Monster Rehab Rojo Tea + Energy Review

This is one of the three new Monster Rehab flavours, only available in the US for now. I picked this up from a 7-11 in Detroit for $3.

Taste

I had no idea what Rojo tea meant, but after a sip, some thinking and actually reading the label, I found out it is a fancy way of saying this drink contains Rooibos tea. The tea character of this drink is easily noticed as it creates a sort of an earthy backdrop for the rest of the flavours. There is also cranberry juice, which cannot be noticed initially, but after getting used to the tea taste, its tartness emerges...and so does a bit of dryness. The finish is where the cranberry flavour is most predominant. The aftertaste is dry and a pleasant combination of cranberries and a bit of mild earthiness.

One complaint I have is the sweetness of this drink. It is a bit sweeter than I expected and it only gets worse as you keep on drinking. Add that to the dryness of the aftertaste, and at one point you will definitely want to grab some water.

Overall, this Monster Rehab is a pretty damn good energy drink, however, because of the sweetness, I would rather buy one of the other Rehabs.


Energy

As usual no caffeine content is given directly, only an energy blend of 6,400 mg. However, after a quick search, I found out the Rehab line contains about 170 mg of caffeine per 473 mL container. The effects of this drink are comparable to the other Rehabs - starts off with a focus boost which lasts about 20-30 minutes when the caffeine gets fully absorbed. As with the other Rehabs, I did not experience any jitters and when the energy fully kicked, it lasted for about 3 to 4 hours without a crash at the end.

If you like cranberry juice or cranberries, get this Monster Rehab. If you do not enjoy cranberries, I would recommend you try one of the other Rehabs.

Scores:
Cost - $3
Taste - 8.5/10
Energy - 8/10

Overall - 16.5/20...another pretty damn good Monster drink

Powerade Fuel+ Mountain Blast Review

OK, Powerade is a North American brand so I am not sure why this energy drink is not sold back home in Canada. I think it will fit perfectly with all the other Powerade products

Taste

I wasn't sure what to expect with a name like Mountain Blast but when I popped the tab open, I was greeted by the too familiar blue Powerade scent. That was a fantastic way to start the day because I love blue Powerade!

The taste is very similar too, though much sweeter. The sweetness is very candy-like, but it doesn't really build up as you keep drinking due to the thin, watery taste that comes right after the initial sweetness spike. This watery taste helps wash away the sweetness and also makes it easier to drink the entire can without getting a sickly mouth feel from having too much sugar. The carbonation also helps bring down the sweetness level a bit.

The aftertaste is a bit funny because it contains some sweetener notes as well as a bit of the blue Powerade taste and just a hint of the candy-sweetness.

Energy 

There are 96 mg of caffeine in this 300 mL can. Because there isn't too much sugar in the drink, there are no ill effects such as jitters at the start. The energy comes in gradually and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to fully kick in. Once in full effect, the energy boost is fairly clean and you feel energized, but not over-energized. The kick lasts for about 2 hours and there isn't a crash at the end.

All in all, this is a pretty decent energy drink, but i think it could have been better if it was just a plain blue Powerade with some added liquid caffeine.

Scores: 
Cost - 2 for $4 from 7-11 
Taste - 8/10 
Energy - 7/10

Overall - 15/20...pretty decent Powerade energy drink, but i think it could have been done better

Wicked Energy Drink Review

Hands down, this can has an awesome label created by tattoo artist Kian Forreal. I got this from a nearby convenience store in Sydney for $4.

Taste 

The drink smells like a Red Bull, but I was a bit surprised when it didn't taste quite like it. Sure, it started off like a crisper, drier Red Bull, but tart white grape flavors started to emerge as well as some mild berry notes. There is a sweet, candy-like undertone, which doesn't build up thanks to the overall sourness of the drink. Also, because of the sourness, the drink is very refreshing and has a nice crisp and almost clean finish. There are no unpleasant flavors in the taste or finish.

Overall, I really liked this drink. It reminds me of a combination between a Red Rain and some white grape juice.

Energy 

There are only 155 mg of caffeine in the can, which is less than what I was expecting. After having a few Australian energy drinks, I am led to believe that there is a regulation limiting the amount of caffeine a drink can contain because I still haven't found anything over 160 mg.

The effects of the drink are fairly standard. There is quick sugar rush within 10 minutes of starting to drink with a bit of jitters. The rush woke me up nicely since I woke up feeling groggy due to my short, alcohol induced sleep. The caffeine kicked in about 30 minutes later and I felt great for about 3-4 hours touring the city. I didn't feel a crash at the end, but I did have coffee with lunch.

Scores: 
Cost - $4
Taste - 9/10
Energy - 7.5/10

Overall - 16.5/20

Rip It Energy Fuel G-Force Review

G also stands for grape. I got this Rip It from the only convenience store in the area that carries these drinks - Big Bear.

Taste

Grape is a pretty hard flavour to mess up, but somehow Rip It hasn't quite gotten it right. Sure, it starts off like a creamy grape soda, but the flavour is just not intense enough and tastes a lot more of sugar than grape. Next comes the odd finish with a bit of soapiness and a chemical undertone, which reminds me of the taste of cheap energy shots. The aftertaste is also a bit confusing until you get about half way through the can. At first there are almost no lingering grape notes to remind you what you just consumed (I am sure you can recall, but I want to taste it). There is just a sweet and creamy aftertaste with not much more. The grape flavour isn't even tart. I was a bit disappointed to be honest.

Energy

Rip It energy drinks usually have a lower caffeine content and this one is no different - 102 mg of caffeine in a 473 mL can. The effects are as expected - huge sugar rush shortly after consuming the drink followed by the caffeine hit about 30-40 minutes later. Don't forget about the jitters which come trailing behind the sugar rush.

The kick lasts just short of 2 hours and there is a mild crash at the end.

Scores:
Cost - $1.99 from Big Bear
Taste - 6/10
Energy - 7/10

Overall - 13/20...creamy, chemical grape flavour with a sugar rush and crash

Jones Whoopass Energy Drink Review

Upon my return from Australia, I walked over to the nearest Hasty Market to see if anything new has come out during my trip. Well, lucky me! Jones' Whoopass is now for sale in Canada. How do I know that? There is both English and French on the can! For $3, taxes in, you can get a 473 mL can, or for $5 (taxes in) you can get 2. I have been looking forward to trying a Jones energy drink for a while now and now that I finally have found one, I am super excited.

Taste

Wow, the taste is pretty bad ass. It definitely has Jones' signature flavour touch. I was expecting a Red Bull clone, but as soon as I popped the tab open, a burst of grape notes hit my nose. The taste is a mix between a slightly creamy white grape, various berries (raspberries, some blueberries) and apple with a lot more flavours coming and going while you are sipping on the drink. The aftertaste is where this drink really shines - it is crisp with a lingering fruity taste without any of the sweetness. It is absolutely amazing and very refreshing. The only complaint I have is the dry mouth it left me with at the end.

This isn't something I was expecting from this drink, but I was absolutely blown away.

Energy

This thing not only tastes great, but it also contains 195 mg of caffeine (plus whatever else from the extracts). I felt the effects within 10 minutes and even though I didn't experience any jitters, the energy hit me like an avalanche. At one point I was feeling lazy on the couch on a Wednesday afternoon during my winter vacation, a moment later I was ready to leave the house and do things I have been postponing this holiday season. I felt focused, yet energized, and again - no jitters. This drink kept surprising me. I am so happy I can purchase this in Canada now.

Of course, like everything else, there comes an end at one point. I didn't feel the energy starting to leaving until about 3-4 hours later when it hit me all of the sudden. Yep, I felt the crash. I don't think that it was entirely due to the drink, though. It was evening time and I was out doing stuff all afternoon/evening after I consumed this energy drink. Had I consumed this first thing in the morning, I would have probably felt just fine, or just a little lazy at the end of the energy wave.

Still, this is an absolutely brilliant energy drink. Best one I had in months.

Scores:

Cost - $3 for 1 or $5 for 2 (promotion)

Taste - 9.5/10

Energy -  9/10

Overall - 18.5/20...one of the best energy drinks, if not the best energy drink you can buy in Ontario right now