Hansen's Natural Energy Pro - Review

CAFFEINE CONTENT

57mg

SUGAR CONTENT

32g

CALORIES

120

ENERGY BLEND

Caffeine, Ginkgo Biloba, Glucose, Panax Ginseng, Taurine

SIZE

8.3oz

AVAILABILITY - 2/10

Hansen’s Natural Energy Pro is one hard drink to find. Honestly, I have never even heard of the drink until I stumbled upon it while aimlessly browsing the shelves at my local Kroger’s. It was hidden right under the FRS drinks and right next to their surprisingly impressive collection of energy shots. My curiosity took over and I observed the can thoroughly. Since I have never seen this drink before, it was a no-brainer for me to pick it up. If you see Hansen’s Natural Energy Pro in stores in your area, you have it lucky. Going back to the same Kroger’s, I have yet to see more cans in stock.

PRICE - 6.5/10

I reluctantly paid $1.89 for this tiny, unknown 8.3oz drink. If I wasn’t so intrigued by it I probably would have passed it up considering I could have gotten a 16oz Monster for less at the same store. But I have a knack for trying new things so I ended up with this.

APPEARANCE - 7/10

Let me be honest, it isn’t the prettiest can available. To me it looks like it belongs in the late 80’s. With a bright green and yellow design in the background and the foreground being dominated by the sideways word “energy”, it wasn’t hard to spot this drink on the shelf. On top of the word energy the drink boasts its three key ingredients: taurine, ginseng, and ginkgo. Overall, the can is a great showpiece on my wall.

TASTE - 7.5/10

When I cracked open the can, I smelled the immensely powerful aroma of artificial citrus. Just shy of overpowering, citrus was surely the king in this drink. Since I didn’t have time to chill the drink before opening, I poured it in a glass filled with ice. Feeling the most unmanly I have since stumbling upon Pretty Little Liars while channel surfing and enjoying it, I took a sip. The taste was complex. The first thing that came to mind was stale Mountain Dew. Don’t get me wrong, I love Mountain Dew, but Hansen’s Natural Energy Pro tasted like a Mountain Dew left open in the sun for a few hours. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the flavor enough to drink all of it.

KICK (INTENSITY) - 3/10

The kick was almost nonexistent. The fact that it has less caffeine than some sodas should be a key indicator that this isn’t a hardcore energy drink. It kept me pleasantly awake. There were no jitters and your brain wasn’t a runaway freight train, but I’ve felt stronger kicks from Coke.  

KICK (DURATION) - 3/10

Again, this drink’s kick was so close to normality that I almost couldn’t tell when it had ended. My best estimate is 2-3 hours after consumption.

OVERALL - C-

The drink’s performance came up short, but the taste was bearable and the can design is unique. I don’t recommend buying a 24-pack on Amazon, but if you happen to come across this little guy in your local grocery store and you feel adventurous, give it a try.  

Starbucks Iced Coffee + Milk - Review

CAFFEINE CONTENT

115mg

SUGAR CONTENT

21g

CALORIES

110

ENERGY BLEND

Caffeine, Coffee, Sugar, Vitamin C

SIZE

11oz

AVAILABLENESS - 10/10

Iced Coffee + Milk is found everywhere in my area. I’ve seen it in gas stations, grocery stores, even my local mall. I haven’t been inside a Starbucks for as long as I can remember, but I’m willing to bet the bottled version is sold there as well. Considering the bottled Iced Coffee branch is fairly new, it is being sold in every place possible. I had no trouble finding it.

PRICE - 6.5/10

The price I’ve seen in most places is $1.99. I actually got my bottle for free through a sale Target was running. If you buy a four pack of Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino’s you got a bottle of Iced Coffee for free. So I took advantage of the sale and picked them both up. Honestly, I would not have bought this bottle otherwise. I took notice that its abundance, but I decided to wait until I found it for a cheaper price.

APPEARANCE - 7/10

This bottle is particularly eye-catching for me because of its shape. A thick round body with a bottleneck seemed peculiar. The resealable twist-on cap is a plus too. Even though I drank the bottle in one sitting, I like that fact that you can stop drinking and throw it in a bag or sitting it on a table without having to worry about spillage. The bottle art is simplistic enough, the front dominated by the Starbucks logo and the words “ICED COFFEE”. The plastic around the body is transparent, but the plastic around the neck is a light shade of brown. It’s tipped off with the resealable cap with, once again, the Starbucks logo. It’s a great collection piece.

 TASTE - 8.5/10

My love affair with Starbucks bottled products began about a year ago when I was grazing the drink isle for something new. My eyes fell on a bottle of Mocha Frappuccino. I’ve been buying Starbucks off the shelf ever since. This product has classic Starbucks taste. When you first take a sip the coffee is immensely strong. But after a few more tastes it gets smoother. You start to taste the creaminess of the milk and begin to enjoy the wonderful aroma of coffee. I drank the whole bottle in about two minutes, all while trying to pace myself. I put an 8.5 because it is only good if you like coffee. It can’t be delicious for everyone. So if you aren’t a fan of coffee, go ahead and drink something else. Coffee fans, this is one for you.

KICK (INTENSITY) - 6.8/10

At 115mg of caffeine, this drink isn’t going to rock your world. Yes, that is a good amount of caffeine, but for most people it isn’t going to give them jitters. The effect on me was noticeable however. After a long Saturday night of partying, I arose a little after 1:00pm. Groggy and disorientated, I looked for something to give me a boost but not to shoot me sky high. The reason why is because of school tomorrow and a very important basketball conditioning session. I need my sleep tonight so an energy drink was out of the options. I soon realized I bought the coffee not too long ago. It did just what I needed it to. Gave me the little nudge I needed to get out of the house and do some necessary chores and a little more drink hunting. Not the biggest jolt on the market, but for my circumstance it was perfect.

KICK (DURATION) - 6/10

The initial boost was short-lived. I got out of my house and noticed it was gone about two hours after consumption. There was no crash though, just a sudden realization that you don’t feel energized anymore.

OVERALL - B

This drink is perfect for a light boost of energy. The taste is great and the appearance is interesting and unique. But the price brought its overall grade down. If you are a coffee lover and don’t mind dishing out two dollars for this, go ahead. You will not be disappointed. 

UPCOMING REVIEWS

UPCOMING REVIEWS

I am working extremely hard to get all these reviews out in the next few weeks or so. There is even more to come guys, so be looking forward to that.

•           AriZona Arnold Palmer Half & Half
• ·         AriZona Golden Bear Lemonade
• ·         AriZona Golden Bear Lemonade w/ Strawberry
• ·         AriZona Half & Half Southern Sweet Tea and Pink Lemonade
• ·         AriZona Rescue Water Energy Formula B6 + Guarana
• ·         AriZona Southern Style Sweet Tea
• ·         Bawls Guarana
• ·         Blue Energy
• ·         Brisk Pink Lemonade
• ·         Brisk Sweet Tea
• ·         Cintrón Sweet Tea
• ·         Doubleshot Energy Mocha
•           Full Throttle Energy Citrus
• ·         Go Splash Energy Tropical Blast
• ·         Hansen’s Natural Energy Pro
• ·         MiO Energy Black Cherry
• ·         Mix1 Blueberry Vanilla
• ·         Monster Energy Cuba-Lima
• ·         Monster Energy Zero Ultra
• ·         Monster Import
• ·         Monster X-Presso Midnite
•           NOS Energy Fruit Punch 
•           NOS Energy Original
•           Rockstar XDurance
•           Rockstar 2x Energy 
• ·         Sangría Señorial
• ·         SoBe Citrus Energy
•           Starbucks Frappuccino Mocha
• ·         Starbucks Iced Coffee + Milk
• ·         Venom Energy Black Mamba
• ·         Xenergy Mango Guava

AriZona Rx Energy Herbal Tonic - Review

CAFFEINE CONTENT

115mg

SUGAR CONTENT

75g

CALORIES

300

ENERGY BLEND
Beta-Carotene, Caffeine, Green Tea Extract, Guarana, Panax Ginseng, Siberian Ginseng, Sugar, Vitamin C, Vitamin E

SIZE

23oz

AVAILABLENESS - 4/10

I have only seen this AriZona in one gas station. None of the other ones in my area sell Herbal Tonic. I haven’t been able to find it in grocery stores either. So the only place I have ever seen this can is in that one gas station, which evidently has a surplus of it. Maybe in your area it is more widely available, but here it hides in the shadows of a single gas station. I will continue to look out for this drink. If it shows up in more stores around my area I may boost its rating a little. 

PRICE - 10/10

I bought the can for the suggested retail price of $0.99. I will pay $0.99 for this drink any day. I love the AriZona chain of drinks because they’re so inexpensive. Definitely worth the dollar bill you have lying around.

APPEARANCE - 9/10

Another reason why I’m in love with AriZona is because their cans are freaking amazing. There is literally a painting or drawing of runners on the actual can. AriZona’s cans are so unique and so eye-catching that for a collector like me, they become irresistible. The “Rx Energy” is in a blocky red font that towers above the “Herbal Tonic”. And the can has something really interesting on the bottom right hand corner of the drawing. There is a box with a red signature inside. Beside the signature are the words “not genuine unless signed”. If anyone can explain this to me, I’d be grateful if you commented the reason for that. It absolutely perplexes me and I cannot find a reason for it being there or what it means.

TASTE - 7.3/10

The taste was extremely herbal, but that was expected considering the name. Natural herbs and such were floating in the liquid. That was a turn off, but after a while I got used to it. As you may know, I definitely am not a fan of green tea. When I saw the word “herbal” on the can, I was afraid that it was going to be the disgusting earthy taste of green tea. I don’t know how or why I made that connection, but for some reason I was paranoid before drinking it. I cracked it open and smelled an aroma I have never experienced before. It did have a hint of that grassy smell of green tea, but I could make out the artificial flavors and sweeteners. There was an earthy flavor to it, but it wasn’t extreme. It had a little sweetness and tang to it. I was able to drink the whole 23oz can without a problem.

KICK (INTENSITY) - 4/10

This is where reviewing this drink gets a little tricky. Several of my sources agreed on 115mg of caffeine, but after slamming the whole 23oz, I just couldn’t see how that was possible. I feel more of a rush after drinking Mountain Dew Kickstart at 92mg. Something just did not click with me and this drink. I felt no difference in my energy level except for being a little more talkative than normal.

KICK (DURATION) - 3/10

The little effect Herbal Tonic did have on me quickly sputtered to a stop. By 4^th period I was back to my old ways of struggling to stay awake. It could possibly have a more noticeable effect on people who aren’t as tolerant to caffeine as me, but personally it did little to nothing.

OVERALL - C

AriZona Rx Energy Herbal Tonic should not be allowed to have “energy” in their name. This drink is just glorified water with herbs floating around. The taste was pretty good but it failed on the energy side, so that brought the overall grade down. If you happen to find a can and its $0.99, go ahead and cop it. Things work differently for everybody. 

Mountain Dew Kickstart Orange Citrus and Fruit Punch - Review

CAFFEINE CONTENT

92mg

SUGAR CONTENT

20g

CALORIES

80

ENERGY BLEND
B6, Caffeine, Sucralose, Sugar, Vitamin C

SIZE

16oz

AVAILABLENESS - 10/10

Ever since Kickstart first came out, I’ve seen these things EVERYWHERE. All grocery stores in my area have a huge stockpile of them. Every single gas station has them; I’ve even seen them at a concession stand inside a bingo hall. Everybody who lives in America should have easy access to these things. However, I don't know if they are sold in other countries. It would surprise me if they weren't.

PRICE - 9/10

I have bought seven cans of Kickstart, and my wallet has suffered $7.00. In just about every grocery store they are exactly $1.00. Be cautious of gas stations because my local ones are trying to sell them for $1.25-$1.75. So just head to Target or Kroger’s or something like that and save yourself a couple cents.

APPEARANCE - 8.5/10

I love the Kickstart cans. They have a nice modern feel and smoothness about them. I love simplicity when it’s done right. The only negative about the cans is the way the word Kickstart is scrawled down the side. I’m confused about the layout of the can. I don’t know where the front ends can the back begins. I was having difficulty deciding how I should position the cans for the picture. But putting all that aside, I like the modernization of the cans; smooth, shiny, and bleak with simply colors and the Dew logo. Personally, the Fruit Punch can is easier on the eyes.

TASTE - 9.5/10

If this was a separate review for both flavors, I would have given Fruit Punch a 9/10 and Orange Citrus 10/10. But since it is a combined review, I just split the difference. We can all agree that one of the most common drink flavors is citrus. And if done correctly it can be amazing. Kickstart perfected the citrus flavor. Orange Citrus lived up to the advertisement of being like a mixture of orange juice and coffee. You get the wonderful citrusy flavor of orange juice and the caffeine fix of your daily morning coffee. I’m a little more unenthusiastic about Fruit Punch. I have never been a fan of fruit punch. Especially artificial fruit punch flavoring. So I was skeptical about getting the second flavor. But I can honestly say this fruit punch was pleasant. My favorite of Orange Citrus is made evident by my can collection of 5 Orange Citrus to 2 Fruit Punch, but Fruit Punch is definitely a 9.   

KICK (INTENSITY) - 6.8/10

At 92mg of caffeine, Kickstart definitely isn’t overflowing with the substance that gets us through life. But this is made to replace your morning coffee and orange juice. Drinking a can instead of a balanced breakfast isn’t recommended, but accompanied with some grapes or a breakfast bar, it goes a long way. My first Kickstart I drank on the bus before school. There was a noticeable difference in my alertness and my productivity. I wasn’t slumping in 1^st or 2^nd period and my daily crash during 4^th period was nonexistent. My teachers even took notice, complimenting my change of attitude. Kickstart is useful because there are no jitters, bouts of hyperactivity, or the inability to stay focused. It is just a pleasant alertness.

KICK (DURATION) - 6.5/10

Sadly, the pleasant alertness wears off after a few hours. But there is no crash, just a gentle drop until you are back to normal. This drink would be a lifesaver if it lasted the entire school day. But the reason why I buy so many cans is because it is not an extreme, heart attack inducing concoction that you have to give yourself a pep talk before drinking. It is an alternative for morning coffee and it does its job well.

 OVERALL - A

Buy this drink. I can’t say it enough. It is perfect for preparation of the day, and it will give you a satisfying caffeine fix. The recommendation of caffeine consumption per day is 400mg. So don’t feel guilty of drinking 92mg after waking up. Drink it and enjoy a productive morning and midday. 

HyDrive Energy Extra Power Black Cherry - Review

CAFFEINE CONTENT

195mg

SUGAR CONTENT

6g             

CALORIES

30

ENERGY BLEND 
B6, B12, Caffeine, L-Carnitine, Sugar, Taurine, Yerba Mate

SIZE

15.5oz

AVAILABLENESS - 7/10

I have seen HyDrive in a couple stores, mainly dollar stores and a local grocery store called Value Market. So for me, they’re pretty easy to obtain. Value Market is about a 2 minute ride from my house, so if this was for me it would be a 10/10. But I don’t know how countrywide HyDrive is. Since I don’t see it in all the big stores like Kroger’s and Target, I can assume some people don’t have it as easy as me. I don’t know if Wal-Mart carries it because I never go to Wal-Mart. Too many crazy/weird/scary people.

PRICE - 9/10

My local store sells HyDrive for $1.09 a bottle. Compared to big name brands like Red Bull, Monster, and Rockstar, it’s relatively cheap. Also, if you compared caffeine content, the Extra Power flavors have more caffeine than all three (excluding Rockstar XDurance and 2x Energy). But the regular flavors have less caffeine obviously. That is the reason why the rating isn’t higher. There are only two Extra Power flavors. The regular ones aren’t worth buying because of the lower caffeine content at the same price. So I usually steer away from the original flavors and get the Extra Power lines.

APPEARANCE - 6/10

The three type of energy drink containers: cans, plastic, and glass. Out of those three, plastic is my least favorite. All of the HyDrive flavors come in skinny plastic bottles with an ugly, bulky black cap. The plastic sheet around the bottle has a black background with the red, white, and yellow HyDrive Energy logo. It’s impossible to miss the fact that this bottle has 30 calories because it’s on the thing 4 times: on top of the cap, under the logo, above the “15.5oz”, and on the nutrition facts. Raised on the plastic bottle itself is “BETTER ENERGY”. For me, it’s not unappealing but lazy. No color contrast, no complicated designs. But I can deal with it.

TASTE - 9/10

When you break the seal and take a whiff, your nostrils are attacked by the incredibly powerful smell. The first sip resembles hard liquor. But after the first few drinks it gets weaker and the sting goes away. Then you’re left with a sharp artificial cherry flavor. Think of Kool-Aid but with alcohol in it. They’re not kidding when they slap black cherry on the bottle. Luckily I’m a fan of cherry flavoring, so I enjoyed it. But if you aren’t in love with cherry, steer clear.

 KICK (INTENSITY) - 8/10

I am extremely insensitive to caffeine. It just doesn’t affect me like some people. So you may think my kick ratings are a little low. Just remind yourself that caffeine doesn’t affect me as strongly as most people. With that said, HyDrive Extra Power Black Cherry did have an impressive kick. I got the usual jitters and the compulsion to get things done. I actually went down in my basement to lift some weights and do my usual home workout routine, but I saw myself get done about 5 minutes earlier than I normally do. I’m also going to go play basketball with some buddies after writing this. It’s about two hours since I consumed the bottle and the shaking is going down. When I say shaking, I don’t mean it magically gives you Parkinson’s syndrome, but you get so excited you can’t possibly stay still and are methodically tapping anything within reach.

KICK (DURATION) - 8/10

The magical time period when you almost finished the bottle was over in about 15 minutes. You know what I mean. There’s 3-4 more drinks left in the can and you feel like the most confident and badass person in the world. When the initial shockwave of energy was over, it was followed by a period of proactivity. Like I said, I finished my workout in record time and I had enough energy to actually cook a nice lunch for myself - something I haven’t done in months. Now I made plans with some buddies to play a basketball game or too. So props to you HyDrive.

OVERALL - B+

I will definitely buy this drink again. At $1.09 and 195mg of caffeine, it is a wallet and pallet pleaser. The container and laziness of the design can be overlooked because once you think about it, it’s all about performance. Even taste can sometimes be optional. If you happen to stumble across the path of a bottle of HyDrive, get it. It is worth every penny. 

Tazo Giant Peach Green Tea - Review

 

CAFFEINE CONTENT

Caffeine Free 

SUGAR CONTENT

40g

CALORIES

180

ENERGY BLEND
Green Tea Extract, Sugar

SIZE

13.8oz

AVAILABLENESS - 6/10

The only place I’ve seen Tazo is in my local Target at the back of the drink isle next to all the other bottled teas like Honest Tea, AriZona, and Brisk. But I see those three brands practically everywhere. In gas stations, other grocery stores, dollar stores, etc. But here is Tazo, all by themselves in Target. Of course, I have a Target close by so for me it is fairly easy to obtain, but if you aren’t lucky enough to live by a Target then you may not be seeing Tazo very often.

PRICE - 5/10

I bought the bottle for $1.77. I can’t complain too much because obviously drinks in glass bottles will be more expensive than plastic or cans, but $1.77 seemed too much.

APPEARANCE - 7/10

I am a sucker for glass bottles, so excuse me for my possibly biased rating. But like I said, I love glass bottles. If there was the same design on a can or plastic bottle, I probably would not have rated in higher than a 5. But nonetheless, I like the earthy and natural feel the logo projects. With the letters T, A, Z, and O on the actual bottle with the help of a raised glass design and the fancy cap design that reminds me of Monster Java cans, it makes for an overall appealing bottle. The lettering isn’t crazy or overzealous, just simple black font with the fanciest piece of art on the bottle being the Tazo logo.

TASTE - 1/10

The only reason this isn’t a 0 is because this is my first posted review, and I don’t want a 0 on it. So Tazo got lucky and I generously slapped on a 1. Let me first state that I am a fan of tea. I adore sweet tea and can put up with iced tea, but I have never had green tea because its fan base scared me away. My grandmother used to always have AriZona Green Tea with her. She would down probably 2-3 cans a day. So I stayed away from green tea for a while. I wish I would have stayed away forever. I like peach flavoring, but in this drink the only sign of peach was in the smell. When I took my first sip, the first thought that came into my mind was grass. It tasted like I was eating grass (sadly, I do know what grass tastes like). No hint of peach whatsoever. The aftertaste that infested my mouth made me want to throw up. It literally tasted like I was chewing a plant. In few words, it was disgusting. I forced a couple more swigs down my throat just for the sake of an honest review, and I happily dumped the rest down my kitchen sink.

KICK (INTENSITY) - N/A

I can’t honestly review the kick because I only downed a few sips. The caffeine is almost unnoticeable anyway.

KICK (DURATION) - N/A

Once again, can’t really review this honestly with the amount I drank.

OVERALL - F

Don’t buy it unless you like little to no caffeine, the taste of grass and unreliable marketing. I know it says all natural on the bottle, but something that tastes so earthy was not expected. If you’re a green tea fan, go for it. Don’t buy it for the peach because it is undetectable, most likely drowned out by the grass flavor.