VIB: Mango Lime

VIB Vacation in a Bottle Mango Lime.
I'll be honest, here. This drink is a lot like that Neuro I reviewed a few weeks ago. As in it's not an energy drink, but more of a health/relaxation beverage. And I'm okay with this.
The bottle states "The Happy Relaxation Drink." They weren't kidding. This has a tasty tropical feel to it, with the mango/lime combo they injected into it. It, like the Neuro I mentioned above, is lightly carbonated, so it is still technically "soda," but lacks many of the harmful ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup, and stuff like that. And for that reason, I tip my hat the the gents at VIB for keeping their products shit-free.





The bottle is a tall aluminum can with a screw-on cap. Kinda like those aluminum Mountain Dew bottles that are like limited edition or something... I remember they sold the Halo 3 Game Fuel in the cans for a while...
But anyway, I can't say this beverage made me more energetic... because that's not what it's supposed to do. I DO feel relaxed a bit, but seeing as how I've got stuff I have to do today, I can't make an accurate measurement of how relaxed I get.


FINAL VERDICT: 6 6.5 out of 10.
It was good, but not THAT good. Wasn't too impressed. It was like drinking carbonated juice. Not usually my thing, but I'm okay with it for now.

However, having seen their website, and hearing the slow ska/reggae theme song they've got, that makes me rethink my verdict. I bumped it up from 6 to 6.5 out of ten.

Bawls: G33K B33R

The Bawls G33K B33R, upon first open, foamed like all good root beers do. The foam AND the vapor from the high caffeination is exactly what I like to see, and exactly what I expect from an offshoot beverage of Bawls' calibur.
The fact that the Bawls people added some 1337 5P34K into the drink's title makes me smile. I am a longtime nerd, and I like seeing the nerd in all of us brought out in mainstream products.
The flavor of the G33K B33R is awfully similar to an A&W Rooty. It's smooth-textured, and you can't even tell that there's added caffeine and guarana. The flavor is very nonchalant in that way.





The energy boost, like the original flavor Bawls, consists of simple, not-over-the-top ingredients. Mostly just caffeine and guarana. Not much else. But in this particular instance, less is more.
I should also point out that Bawls drinks are exceptionally hard to find unless you know where to look. In my last Bawls review, I stumbled on that in a gas station convenience store. This time, however, I was tipped off that G33k B33R was spotted in the wild at Fred Meyer for $1.89 a go (thanks, Kevin). MUCH cheaper than at that damn Kwik-e-Mart. While I was there, I picked up an original Bawls, as well, taking advantage of the opportunity as I saw it.


Final verdict: 9 out of 10.
While the flavor was delicious, and the bro sover at Bawls don't dissapoint, I thought it couldn't hurt to have done something more unique with the root beer flavor. True, it is an American classic flavor, but a little ingenuity and innovation is always nice.

Rockstar Energy Cola

Previously ignorant of this alternative flavor of the popular energy drink, the Rockstar Energy Cola was a run-of-the-mill cola, aside from a bit of an energetic kick. I detected a the smooth cola flavor first off. Tasted pretty much like any other cola, in my honest opinion. Did I mention that I think Coca-Cola and Pepsi taste the same? Same deal here. Wasn't too enthused, but at least it was pleasant. Unlike SOME drinks I've had in the past.
The 16 oz can was some kind of brushed aluminum. Not all shiny like most cans. But the black, silver, and gold color scheme made for a bit of eye-candy.






The energy supplement portion of is was insanely unoriginal, I thought. Guarana, taurine, caffeine, ginseng, and B-vitamins. Pretty usual, I suspect.
The energy this drink gave me was typical. I felt a little bloated, actually... and I think I may have some heartburn. I don't know that I can blame it entirely on the Rockstar, but it definitely played its part. "Double Strength" is right.
I DID find it odd that there's a little American flag on the can towards the back and in tiny letters it says "AMERICAN MADE." As if being made in America changed the flavor or anything...
Final verdict: 6 out of 10. It was tasty enough to keep me drinking, but I wasn't really impressed. Needs... more to the flavor.