REVIEW: Java Monster Oatmilk Farmer’s Oats

Java Monster Oatmilk Farmer s Oats

What is Java Monster Oatmilk Farmer’s Oats?

A new vegan-friendly Monster Java flavor using one of 2019’s trendiest beverages – oatmilk.

How is it?

I always avoid reading opinions about products I’m about to review, but I happened to stumble on a few super negative tweets that shocked me because I liked this just fine.

Upon cracking the can, I was met with a heartwarming smell that reminded me of Italian coffee hard candies my Grandmother used to eat, so maybe nostalgia blinded my opinion a little? (BTW, if that isn’t a perfect “Grandma Candy,” I don’t know what is.)

Java Monster Oatmilk Farmer s Oats Glass

The flavor wasn’t too far off from the other Monster coffees I’ve tried and enjoyed. I thought it was sweetened to perfection. The taste was faintly caramel with a little cinnamon – neither of which show up in the ingredients, but that’s what I got.

There’s a Rockstar Horchata flavor that it reminded me of a bit.

Is there anything else you need to know?

This may not sound like a ringing endorsement, but it was way thinner than I expected. The oatmilk I’ve tried had a pleasant viscosity to it, like a thicker almond milk, with a slightly stranger taste that really works.

That goes by the wayside here.

Java Monster Oatmilk Farmer s Oats Closeup

It kinda tasted like an iced coffee that sat around too long and got watered down, but still somehow held the initial flavor.

I got a faint taste of oatmilk, though, and I thought the finish was really nice. There was a non-cloying coating and aftertaste that reminded me of the flavor I get after demolishing a bowl of coffee ice cream.

Java Monster Oatmilk Farmer s Oats Artwork

Oh, and I did get a quick little boost of energy about 10 minutes after the last sip. It was short-lived, but that’s always the case for me and “energy” drinks. It’s not replacing my two morning cups of coffee in that department.

Conclusion:

Java Monster Oatmilk Farmer s Oats Copy

Ignoring the cliché Vegan joke on the can – “Haha, Vegans always be talkin’ bout how they Vegan!” – I’m a fan, and probably a repeat buyer. It may not be the best Java Monster flavor, but it’s still a worthy addition to the team.

Maybe those tweets are right and I’m nuts, but this is worth a shot, and I will definitely be trying oatmilk in my coffee soon.

Purchased Price: $2.14
Size: 15 fl. oz.
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (15 fl oz) 150 calories, 4 grams of fat, .5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 480 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of total carbohydrates, 5 gram of dietary fiber, 25 grams of total sugars, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Red Bull Summer Edition Beach Breeze

Red Bull Summer Edition Beach Breeze

What is Red Bull Summer Edition Beach Breeze?

It’s a Red Bull. Thanks for reading the review, enjoy your summer folks!

How is it?

Ok, I’ll elaborate more, but Beach Breeze is unmistakably Red Bull.

It tastes like a sour Red Bull with an added coconut finish. The sour aspect is probably supposed to ape a fruit flavor, so I’d guess they were going for unripe pineapple?

Red Bull Summer Edition Beach Breeze Glass

If you’ve ever wondered what Red Bull’s attempt at a Pina Colada might taste like, this may be as close as you’ll get – a sour Red Bull with a fragrant artificial coconut aftertaste.

Is there anything else you need to know?

Red Bull Summer Edition Beach Breeze Ingredients List

I could be wrong about the pineapple. There’s no fruit listed in the chemical – pardon me, ingredient list. Perhaps I just tasted the “glycerol ester of wood rosin.” Mmm! It’s not officially summer until I’ve had some “glycerol ester of wood rosin.”

Red Bull Summer Edition Beach Breeze Alka Seltzer

And with that sarcastically said, we don’t need fake dyes in our energy drinks, but Beach Breeze’s color is super disappointing. This is a nitpick, but I poured this into one of my “fancy” beer glasses, expecting a cool light blue color and got what looked like the aftermath of a dissolved Alka-Seltzer tablet.

Conclusion:

I love Pina Colada, and coconut especially. The last thing I drank from the aforementioned beer glass was a delicious coconut stout. The coconut here is cheap and artificial. The pineapple is essentially an educated guess, and it’s a little too sour to really stick out amongst the handful of Red Bull flavors you’ll find next to this in the fridge. For example, I tried the Sugar Free Pear flavor a few days later, and it was much better.

In fairness, Beach Breeze gave me a little pep in my step. I didn’t sprout wings, and it didn’t “vitalize my body and mind,” but it was still kinda refreshing despite the “meh” flavor.

Purchased Price: $2.59
Size: 12 fl. oz.
Purchased at: Shop Rite
Rating: 4 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, less than 1 gram of protein, 140% niacin, 120% vitamin B12, 365% vitamin B6, 70% pantothenic acid, and 114 milligrams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Rockstar Pure Zero TMGS Twist

Rockstar Pure Zero TMGS Twist

What is Rockstar Pure Zero TMGS Twist?

Rockstar Pure Zero TMGS Twist is the latest Pure Zero variety from Rockstar Energy. It is the sequel to the delicious Pure Zero TMGS, whose flavor features four fruits — tangerine, mango, guava, and strawberry. This energy drink has all of that, but also a twist, which I will not spoil yet.

It’s lime.

How is it?

With the first sip, it has that wonderful tropical flavor that TMGS has. But then the lime quickly kicks in. No disrespect to the green citrus fruit because it makes tortilla chips and my McDonald’s Southwest Salad tasty, but it gets in the way of the fruits I really want to taste. The lime is not a backup singer in this energy drink. It’s also not part of a choir. It’s the Beyoncé of the beverage. It stands out and you can’t avoid it.

With that said, it’s a pleasant, refreshing, and heart rate-rising beverage, thanks to the 240 milligrams of sweet caffeine, but if you were to give me the option between original TMGS and TMGS Twist, I’d pick the former. But between TMGS Twist and other flavors in the Pure Zero line, I’d probably choose the one with Beyoncé most of the time.

If you’re not familiar with the Pure Zero line, they have no sugar and zero calories, but, like TMGS, this also doesn’t taste like a zero sugar, zero calorie energy drink. But if you drink it warm, then all the artificial sweeteners come into play.

Is there anything else you need to know?

Rockstar Pure Zero TMGS Twist Orange

While the original TMGS was pink in color, TMGS Twist is orange. I also wasted a few minutes of my life wondering what color pink and green (for lime) would make. It’s not orange. It turns out it’s gray. Yum.

As of publication, it’s an ampm (yup, that’s the correct spelling) exclusive, but I imagine it’ll end up in other stores later because it’s too good to keep it locked with one regional convenience store chain that seems to get exclusivity with Rockstar flavors regularly.

Conclusion:

Rockstar Pure Zero TMGS Twist is another great flavor from the energy drink company. While I do enjoy it, again, I like it ever so slightly less than the original TMGS.

Thanks to TIB reader Rene B for sending me a can.

Purchased Price: $2.79
Size: 16-ounce can
Purchased at: ampm
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (8 ounces) 0 calories, 0 grams of fat, 100 milligrams of sodium, 0 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Sonic Red Bull Slush

Sonic Red Bull Slush Cup

What is the Sonic Red Bull Slush?

If you’ve ever chugged a Red Bull — America’s favorite energy drink, second only to Ol’ Glory, of course — and thought to yourself “Gee, I wonder what this would taste like moderately frozen,” here is your chance to live your frosty dreams, courtesy of the Sonic corporation.

How is it?

Sonic Red Bull Slush

I was thoroughly excited to try this recent breakthrough in energy technology, so I ordered a small original flavor from my local Sonic. At first sip, the common Red Bull flavor is wonderfully there, a sharp stab to the senses that does a great job of momentarily perking the user up.

Sadly, the comedown is almost immediate, with a distinct backwash and aftertaste of what I can only describe as frozen mouthful of used dishwater. How the taste can do a 180 degrees like that is far beyond my pay grade, but any excitement of two great products coming together is quickly done away, leaving me with a three-dollar cup that’s too pricey to dump out.

Is there anything else you need to know?

If the Sonic Red Bull Slush is still something you desperately need to down, try to do it between two to four p.m. to take advantage of the chain’s Happy Hour. I, unfortunately, was thirty minutes early and paid full price. Additionally, it’s also available in a cherry limeade slush as well.

Conclusion:

Sonic Red Bull Slush Strawless

I would send this one back to the labs, Sonic. The nonplussed aftertaste is just far too much to deal with, leaving me with a sour stomach that swirled with burning acids that couldn’t be cooled down no matter how much icy slush was involved. Guess its back to the regular small can of Sugar-Free Red Bull for me.

Purchased Price: $2.99
Size: Small
Rating: 2 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (Small) 180 calories, 0 grams of fat, 50 milligrams of sodium, 48 grams of carbohydrates, 48 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Reign Total Body Fuel by Monster Energy

Update 9/12/20: Added Lilikoi Lychee flavor.

In the world of performance energy drinks, there’s one leader — Bang. In the world of energy drinks, there is one leader — I don’t know who that is and I’m too lazy to look it up. If only there were drinks I could consume to give me some energy to do so.

It could be Red Bull. It could be Monster. Maybe Rockstar. Maybe Cocaine Energy Drink? But Monster is one of the heavy hitters in the energy drink universe.

So what are “performance energy drinks”? From what I can gather, they’re made for athletes to give them big boosts of energy that allow them to do things at a higher level. In order to do that, they have 300 milligrams of caffeine per can and contain supplements like coenzyme Q10 and branched-chain-amino acids.

While Bang is in the lead, Monster hopes to gain market share with its new Reign Total Body Fuel line. Yes, it’s not Monster Total Body Fuel, because who wants to use a well-recognized trademark over a name that sounds like a mobile game with lots of in-app purchases.

So Monster could have dipped its toes in the category, but it decided to make a splash by offering SIX flavors of Reign — Carnival Candy, Melon Mania, Lemon HDZ, Peach Fizz, Sour Apple, and Razzle Berry. They all have 300 milligrams of caffeine, 0 grams of sugar, 0 calories, no artificial colors (yes, they’re all clear), and no artificial flavors. In 2020, Lilikoi Lychee was added.

Lilikoi Lychee

Reign Total Body Fuel Lilikoi Lychee

(Added 9/12/20)

For those unfamiliar with lilikoi, perhaps you know it from its common name — passion fruit. For those unfamiliar with lychee, it’s quite possibly one of the most incredible fruits Mother Nature has given us. If you haven’t had it, you should definitely try it. Of course, my thoughts about the red flesh fruit might be hyperbole to some, but it’s one tasty fruit and a flavor that’s rarely seen in U.S. beverages, so I’m happy to see it in this.

The first sip has a sweet and robust lychee flavor that tastes like the perfect lychee. It’s divine. The lilikoi lingers somewhere in there, but all I care about is that lychee. Unfortunately, like some other Reign flavors, the next sip is less potent, but the lilikoi seems to be highlighted more. Again, if I give my taste buds a chance to reset themselves, the bold lychee flavor comes back.

Because of my love for lychee and how it dominates this flavor, I have to say that this is now my favorite Reign variety.

Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 can) 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, 230 milligrams of sodium, 3 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

Carnival Candy

Reign Total Body Fuel Carnival Candy

When I took the first sip, I got a lot of cotton candy flavor, but that went away with the sips right after. Those had more of a general sweetness. There’s a little cotton candy in the aftertaste, but I want it whenever I’m drinking it because when it’s there, it’s quite lovely.

Now if you let your taste buds reset and not sip on it for a while, the cotton candy flavor will return briefly for that one sip and then go back to not tasting like the carnival treat. I have to say this was the one variety I was most looking forward to and it ended up being a little disappointing.

Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (8 ounces) 0 calories, 0 grams of fat, 100 milligrams of sodium, 35 milligrams of potassium, 1 gram of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

Sour Apple

Reign Total Body Fuel Sour Apple

This flavor has the same issue that Carnival Candy has. The first sip tastes like sour apple, but subsequent sips lose most of the apple flavoring, leaving a sweet and tart taste. But, again, let your taste buds rest a little, and the full fruity and sourness comes back for one sip. The sour apple flavor is good, but I wish it’s around for every sip.

Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (8 ounces) 0 calories, 0 grams of fat, 100 milligrams of sodium, 35 milligrams of potassium, 1 gram of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

Melon Mania

Reign Total Body Fuel Melon Mania

I was hoping this would be flavored like either a cantaloupe or honeydew melon because the world needs more of those, but the can’s color scheme makes it obvious it’s going to be watermelon. If you’re expecting it to taste similar to a Jolly Rancher hard candy, it’s not like that says my taste buds who are currently enjoying a watermelon Jolly Rancher because we just so happen to have some in our house. It’s better tasting than that. It’s like an enhanced version of watermelon flavoring.

Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (8 ounces) 0 calories, 0 grams of fat, 100 milligrams of sodium, 35 milligrams of potassium, 1 gram of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

Lemon HDZ

Reign Total Body Fuel Lemon HDZ

Because I’m uncool, I wasn’t sure what HDZ was, but I asked our Twitter followers, and they came up with the obvious answer — Heads. (Full disclosure: I thought it was Hards.) I thought this one would be like a lemonade, but it’s not quite that because there isn’t a noticeable sourness to it. I want to say lemon meringue because there’s something else to the flavor that I can’t quite put my finger on. Despite not knowing what it exactly tastes like, I enjoyed it.

Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (8 ounces) 0 calories, 0 grams of fat, 100 milligrams of sodium, 35 milligrams of potassium, 1 gram of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

Peach Fizz

Reign Total Body Fuel Peach Fizz

If you enjoy peach-flavored gummies, then you’ll like this. It’s not overly flowery tasting like some peach products are. Its flavor reminded me of the Red Bull Peach Edition I had recently. Peach Fizz is my favorite of the bunch, but not by a lot over Melon Mania. (Update 9/12/20: It’s no longer my favorite. See Lilikoi Lychee.)

Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (8 ounces) 0 calories, 0 grams of fat, 100 milligrams of sodium, 35 milligrams of potassium, 1 gram of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

Razzle Berry

Reign Total Body Fuel Razzle Berry

This one tastes similar to other blue raspberry-flavored beverages I’ve had in that it’s fruity and slightly sour. It also reminds me of Carnival Candy, so some of the same natural flavors might’ve been used. Fortunately, unlike Carnival Candy, Razzle Berry’s flavor doesn’t fade with the second sip. As someone who enjoys Louie-Bloo Raspberry Otter Pops, it’s not surprising I liked the taste of this.

Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (8 ounces) 0 calories, 0 grams of fat, 100 milligrams of sodium, 35 milligrams of potassium, 1 gram of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

Even with the issues I experienced with some of the flavors, I have to say these were surprisingly good for drinks with zero sugar and calories. As someone who has consumed a lot of beverages sweetened with sucralose and ace-K, I could tell they have no sugar, but the flavors do great at hiding that fact.

Some of you might be wondering how these help with performance. I did not test that because the most laborious physical activity I do is an exercise called finger push-downs, which is otherwise known as typing.

Purchased Price: $2.99 each
Size: 16 fl. oz. cans
Purchased at: Target