On Go Energy Lemon Lime Review

I bought this shot from Detroit for the deliciously low price of $0.99 thanks to a promotion the manufacturer was having. 

Taste

The shot has a solid green color which makes this the perfect shot for a St. Patrick's Day morning. For a moment I expected it to smell like mint, but nope, this smells like a generic lemon/lime soda with a bit of a weird  flowery scent. The taste starts off with a very brief candy-lime sweetness which quickly progresses to a more sour, lemon driven flavour, finishing on a mellower lime note.

The aftertaste is a combination of mellow lime and sweetener and there are no off-putting flavours from the active ingredients.

Great tasting energy shot, but there is nothing unique about the flavour.

Energy

Like with the previous On Go I reviewed, this doesn't tell you how much caffeine is in the shot. The Internet tells me there are 177 mg, but should I believe that?

I felt awake and focused within about 20 minutes and in another 20 I felt the effects of the caffeine. The boost came gradually and I did not experience any jitters. With the caffeine fully absorbed, I got about 3 hours of energy and finished without a crash.

Well, perhaps and perhaps not. This doesn't feel like 177 mg, but I think there is enough caffeine to wake you up and give you a boost for about 3 hours and for $0.99 you will probably have a hard time finding a better performing and tasting shot.

Scores:

Cost - $0.99 on promotion at 7-11

Taste - 8/10

Energy - 8/10

Overall - 16/20...OK taste and OK performance - great deal for $0.99, but nothing unique overall

Sippin Syrup Purple Review

Here it is. I have been looking forward to trying these beverages for well over a year now and I finally acquired a box of all the flavours from Sippin Syrup's website for only $20 (delivery included).

The first thing I noticed was the size of the bottles. On Sippin Syrups' website the bottles look smaller and closer to a shot than a full sized, 473 mL bottle. Half a quart is quite a lot to consume when you want to relax and go to sleep. Every time I consume so much before sleeping, I end up getting up at least once in the middle of the night...after about 30 minutes of tossing and turning trying to fall asleep with a full bladder and the urge to use the washroom. Yes, I am that lazy.

Taste

I decided to start off with what I thought was the original drink - Sippin Syrup Purple. I gave it a quick shake, unscrewed the large cap (I love large caps, it makes it much easier to drink) and BAM, a large quantity of purple, grape smelling stuff started to pour from under the cap. Note to self: Do not shake the other bottles!

With the situation contained I fully opened the bottle and took a swig. Wow, pretty tasty stuff. This tastes like a lightly carbonated grape juice with some berries which give the beverage a tart finish and help cleanse part of your palate. The grape is flavour has a candy-like sweetness which does build up as you drink, but the berry tartness helps keep it down to a tolerable level - very nice touch.

This is a pretty tasty and unique flavour which I think energy drink manufacturers should adopt - grape and tart berries. I like it.

Performance

The calming blend has the standard ingredients - chamomile, valerian root, L-theanine and melatonin, and there are a whole bunch more added for a good measure.

So does it work? Hell yeah, it works. It works better than expected. About halfway through the bottle and 20 minutes after I first started drinking it, I felt very relaxed and borderline sleepy. My eyelids were getting heavy and I even considered stopping drinking this so I didn't completely fall asleep. But I then decided against it.

Twenty minutes later the whole bottle was gone and I was getting pretty tired, so tired I did not even feel like reading so I decided to switch to Netflix and spend the remaining hours of my evening watching TV shows.

You can try to fight the feeling, but it is a losing battle, so I strongly suggest you just give yourself up. As for the "Euphoric Thoughts" advertised on the label, I have yet to experience any.

Overall, I am very pleased with this product and will recommend it to everyone. I would also suggest consuming half the bottle if you want to relax and not fall asleep.

Scores:
Cost - $10.95 for a variety 6 pack
Taste - 9/10
Performance - 10/10

Overall - 19/20...excellent taste, excellent performance

NOS Electric Cherry Energy Drink Review

Here is the second of the two new flavours that appeared on the Canadian market. The first one I reviewed was the Charged Lime. I picked this up from a nearby No Frill Supermarket and only because I looked at the NOS display a little more closely. The color on this can is very close to the that of the existing NOS Fruit Punch, so at first glance I did not even notice the new NOS Electric Cherry.

Taste

Like the Charged Lime NOS, this one is very carbonated at the start so you will have to wait for a moment for all the bubbles to die before you experience the true taste, which is pretty damn good...and I don't even like cherry flavoured drinks that much.

The taste is a combination of sweet and sour cherries with citric acid added for a good measure. The sweet cherries appear first, once the carbonation dies and give the flavour a nice start. Their taste is very well defined and I thought I could taste the real fruit. Following the sweet start are the sour cherries which give you a crisp and dry finish before the sweetener aftertaste kicks in. Yes, this is another sugar free drink without the sugar full alternative available on the market (at least at the time of this review). But like the Charged Lime, the sweetener aftertaste has been toned down and does not feel as sweet and intrusive as some other sugar free drinks on the market (both energy and regular ones).

Overall, I found myself really enjoying this new cherry flavour. If you are a cherry fan, you will like this one for sure.

Energy

As always, NOS comes near the top with their higher caffeine content - 194 mg. The effects of the drink are excellent and apparent within minutes. I had little sleep and felt a bit asleep when I got out of the shower this morning, but after taking a few large gulps of this can, I felt a jolt that woke me up in just a few minutes. By the time I got ready for my day (about 20 minutes after I drank half the can), I was feeling awake, focused and very energized.

No jitters were experienced and the energy delivery felt very smooth. The kick lasted for almost 4 hours and there was no crash at the end.

These two new NOS flavours are pretty solid, but out of the two, the Electric Cherry is my favorite one.

Scores:
Cost - $2.97
Taste - 8.5/10
Energy - 8.5/10

Overall - 17/20...fantastic sugar free flavour with an excellent kick

Worx Energy Extra Strength Energy Shot Review

Last summer I bought and tried Worx Energy's Original Formula energy shot, which turned out to have a pretty nice kick. After months of sitting on my desk, I decided to finally try the Extra Strength shot and compare the two.

Taste

The Extra Strength shot tastes the same as the Original Formula - it starts off as a sour blend of berries and cherries and as soon as the flavours wear off a bitter taste sets in. The aftertaste is a combination of sweetener, some bitterness (only for the first minute or so) and just hints of the berry/cherry flavour combo.

Again, the sourness really help this shot's taste.

Energy

OK, this is where the Extra Strength differs from the Original Formula...but how? The original has 200 mg of caffeine so how much does the extra one have - 225? 250? 275? 300? Nope, it has 200 mg of caffeine!

So what makes this Extra Strength? Well, it is the rest of the medicinal ingredients that have seen an increase in their numbers. I am not sure I can tell the difference that much. Sure I got the same jolt within minutes and a similar period of mental focus, but it seemed all very similar to the original shot. But this is where the similarities end.

Around the 15-20 minute mark I started to feel a tad jittery, which also put an end to the mental focus period. The caffeine kicked about 15 minutes later and unlike the original shot, I really felt the energy and I felt like doing some physical work for the first little while of the boost. After about 30-40 minutes, the energy high went down to a less jittery, but just as effective kick which allowed me settle down a bit more and concentrate on paperwork. The boost lasted for about 4 hours and there was no crash at the end.

So, Extra Strength if you need an initial energy high followed by a pretty decent energy boost and Original Formula for mental stimulation/desk work without the huge initial energy kick...these are my conclusions and recommendations.

Scores:
Cost - $2.99 for a shot, sold at various convenience stores
Taste - 6.9/10
Energy - 9/10

Overall - 15.9/20...same amount of caffeine as the Original Formula, but with more of the other medicinal ingredients

NOS Charged Lime Energy Drink Review

This is a brand new NOS flavour that recently arrived to 7-11 and some local convenience stores. It seems strange to me that I could only find the sugar free version of this flavour since I know that  there is a sugary one as I have read some reviews from south of the border. But trying something new (anything new) is always better in my opinion than not trying something new.

Taste

The taste starts off on a bit of an odd note - over carbonated, sugar-free, lightly lime flavoured beverage...if that makes any sense. Essentially there is no taste at the start of the sip, however, as soon as the carbonation dies down in your mouth, the drink's true flavour emerges. As its name suggests, the main flavour here is lime. But wait! There is more! Alongside the lime flavour is an orange/tangerine note which starts off barely noticeable, but towards the finish really pops. Some lingering notes can be detected in the aftertaste, but for the most parts sweet lime and sweeteners dominate.

The sweetener aftertaste is not too bad as the lime gives it a bit of a refreshing character, but it is still there reminding you that you just consumed something with only 20 calories. I just wish this energy drink had a bit more citric acid to give it a bite.

Energy

In true NOS nature this can contains a higher than normal amount of caffeine when compared to the other 473 mL cans on the same shelf - 194 mg to be exact. I know this is not as great as the original NOS sold in Canada years ago at 250 mg per can, but beats the majority of the other drinks that contain around 150 mg to 160 mg.

The delivery is very typical for such a drink - you start to feel awake within 10-15 minutes and within another 20 to 30 you feel very energized. I had a decent amount of sleep so I felt excellent once the caffeine kicked in. Since this is a sugar-free energy drink, I did not experience any jitters.

The kick lasted for about 3-4 hours and there was no crash at the end, which I always favor. Yesterday afternoon I had a can of a popular sugar energy drink and crashed very bad early evening.

Scores:
Cost - $3.49 from 7-11
Taste - 7.8/10
Energy - 8.5/10

Overall - 16.3/20...decent flavour, excellent kick

On Go Energy Mandarin Orange Energy Shot Review

I got a bunch of these On Go energy shots from a 7-11 in Detroit a few weeks ago. There was a promotion and each cost only $0.99. That worked out great for me, because I was willing to pay full price since I had been looking for these for some time now.

Taste

The aroma is a bit off-putting. It is a combination of cough syrup, cheap orange juice with something nasty thrown in there. The taste, however, is much better so don't let the aroma discourage you from slamming this shot back.

The flavour is a very nice orange/tangerine combination with a bit of a tang and some light artificial sweetness towards the end. There is a little bitterness which appears just before the finish. Fortunately it quickly disappears.

The aftertaste has the well known artificial sweetener note to it, as well as some remnants of the orange/tangerine flavour.

Energy

The label states that this energy shot contains as much caffeine as a cup of the leading premium coffee... which is??? A quick search returned the magical 177 mg number.

It sure didn't feel like 177 mg of caffeine, but it worked great nonetheless. I felt awake within 5-10 minutes of taking the first sip and felt focused for the next 20-25 minutes. A few minutes later came the real energy and I was ready to tackle my weekend "to do" list, which included finding excuses to drive around town using my Waze app, racking up points.

The energy lasted for about 2.5 - 3 hours and there wasn't a crash at the end. For $0.99, this is a fantastic energy shot.

Scores:
Cost - $0.99 promotional price
Taste - 8/10
Energy - 8/10

Overall - 16/20...once again, excellent shot for $0.99

Emerge Energy Drink Review

First there was Bone Chillin' and now there is Emerge. Both are made by Cott and both are sold at WalMart for $3.97 for a 4 pack. Except Emerge is also sold in the UK and is, according to the label, the "#1 Value Energy Drink in the UK!" After reading a few search results, I think it is true - you can get a can for as little as 30p. Crazy cheap! And knowing Cott and their products, I expect a Red Bull clone with some more citric acid and a watery mouthfeel.

Taste

So is it a Red Bull clone? Very close to being one, but not quite. I am a bit surprised...pleasantly. Sure, there is some of the all too familiar scent, but once you take a sip, you will discover that it is similar, but not close to being a Red Bull clone like Red Rain or Red Rave.

No, this is almost an unique energy drink and I say that because you still get whiffs of the berry/citrus/candy Red Bull flavour, but the added acids turn those from the sugar ball they are into a crisp package. The best way to describe this energy drink is if you were to take a Red Rain, or Bone Chillin', watered it down a bit, added some lemon/lime, some acids (mostly citric) and brought it up a carbonation level. The candy sweetness that Red Bull exhibits is gone, but the acceptable level of acidity has been destroyed. Halfway through the can I could feel my teeth eroding. Sure, this makes the finish crisp and the palatte clean, but what about my teeth?

This may sound like complaining, or negative points, but in the end, I still enjoyed this drink very much. In my opinion, Red Rain was the perfect value Red Bull clone (Bone Chillin' is essentially the same), whereas this is just a more acidic and less flavourful version of it. For $3.97 for a 4 pack, you have nothing to lose - go and get one.

Energy

Unfortunately, there is less caffeine per mL here than there is in a can of Bone Chillin' or Red Rain. There are 142 mg, which falls short of the 0.32mg/mL a can of Red Bull and Red Rain offer (that is 80 mg per 250 mL), but not by much.

The effects are essentially identical - sugar rush within 5-10 minutes and if you drink the whole can at once, you will experience some minor jitters. Sip is slow and you will skip the jitters. I went from drowsy on a Sunday morning, to energized and ready to go enjoy the sunny day in about 20-30 minutes total...just about when the caffeine was starting to really kick in. I got a decent 3 hours out of the can and then I felt normal and almost borderline tired. Yep, almost experienced a crash there. I think if it was later on in the day and I didn't have much energy to start with, I would have definitely felt the crash at the end.

Again, for $3.97 for a 4 pack, this is a pretty decent energy drink.

Scores:
Cost - $3.97 from WalMart for a 4 pack
Taste - 8/10
Energy - 8/10

Overall - 16/20...solid value energy drink

Quick Beverages Sleep Review

It has been a while since I have tried and reviewed an anti-energy beverage so I decided to pick up one of the many sleep aids I found at the local 7-11 "pharmacy" isle. This little shot retails for $3.49 and should be available in most 7-11 at the time of writing this review. I know this for a fact because I have seen it at every 7-11 in the area - about 4 in total.

Also, apologies for the photo. My lightbox was put away for a while, it was late at night and all I had was my phone.

Taste

By the smell of this you would have no idea what it is supposed to taste like. To me it smelled like an old, cheap steeped tea. The kind you get at convenience stores or greasy diners...with some lemon squeezed to try and mask the blandness.

The taste is actually a lot better than the aroma and that's more important. It tastes like a berry tea where one of the berries is wild and gives the entire concoction a nice sour kick which helps not only with the taste, but also with the aftertaste. There is an herbal/woody undertone which gives the shot an enjoyable back and doesn't impact the flavour negatively. Though this is a sugar free shot, there is barely any trace of an artificial sweetener in the aftertaste. Perhaps due to the sourness.

Overall, pretty decent flavour but something should definitely be done about the aroma.

Performance

I consumed the entire bottle just about 20 minutes before going to bed...not to sleep, just to bed with a book. The label recommends the full bottle for a maximum sleep effect or half the bottle for a moderate sleep effect.

The active blend contains 413 mg of valerian root, lemon balm and melatonin - pretty standard ingredients.

The effects are noticeable within about 10 minutes and they start off slowly. The initial effect is very similar to drinking a big mug of chamomile tea - just a relaxed feel. Within another 5 minutes your eyelids start to feel heavy, but you can easily fight the urge to fall asleep. I did for a while, but eventually I gave in and fell asleep.

This is not the strongest drink and though it will make you feel tired and eventually make you sleep, I felt like you can fight off the urge easily and probably stay up until the effects disappear. By comparison, this is a bit stronger than a Marley, but weaker than many other anti-energy drinks available on the market.

Scores:
Cost - $3.49 from 7-11
Taste - 9/10
Performance - 7.7/10

Overall - 16.7/20...great tasting and performing anti-energy shot. Don't consume if you are not planning on sleeping, though

DynaPep Energy Berry Flavor Review

For years I have been wanting to try DynaPep, but never had the chance. I even e-mailed the company for samples without any luck. But one cold day on a shopping trip to Detroit, I found a bunch at a 7-11. Unfortunately they only had the new berry flavour and not the original one. Oh well, I was still happy with what I could find.

Though I have not reviewed any on this site, I have had micro shots before and I found them to be a bit too much for me. One I tried had 400 mg of caffeine squeezed into 5 mL. That was insane but surprisingly did not taste too bad.

Taste

Unlike the other micro shots I have had, which come in a small condiment-like packet, DynaPep comes in a pretty cool little plastic package with a twistable/breakable top.

The taste, as expected is, well, not this product's strongest suit. It is extremely bitter and it is comparable to eating caffeine powder or a crushed antibiotic tablet.

The berry flavour is noticeable, but you have to wait for all the bitterness to go away first. It took about 5 seconds for me once I squeezed the contents of the DynaPep container into my mouth. Once the bitterness is gone, the berry flavour is comparable to all other energy shot berry flavours on the market - unidentifiable berry mix with an artificial sweetener aftertaste. Unlike some berry flavour shots, there was a coconut note which started emerged about 10 minutes after I consumed the shot. Since this was my one and only drink of the morning, I assume the ingredients combined to form this flavour. Nice finish, even if it is accidental.

This doesn't taste good, but that's not the point of a micro shot. Its point is to work. So does it work? Keep on reading to find out (or skip to the scoring).

Energy

Unlike some of the stronger micro shots I have tried (the 400 mg of caffeine in 5 mL), this one contains 100 mg of caffeine. So how does that work? Pretty damn good to be honest!

Within minutes (not 10 or 15) I felt a jolt and just woke up. My mind cleared up and I became very focused and calm. Premium energy shots don't even work this fast. This calm and focused period lasted for about 30-35 minutes when I started to feel the effects of the caffeine. There were no jitters, but I could definitely feel the effects - felt peppier and wanted to get my day started - brew day at home!

Though the package advertises 10 hours of energy, I got about 4-5 hours out of it, which is still very good. Normally, I get no more than about 3-4 hours out of other energy shots and drinks. Also, there was no crash at the end.

All in all, if you can stomach the bitterness, this micro shot works great!

Scores:
Cost - $2.99 for 1 or $5 for 2
Taste - 2/10 (this should be almost irrelevant)
Energy - 9/10

Overall - 9/10...I am not including the taste rating since it will bring the overall score down to barely a pass

Street King Orange Mango Energy Shot Review

Here is the second flavour of the two Street King energy shots that went on sale recently. It is refreshing to see that one of the flavours is not a main stream one like "tropical fruits", or just "citrus", or "fruit punch".

Taste
The aroma coming out of that shot is simply delicious. The taste is mellow and just as great. The mango flavour is dominant throughout and the orange emerges only towards the end to give it a cleansing, sour finish.

The aftertaste is a bid odd. After drinking half the shot, I took a minute long pause, during which time a coconut taste developed and lingered for a while. I am not sure if this is on purpose or if it is just a strange result of the ingredients, but it is unique and pretty damn good.

The usual sweetener taste can also be found in the aftertaste, as well as tiny remnants of the orange and mango flavour combo.

I liked this shot much better than the grape one I tried a few days ago, which I thought was a bit watery tasting. The mango flavour is smooth and the orange gives the shot the sour kick it needs to end on a refreshing note.

Energy

Just like the grape energy shot, this one has 464 mg of active ingredients which act quickly to pep you up and then provide a 15-20 minute long period of calmness and focus before the caffeine kicks in.

The energy is clean, and though, it doesn't last for 6 hours (at least not for me), it provides a very nice 4 hours long boost without a crash at the end.

Scores:
Cost - unsure
Taste - 9/10
Energy - 8/10

Overall - 17/20...smooth, delicious flavour with an excellent boost