Power Toothpaste Announces Product Launch of World’s First Caffeinated Toothpaste Round 2!

Hey guys, remember the caffeinated toothpaste I reviewed end of last year? After getting over 30,000 signatures from their campaign earlier this year and raising over $40,000, they are back with awesome new packaging, full sized tubes and ready to charge you up. Check out the press release below and the review. These guys are great!!!

Power Toothpaste Announces Product Launch of World’s First Caffeinated Toothpaste

Company makes caffeinated toothpaste available to public after shipping 2,000 tubes pre-ordered through crowdfunding campaign

BROOKLYN, New York, September 14, 2016 - Today, Power Toothpaste starts selling the world’s first caffeinated toothpaste at www.powertoothpaste.com, available for immediate shipment. After raising over $40,000 in a crowdfunding campaign, shipping over 2,000 tubes of toothpaste to fulfill pre-orders, and receiving international press coverage from the likes of The Guardian, VICE, the New York Times, Daily Mail, and Uncrate, this first-of-its-kind oral care product is now available to the public on the company’s website.

Power Toothpaste is the world’s first toothpaste to contain caffeine. Unlike coffee, which takes up to an hour to fully absorb through the stomach, Power Toothpaste begins working immediately, absorbing through the gums and mouth, giving you a “rush while you brush”. Like a traditional toothpaste, Power Toothpaste still leaves the teeth clean and mouth feeling fresh.

Power Toothpaste was founded by Dan Meropol and Ian Nappier, two young entrepreneurs who became friends while attending Brown University, and who are now waking up the sleepy multibillion-dollar oral care industry. After learning from an ADA study that fewer than half of Americans brush twice per day, Dan set out to find a way to encourage people to take better care of their teeth. Dan spoke to his friend Ian about the problem he was trying to solve – and Ian suggested a caffeinated toothpaste.

The two founders decided to test the market to gauge interest in their idea. They immediately encountered overwhelming consumer demand, collecting over 30,000 email sign-ups in eight weeks. Ian and Dan launched a crowdfunding campaign for Power Toothpaste on Indiegogo and began accepting pre-orders, raising over $40,000.

After a year of research, development, formula refinement, a partnership with an FDA-compliant American manufacturer, and a drove of press coverage, the company has shipped over 2,000 tubes of toothpaste to customers who made pre-orders. Beginning today, Power Toothpaste is available to the general public at www.powertoothpaste.com.

“Too many people aren’t taking care of their teeth, even when they know they should,” said Dan Meropol. “At Power Toothpaste we believe a big part of this is that oral care hasn’t been exciting for decades, and the products that Big Toothpaste is offering just aren’t good enough. Our mission is to make oral care fun and exciting again, and above all else, to get people brushing.”

“I made the first version of this toothpaste in my kitchen,” said Ian Nappier. “As Dan and I shared it with our friends, it was clear we were onto something. Not only did caffeinated toothpaste work, but people were excited about something they used to dread: waking up.”

“It’s scary how well this works,” declared an early beta tester, two minutes after brushing with Power Toothpaste for the first time. “I want to use this every morning.”

Another beta tester, a schoolteacher from Brooklyn, NY, shared “Every workday I’m a zombie until I go out of my way to chug a bitter cup of coffee. Later in the day I have to worry about my coffee breath. Power Toothpaste is the perfect solution to my problem.”

Power Toothpaste has received coverage from over one hundred media outlets as well as a number of high profile blogs. Rachel Pick of VICE stated in a review that “Power Toothpaste really does work.”

Some of the key benefits of the product include:

REVOLUTIONARY SPEED: Power Toothpaste kicks into gear much faster than coffee, absorbing through the mouth and giving the user a boost within minutes after brushing. Power blasts away the morning fog, so users can feel good almost immediately upon waking up.

AFFORDABLE: 90 cups of coffee can cost up to $260. A single tube of Power Toothpaste contains 90 brushes, each of them comparable to a cup of coffee, for the price of $15. Power Toothpaste is $245 cheaper than three months of coffee, allowing users to stay energized while saving money.

CONVENIENT: Energy drinks and shots taste horrible in the morning, and obtaining coffee usually requires stopping at a cafe or spending 20 minutes with a coffee machine. In today’s busy world, some people require a quicker and more convenient way to get their morning fix. Power Toothpaste is a revolutionary solution to this problem.

HEALTHY: Power Toothpaste contains the same healthy ingredients as the leading brands to eliminate plaque, reduce stains, and freshen your breath. Not to mention that Power whitens your teeth, compared to coffee which stains and darkens.

About Power Toothpaste

Power Toothpaste is bringing innovation to the oral care market by changing the way people brush their teeth. Power is the world’s first caffeinated toothpaste, giving the user a rush while they brush that is faster, more convenient, and more affordable than coffee and energy drinks. 50% of Americans don’t brush twice a day; Power Toothpaste gives the brusher a boost while encouraging proper oral hygiene.

Suja Essentials Organic Sweet Beets

I am trying to remember where I got this from, but I am drawing a blank. It was definitely somewhere in Michigan, but I cannot recall if it was from Target or Meijer. In any case, I found this almost expired Suja Essentials beet juice hiding in the back of our fridge. I thought it was my wife's and she thought it was mine so no one touched it for the past couple of months. Damn.

The dark red color is an easy indicator of what is inside the bottle - beet juice. But there are a few other fruits/vegetables tossed in there for a good measure as well - apple, carrot, orange, banana, pineapple and turmeric (no, it is not a fruit, nor a vegetable).

Unfortunately (or fortunately if you are a fan of it), the beet remains the king of both the aroma and the taste. Some carrot finds its way through the aroma, but it is no match for the mighty beet. The flavor is a bit different and you get a clear, distinct pineapple and turmeric at the finish, and well into the aftertaste, but the beet still remains the king. I like beets, but I still found it to be a bit overpowering, considering that when blended with some of the other flavors, an interesting damp/cellar note emerges.

Despite the heavy beet presence, the beverage is surprisingly smooth, light, easy to drink and refreshing.

Scores:
Cost - ~$3
Taste - 8.8/10

Power Toothpaste Launches World’s First Caffeinated Toothpaste

Hey guys, remember the caffeinated toothpaste I reviewed a few weeks ago? Well, good news everyone, Power Toothpaste has just launched their IndieGoGo campaign and are gearing up for orders. Check out their campaign site and the following press release for more info.

Power Toothpaste Launches World’s First Caffeinated Toothpaste

Company takes on $12bn oral care industry

BROOKLYN, New York, January 19, 2016 - Today, Power Toothpaste launched the world’s first caffeinated toothpaste on Indiegogo: http://powertoothpaste.com/campaign. After international press coverage from the likes of CBS, Daily Mail, and VICE, and 30,000 sign-ups on www.powertoothpaste.com, this first-of-its-kind oral care product is now available to the public.

Power Toothpaste is the world’s first toothpaste to contain caffeine. Unlike coffee, which takes up to an hour to fully absorb through the stomach, Power Toothpaste begins working immediately, absorbing through the gums and mouth, providing a quick boost of energy before the user is even finished brushing. And like a standard toothpaste, Power Toothpaste still leaves the teeth clean and mouth feeling fresh.

Power Toothpaste has launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo.com. This campaign will allow Power Toothpaste to produce its toothpaste at a scale that enables the startup to offer its product to consumers nationally. Special promotional pricing is available during this Indiegogo campaign. A single tube of Power Toothpaste starts at $12 with free shipping, and there are numerous early-bird specials and significant bulk discounts available.

Power Toothpaste was founded by Dan Meropol, a millennial entrepreneur looking to insert a jolt into the multibillion-dollar oral care industry. After learning from an ADA study that only half of Americans floss daily and half of Americans only brush once per day, Dan set out to find a way to get people to take better care of their teeth. Dan spoke to a friend about the problem he was trying to solve – and his friend suggested a caffeinated toothpaste.

“Too many people aren’t taking care of their teeth, even when they know they should,” said Meropol. “At Power Toothpaste we believe a big part of this is that oral care hasn’t been exciting for decades, and the products that Big Toothpaste is offering just aren’t good enough. Our mission is to make oral care fun and exciting again, and above all else, to get people brushing.”

Feedback on early prototypes was so positive that Dan knew he had to turn Power Toothpaste into a business. After a year of development, a partnership with an FDA-compliant American toothpaste manufacturer, and a drove of press coverage, Power Toothpaste is ready for launch.

Power Toothpaste has received coverage from over one hundred media outlets as well as a number of high profile blogs.

Some of the key benefits of the product include:

REVOLUTIONARY SPEED: Power Toothpaste kicks into gear much faster than coffee, absorbing through the mouth and giving the user a boost within minutes after brushing. Power blasts away the morning fog, so users can feel good almost immediately upon waking up.

AFFORDABLE: 90 cups of coffee can cost up to $260. A single tube of Power Toothpaste contains 90 brushes, each of them comparable to a cup of coffee, for the price of $15 with free shipping. Power Toothpaste is $245 cheaper, allowing users to stay energized while saving money.

CONVENIENT: Energy drinks taste horrible in the morning, and obtaining coffee usually requires stopping at a cafe or spending 20 minutes with a coffee machine. In today’s busy world, some people require a quicker and more convenient way to get their morning fix. Power Toothpaste is a revolutionary solution to this problem.

HEALTHY: Power Toothpaste contains the same healthy ingredients as the leading brands to eliminate plaque, reduce stains, and freshen your breath. Not to mention that Power whitens your teeth, compared to coffee which stains and darkens.

About Power Toothpaste

Power Toothpaste is bringing innovation to the oral care market by changing the way people brush their teeth. Power is the world’s first caffeinated toothpaste, giving the user a rush while they brush that is faster, more convenient, and more affordable than coffee and energy drinks. 50% of Americans don’t brush twice a day; Power Toothpaste gives the brusher a boost while incentivizing proper oral hygiene.

Learn more at: http://powertoothpaste.com

Find our press kit at: http://press.powertoothpaste.com

Copyright Power Toothpaste LLC 2016. All rights reserved.

Monster Muscle Energy Shake Banana

For an energy drink, banana would be a bold choice for a flavor and one that you don't see just on its own. It is usually strawberry and banana, or banana and pineapple, or a medley of tropical fruits with banana playing one of the supporting roles. However, it is a popular and fitting flavor for a protein shake and would fit in with the rest of the Monster Muscle drinks, which already include Strawberry, Vanilla, Chocolate and Coffee.

Taste

I felt a little uneasy pouring the contents of this can into a glass. The liquid is thick and creamy and mostly beige with a light yellow tint. It is like a colored light cream. On the plus side, the banana aroma is very well done and permeates through the air as quickly as the drink comes out of the can.

Being a shake, this Monster Muscle has a thick mouth-feel since the first ingredient is milk. The taste starts off sweet with a heavy dose of vanilla, but quickly dissipates, making way for a banana cream pie-like flavor. The banana flavor lingers for a veeery long time, giving the aftertaste a bottom level creaminess. The vanilla comes back in the aftertaste, as does a very subtle rum-like note.

Despite the low sugar content of 16 grams per can, some sweetness build up is present and the milk ingredients do tend to give the drink a very dry aftertaste. The combination of the two requires some water consumption at the end to cleanse the palate.

I still liked it, though. The "pie"-like flavor was a treat first thing in the morning.

Energy

There are 160 mg of caffeine in this 443 mL can. The concentration is a little higher than other Monster energy drinks, but the total amount consumed is about the same. There are also 25 grams of protein.

The effects were very quick for me. I felt more awake within 5 minutes of starting the drink and within another 10, I was feeling a tiny bit jittery. Despite the low sugar presence, I still felt jittery for a few minutes. Maybe it was from the sudden rush of energy I felt since I consumed a large portion of this beverage at once.

The main kick build up was steady and reached its peak in another 10 minutes. Physically, I felt very energetic, but for the first little while, I also experienced mental clarity and focus. It was an odd mix I haven't experienced in a while.

The kick lasted for almost 4 hours and ended with a very mild crash that I corrected with a couple of glasses of water.

Scores:
Cost - $3.19
Taste - 8.9/10
Energy - 8.2/10

Overall - 17.1/20...banana is a good choice for a protein shake

Power Toothpaste Review

Among other things, my morning routine consists of a shower, coffee and brushing my teeth before heading out the door. I chose to give up the coffee part of my morning for the past couple of weeks to give Power Toothpaste a chance to prove itself.

Taste

When Power Toothpaste approached me with the opportunity to review a caffeinated toothpaste, I wasn't sure if I was the right person for this job and I wasn't sure if this product was right for this blog...but what the heck.

Before agreeing to the review, I did some snooping around on the Internet and there were already lots of posts on this toothpaste from energy junkies on blogs and sites. The most common comment was on the potential bitterness of this product (these posts were not of users who had reviewed the toothpaste). After reading all the comments I could find, I got a bit scared but soldiered on and got the product.

My response to all the people who think this would be bitter is - "You crazy mofos!!!" This toothpaste is anything but bitter. The intense peppermint flavor completely overpowers any bitterness you might get from the caffeine. I mean, this toothpaste is so minty that it gives you a much fresher and longer lasting fresh breath than my normal peppermint Colgate. Bitterness....pshhhh...there is none of that here. If you weren't told that this is caffeinated toothpaste, you would have thought that this is just another intensely minty, good ol' toothpaste. There is not much else that can be said regarding the taste...or should I re-label this section "Flavor"???

Energy

There are 106 mg of caffeine per mL of toothpaste!!!! That's the most intense concentration of caffeine you can find on the market...except maybe pharmaceutical grade caffeine. After almost a couple of weeks I weighted the semi-empty toothpaste tube and calculated that I was using an average of 0.7 mL of toothpaste each time I brushed my teeth. In other terms, I was using around 74 mg of caffeine.  And yes, I did take into consideration the specific gravity of the average toothpaste when I did the conversion.

The intense mint flavor perked me up on its own each time I brushed my teeth. It is hard to gauge how much caffeine I was ingesting through my gums, but I was definitely feeling a tiny bit more alert on my morning walks just from using the toothpaste. Though you shouldn't rely only on this toothpaste for your morning buzz, it will definitely give you a tiny boost.

Hey, use this alongside your caffeinated shower gel, soap and aftershave and you will probably absorb just as much caffeine as a small energy drink.

If you are curious to try this product yourself, check out Power Toothpaste's website to get a free sample. Come on, you have nothing to lose. Stay tuned for their Indiegogo campaign, launching on January 19, 2016.

Scores:
Cost - unsure
Taste - 9/10
Energy - hard to relate

Overall - 9/10...great toothpaste that also happens to have caffeine

Zola Coconut Water Espresso

Zola has been on the Canadian market for years. In fact, one of my very first reviews, more than 6 years ago, was of Zola's Immunity Smoothie. The smoothie was the best tasting product on my blog for years so when I was given a can of their Coconut Water Espresso (or should it be Espresso Coconut Water?), I had very high expectations.

Taste

The contents of this can look like any other iced coffee - medium brown and very muggy. The aroma is also very similar to any other iced coffee with a strong coffee presence. There is no coconut presence, but with a flavor as dominant as coffee, it is easy for the coconut notes to get lost.

The taste is very interesting. I kept drinking and drinking trying to decipher and put it into words, but I found it a bit difficult. OK, so I was expecting coffee to the dominant flavor, but I was greeted by a semi-sweet, very well defined coconut flavor at the start of each sip. That was followed by the tiniest hint of sourness you get from coffee, which was then followed by more coconut, a bit of chocolate and a hint of coffee. The finish is where the coffee finally came out and lingered well into the aftertaste. The aftertaste, itself, is long, a bit dry with a strong coffee presence and a hint of sweetness. Since there is a tiny bit of milk added to it, a bit of the typical iced coffee raunchiness is also present in the aftertaste.

I knew the coffee was there, but I sensed it not through its flavor, but through its other characteristics, like bitterness and sourness and even a tiny bit from its aromas the top of my mouth was exposed to...well until the flavors finally came out in the finish. Very interesting and enjoyable.

The beverage is very smooth and very easy to drink. The sweetness is well balanced and the coffee is more of a supporting character than the main one.

Energy

What, did you not expect this to have any caffeine? Come on, that is literally in the its title. There are 150 mg of caffeine in the can, which is very typical.

"Oh, but the can is so much bigger than other energy drinks...this sucks". Well, my response to this is to read the label. Despite its large appearance, the can contains only 47 mL more volume than your standard energy drink. That's less than 10% more!

So not only are you drinking coconut water that your mom tells you is good for you, but you are also getting jazzed up. The effects are a bit slow to roll out as it took around 15 minutes for me to feel the kick, but the effects are much smoother than your typical sugary energy drink. This drink almost gave me the jitters when it started to kick in, but I didn't really feel like shaking my leg more than once. Once it started to kick in, I felt much more awake and very focused before all the caffeine kicked in and I just felt exhilarated and really into reading a few reports I had on my desk. The kick lasted for a good 3-4 hours and ended without a crash. Excellent kick!

Scores:
Cost - unsure
Taste - 8.8/10
Energy - 8.5/10

Overall - 17.3/20...interesting coconut/coffee combo with a great and focused kick

Little Big Shot Energy Mixed Berry

Little Big Shot Energy is a UK energy drink without the caffeine or taurine. The label states that the energy comes from the "energy releasing vitamins" so I bought myself a can from the local health store to give it a shot. This 250 mL retails for $2.49 from Essence of Life in Kensington Market in Toronto, but I am sure it is sold other places as well, because the label has been properly done in English and French and it is not just a sticker.

Taste

The aroma is very intense with pomegranate, hibiscus and blackcurrants being the dominant notes. The taste is similar with pomegranate being the front most dominant flavor, while the blackcurrants come up from behind to finish it off. Right before the finish, a wave of tart lemon kicks in to give this beverage a clean finish. The hibiscus is very subtle and doesn't appear until well into the aftertaste once the lemon washes off.

This drink is intense. The flavors are all very well done and alternate. Each one is well defined and is not lost in a generic mix of berries. The sweetness and tartness are very well balanced and it never got too sweet or too tart.

Energy

Welp, there is no caffeine. There is ginseng, B6, B12 and a mix of minerals. I didn't get a rush like I do with regular energy drinks, but I did find myself a little more focused and perky after 10 or so minutes. The feeling lasted for about 30 minutes and then I felt very calm, but not super energetic. Not sure if this is a placebo effect or if this is what this drink is supposed to do, but I liked it.

Scores:
Cost - $2.49
Taste - 9.8/10
Energy - meeeeh...

Overall - 9.8/10...not rating the energy since it doesn't stand a chance against the big, sugary brands

Ikea Dryck Julmust Swedish Festive Drink

Yes, I was at Ikea a few days ago and as I do with every place that offers beverages, I stop by to peruse the drinks section. This time Ikea had a bunch of sweet sparkling beverages for the holidays (love those by the way) as well as this mysterious and dark Swedish festive drink - Dryck Julmust. Julmust is a combination of words that means a Christmas not yet fermented juice...apparently some sort of infused, fruity drink with hops.

The aroma is somewhere between a root beer, cola and mixed berry juice. The flavor is very unique and interesting and the moment it hit my tongue, I knew I was going to like it. Up front you get a bit of caramel and root beer, but after a few moments, a slightly tart flavor comes in with hibiscus and mixed berries. The aftertaste has a subtle lime-like twist with traces of burnt brown sugar. Yes, I know that caramel is essentially sugar, but it usually has a bit of vanilla and milk/creak to give it depth. This just has traces of burnt sugar, which are a little different.

Very interesting drink that will appeal to root beer fans and Europe natives.

Scores:
Cost - $1.79
Taste - 8.8/10

Ocean Spray PACt Cranberry Extract Water

When I was in Michigan a few weeks ago, I got my hands on a few of Ocean Spray's new Cranberry Extract Waters from a Target near one of the airports...can't remember which one. The odd name comes from the word proanthocyanidins, or PACs for short, which are a class of polyphenols found in cranberries, the main ingredient of the PACt waters...get it? Supposedly these waters are supposed to help cleanse and purify your body better than water alone. But all I want to know is - how do these taste?

Cranberry Mango Passion Fruit

The mango here is predominant in the aroma and in the taste. Right after the initial mango hit, you get a medium-rich cranberry flavor that fills the middle and end of each sip. The cranberry portion is just a touch tart near the end to give you a clean finish. The passion fruit is very subtle and I didn't get very much of it until near the finish.

Taste - 8.2/10

Cranberry Pomegranate

The pomegranate dominates the aroma and the finish of this flavor. The cranberry base is dominant at the start of each sip but quickly gives way to the tart pomegranate notes. Very  interestingly balanced taste. Both flavors are tart, giving this beverage a rather dry finish.

Taste - 7.8/10

Cranberry Raspberry

This one has a very nice sweet raspberry-heavy aroma with a good amount of cranberries. The taste is very similar with sweet, ripe raspberries upfront, followed by a moderately tart cranberry notes. The aftertaste has a medium sweetness and carries a raspberry-heavy tone.

Taste - 8.5/10

Overall Impressions

Unlike other flavored waters, all of these flavors were very intense and I would be more inclined to call them soft drinks...or whatever, but not waters.

The one disappointing thing about this water is the heavy sweetener presence in the aftertaste. Yes, these are waters and yes they are flavored, so in order to get some intensity, depth and flavor profile something needs to be added in addition to the natural flavors. I get it, but the sweeteners took the experience down a few notches for me.

Rockstar Boom Energy Whipped Orange Review

I bought this guy from a Target in Michigan along with the Whipped Strawberry one, which by the way was amazing!

Taste

Do yourself a favor and don't pour this into a glass. Its pale orange/beige color is a bit off-putting and way off from the lush orange I was expecting. Unlike the Whipped Strawberry one, the aroma here is not as intense. Yes, there are some orange notes present in the aroma, but it is mostly dominated by your typical Rockstar aroma. 

The taste starts off with a combination between Mountain Dew and regular Rockstar, but it is quickly followed by a moderately intense orange creamsicle note that is actually quite well done.  The creamsicle part is sweet and gets only sweeter with each sip. The hit of Mountain Dew/Rockstar you get at the start is not strong enough to wash off the sweetness so it just builds up. The aftertaste is sweet with a noticeable orange creamsicle hint.

I liked the Whipped Strawberry way more.

Energy

There are 160 mg of caffeine. The kick comes in very fast. The initial sugar hit gave me a bit of a rush and a shaky leg. The caffeine kicks in around the 30 minute mark, it is powerful and I felt great for hours and did not experience a crash. But I always warn readers that if they were to have this later on in the day, a crash may occur since you might be running low on stored energy.

Scores:

Cost - $2...I think

Taste - 7/10

Energy - 8.2/10

Overall - 15.2/20...prefer the Whipped Strawberry one

Rockstar Boom Energy Whipped Strawberry

Why is this called Boom Energy? I don't get it. Can someone explain it to me? I am sure it is something so simple that I can't even see it.

Anyways, I got a few of these cans when I was passing through Michigan last weekend. I stopped at a Target a minute after it opened somewhere in Troy, I believe. Luckily all the cool energy drinks there were right next to the cash register because I definitely needed some caffeine after the long drive and little sleep. I can't recall how much these were, but they were on sale if you were to buy 2.

Taste

The most incredible aroma filled the car when I opened this drink. Even my nieces in the back could smell the fresh strawberries and cream. Amazing! This is one of those things you just have to try. The flavor is like a mix of Mountain Dew/Coke, followed by strawberries with sweet cream near the finish. Very odd combo, but it works! The soft drink start makes you think you are chugging a manly energy drink, but the rich strawberry flavor gives something to get excited about. The cream comes at the end and lingers well into the finish giving you the sensation of just having finished a bowl of fruits with whipped cream. Yes, there is a bit of sweetness that sticks with you, but each sip does a great job at cleansing the palate at first before introducing more of the sweet strawberries and cream. Very smart!

Amazing! This drink has so many layers and I finished each can (I had a few this week) very quickly. Buy it!

Energy

The standard 160 mg of caffeine is present here and very well hidden with the sweet flavors. The kick comes in very fast. The initial few sips that are heavy on the odd Mountain Dew/Coke combo always woke me right up while the sugar gave me a bit of a rush and a shaky leg. The caffeine kicks in around the 30 minute mark and it is powerful! Each time I had one of these I felt great for hours and did not experience a crash. But I always warn readers that if they were to have this later on in the day, a crash may occur since you might be running low on stored energy.

Scores:
Cost - $2 I want to guess
Taste - 9.5/10
Energy - 8.2/10

Overall - 17.7/20...unique layered flavors with an excellent kick - buy it!

P.S. there is actual milk in this energy drink in case you are wondering

Bleed Beet Juice

Will Bleed make you bleed? Yes...yes it will. Aside from one of the hardest drinks to search for online, what is Bleed? Bleed is beet juice...mixed with lemon juice...and some pomegranate juice. Bleed is supposedly good for you with a high level antioxidants and a bunch of other health benefits. Me? I just like beet juice.

OK, so where do you buy Bleed? I got a bottle from a health store in Montreal, right around the corner from my hotel. The price is not that high considering its uniqueness and health benefits - $3.49. Unfortunately I haven't seen Bleed outside of Montreal, but I am sure it is sold in some specialty stores.

Bleed smells like a pomegranate candy with very little of the beets on the nose. The flavor is exactly like the aroma - heavy on sour pomegranate with a candy-like not-too-sweet twist. There are no beet flavors until the aftertaste and even then, the beets are very, very subtle. The lemon comes near the end as well and gives the juice a long lasting clean finish.

I like it. I like it a lot. Man, I love this. Damn, I have to find this drink here.

Taste - 10/10...love it

Glucose After Alcohol No Limit

Glucose After Alcohol has to be one of the more interesting energy drinks I have come across lately. It has an incredibly eye-catching container and label design and I just can't help but wanting to hold the thick aluminium bottle. I found this at Starsky Foods in Mississauga and, just get ready for this, costs $5!!! Yup, $5 for a 250 mL bottle.

Taste

As indicated by the giant flag on the front of the label, this drinks comes to us from Switzerland. Based on the color of the liquid, I thought would be another Red Bull clone, but it is not. And my god, it could not be anymore different than a Red Bull.

The flavor is heavy on the lemons and very intense...and sour. My god, 20% of the contents is straight up lemon juice. This really wakes you up! But unlike straight up lemon juice, Glucose After Alcohol is very easy to drink thanks to the other ingredients. There is just enough sweetness in the bottle to keep you wanting to drink more, but there isn't enough to result in any sweetness build up. The ginseng is present and compliments the lemon flavor very nicely. The aftertaste is a combination of mellow lemon juice, ginseng, a hint of Swiss candy and some cola.

I am very impressed with this flavor. First, I did not expect it to be any different from Red Bull, and second, I didn't think I can drink something so lemon-potent, but both times I was wrong. The price is steep, but you have to try it if you can.

Energy

There are 32 mg of caffeine for every 100 mL. The bottle holds 250 mL so there are 80 mg of caffeine...how original. You see, this is another reason why I thought this would taste like a Red Bull. All the pointers were there.

Anyways, moving on. As the label says - "Best Help For Wake Up!", this drink will definitely wake you up and way before the sugar or the caffeine make their way into your system. Just that initial lemon hit was good enough for me to go from groggy to peppy and alert. The rest of the drink kicked in gradually over the next 20-25 minutes and I did not feel jittery, though my leg came very close to shaking on its own. The effects lasted for about an hour and a half and everything ended without a crash.

Scores:
Cost - $5 from Starsky Foods in Toronto
Taste - 9/10
Energy - 6.3/10

Overall - 15.3/20...unique, lemony and expensive for here

KonaRed Hawaiian Coffeeberry

I know I am classifying this under "coffee", but this is not coffee. If you read the label, you will notice that it clearly says that no coffee beans are present in this beverage. What this is made of is the fruit that surrounds the Kona coffee bean. That's right, the fleshy part around the bean...along with some other stuff. Though there is some naturally occurring caffeine (around 54 mg), the goal of this drink is to not jazz/jack you up in the traditional sense.

OK, so if this isn't coffee, then what is it and what does it taste like? Well, it smells like a combination of cranberries, pineapple and apple juice, but it tastes like blend of apple, pineapple and something like a cranberry. That must be what the fleshy part of the coffee bean tastes like. It is just a little tart, like several levels below that of cranberries, and there is some light natural bitterness, and damn is it good. Yeah, so good I could barely stop myself from drinking the whole bottle at once. The apple and pineapple provide just enough sweetness to compliment the flavor of the fleshy part without stealing anything away from it. Damn, it is good. Buy it.

Taste - 9.5/10...very unique and tasty

The Cold Pressery

The Cold Pressery is one of those hidden gems in an unassuming plaza in your typical office neighbourhood. But walk inside and you are instantly transported into a chic, yet cozy urban setting with reclaimed wood, chalkboards, iPads, designer chairs, exposed concrete, and the list goes on.

The menu is a mix of juices, smoothies, snacks and more substantial meals with vegan options. Everything looks so good that we had a hard time selecting something. Eventually, we settled on the iced coffee and I had the Cold Brew Coffee while my wife had the Tropical Green smoothie.

The Cold Brew Coffee is made with Station Cold Brew Coffee Co,'s concentrated cold coffee and soy milk. There is absolutely no bitterness anywhere, yet there is a rich coffee flavor with a lingering moderate chocolate and roasted nut presence. The coffee is very well rounded thanks to the soy and goes down quickly. If you like Starbucks' iced coffee, you will like this one way better and never go back to Starbucks.

The Tropical Green smoothie is made of pineapple, mango, spinach, kale and almond milk. Though there is a heavy green presence, the smoothie is very fruity with dominating pineapple and mango flavors. The fusion also creates the illusion that there are Granny Smith apples which is a nice added effect. The almond milk adds a smoothness to the smoothie and helps round off the overall flavor. Super delicious and also goes down quickly.

Can't stick around? You can get a whole bunch of juices on the go and that's what I did on my way out.

Coconut Chia Water

If you are like me, the first question you will ask is why this juice is purple if the ingredients list includes only raw coconut water and chia seeds. Well, I am told that when raw coconut water is exposed to air, it starts to oxidize quickly and changes its color. If your coconut water is clear, that means that it contains preservatives, other additives or it has been pasteurized. The raw, unpasteurized coconut water is good for a few days so when you grab a bottle from The Cold Pressery, you better drink it quickly to get the full experience.

Now, on to the Coconut Chia Water. The water has a moderate fresh coconut aroma and a fantastic, rich coconut flavor. It reminds me of time I spent in Vietnam drinking fresh coconut water right from the coconut. The flavor is very intense while you are drinking, but as soon as you are done, your mouth feels clean and fresh with just the tiniest hints of coconut and subtle earthy notes form the chia seeds.

I am not a fan of the canned and bottled coconut water that made a huge entrance on the market a year ago because I find them too sweet, too aromatic and too fake, but this raw coconut water is something else. It cannot be compared to the stuff found in stores. You need to have it.

Melon Mojito

The melon mojito is made of watermelon, cucumber, strawberry and mint...all favorite flavors of mine. The aroma of this one blew me away. I was expecting a sweet strawberry aroma, but I was hit by a super refreshing cucumber aroma, which filled the air around me as soon as I opened the lid. Some subtle hints of mint are also present which make this juice a killer for a hot summer day.

The flavor, however, is dominated by the other ingredients - watermelon and strawberries. The watermelon is first to hit the tongue and provides a solid flavor base all throughout. Strawberries come in second and give the flavor a good amount of candy-like sweetness and some roundness. Some subtle cucumber notes come in at the end and along with the mint give this juice a long-lasting clean finish.

Like the coconut water, the Melon Mojito has a very intense flavor but once you are done, the finish is very clean.

Gold 'n Green

And last, but not least, Gold 'n Green. This juice is made from green cabbage, pineapples, mint and ginger. I know that many people don't like cabbage, but I do. I love cabbage, especially pickled cabbage, so I just had to have a bottle.

This juice has a very refreshing aroma dominated by mint and pineapple. But like the Melon Mojito, the flavor is dominated the other two ingredients - cabbage and ginger....OK and a bit of mint and pineapple. The cabbage is the first thing I can taste, but the flavor is very smooth and mellow. The flavor intensity gets kicked up a notch by the ginger which also adds a bit of spice. The end is rounded off by the smooth pineapple flavor and the mint leaves a long-lasting, fresh aftertaste. Another fantastic juice.

If you are in the GTA and you are looking for a fantastic fresh beverage and a bite to eat, just go to The Cold Pressery. Did I also say it was very close to Square One? Forget the food court and go get a juice and a taco.

Rockstar Horchata Energy

I had my first horchata just a couple of weeks ago and then I ran into this new Rockstar Horchata Energy can just shortly after. Funny how these things work sometimes. Horchata is traditionally made from rice with spices, like cinnamon and vanilla, so I am not sure why Rockstar has decided to add milk to their version and advertise it as a "dairy beverage".

Taste

I normally don't take photos of what is inside the can, but I had to of this one as I assume some readers will be very curious.

The Horchata has a sweet creamy aroma with notes of rice, cinnamon and vanilla as your traditional horchata. The taste is very sweet at first and starts off heavy on the cream, which carries a balanced combination of cinnamon and vanilla. Some rice is present, but doesn't come out until close to the finish. The aftertaste is semi-dry, a bit sticky, creamy with medium notes of cinnamon and vanilla. The sweetness does tend to build up quickly so I suggest to give it a rest between gulps to recover, unless you are super into sugary things. Also, of course, this being mild-based beverage, the aftertaste quickly turns into this raunchy thing...but hey, that's milk for you.

The idea of a Rockstar Horchata sounded very awful to me at first, but after consuming the can, I have to say that I am sold on this flavor. I love all the individual components that have gone into making this - cinnamon, vanilla, rice, milk...caffeine. Love it.

Energy

There are 220 mg of caffeine in this can. Can this get any better? The effects come rolling in quickly, but gradually and very gently. I felt a jolt within 10 minutes but experienced no jitters. In another 5 minutes, my brain was whizzing. In another 10 minutes I was ready to go out and run around and jump. I got a good 4-5 hours out of this can and there were no ill side effects at the end.

The energy felt generous and concentrated.

Scores:
Cost - $2.99 from WalMart in Maryland
Taste - 8.9/10
Energy - 9.5/10

Overall - 18.4/20...very unique, tasty and potent energy drink. One of the best I have had in a while even though I thought it was going to be nasty

Elite Ops Energy Strips Fierce Arctic Mint

Elite Ops Energy Strips is a new player on the energy strips field. They have little online presence since searching for the name will lead you to SAS and military-related information. Pretty cool to explore information, but I had a hard time finding any information about them and had to get creative with my search queries. For more information, just go directly to their website.

Elite Ops were developed to provide a lot of caffeine in a light and easy to carry package. My experiences with similar products have taught me that it is very difficult to hide the bitterness of caffeine in such a small volume, but we shall see how Elite Ops performs in a bit.

Taste

Right now Elite Ops energy strips come in a single flavor - Fierce Arctic Mint, but the creators are talking about bringing other flavors onto the market. I think mint is a very safe flavor to go with as an initial product because it is fresh and the oils should easily hide the bitterness from the active ingredients.

The strip has a rough and a smooth side and I tried placing both on my tongue to see which one would stick better, but both sides stuck to the top of my mouth, ripping the strip right off my tongue. That resulted in the strip turning into a ball but it wasn't a huge deal and it quickly dissolved both times.

Initially the strip has a very intense minty flavor, but after a few moments some bitterness comes through. It wasn't as much as I expected, though. Once stuck to your tongue, the fresh mint lingers throughout the entire time the strip is dissolving and well into the aftertaste, giving you a fresh breath for about 4-5 minutes. The bitterness is killed at first, but comes back once the strip is dissolved and adds a subtle bitter tone that sticks for a while.

Energy

Each strip contains 100 mg of caffeine and there are 8 strips in a box. Essentially in a little tiny packet, you are carrying the equivalent of 10 Red Bulls. Compared to other competitive energy strips, like Sheets, Elite Ops offers twice the amount of caffeine.

The energy strips take about 20-30 seconds to fully dissolve and the initial effects became apparent within 15-20 minutes. I didn't experience any jitters with the first strip, but when I had the second one 10 minutes later, I got a little shaky.

The full caffeine effects kick in in another 15 or so minutes and I felt super energized...especially having consumed 2 strips in quick succession. I had a bit of hard time focusing on mental work, but I had no problem doing physical work when I went outside 30 minutes later.

The effects lasted for about 4-5 hours and ended without any drama...yay no crash.

Despite the slow start, Elite Ops is a very powerful product. I think the package needs a bit of work, but once the money start rolling in, this will change. Look at Awake's initial packaging versus the new one....like night and day.

Scores:
Cost - $5.99 per pack
Taste - 8.5/10
Energy - 6.5/10 - 10/10 (depending on number of strips)

Overall - 15/20 to 18.5/20...minty fresh with a powerful kick

Neuro Sonic Super Fruit Infusion

I heard from many people that this variety of the Neuro beverage line-up died not too long ago, but it doesn't seem to be dead in the northeast. I saw plenty of these bottles for sale at Target around Buffalo and have also purchased it from a few places in Michigan. A bottle will set you back around $2.50 depending on where you get it from and most places that carry Neuro Sonic, also carry Neuro Sleep and a bunch more Neuro drinks.

Taste

This beverage is supposed to taste like a super fruit infusion. But what is that? I don't think it is some new magical fruit, because the drink smells like a mix of cranberries, raspberries, a bit of blueberries and some sweet cherry cough syrup-like twist.

The taste seems watered down and thin at first, but after a few sips, the flavors start to emerge. I sensed a creamy cherry flavor that starts off light but turns very sweet near the finish. Also present are some distant raspberry notes. I was hoping for the cranberry flavor to be present for a tart finish, but sadly it is not there and I am left with a sweet cherry finish that gets sweeter and sweeter with each sip. Sure there are only 35 calories in the bottle, but there are plenty of sweeteners.

The aftertaste is dry, sticky sweet with lingering cherry and raspberry notes.

Another thing - the label says "lightly carbonated", but I found this to be just as carbonated as any other energy drink.

Super fruit is a much more exciting way to name the flavor than "Raspberry-Cherry". I will give them that, but overall, the flavor is nothing exciting, unique or highly enjoyable. I can see why there has been reports of the death of this beverage.

Energy

The proprietary blend includes 178 mg of active ingredients, with caffeine being the first on the list. According to the Neuro website, there are 100 mg of caffeine in the bottle, which is on the very low end for energy drinks of this size, but still enough to give most a nice kick.

It took around 15 minutes for me to start feeling the effects. I felt slightly more alert but also a bit jittery. In another 20 minutes the jitters had subsided and I was at a point where I had just enough energy to focus on some mental activities, but not enough that I wanted to run around in circles. Very good point to be at for me. The effects lasted for almost 2 hours and ended without a crash.

Overall, I wasn't very impressed with the flavor, but the kick is not too bad.

Scores:
Cost - $2.50
Taste - 6/10
Energy - 6.5/10

Overall - 12.5/20...weak flavor, but a decent kick

Hello Hungry Liquid Meal Review

A couple of weeks ago I was excited about the Hello Hungry Indiegogo campaign and now I have in front of me the actual product. Before I get started I should say upfront that I am a fan of vegetable juices, purees and drinks with grains.

Hello Hungry

Hello Hungry are liquid meals that range from "normal" (OK, not labelled normal, but I had to call it something) to "semi-sweet" to "sweet". The "normal" variety is made of vegetables (tomato and basil) while the "semi-sweet" introduces some fruits for sweetness and the "sweet" is sweet fruits and vegetables (carrots and beets are sweet).

Each one is fortified with buckwheat, which according to the label is one of 4 supergrains. I am no grain expert and all I know about buckwheat is that my mom was forcing me to eat that stuff growing up so I am not new to it.

Since Hello Hungry is supposed to quench your hunger, I decided to test these out on a semi-empty stomach to see how effective they would be. It took me a few long days at the office to find the right moment to drink each one and write about my experience.

Tomato and Basil

I decided to start from the vegetable one and work my way up to the sweet one.

The Tomato and Basil one has a caramel color and a thick consistency like any juice puree you might buy from a grocery store (readers from Europe will be more familiar with what I mean here).

On the nose this flavor is very sweet and heavy on the mango. I was confused at first, but when I read the label, I noticed that the third ingredient is mango puree at 18.3% of the total!!! Aside from the mango, there is very, very little of the tomatoes or basil in the aroma.

The flavor is where you notice there is more to this drink than mangoes. Sure, you get hit with a semi-sweet mango at first, but right after that come in sweet tomatoes, a very light yeast, bananas and a twist of citrus. I was actually expecting a straight up tomato and basil beverage, but this has so much more. The aftertaste is relatively clean with just a hint of tomatoes, a touch of basil and just a little bit of salt and bananas. Unlike beverages like V8, which are very heavy on the tomatoes, this one is not sour and overpowering. This flavor is more sweet than I expected. I was actually hoping for a bit more tomatoes.

The overall consistency is similar to that of baby food and the seasoning is very inoffensive, again, much like baby food. I liked this one, but I must state here that if you don't like vegetable shakes or supplements, or juices, or vegetables in general, than you may not fully enjoy this particular flavor.

Mango, Spinach and Peach

The Mango, Spinach and Peach one has a medium green color and a thick consistency. This is the flavor labelled as "semi-sweet". The aroma is once again dominated by mangoes, but that shouldn't come to as a surprise given the name of the drink. Peach, citrus and bananas come in close second.

Spinach kicks off the flavor and is present all throughout. The mango and peach complement the spinach better than I expected. The fruits add a bit of sweetness to the grassy spinach, but I found this drink to be a little less sweet for me than the Tomato and Basil one despite the fruits. The buckwheat is present, but very subtle.

The aftertaste is semi-sweet...hurhurhur...yeah, I used the name of the drink, but it is true. You get some sweetness from the bananas, mangoes and peaches, but the lingering spinach brings the sweetness down a bit. I liked this one more than the Tomato and Basil one.

Strawberry, Banana, Carrot and Beetroot

You guessed it, this is the "sweet" one of the bunch. The mix of fruits and vegetables gives this flavor a surprising light purple/beige color which looks odd, but in a way natural.

The aroma is heavy on strawberries, bananas and almond milk, but that shouldn't surprise you as almond milk is the second ingredient.

This one has to be the thickest of the bunch. The almond milk has a heavy presence all throughout. The wife and I are fans of almond milk and we have 2 cartons of it in the fridge, but I can see how there will be some opponents. After the almond milk comes in a yeasty note, followed by a balanced banana/strawberry blend, followed by a very light beet note. I can't taste the carrots until well into the aftertaste when all the other flavors die down a bit. The aftertaste also feels a little dry and chalky, but almond milk does tend to do that.

Despite this being the sweet one of the bunch, I didn't find it to be that sweet. Sure, it was sweeter than the other ones, but I was expecting something much, much sweeter...maybe I have a bias from all the sugar-full V8's and banana/strawberry shakes. In any case, I really, really liked this flavor. I love the almond milk and I love bananas and strawberries. I loved that it was sweet, but not very sweet.

Performance

So! The big question here is "Does it work?" Yes! Yes, it does. I felt full after each bottle and the main reason behind it is the consistency of the beverage.

Bottom line? Hello Hungry is pretty damn good and I hope these are sold in Canada in the future because I will definitely buy them.