AMP Lightning

If actual lightning were sour and lemon-scented, the name would be the perfect fit. AMP Lightning is essentially the AMP formula (Monster plus Mountain Dew) with added lemonade flavor. I did find the lemon-y flavor to be enjoyable and not too overbearing, and there seemed to be enough "sweet" in the mix to keep me coming back for another gulp. But still not the most exciting flavor I've ever had...
The can itself was a more-or-less simple yellow-and-black can with the active ingredients listed around the rim at the top... you know, like every energy drink ever has done.




But regardless, AMP isn't known to be too adventurous in their can designs. Pretty much just shifting colors around.
As far as energization (I made that word up... I think) goes, the buzz is pretty standard. Noticable, but by no means revolutionary. The energizing ingredients are pretty standard; caffeine, taurine, ginseng, guarana, L-carnitine, and the ambiguous "B-vitamins" tag. Which I guess is supposed to make it look healthy, or something. At 220 calories for the whole can, it's at least one-tenth the entire day's calorie intake, assuming you're on a daily 2,000 calorie diet. Which is pretty normal.
Overall, I enjoyed this drink, but it's ultimately somewhat forgettable.
Final verdict: 7/10 for mildly enjoyable taste, okay buzz, but lacking in originality.

Full Throttle Berry

I don't usually drink berry-flavored beverages. Always kinda figured them to be on the "girly" side of the energy spectrum. Sorta like when a guy and a girl go to a bar. The guy orders a beer, the chick orders a fuzzy navel.
This Full Throttle Berry has more berry flavor than some other drinks I've tried, and I suppose that's a good thing. It's got that bold flavor that says, "I'll keep you up until four in the morning, brah!" And I admire that. Granted, that "four in the morning" thing is all relative. Just don't drink it past 6PM and you'll be fine.
Anyway, I liked the flavor. Obviously "berry". It had that kick that I have grown accustomed to in my travels.




The can design stays true to the Full Throttle brand, looking exactly like the other cans, only red instead of blue, or black, or what have you. I've always been a fan of product uniformity.
In the energy department, this Full Throttle certainly delivers. It's not to the effect of that Monster I drank a few days ago, but then again, that drink had size on its side. This can is a standard 16 FL oz-er that'll keep the run-of-the-mill office worker or college student on task and out of la-la land (I speak of course about sleeping).
While the flavor and energy are paired well, the health of this beverege is no worse than a can of Coca-Cola. I've wondered about the role high-fructose corn syrup plays in our dietary health as a collective, and I still have no definitive answer. Regardless, this drink has HFCS, 230 calories, and that disclaimer that says "not recommended for children, pregnant or nursing women, or those sensitive to caffeine". But then again, the only energy drink I've ever seen that hasn't had that disclaimer is Red Bull. And in all honesty, the health factor never really bothered me, anyways. I'm a 130-lb 20-year-old college student, with the metabolism of the Flash.
Final verdict: 8/10 for good flavor, good energy, but kinda girly and not necessarily healthy.

Hydrive Energy X Antioxidant Blend

The red beverage in a clear plastic bottle was displayed with three or four other flavors. I couldn't decide at first whether I wanted the green, blue, or red variety. So I chose one at random. And the Hydrive Energy X (the red one) was the result of my random decision.
I hadn't read nearly anything on the bottle, aside from "Antioxidant Formula," so the only assumption I had made was that it would be a very welcome healthy alternative to the junk I usually pound down.




When popped off the cap, I expected to hear the hiss of carbonation. Imagine my surprise when the result was much like that of a water bottle. Silent, more or less.
But anyway... onto my opinion. The flavor displayed on the bottle was "tripleberry," which seemed accurate. It was very fruity, tangy, yet refreshing at the same time. I suppose the lack of carbonation is to thank for that. It was almost like gatorade dor powerade, only with less of a bland, watery flavor that feels sorta half-assed.
Overall, a mildly enjoyable flavor. Not over-the-top, and not too watered-down.
The bottle is a 15.5 FL oz, so a reasonable size, but the real kicker is the antioxidant formula in sync with the energy blend (which just consists of 145mg of caffeine)
The antioxidants (according to the bottle) are EGCG, Polyphenols, Ginko Biloba, Selenium, Zinc, and grape seed extract. At 30 calories a bottle, not bad.
So it's healthy, that's a plus. It's flavor is "meh"...
My final verdict: 6.8/10

Monster DUB Edition

This massive 32 Fl oz Monster (that's 946 ml, folks) was obviously decorated with basketball players in mind. Being not of the "sporty" sort, I had no clue what "DUB" was prior to spotting this can in the cooler at the Chevron down the street. But regardless, I heeded my own policy, and purchased this unfamiliar beverage for the sake of expanding my tastes.
I was expecting some sort of gatorade clone, honestly, as that's the only drink I can associate with sports. But what caught my taste buds was the purple-icious grape flavor. Tasted rather like a grape Otterpop. Which isn't BAD, per se... I suppose for as big a company as Monster, they could have afforded a little originality.




With flavor squared away, I want to reiterate the size of this thing. It's enormous. 32 fluid ouunces. This is practically a liter of purple lightning juice. If I were a big guy, that would be okay with me. But I'm scrawny. So this is a little unnerving and I doubt I can finish this whole thing in one sit.
So now I move on to the energy content. This bad boy has the energy blend that has made Monster among the top three energy drink producers, financially speaking. Taurine, ginseng, L-carnitine, and numerous B-vitamins. I DID notice, however that there is no high-fructose corn syrup, which I'm not sure what to make of. Some groups insist that HFCS is no more a contributor to obesity problems than normal sugar is... but I digress. HFCS isn't in this drink, and I'm not sure what that means.




I find myself in the usual "energized" mood that I have begun to associate with Monster products. Slightly more alert, my fingers are moving faster along my keyboard, and I seem to be thinking quickly. But that's what the energy drinks are for, right?
So... it has the grape flavor, a huge can, the same-old energy ingredients, a pretty decent buzz... overall I think this has potential. It's no killer product, and I feel that the can can be intimidating for casual energy-drinkers.
My verdict: 6.5 out of 10.

UPDATE A few hours later, I feel slightly sick to my stomach. Imma drop my verdict down to 5.8 out of 10.

SLAP Green Tea Energy: Crisp Apple

Having cracked open this silver, green and black can, I wasn't sure what to expect. It certainly wasn't what I tasted. A light, very natural-tasting apple flavor with a slight minty addage. The initial flavor and texture of the drink was smooth. Not as harsh as say a Jolt, or a Red Bull. Seemed like a good "starter" drink for blokes who aren't used to the vice of caffeine and taurine, and the huge flavor that usually comes with it. It's an acquired taste. But I digress...
I found this one to be a "sipper" drink. Not one that you go out of your way to pound down, but one that you can drink while, say watching a movie. Or something to that effect.




Now as far as the resulting energy goes, It DOES deliver something of a kick. The text on the can says it's jitter-less. I think it may have lied a little, there. I'm feeling slightly jittery, but then again, nothing really makes me jittery. Nope, not even a BFC Monster.
Anyway, big flavor; check, big energy; check, now how about the health factor?
It says it has "better-for-you" ingredients. Which I suppose is halfway true. There's some green tea solids and a substitute sweetener called Isomaltulose (made from sucrose via bacterial fermentation), which is good, but there's also the usual generic "energy blend" like caffeine, taurine, niacin, guarana extract, et cetera. So not as bad for you as, say, a Rockstar, but still no Elixir of Life.
All in all, an enjoyable drink. Out of ten, I'd give it an 8.5

Energy and Me

Despite the fact that they'll likely consume and render it useless, my heart has a special place for energy drinks of all kinds. I drink them, and they, in return, make life a little more exciting and me a little more jittery. Which I'm totally cool with.
I like to think I have something of an experienced palate as far as "energized beverages of the carbonated persuasion" go. They are my vice.


In this here blog, you can follow me in my journey to taste every drink, crack every can, and pop open every bottle from here to Afghanistan and back. If you have requests of drinks I should try, by all means, send me an email at "fonthecon@gmail.com". Being underage, I can't quite sample the drinks with alcoholic content, such as Joose or Budweiser's B^3... doesn't mean I can't be knowledgeable, however.

Se we're off, and let's hope my vital organs don't fail along the way.