Venom: Death Adder Fruit Punch

The whole Venom experience is quite a departure from the generic "energy drink" persona. The Venom: Death Adder is no exception. I should point out how I really like the entire Venom line, just based on their originality. All their flavors are named after some sort of deadly serpent (Death Adder - Fruit Punch, Killer Taipan - Mango, Black Mamba - Original, et cetera). Their cans are thick aluminum with a legitimate screw-on cap. Not some chintzy aluminum mockery. But I digress...





The Death Adder variety of Venom is fruit punch-flavored. In all honesty, it tastes like that questionable fruit punch at that party you went to. Only, the punch hit up on steroids on the way to the party. Which, flavor wise, is a good thing.
The texture of the beverage (and all Venoms, really) is smooth and feels frothy, even though it appears to be a regular soft drink. I am a big fan of this.
The energy content of Venom, dubbed the "Venom Potency Pack" contains Ginseng Extract, Taurine, L-Carnitine, Guarana, Inositol, Glucuronolactone, and Maltodextrin, and caffeine. This stuff got me buzzing pretty hard.
They weren't kidding when they said "Piercing Energy that Strikes Back." That's for sure.
240 calories total, nothing out of the ordinary there...
Honestly, I don't have much else to say about this particular drink. The flavor is pretty rad (I prefer the original Black Mamba flavor, myself, but for the sake of reviewing...), the texture is a smooth, frothy one that must be tried to be believed. The energy was sufficient, and the price isn't exhorbetant. I've noticed that for 16.9 FL oz, you're actually paying a few cents less than a 16-oz Monster. Or so I have seen. May not be true in specific environments. But regardless, it's slightly bigger for about the same price (maybe less), and packs an "equal-to-or-greater-than" punch as compared to the Monster standard.
Final verdict: 9/10 for good flavor, good buzz, decent price, interesting texture, but what's up with the thick aluminum that I can't crush with one hand in a fit of testosterone-and-caffeine-driven victory?

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