Rockstar Freeze Watermelon Energy Drink

Thanks to a semi-synchronized US/Canada release, I found cans of Rockstar Freeze waiting to be stocked at the local Shoppers Drug Mart just a couple of weeks after I started seeing reviews of this new energy drink appear on the US blogs. The can costs $3.39 CAD, which is a bit cheaper than in the US thanks for the poor exchange rate.

Taste

This Rockstar smells like a diluted watermelon Jolly Rancher. The typically strong aroma is sort of there, but the bubbles do a good job at hiding it. The taste is mild at first as the carbonation prevents the taste buds from sensing anything, but once the carbon dioxide goes away, you get a sweet and mild watermelon flavor with just a minty note towards the end that leaves your tongue feeling cold and a little peppery...get it? Freeze?

The flavor has a bit more artificial feel than I would have liked it to be, and the sweetness builds up over time making you reach for a glass of water to cleans your palate with. Some Jolly Rancher-like qualities are present, but very distant. The flavor is not bad, but it could have been better.

Energy

There are 160 mg of caffeine and a whopping 62 grams of sugar that will get you jazzed up within minutes. Be ready for the jitters, because they will come within 10 minutes. The jitters for me weren't as bad as I expected, but they were still there making my leg shake. The kick comes in 20 minutes later and it is as strong as you would expect from any Rockstar. I got a nice 3-4 hour kick out of this drink, but I did feel just a tiny bit tired at the end. Nothing a strong cup of tea couldn't fix.

Scores:
Cost - $3.39
Taste - 7.9/10
Energy - 8.2/10

Overall - 16.1/20...mild watermelon flavor with a tingly finish

Joker Mad Energy Sugar Free Review

Obviously, this is the sugar free version of the new Joker energy drink I reviewed a few weeks ago.

Taste

Just like the regular Joker, this one smells like a mix of Red Bull and a regular Monster...but with a hint of cherries. The flavor appears somehow a little milder than expected, but still carries notes of Red Bull (sugar free) and a mix of Monster Absolutely Zero and Monster Zero Ultra. The aftertaste is as expected with traces of sweeteners and just a hint of the Red Bull/Monster mix. 

To be perfectly honest, I actually found the milder flavor quite enjoyable and just a tiny bit unique. 

Energy

There are 150 mg of caffeine and the effects are fairly quick without the initial jitters you get from sugar. Within 10 minutes I was feeling more awake and starting to feel the caffeine coming in. It took another 20 or so minutes and I was very energized and felt energized for 3-4 hours. The end was without drama.

Scores:

Cost - $2.29

Taste - 8.4/10

Energy - 8.2/10

Overall - 16.6/20...familiar flavors, but an interesting mix of them

Joker Mad Energy Drink

I walked in a random Mac's convenience store on the weekend looking for a buzz and came across this new energy drink. Joker Mad Energy hails from Quebec and sells for $2.29 a can, which is shockingly cheap when you look at the $3.49 price for a cheap and plain Monster, or Rockstar.

Taste

Price is only a portion of the equation. So how does it taste? Well, like a Red Bull mixed with a bit of the good ol' Monster. The aroma reminds me of a Red Bull with its moderate sweetness and the bite that comes through. The start of each sip also reminds me of a Red Bull, but part way through, the Monster candy sweetness and cough syrup character makes an appearance. Thankfully the sour nature of Red Bull is dominant, because it helps wash off the sweetness and end on a slightly tart note.

Energy

There are 150 mg of caffeine, which is not surprising. The effects are also not surprising with a quick burst of sugary energy, followed by a period of jitters, followed by a period of uncontrollable physical energy, followed by 2-3 hours of just plain physical energy. A mild crash will come at the end of the can and if you are consuming this beverage later on in the day when you don't have as much energy, be ready to experience a full crash.

Scores:
Cost - $2.29
Taste - 7/10
Energy - 8/10

Overall - 15/20...just an average Red Bull/Monster clone

Califia Farms Cold Brew Dirty Chai

I got this bottle from a Target in Michigan near the Canadian border for $2.69.

Taste

The aroma is definitely of chai, but there is also a bit of rum, vanilla and a bit of chocolate. The taste is a bit watery at first, but after a few moments the chai kicks in, followed by some cinnamon giving the cold brew a slightly spicy twist. Almond milk is present in subtle amounts, but surprisingly there are no traces of the coffee anywhere. Even the aftertaste is overpowered by the cinnamon and tea notes.

Except for the cinnamon, I found this beverage to be very mild for most parts. It is very easy to drink, but there isn't as much flavor as the other Califia Farms Cold Brews.

Energy

Though it doesn't state that on the bottle, there are 125 mg of caffeine in the 310 mL serving. I was actually surprised by this as I was expecting the caffeine level to be closer to 100 mg.

The effects are quick, but I think that has a bit to do with the spicy twist. I started to wake up and feel focused within 10 minutes of starting to consume this drink and by the 20 minute mark I was pumped and ready to go. I still felt a tiny bit focused, but for the most parts I was just physically energized.

The effects lasted for almost 3 hours and ended without any drama.

General Comments

This beverage has tons of labels on it - GMO free, Vegan, Gluten Free, BPA free and Carrageenan free. The bottle also contains around 45% of your recommended daily intake of calcium.

Scores:
Cost - $2.69
Taste - 7.5/10
Energy - 7.5/10

Overall - 15/20...the taste is a bit too light, but the kick is OK

Califia Farms Cold Brew Salted Caramel

I bought this cold brew from a Target in Michgan near the Canadian border, for $2.69.

Taste

This cold brew has a heavy rum aroma with traces of caramel and almond milk. Don't be put off by the rum aroma because it doesn't come through in the taste, which is predominantly almond milk. The caramel doesn't come in until the finish and it is very modest compared to the heavy almond milk. The caramel opens up a bit more in the aftertaste, but you just don't get much of it while drinking. There salt comes as a twist near the end, so don't worry, this is definitely not a salty drink.

Energy

At 75 mg, the Salted Caramel cold brew has the least amount of caffeine out of all the Califia Farms offerings. Consider this when making the purchase.

The effects come moderately quick as it takes about 10 minutes to start feeling any sort of kick. I was very sleepy when I opened the bottle, but around the 10th minute I started to wake up and focus on what I was doing. A few minutes later I felt just the tiniest level of jitters, but that passed quickly. It took another 15-20 minutes to become physically energized and the kick lasted for a little less than 2 hours.

Scores:
Cost - $2.69
Taste - 7.8/10
Energy - 6.0/10

Overall - 13.8/20...a little light for my taste

Califia Farms Cold Brew Cocoa Noir

I got this bottle from a Target in Michigan, near the Canadian border, for $2.69.

Taste

By far, this flavor has the best aroma out of all the Califia Farms cold brews. Its like I shoved my nose into a frozen McCain Deep 'n' Delicious fudge cake. The taste is not far off, either. You get a rich chocolate flavor right from the start, followed by a complimentary almond milk note and a bit of rum. The sweet chocolate cake flavor and the almond milk actually blend very well together and create an interesting and enjoyable flavor. The finish is where the coffee flavors appear and linger well into the finish.

Very rich and enjoyable.

Energy

There are 105 mg of caffeine in the bottle, which is about the same as a small cup of coffee. The effects become apparent within 10-15 minutes when you start feeling a bit more focused. No jitters here guys! The caffeine starts kicking in after another 20 minutes and gives you around 2 hours of energy without a crash at the end.

Scores
Cost - $2.69
Taste - 9/10
Energy - 7/10

Overall - 16/20...my favorite Califia Farms Cold Brew so far