Monster Energy Ultra Red Review

So I went to the US again for a few hours and unfortunately for me, this is the only new energy drink I was able the find at the gas station I stopped at. I also got an energy shot, but more on that later. From my past few trips to Michigan, it seems like gas stations and 7-11s in Canada and the US are starting to carry similar caffeinated items and in order to find something new, I have to venture off the beaten path, which is not always something I can do when I am travelling.

Anyhow, I cannot complain too much as I still got a new thing to try.

Taste

The can is red, the drink is red and you know what that means...well...a few things really - it is either fruit punch, cherry, berry, or cranberry flavored. I know that it can also be strawberry, or a strawberry cocktail, but how many of those have you seen that pack a caffeine punch? Also beet????

Back to the taste - it is a cranberry/cherry/fruit punch combo. The cherries are dominant at the start, but shortly after the first burst of flavor comes a cranberry note and a medley of unidentifiable fruits save for a hint of lime buried somewhere in there.

There are no off-putting flavors in my opinion and the sugar balance is damn good. The aftertaste is semi-clean with only a very minor diet aftertaste build up.

Overall, I think this is a very good flavor and though it may sound boring, it is actually quite tasty.

Energy

There are 140 mg of caffeine in the can, which to me seems to be on the lower end of the spectrum for such drinks. However, the drink works as expected with a quick, but gradual build up with no jitters (I drank mine over the course of 20-25 minutes) and a caffeine high that lasts for 2-3 hours with a very gentle comedown.

Scores:
Cost - $3.49 (if I remember correctly)
Taste - 8.8/10
Energy - 8.2/10

Overall - 17/20...sounds boring, but very tasty

Rip It Energy Shots Review

I haven't seen any new energy drinks come to Canada in months. The last batch that came out were Rockstar's Super Sours back in March of 2013! Wow. OK, maybe it is just Ontario that hasn't seen any new energy drinks.

So what am I to do? Well, I went to the US and grabbed a bunch, but I haven't been there in months so no new things to review...except for a bunch of energy shots that remembered I had in the garage. And since it is -20 outside I had to wait for some time this morning for these to melt.

Before I get started, I should mention that I bought these earlier this year (much earlier) from a Walmart somewhere in Michigan for $0.99 each. I cannot remember which one because I was on the highway and noticed one in the distance so I got off and found it.

Rip It Sting-er Mo Energy Shot

You can read my review of the energy drink here from a few years ago.

Yup, this one smells just like its big brother - like a regular Monster - candy-like sweetness with a bit of couch syrup base. The taste? The same, but more intense and much more sour and a bit less sweet too. I was surprised that the manufacturer was able to cram so much decent flavor in such a small package with so much caffeine (OK, not that much. It is 100 mg).

This one wasn't bad at all. It even reminded me a little of Monster's M3, except for the sweetness.

Taste - 6.5/10

Rip It G-Force Extra Strength Energy Shot

OK, the "Extra Strength" means you get an extra 20 mg of caffeine, which on a percentage basis is 20% more so I guess mathematically makes sense. But I was expecting at least an extra 50-60 mg.

Once again, I did try the full sized energy drink and reviewed it here.

Unlike the Sting-er Mo shot, this one doesn't have a very good aroma. The grapes are there, but you also get some plasticy notes and some unidentifiable chemicals. The flavor is similar, but it has a very sour grape note, which I really liked. It also helped create a very crisp finish, which I also liked. What I didn't like was the plastic taste. Before you say that it was expired, the date on the bottom says it is good for another 2 years.

Taste - 5/10

Rip It Code Blue Energy Shot

This one is brand new to me as I have never tried the full sized energy drink, if there is actually one. This one smells very nice, like candied berries. The taste is very similar to powdered mixed berries drink that wasn't dissolved in enough water - very sour and intense at the back with just a bit of candy sweetness. I loved this one. Best one so far.

Taste - 9/10

Rip It Java Mite Energy Shot

Obviously this one smells like coffee, but with a bunch of chemicals in it. Some whiffs I got were pleasant, others seemed packed with chemicals. The taste was like a watered down coffee infused with a coffee liqueur - boozy, sweet, milky(???). There was a brief chemical moment at the start, but once the sweetness kicked it, it all disappeared. This isn't the most terrible tasting shot I have had, but I just don't think coffee flavor is good for shots.

Taste - 5.5/10

Energy

Each one of these shots has 100 mg of caffeine (except for the extra strength g-force, which has 120 mg) so they perform about the same - quick jolt within 5 minutes of consumption, followed by a gradual build up with very minor jitters until you feel fully energized. The feeling lasts for about 1.5 - 2 hours and ends without a crash.

Energy - 6.8/10

Go for the Code Blue - best flavor/energy combo.