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?

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

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