Mountain Dew Game Fuel

Mountain Dew keeps churning out flavors, trying to drive more people to Do the Dew. The problem is trying to do that without dilluting the brand to nothingness. Well, they won't have a problem with these flavors, as Horde Red is a Throwback to the original Game Fuel Flavor, and the new flavor of Alliance Blue is a fantastic riff on the original.

According to a Pepsi rep, "Alliance Blue is a completely new flavor developed specifically for this launch." "We are thrilled to be collaborating with Blizzard Entertainment to harness the power of one of the most popular and recognizable game franchises," said Frank Cooper, chief marketing officer of sparkling beverages, Pepsi-Cola North America Beverages. "We're giving players a new way to experience World of Warcraft and a new way to experience Dew. Both of us, and more importantly, the consumers, will benefit from the partnership."

Like all these new Dew flavors, they are here for a short time, so if you like it it's time to Horde them.

Before I begin my review, the rep sent me some cans for my 13 year old son. Being as this drink was made for MMORPG gamers and WOW freaks, I was not surprised he was not taken in with the packaging, but being a Mountain Dew Fanatic (he is all about the Voltage) it wasstill positive. "It tasted pretty good - It tasted a whole lot like supernova. I didn't feel very buzzed from it though. I don't really play World of Warcraft, so the packaging wasn't that amazing."

Taste:8
The neon blue color of this new dew is definitely startling. Even more startling is the flavor, just like a Mountain Dew mixed with a bright Kool Aid Berry flavor. This is possibly my favorite non-Diet Dew flavor they have ever came out with. Part of the startling color is that it sticks with you for a looong time.
Without going into great detail - lets just say that after chugging a few of these, don't be surprised to find yourself with blue in the bathroom.

Buzz/Nutrition:7
Exactly what you get with a mountain dew. You have the high fructose corn syrup, the food dye and the preservatives. The food dye is very heavily used, and even though it is banned in Belgium, France, Germany, Sweden, Austria, Norway, and Switzerland, you have enough in this one to Dye Die your clothes.

In terms of caffeine, there is a decent 120mg per 20 ounces, which will give you a big buzz from sugar before the caffeine makes you feel any different. Still, it is more powerful than the caffeine dose in any other Dew, about 30mg more. Your average gamer might down a couple of these in one session, which would give the gamer a very decent edge.

Packaging:8
You got the red one with a giant WOW Orc, and the blue has a very Blizzard-y Night Elf. Some things with is are very cool ( the medeival theme works well in the Warcraft world) , and some don't. ( does Mountain Dew have to change it's name to MTN DEW? It really does not increase its cool factor...) I like the theme as well as their listing of caffeine content. While this is not anything revolutionary, it is certainly as good as you can get as a wrap around label.


review at pc.gamespy.com
Some of the great pics from www.bevreview.com

Blow energy drink mix

For those who want to relive those halcyon days of getting busted by cops, listening to Axel F and waking up with nosebleeds, there is now an energy drink powder hearkening back to the glory days of 70s-80s coke induced culture. What better way to gain notoriety and cash in on your marketing venture than by going over the top with marketing a white powdered energy drink mix aimed at ultra-hip older party-goers. It figures this came out of Shock Value Central - Las Vegas - where Cocaine and Hooters energy were from as well.

According to the creator of this slightly clumpy white powder, "Blow is seductively cool, powerfully effective and our marketing is admittedly edgy." And edgy it is, getting news coverage and shtick value for months. what I do like is how they keep it out of your precious kid's hands. They just sell this online, in porn shops and in nightclubs. And really, if your kid is using your credit card and sneaking plain wrapped packages from your mailbox, wandering the aisles of your local adult stores and sneaking into trashy nightclubs, you have some bigger issues to be dealing with than energy drink powder.

Of course, now that the drink mix thoroughly pissed off the FDA, getting this in the US is next to impossible. The website only sells this to European customers, and their headquarters have had their phone disconnected. Even their website contact info is all located outside the US. If anyone here in the US knows how to get some, I have a stalker in New York who keeps leaving me cryptic messages about billboards who I'm sure would love a case of this ( I really do - how he got my number is beyond me...).

Buzz/Nutrition:8
As for the stuff inside, I liked the buzz of 240mg caffeine and 2000mg of Taurine. I was surprised they added that much caffeine in it, as most novelty drinks go with much less potency. I like that it also contained zero fat, sugar, carbs and calories. Other than that, this is pretty spartan. There is a bunch of Vitamin B complex and some L-Carnatine. Sweetened with Aspartame, I doubt you would want to consume a lot of this, but it is not like this is easy to come by or cheap. Like the real stuff, the product seems to have gone underground ( or just out of business).
Package:10
I love it when a company does not go half assed and just dives into their marketing - even if it is in horrid taste. Unlike so many companies which cater to one niche audience, then balks when someone cries foul. I say, don't be a Weiner and live up to all your offensive glory! Don't hide behind your lawyers and pretend you are not about drugs, sex or immoral lifestyles. The folk at Blow go all the way, from packaging up the credit cards to cut it to the mirror to pour it on - the full paraphernalia kick that comes with an 80's coke habit. Yes, they are glorifying drug culture. Yes, they are about as offensive as they can be for the product they are selling - but they are totally unapolgetic about it - and I really appreciate they are not hypcritical about their marketing.

After tearing off the blister pack backing, Blow is contained in a small squishy plastic vial. Going back to how hard it is to find these things, I finally got my sample from Drake at Beverage Boutique - albeit about a year and a half old. still, the little vial it comes in is resealable, so you don't have to drop the whole thing in at one time. The package is also tamper proof and comes with a little hook hole so it goes nicely up on the wall next to the novelty farting machines and edible panties.
Taste:6
Not so good, but not bad either. I actually like this stuff straight, not cut with water, and eaten ( no - I did not snort it) directly from the container. It reminded me of a bitter ground sweet tart. I think they were going for lemonade, but the aftertaste was very bitter, and the flavor was about as fake and chemical as you can get. Of course, my powder was slightly clumpy, so it might have gotten a little damp or old. I heard that this was supposed to be a berry flavor - which is doubtful. Still, it is not like you are drinking this for the taste, right?


http://www.energyfiend.com
http://energy-drink-ratings.blogspot.com

Monster Imported

When I heard that monster was coming out wit a new flavor, I was really not all that excited.
The Monster line has a long list of flavors, and if you include the coffee drinks and other Hansens product you are dealing with well over a dozen drinks. But the one thing that really stood out for me when I saw this drink at energyheaven.blogspot.com was the can finally had some really cache to it. Monster Energy Drink cans were never really known for their design skills. The imported monster not only has a GORGEOUS new design, but has some real package innovation, along with some flavor improvements and ingredients tweaking, making this probably the best Monster to have ever graced our convenience store shelves. If you can't find any of these yet, just sit tight, as I am sure they are about to explode into every C store, supermarket and pop stand across the nation. A big thanks to Nolan and Chris at energy heaven for breaking news of this one.

Packaging:10
I don't give out many 10s to energy drinks, especially to energy drinks in cans. This one, however, will change the way energy drinks are going to be delivered to us. This energy drink package is a real innovation - a resealable aluminum can as a result of close cooperation between Ball Packaging Europe, The Coca-Cola Company and the Dutch company Bound2B BV. There have been other resealable aluminum energy drink cans, but these can maintain their stackability being so flat, and the mechanism made of recyclable plastic, which is opened by turning the mechanism, and closed by flipping it back.
How can you tell this is imported?
1. it even says it is imported from Finland - and designed in the Netherlands.
2. the can looks about 10 times cooler than the US can.
3. It's formula is different, so the taste and is unique.

Geoff Bremmer, brand manager of Monster Energy, said in a statement "When we saw this can we knew it would be perfect for Monster as we continue to expand the energy drink category reach with true innovation... it's packed in this unique 'One Hand, No Hassle' resealable can, which will create a new buzz in the energy category."

Nutrition/Buzz:7
Buzz? do people get buzzes from Monsters anymore? This one has the same caffeine ( I think ) content as the American counterpart, at about 80mg per serving, and there are 2.3 servings in this slightly larger than usual can. One nice thing is that they did away with the high fructose corn syrup in in its place used sugar (like the American version). This also has a bit less calories at the American kind. I did not really get a buzz from this, but I did not slam it either - the only way to get any sort of buzz from a monster.
However, for a caffeinated soda, this stuff is better than most anything else out there. Even though this is a very little better than the original green Monster, I am giving this the same score as its American brother.

Taste: 8
This is more like the old school Monster than the new improved flavor. While it is close to the Monster Green, there are some very subtle differences that I found much more appealing. It lost whatever little energy drink bite the US version has, and tastes more like a lemon berry jello mix than anything else. Really, it is quite good - very impressive for a company that has the advantage of resting on its laurels if it chose to.


energyheaven.blogspot.com

Xyience Xenergy Citrus Slam

It has been just over a year that Xyience, the bad boy in a field of bad boys, had filed Chapter 11, and left a trail of missed opportunities, lost jobs and prison terms. All in all, the company who had a great thing going with the tie ins to UFC and a fantastic drink imploded - many thought for good. I found myself buying cans of Xyience at local shops I could find, thinking I was going to have to save them as energy drink rarities.

Then one day in the mail I get this great little package, and inside are 4 new Xenergy drinks and a couple slightly retooled favorites. It seems Xyience is back, with a new heart and from judging Citrus Slam, a fantastic new set of drinks too.

Taste:10
The first of the bunch I picked, Citrus Slam, starts like sprite and ends with a bite all its own. Something about this kick almost seemed to me more like a carbonated lemonade with a splash of lime, as it was tart and very very fruity. It was very sweet and very crisp, and if I did not know this drink had no calories, I would have expected sugar cane or some other natural sweetener. Somehow, they just managed to strike the right balance of tartness and surcralose/Ace-k to make a rich and flavorful lime/lemon drink. This is not sprite, or any other lemon-lime soda you have had before. This is more tart, more sharply citrus, without being over the top or syrupy. I think part f the complexity of flavor has to do with the content of potassium or sodium in the drink, but the added touch of saltiness really rounds out the flavor profile. I would gladly drink this flavor again and again.

Packaging:8
I love the black evolution of the Xenergy - so much cleaner than the bare metal with stylized kanji of years past. I see this one as the final evolution in a package design that has taken years to get right. Now, I don't mind the Berry Pom clear cans as much as I used to, but the dark black design is a real winner. They even managed to get the lid on right, so the logo points outwards while drinking from the can. The branding is double facing, so the distributors and clerks don't have to worry about facing the drink - and everything is laid out very nicely. Yo get the UFC logo and slogan, as well as their official circle within circle design, with all fonts easy to read and without pandering to the "XTREME" grunge typefaces. The only real problem I see is that they hide their caffeine amount within a proprietary blend, a real mistake when one of their big selling points is that these new flavors have a bigger boost. With the impressive nutritional content in here, I am surprised they don't advertise it more on the label.

Nutrition/Buzz:9
Xenergy packs more B12 vitamins and slightly more caffeine than regular Xenergy but is still sugar- and calorie-free with a minimal carb count. I drank this after the gym and felt a great rush - not only the caffeine stimulation, but I really needed the potassium too. There is about 250mg of caffeine in here, from both guarana and chemical caffeine, plus lots of potassium, some electrolytes and the usual energy drink ingredients. I found this to be really effective as a post workout morning stimulant - and had a hard time taking a moment to savor the flavor instead of just chugging the 16 ounces down. This one really impressed me with their nutrients, although it was a little light on the vitamins. Still, as an energy drink goes I thought it was muy bueno.

euphoric energy - lemon lime

Euphoric Energy is a small energy drink company in Arizona with big plans. is a small outfit with just 6 employees - and a dream to make it big with distributors and sold nationwide. Of course, I am not sure how big you are going to get when your product has ended up at Big Lots for 60 cents, your local number disconnected and your own website not showing you for sale out of Arizona.
This is really a shame, as I really liked this drink's taste and mood lifter - and is one of the best I have seen at Big Lots for some time (certainly better than Hooters Lite, at least). Breaking into the energy drink market is really hard, especially for a drink without any particular cache. Of course having a consistent direction definitely helps.

During an interview with the CEO of the energy drink, he stated that his wife made the energy drink as something that would appeal to many different markets, from the older woman to the young teen. I could tell this by all their Hottie Models in thong bikinis with their logos correctly positioned. This "energy drink for everyone" idea is carried on further by the techno futuristic background and the trance on the website, with release parties at Dude Bars featuring tight toned waitresses in tiny outfits and stripper poles. So this universal energy drink is only universal if everyone is dudes and lesbians over the age where hormones kick in.

Buzz/Nutrition:
I got a surprising buzz out of this, especially when it has only 70mg of caffeine per serving, just a little less than what energy drinks typically serve. Other than that, is has a small dose of taurine (600mg), a bit of ginseng and inositol. I think what did it for me was their "euphoric blend" of aphrodisiac herbs, a blend of damiana, Maca, and Suma. These same ingredients can be found in Fever Stimulation Drinks, Turn On Love Drinks and even Lil' John's Crunk!!!. The flavor was so good I also chugged the whole can as opposed to my usual slow drink to record flavor and buzz - so I am sure that added to the bump in my energy.

I think it is a little odd that they tout the fact that their drink is 95 percent natural. Like the marketing, that really means that you are NOT natural, even though you are reaching that way. Go natural or don't. Go healthy or add preservatives. Just don't say you are one thing and then do another. Energy Drink Rule 212: Hypocritical energy drinks always fail.

Taste:8
This is one of the few Lime drinks I had that was so damn good. I wish I had a little gin to add to this - as it would make an UNBELIEVABLE mixer with some clear grain spirits. By itself this was still surprisingly delicious, really going for the lime in the lemon-lime, and coming up with something original and tasty. Tasty enough that even with my supply of drink I already have growing in my stockpile, I had to run out and spend the 3 bucks for 5 more cans of the stuff (that was all the Big Lots had left). IF you find yourself wandering the aisles of your local super-discount store, pick a can or two up.

Packaging:3
This looks very bottom of the barrel here. Not really their fault, as it was the not so brilliant marketers at www.media-architects.com who designed a sci-fi can that no one will pick up. Have they never seen an energy drink before? Really -- there are not many well designed energy drink labels out there, but few that suck as bad as this one. Unless you happen to be a raver at an actual rave party, this can looks about as out of place as wearing Big Spiky Red Goth Boots to your corporate company picnic. Simple is better people - this over the top mess of lights, grids and techno graphics does not appeal to the "everyperson", or even the Jock crowd they seem to be reaching for.
As for all the other stuff, I appreciate the caffeine listing, and the mechanics of the can are OK. Still, if there is any hope of a resurgence in Euphoria, a new design has to be essential.

Website:6 www.euphoricenergy.com
As a use of flash goes, this is nice enough - although I still don't like it when something starts playing music at me, especially when it is on a loop and restarts again after every click. The flash is still well programmed and the design is nice enough for a Super Techno Trance site, albeit still stuck in dreamweaver hell. On the design end, it seemed like there was lots of superfluous design elements that make the UI weird (text in the corners that don't click, design bubbles that don't have any reason to be there, etc) and the coding still has lots of macromedia and default flash tags hanging about taking up the page size. Overall, the site is decent, but it could be soooo much better.
energy heaven
caffeineking101

Vicious Vodka improves with age - Score Update

I was fortunate enough to try vicious vodka back in November, and it proved to be one of to be one of the best vodkas I have ever tried, caffeinated or no. This spirit uses grains to create its very smooth flavor, and the process in which they caffeinate their liquor is a closely guarded patented secret.

In my last review of their product, they scored very high marks in just about every category. In taste, Vicious Vodka is better than all other mid-priced vodkas like Skyy or Absolut - and can easily stand with the top tier vodkas in taste and quality. In terms of buzz, Vicious states it has the most caffeine of any caffeinated vodka, although the FDA is supposedly limiting all alcohols to no more than around 45mg per 12 ounces (or the amount found in a Coke Zero, or a little less than a Diet Mountain Dew). I found the buzz much stronger than that - in that while I did not feel pumped on caffeine, I did feel much much more awake and alert after consuming. Even their website was well crafted and appealing.

The only place for any real improvement was the in the package. This was in a wine bottle of sorts before, where the only uniqueness in a playing field littered with glow in the dark bottles, bottles that come in unique shapes and sizes, even ones created by the top French designers, was that theirs had a corked top.

Fortunately, they have now redone the bottle - frosting it and giving it the needed touch to really make it look vampiric. The choice of fonts and new red and black coloring on the label really make this stand out from the shelf, and give a needed bloodthirsty savagery to the hard liquor shelf. While not revolutionary in package design, this change was very welcome and without doubt moves the score from a 6 to a well deserved 9.

Lightning Rods beef stick

With all the caffeinated drinks I have had in the past year, even my beef stick is caffeinated, guarana laced and tastes like ginseng.
Combining the best of road trip foods, Buffalo Bill has created a frankenstein of delicious regular beef jerky and a nicely boosted caffeine supplement - where you can get your protein snack and your energy boost in one snack. Lightning Rods are little 5 inch beef jerky sticks made from US cows, filled with the good stuff, and then dipped in preservatives, like all good convenience store beef jerkys are. After seeing the cool package, I want to like these - to really really like these.
Taste:6
Now I am one of those people who go out and hunt down those little jerky shacks on the side of the road in little mountain towns. I have even been known to take long trips through little winding canyons for no other reason than to get the perfect dried treat. I have eaten Honeyed Buffalo strips, peppered rattlesnake jerky, and even tried my hand once or twice making a natural smoked Duck jerky. Long have I scorned the artificiality or Slim Jims and Jack Links, while secretly stashing away a pack or two of teryaki. So needless to say, I love my jerky.

That being said, I really thought this Beef Stick would be tastier. Not that Lightning Rods were bad, they just did not tase very good. I guess I was expectin something which did not taste like ginseng - but something with a strong smoked meat flavor. The meat had a definite sour tang to it - but was afraid it was just me. I gave away a number of my samples to other people to taste ( all big jerky lovers) and while none hated it, none were in love with it either.
I guess I wanted something powerful and strongly meat flavored, and instead I got sweet meat - with over 3 grams of sugar per stick - it tasted more fruity than smoked. The texture was not bad - more like a link than a real chunk of jerky - with little pieces of beef and processed-meat-filling forming a little chewy tube. While you could never compare this to a real chunk of smoked animal muscle, it is comparable to most all beef chews out there.

Packaging:8
No nutrition label - the little meat package was too small to give you anything but the ingredients list and a couple facts.The overall look of diamond plate with a very angry looking bull looks pretty awesome. While there is no listing of the caffeine, you definitely get the idea that these sticks mean some serious business.

Nutrition/Buzz:7
So a couple of these could be a real meal. There are 100 calories in here, only suprising because of the size of the jerky. On top of that is the high fat count (10% of your us rda) and 13% of your sodium intake. So healthy snacks these are not. This is about the same intake as a slim jim, only Slim Jims have twice as much protein but lack any buzz at all.

Buzz - the real reason these Rods... stick out ... from the crowd is the 60mg of caffeine they put inside their meat mix. Now it is only 60mg - so it is not like these are going to power you up, but the buzz is noticeable if you can eat two of them. One does not do much - as 60mg is like half a cup of coffee. Of course, to do this right you gotta wash this down with a full on sugary soda, like a Diet Mountain Dew or Vault. The combo of double dosing the caffeine, sweetness and sugars gave me the necessary dose to get me through my morning. Not to mention this stuff really dries you out - and leaves a person craving some sort of refreshment.
So overall this boost is not so spectacular, but eating 2 of these with some caffeinated soda is a surefire winner.


lockflow.com
thebigklosowski.com