brandy snifter, but this time I didn’t because I drank it all straight from the bottles before I got a chance to take any pictures. But if you want a visual of it in your mind, think of a Louie-Bloo Raspberry Otter Pop for Blue Streak and any fruit punch you can think of for Red Dawg. As for how they taste, you can also think of a Louie-Bloo Raspberry Otter Pop for Blue Streak and a red Popsicle for Red Dawg.

It’s funny that these sports drinks for super intense workouts taste like children’s frozen pops. Maybe Monster Hydro Super Sport is going for nostalgia?

Anything else you need to know?

I like the flavors of Monster Hydro Super Sport, but I love their size. For about the same price, I can get a regular canned Monster Energy Drink that comes in 16-ounce cans or these that come in 25.4-ounce bottles, which I can sip from a little bit longer than canned Monster Energy Drinks.

Conclusion:

Monster Hydro Super Sport Blue Streak and Red Dawg are great tasting addition to the Monster Hydro line.

Purchased Price: $3.99
Size: 24.5 ounce bottles
Purchased at: 7-Eleven
Rating: 7 out of 10 (both)
Nutrition Facts: (12 fl oz) Blue Streak – 35 calories, 0 grams of fat, 200 milligrams of sodium, 11 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein. Red Dawg – 35 calories, 0 grams of fat, 200 milligrams of sodium, 9 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Java Monster 300 Triple Shot

Marvo 1 Comment

Java Monster Triple Shot

I present to you a Java Monster Triple Shot Energy Coffee review with a number of words that equals the number of milligrams of caffeine each can has —- 300.

(Yes, including these words and those above. So it’s really 258 words below.)

Monster Energy might be trolling Starbucks with this new coffee drink line because, if not for a tap of the space bar, it would’ve been a trademark violation. You see, Starbucks, last year, came out with an energy coffee line called Tripleshot, which is a followup to the brand’s Doubleshot line.

Java Monster Triple Shot features, you guessed it by looking at the large numbers on the labels and reading the first paragraph above, 300 milligrams of caffeine per can, and it comes in two flavors — French Vanilla and Mocha. Starbucks’ Tripleshot has a not round number of 225 milligrams of the stimulant, but is currently available in five flavors.

Java Monster Triple Shot French Vanilla
Java Monster Triple Shot French Vanilla

While Java Monster Triple Shot can pump a Spartans army at the Battle of Thermopylae’s worth of caffeine into your bloodstream, I feel that’s the only noteworthy thing it has.

Both varieties smell, look, and taste similar to their regular Java Monster counterparts, but it seems as if some flavor was sacrificed in order to get to 300 milligrams of caffeine. To me, they’re slightly less flavorful than any regular Java Monster, especially the French Vanilla variety. Yes, I shook them.

Java Monster Triple Shot Mocha
Java Monster Triple Shot Mocha

With that said, Jave Monster Triple Shot drinks are perfectly fine coffee beverages if you want or need a whole lot of caffeine in 15 ounces. But if you don’t need to pump your bloodstream with that much, I’d recommend sticking with the regular Java Monster line, which has 188 milligrams per can. Or you could purchase a can of Starbucks’ Triple-no-space-shot.

300 words.

Purchased Price: More than anyone should pay on eBay
Size: 15 oz. cans
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 7 out of 10 (both flavors)
Nutrition Facts: (1 can) French Vanilla – 200 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 210 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 32 grams of sugar, and 7 grams of protein. Mocha – 200 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 220 milligrams of sodium, 35 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 32 grams of sugar, and 7 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Monster Energy Ultrá Rosa and Ultra Fiesta

Denis 8 Comments

Monster Energy Ultra Fiesta and Ultra Rosa

What are Monster Ultra Rosá and Ultra Fiesta?

The Monster Ultra stork has delivered two new arrivals to the energy drink’s zero sugar family in the form of Ultra Rosá and Ultra Fiesta.

How are they?

Monster Energy Ultra Rosa

Let’s start with Ultra Rosá, the more mysterious of the two. Let me explain the mystery. The color reminded me of cotton candy, and after about 10 attempts the best — and admittedly useless — description of the smell I could come up with is “fruity.” The can is also of little help, saying, in part, “Ultra Rosá is not what you think. Forget about pink lemonade, blush wine, guavas and strawberries.”

So what flavor is it? I truly have no idea, although if I had to pick one I’d say pink lemonade, despite the advice of the can. Although my description might be wholly inadequate, I can report that it’s an excellent flavor — not too strong, not too sweet, not too fruity. I celebrate the entire catalog of Monster Ultra flavors, and this just might be my favorite yet. It sort of tastes like summer, and summer is good.

Monster Energy Ultra Fiesta

While Ultra Rosá can is vague as far as the flavor, the vessel housing 16 ounces of Ultra Fiesta flat out tells you it’s mango. And when you open the can, there is no doubt, as the mango aroma is quite powerful.

The actual flavor, however, is a bit more subdued. Yes, there is a hint of mango in there, but overall I found it to be more of a general citrus flavor, perhaps with a bit of pineapple and orange. It almost reminded me of Mountain Dew with more of a citrus kick. Like the Ultra Rosá flavor, this one also gets a thumbs up from me.

Is there anything else you need to know?

Remember in grade school when someone at the lunch table mixed mustard, Goldfish crackers, part of a chicken nugget and some apple sauce together and dared someone else to eat it? Well, I was the one who tried those nasty concoctions, assuming of course that some kind of monetary reward was involved. So it was only natural for me to mix these two flavors together.

Monster Energy Ultra Mixa

The resulting color could best be described as dishwater, and it only tasted slightly better (please don’t ask how I know). For those of you that are of legal drinking age, I think either of these flavors would make excellent mixers, but mixing them together is not recommended.

Conclusion:

Monster Energy Ultra Fiesta Design

I’ve always liked the textured feel of Monster Ultra cans, as it gives me a warm feeling inside knowing that a surge of 150 milligrams caffeine will soon be flowing through my veins. I’ve never paid much attention to the design on the can, but the imagery on the Fiesta can is particularly eye-catching with it Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) theme. That all has nothing to do with the taste, but these are both excellent additions to the Monster Ultra lineup.

Purchased Price: $2.29 each
Size: 16 fl. oz.
Purchased at: 7-Eleven
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Rosá) 8 out of 10 (Fiesta)
Nutrition Facts: (1 can) 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, 370 (Fiesta) 380 (Rosa) milligrams of sodium, 6 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar and 150 milligrams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Reign Inferno Thermogenic Fuel by Monster Energy

Mike

Reign Inferno Thermogenic Fuel

Feb 2021 Update: Watermelon Warlord review was added.

What is Reign Inferno Thermogenic Fuel?

The new Reign line of energy drinks has a brand extension that promises an even more Xtreme performance boost than its standard offering. Fortified with Branch-Chained Amino Acids, Citrulline, and 300 milligrams of caffeine, Reign Inferno Thermogenic Fuel makes some big promises, like burning calories and accelerating metabolism. After tasting all three flavors (Red Dragon, True Blu, and Jalapeno Strawberry), I fully expect my mortal frame to combust spontaneously, unable to contain the energies contained therein.

How is it?

Watermelon Warlord

Watermelon Warlord is the newest flavor in Monster Beverage’s line of Reign Inferno thermogenic energy drinks. With a name like that, I’m expecting my tastebuds to be ravaged with watermelon flavor. Maybe that’s not great? Artificial watermelon flavor is something that can be tasty in small amounts, but tastes nothing like actual watermelon so can be detrimental if overdone.

As I take a sip of the clear liquid, simple sweetness is the dominant flavor. It is a bit cloying, but the subtle watermelon flavor provides enough interest to cut through the sucralose. Watermelon Warlord seems a bit aggressive of a name for the amount of watermelon flavor here, but Watermelon Democratically-elected Town Alderperson doesn’t have the same impact, you know?

Purchased Price: $2.49
Size: 16 fl oz
Purchased at: Festival Foods
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 200 milligrams of sodium, 3 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 0 gram of protein.

Red Dragon

Reign Inferno Thermogenic Fuel Red Dragon

I didn’t expect their colors to be clear. Reign has seemingly decided to target the consumer who desires to unleash the beast within via scientifically formulated supplementation, but is also very concerned about artificial colors. The flavor tastes of generic red fruit. Strawberry? Cherry? Fruit Punch? Who knows? It tastes red.

Purchased Price: $1.99
Size: 16 FL OZ.
Purchased at: Woodman’s Market
Rating: 5 out of 10 (Red Dragon)

Nutrition Facts: (1 can) Red Dragon – 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 200 milligrams of sodium, 3 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, 0 gram of protein, 2% Potassium, 120% Vitamin B6, 130% Niacin (Vitamin B3), and 250% Vitamin B12.

True Blu

Reign Inferno Thermogenic Fuel True Blu

I went into this thinking True Blu would be a blue raspberry flavored, but instead, it tastes like a classic energy drink, very similar to Red Bull. The citric acid adds a puckering tang that always reminds me of Sour Patch Kids gummies. This one will please those who are looking that the classic energy drink kick, but it doesn’t offer something unique.

Purchased Price: $1.99
Size: 16 FL OZ.
Purchased at: Woodman’s Market
Rating: 5 out of 10 (True Blu)

Nutrition Facts: (1 can) True Blu – 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 220 milligrams of sodium, 3 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, 0 gram of protein, 2% Potassium, 120% Vitamin B6, 130% Niacin (Vitamin B3), and 250% Vitamin B12.

Jalapeno Strawberry

Reign Inferno Thermogenic Fuel Jalapeno Strawberry

My midwestern taste buds were suspicious of this one going in. Spicy strawberries? What’s next, chili-infused chocolate? Oh wait, that exists. The scent is unexpectedly pungent, and actually caused some nasal irritation, like when you smell horseradish. Conversely, the flavor is quite smooth and pleasant. The sweet berry flavor plays very well with the jalapeno. There’s a very slight spiciness at the end that doesn’t linger.

Purchased Price: $1.99
Size: 16 FL OZ.
Purchased at: Woodman’s Market
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Jalapeno Strawberry)

Nutrition Facts: (1 can) Jalapeno Strawberry – 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 220 milligrams of sodium, 3 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, 0 gram of protein, 2% Potassium, 120% Vitamin B6, 130% Niacin (Vitamin B3), and 250% Vitamin B12.

Is there anything else you need to know?

The True Blu’s flavor transported me back to middle school in the ’90s, when I first tasted Red Bull. It was perhaps the boldest thing I’d ever done in my life to that point (maybe still?).

You have to understand that the ’90s were a different time. The Simpsons was the most audacious, boundary-pushing thing on TV. There wasn’t the internet as we know it, only vague rumors of a kid the next town over who took a sip of Red Bull and then his heart exploded on the spot. I survived the 80 milligrams of caffeine found in an 8-ounce can of Red Bull. In comparison, Reign Inferno contains 300 milligrams per serving, which is only a portion of my daily caffeine intake. We’ve come a long way, baby.

Conclusion:

Other than their high caffeine content, Red Dragon and True Blu don’t offer anything new. Their flavors will be familiar to energy drink aficionados. Jalapeno Strawberry was a surprise and provided a pleasant flavor combination.