Hello Hungry - the Essential Liquid Meal Launches on Indiegogo

I don't normally put out press releases or blog about product launches before I get to try them, but something very interesting came across my mailbox today - Hello Hungry.

Hello Hungry is marketed as a liquid meal made for the modern office. This may not be for everyone, but I can relate to the product in several ways - one, I work in an office; two, my day is sometimes jammed with meetings and I don't get to sneak out for a meal until very late or at all; three, I love efficiency; and four, I love savory drinks.

I love savory drinks so much that one of the first things I do when I get back home from work is to have a glass of tomato juice or a Hot & Spicy V8 if I have any left.

Check out the press release here, and the Indiegogo campaign here.

I, for one, hope these guys reach their goal and release this product on the market. I am definitely looking forward to trying it.

BioFuel Caffeine Infused Popcorn Review

Today I finally had the chance to try BioFuel's Caffeine Infused popcorn which was sent to me courtesy of ChemicalEvolution as part of my latest caffeine purchase.

Taste

The popcorn is covered in some sort of a sweet, salty and sticky glaze which makes this product very similar to lightly caramelized popcorn with just a tad of added salt. The slogan is right on the money - sweet, salty and addictively delicious. I was getting ready to do some gaming, but I could barely stop myself from eating the popcorn long enough so that I can get past the menu screen. The game wasn't really started until I had finished the bag...and I wasn't even hungry. This popcorn was just so damn good.

Despite the sweetness and saltiness, light traces of caffeine can be noticed in the aftertaste, but compared to many other caffeinated products, such as gum and cookies, the notes are so light that you really have to concentrate on them to notice they are there. 

Energy

There are 150 mg of caffeine per bag, which is crazy given the fact that you can eat the bag in no time and there is just a hint of caffeine. The effects are noticeable within about 10 minutes and it feels like you just had a cup of coffee. There is not crazy initial rush like the one you get from energy drinks, but once the caffeine is absorbed, the boost is obvious.

I got a decent kick out of the bag which lasted just over 3 hours. There was no crash at the end, only regret that I didn't have more of these bags.

Scores:

Cost - $3.99 from ChemicalEvolution.com

Taste - 9.5/10

Energy - 7.8/10

Overall - 17.3/20...awesome taste with an excellent boost

Buzz Strong's Real Coffee Cookie Mint Chocolate Chip Review

This is my third energy snack review in a row. First there was the original Buzz Strong's Real Coffee Cookie, then there was Buzz Brownzzz and now here is the Mint Chocolate Chip version of Buzz Strong's Cookie.

Taste

The cookie tastes like a regular soft chew chocolate chip cookie with a thin After Eight lining. The mint flavour is strong and overpowers almost all of the other flavours besides the coffee. After a few bites get that minty tingling at the back of your throat which, though makes your mouth feel fresh, it also eliminates your ability to taste the cookie altogether.

Unlike the Buzz Brownzzz, there are not bitter caffeine notes since the caffeine comes from the coffee. There are no other ill flavours.

I prefer the taste of the original one, but if you are mint fan, or like After Eight, you will most definitely enjoy this cookie.

Energy

Unlike the time I had the original Buzz Strong's, this morning I do not feel like a zombie. I had plenty of sleep so the effects of the cookie were a bit amplified yet not quite what the label led me to expect - 1 cookie = 1 coffee.

You do get a buzz, but it takes some time to kick in and when it does it is not as powerful as a cup of coffee. This cookie may seem like a huge boost to caffeine sensitive people, but if you are used to having a cup of coffee or an energy drink each morning, it may not be enough for you.

Scores:
Cost - $1.99 from ChemicalEvolution.com
Taste - 9/10
Energy - 5/10

Overall - 14/20...tastes great, but does not give you the same boost as a cup of coffee

Buzz Brownzzz Review

I am a bit confused, the words Buzz and ZZZ (OK, not really a word) appear on the same line on the same label. Will this brownie make me fall asleep or will it give me energy? Fortunately the next few lines reveal the ingredients, one of which is caffeine.

I got this brownie from Sippin Syrup with my variety pack. This wasn't advertised on their site, nor was I expecting to receive it, but I sure was glad when I did.

Taste

Though a bit crumbly around the edges, the inside of the brownie is soft and chewy. The taste starts off very brownie-like with fudge and a bit of white chocolate from the top with a bit of a soy note, but then the medicinal ingredients quickly reveal themselves. A bitter undertone shows up and lasts until well into the aftertaste. The bitterness is comparable to some of the first caffeinated gums that started appearing on the market - it is not the main flavour, but it is there lurking beneath the taste.

The aftertaste is combination of bitterness, chocolate, soy and a bit of an alcoholic note from one of the ingredients. Fortunately the bitterness lasts a short time and then disappears leaving only the chocolate and the alcoholic note.

I have had better brownies, but I have never had a caffeinated brownie so I have nothing to compare it to. There is bitterness from the caffeine, but I can put up with it.

Energy

I am not sure how much caffeine is in this brownie, but it is enough to wake you up. After eating half the brownie I felt suddenly wide awake. The second half gave me focus and a pretty decent buzz. I wasn't expecting this type of a boost from this brownie so I was pleasantly surprised.

After 20 minutes my heart was racing and I felt a bit jittery. The caffeine was kicking in and it was great. The boost lasted for a few hours and there was no crash at the end.

Almost as strong as an energy drink or a shot, this brownie will kick start your day or charge you up later on in the day. I would much rather eat this for breakfast than Buzz Strong's Cookie.

Scores:
Cost - $29 for a box of 12
Taste - 7.5/10
Energy - 7/10

Overall - 14.5/20...great energy food...if you are OK with the bitterness

Buzz Strong's Real Coffee Cookie Review

Quite often I skip breakfast because I either get up too early and I am in no mood to eat, don't have the time, or the caffeinated beverage I have in the morning kills my desire to eat something. I always regret this several hours later when I am starving and lunch is hours away. If I had caffeinated food like Buzz Strong's I would never skip a meal in the morning.

Taste

Buzz Strong's Real Coffee Cookie is a cookie made with..well...coffee and chocolate. The cookie is medium sized, soft, chewy and a bit crumbly. The taste is dominated by coffee and vanilla, however, the chocolate chunks add some sweetness. I would compare the taste to a chewy chocolate chip cookie sprinkled with some ground up or instant coffee.

This is a great tasting not only for a caffeinated product, but for a cookie too. I wish these were sold in stores around me because I would be definitely buying a bunch for breakfast every week. For now I have to get them from ChemicalEvolution.com.

Energy

The label says 1 cookie = 1 coffee, but there is no mentioning of the actual caffeine content.

The effects are a bit odd. By the time I finished eating the cookie I felt a jolt of energy, but that quickly died and I was back to my morning zombie state. Must have been the placebo effect. It took about 30-40 minutes to feel the caffeine effects, but the kick wasn't good enough for the start of my morning. I think this would make a great afternoon snack when you just need a pick me up and not a boatload of caffeine to restart your dead brain.

With that said, I would still like to buy a bunch for the office.

Scores:
Cost - $1.99 from ChemicalEvolution.com
Taste - 10/10
Energy - 5/10

Overall - 15/20...fantastic taste, enough caffeine for a pick me up, but not if you need to wake up in the morning