I had never tried it, writing it off thinking it was just another Red Bull clone.

All that changed when Liquid Ice sent us out a sampling of their line. This is the Sugar-Free version.

Taste

Liquid Ice Sugar Free starts off with a sweet tart like taste and finishes with an apple like flavor. It is much sweeter tasting than most sugar free drinks I’ve tried. The flavor is light and is great for early in the morning when you do not want to be overpowered with it.

Ingredients

An 8.3 oz can of this drink contains 15 calories, 80 mg of Caffeine, 47 mg of Inositol, 5 mg of CoQ10, 1000 mg of Taurine, and a blend of Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, B6 and B12.

Effect

I had this in my car when I had gotten back to the airport late at night. Looking at the ingredients I figured this would be perfect to help me keep my eyes open during the 2 hour drive home. I was right. I experienced a pick up shortly after I finished the can. I was able to drive alert and safely home with no risk of falling asleep at the wheel. I also was able to pass out as soon as I got home with no trouble.

Verdict

Liquid Ice Sugar Free isn’t a Red Bull clone, but a RB replacement. The taste is markedly better and it delivers the same controlled burst of energy. If you like the smaller boost of energy, you should check this one out. To learn more visit their website.

Reviewed by Jason Kleindorfer

Of course they have their Original, but also Cranberry, Pineapple, Tropical Azul, and the one I’m going to review Citrus Mango.

They sound delicious and the cans look pretty cool, so they have that going for them, but if we know anything; it’s that the can doesn’t always dictate what’s inside. So let’s pop that top, and get our Cintron on…

Taste

As I pop the top, it must have been shaken because it instantly begins overflowing, so I take a huge sip before it spills all over and what a nice sip it is. As the liquid energy (as they call it) hits my tongue, I get a mango/slight peach flavor, followed by an orange taste that finishes it off while slightly carbonated. The drink as a whole has a light taste.

Cintron Ingredients

Each of the flavors contain nearly the same ingredients, besides the Sugar-Free Tropical which of course has 0 calories and sugar, yet the others you will find 200 calories along with 52g pure organic cane sugar, 400mg sodium and 28mg Potassium. The “liquid energy” comes from a combo of Caffeine, Taurine, Inositol, and Glucuronolactone, along with a few bits of different vitamin B’s, yet they don’t provide you with how much of this energy blend the drinks posses nor the caffeine content.  Update: (We just heard from the folks at Cintron and they stated that they’re drink has 170mg/16oz can.

Effect

After finishing the can of Cintron, it was roughly about 20 minutes before I starting feeling the effects. The rush I got wasn’t jittery or sugar filled, which what I was expecting with the amount of sugar it had. My energy level felt just about right, not to strong yet nowhere leaving me looking for more. Also lasting over 3 hours, it gave me a bit longer rush than I was expecting. Cintron delivered a slight crash towards the end, but not enough to really take away from the drink.

Cintron Energy Drink Verdict

The flavor and energy level of Citrus Mango Cintron was much more than I was expecting. Rarely do you find a tasty drink that also provides a good level of energy. Usually if you want that extra energy, you have to choke down some nasty tasting drink. This will definitely not be my last Citrus Mango, yet now the bar is raised for the rest of the Cintron family. This Cintron passed my test, but what do you guys think of the other flavors? Do you recommend them?

Reviewed by Brandon Trouten

From the same country that brought us Big Cock energy drink comes two more drinks that are creating a bit of a stir down under. In fact, The National Council of Women in New Zealand is calling for their removal.

Miss Svenson’s Classroom Detention

This is what’s printed on the back of the can.

“Allo, My name is Miss Svenson an I come from Sweeeden. I love to do da spanky spanky with my big vwooden cane especially on all you nughty nughty little boyz. Za after schooul detention is my favourit as if i catch za boyz playin peek-a-boo at my peeky bits, Den they get a good spanky spanky on dere botty botty”

I doubt the contents are anything too flash, but just the standard energy drink as Big Cock was.

Miss Helen’s Massive Melons Energy Drink

This is what’s printed on the can.

“Miss Helen’s Massive Melons are always a favourite at the annual Bigball County Fair. Miss Helen is never shy in getting her big, plump, ripe, bouncy melons out for the lads and therefore has been the crowd favourite ever since she took over from her older sister Lucy who competed in the Big Juicy Peach Parade. Bigball County is tucked away in a damp little corner of Muffville Tennessee. Make sure ya poke your nose in next time ya looking for a good time. Ya’ll come back ya hear!”

Again, I doubt the taste will be as unique as the marketing.

I can see why women could possibly be offended with these two crazy energy drinks, however, I don’t think there was a single guy who protested Big Cock Energy Drink…. hmmm. Go figure.

What do you think of these two energy drinks? Keep it clean folks.

The can claims that just as nitrous oxide gives cars a boost of energy so will their nitrogen/CO2 mixture.

We’ll see, as most people would hopefully understand that nitrous oxide and nitrogen aren’t the same thing.

Taste

First of all, NOS is nothing like Monster Nitrous. There isn’t a foamy head when opening the can or a foamy texture. It just looks and feels in your mouth like a normal carbonated drink. However, that being said, the taste is good. It’s orange/citrusy and reminds me of a “juiced energy drink”. It has a slight energy taste, but hey, it is an energy drink after all.

NOS Ingredients

Nothing too out of the ordinary here. A 500ml can will deliver 59g of sugar, 160mg of caffeine, 1000mg of taurine, and just 8mg of both B3 and B5. It says that it contains nitrogen, but not how much. This is of little consequence anyway as nitrogen has no effect, we breath in 78% Nitrogen with every breath we take.

Effect

Ok, you know the effect you get when you consume any other 500ml energy drink with 160mg of caffeine and over 50 grams of sugar? Yeah, same.

Nos Verdict

This is marketing hype at its worst! Comparing nitrogen gas to nitrous oxide gas is ridiculous. Now when Monster tried this, we questioned it, but it turned out they were really using nitrous oxide gas in their product, however, clearly NOS is not. It’s a good tasting drink so buy it for that reason, but not because you expect a NOS boost in energy. It’s just not in there.

Reviewed by Ted

This concept has been around for a while, and I’m always curious to see what energy companies can come up with to pack a kick into a tiny package.

Crave has touted these sticks as the ultimate in portable, convenient energy. I have had good and bad energy mixes, so let’s dive right into Crave.

Taste

I tried Crave in two ways. First, I added the stick to a bottle of water per the directions on the package. The taste was a slightly sour fruit punch flavor and I enjoyed it. The next time I tried it, I simply poured the contents of the package in my mouth (like a Crunk Energy Stick). The flavor was pretty intense, but still not overpowering. If I were to use Crave on a regular basis I would probably use it this way.

Crave Energy Drink Mix Ingredients

Crave has two servings per packet. Each serving contains 9 calories, 80mg of Caffeine, 500mg of Taurine, 120mg of Guarana, 50mg of Kolanut Extract, 35mg of Inositol, and 100% of your Daily Values of Vitamins C, B6, B12, Pantothenic Acid, and Niacin.

Effect

The effect of Crave Energy Drink is similar to your standard Monster or Rockstar. I felt the effects quicker without adding it to water. In either case, the packets gave me a good lift in mood and energy with no real crash at the end. I was more than satisfied with the effect of Crave.

Crave Energy Verdict

I underestimated how good these packets were at first. As far as drink mix packets go, these have excellent flavor with no bitter caffeine aftertaste, a good supply of energy, and are crash-free. I would definitely pick up some of these again. If you are one that misses Power Edge, then Crave will be right up your alley. Check out Crave’s  website here.

Reviewed by Jason Kleindorfer

They offer sports drinks that hydrate and fuel you physically while also providing a good burst of energy from Caffeine and other vitamins.

I was excited to try the new Hydrive Black Cherry Extra Strength when it arrived on my doorstep from the company. Does it measure up to the other flavors?

Taste

The taste is a traditional black cherry flavor (similar to IBC’s Bottled Black Cherry soda) but with a sweet and sour aftertaste. I like the fact that Hydrive Extra Strength was willing to go with a more bold flavor rather than something more traditional. The flavor is excellent.

Hydrive Extra Strength Ingredients

Each bottle of Hydrive has 30 calories, 6 grams of sugar, 195mg of Caffeine, 50mg of Taurine, 25mg of L-Arginine, 25mg of L-Carnitine, 25mg of Yerba Mate extract, and 200% RDV of Vitamins B3, B5, B6, and B12.

Effect

These drinks pack a punch. I drank a Hydrive Extra Strength early in the morning and before I hit the shower I was feeling the effects. The energy boost lasted well into my day, around 4 and a half hours total. I didn’t have a noticeable crash, just a return to normal functioning. I think the high caffeine content paired with vitamins, Yerba, and Amino Acids is a good combination.

Hydrive Verdict

If you are a fan of Hydrive or if you like sports drinks and energy drinks in general, you should give the new Extra Strength formula a try. The flavor lives up to the expectations that Hydrive has set with its other quality drinks.

Reviewed by Jason Kleindorfer

A new energy drink? As I pick up this Neutron energy, I also notice it has two brothers, Citrus and Citrus sugar free. I’ll just stick to the original for this review because you know if the original will passes the test, then the flavored ones will just take it to that next level.

No need to break out the chemistry set to break down this neutron, my taste buds should do just fine…

Taste

As I crack the top, I get an interesting scent, a mixture of traditional energy drink scent mixed with a bit of a citrus scent, neither good nor bad, just different. Neutron is original, yet it had a very much citrus taste to it with a bit bitter/sour hint. The carbonation is just about right. I expected the taste to be the standard energy drink flavoring, yet Neutron did create a unique solid flavor.

Neutron Energy Drink Ingredients

Inside the can you will find 220 calories and a solid 56g of sugar. Besides all that sugar, the Neutron energy boost is made up of 2000mg Taurine, 200mg Inositol, 52g Potassium, 180mg Caffeine and 20mg Guarana Extract. Also included is 200% of your vitamins B2, B6, B12 and folic acid.

Effect

This type of neutron is nothing to mess with. The energy rush hit me very quickly. The sugar fueled rush had me going within 10 minutes although bit jittery, yet then just when you’d expect the sugar rush to drop off, the mixture of Taurine and Caffeine kept a less jittery rush lasting for nearly 3 hours. Many energy drinks build their boost around lots of sugar or an energy blend, yet Neutron combines both giving you a quick boost with the sugar and a sustaining boost with the energy blend.

Neutron Energy Verdict

Purchasing this drink I must say I didn’t have very high expectations. Yet just when you think you can tell an energy drink from its can, one comes along that changes that theory. Neutron Energy Drink’s refreshing taste mixed with an above average energy boost will definitely have me reaching for another Neutron and I’m excited to taste the rest of their flavor line.

Reviewed by Brandon Trouten

XS has a quite unique flavor line ranging from Cherry to Root beer, yet Gold separates itself from the rest.

XS Gold is made up of 6 unique fruit flavors (mangosteen, pomegranate, red grape, acai, blackberry and blueberry). I have been pretty happy with my experience with XS, yet will this Gold be more of a 24 carat type or fools gold?

Taste

Cracking open the XS Gold top gave me a scent of different fruits. I couldn’t  narrow it down to one. I could definitely taste a variety of fruit tastes, yet just like the scent, I can’t seem to pinpoint the taste. The carbonation is just right and there’s a very nice sweetness that makes the drink real smooth.

XS Gold Energy Ingredients

XS Gold promotes itself as the ultimate functional energy drink with their unique combination of exotic fruits, additional vitamins, minerals and Essentra (which is supposed to help mental and emotional balance). Containing 50% of your daily value of a number of vitamins and 100% of your Niacin. Yet when they say additional vitamins, they really mean it with 300% B6 and 8000% B12, yes 8000! Now was that necessary? Overkill just a bit? Still with all that, only 15 calories and 1.5 of sugar. A can of XS Gold contains 83mg of caffeine.

Effect

The can is only 8.4 oz (250ml) so it’s quite easy to finish quickly. The energy boost didn’t take long to get me going, but sadly, just as quickly as it came, it was gone only lasting roughly 40 minutes. No sense of any crash thanks to the vitamins and minerals and only 1.5 grams of sugar.

Verdict

XS Gold Energy Drink had a good taste and quick rush, yet the taste was good, not great and with the energy quickly fleeting, I probably won’t be reaching for any XS Gold anytime soon. Not that there was anything really wrong with it, I’m just looking for more kick in my energy drink.

Reviewed by Brandon Trouten

The store sells everything from tomatoes to toilets, so why wouldn’t it sell energy drinks?

I decided to give Speed Fuel Energy a try and see if it does speed up my energy or just leave me flat. Speed is also available in Octane and Unleaded varieties.

Taste

The scent as I open the Speed Fuel can is kind of like Orange Crush, a nice refreshing orange smell. The orange flavor is just right. Very smooth without being over powering or watered down. The carbonation is also just right.

Even if the flavor is good, too much carbonation can ruin the drink, but not in this case. Speed Energy Drink is a lot like many of the orange flavored sodas on the market. It can be consumed alone or with a meal.

Speed Energy Drink Ingredients

Speed has about the usual 160 calories, yet the amount of sodium is quite high, 305 mg. I don’t remember other energy drinks having that much sodium. Speed also has 75mg potassium and 40g sugar. As for vitamins, Speed packs a pretty good punch, 140% of your B2, B3 and B5, 285% B6 and an extreme 710% B12, with trace amounts of vitamin C and folic acid. The energy comes from a energy blend of 1815mg made up of the usual subjects (taurine, caffeine, glucuronolactone, inositol, ginseng extract and guarana seed extract).

Effect

The effect of Speed was pretty average. It gave me a decent rush within about 15 minutes but lasted roughly 2 hours with a very light crash.

Speed Energy Verdict

This energy drink was somewhat solid. The taste was good, yet I could have used more of a rush. However, the taste was good enough to make me go back to it in the future. Overall, Speed Energy Drink is a good energy drink in a market full of garbage ones. If you’re looking for an energy drink that won’t rock your world, but will satisfy your energy thirst, you should be fine with reaching for a Speed. This also will be a hit with Robby Gordon Nascar fans

Reviewed by Brandon Trouten

First it’s in a bottle, a GLASS bottle. Also it’s small, only 5oz, but a shot it isn’t. This Monster M3 is a “super concentrated Monster madness that packs a 16oz punch into only 5oz”.

The label easily explains the explosiveness of the contents, “Grab an M3 glass, and kick some ass”. So now you have my attention Monster, but can the contents back all the labeling?

Taste

First of all, let me help you out, the lid is not, I repeat NOT a twist off, so now as my hand bleeds from trying to twist it off, let’s taste the inside. After finally getting the lid off, I got a familiar scent, which was a lot like Absolute Zero. The taste of M3 Energy Drink was a lot like Original Monster, yet a bit sweeter, which I think improves it over the Original.

Also the liquid itself is a bit thicker then you would normally find with an energy drink. Yes it is carbonated, but Monster M3 Energy Drink uses the Nitrous technology instead of the usual CO2 carbonation taste and feel. The sweetness level is real good and the thickness of the drink makes it go down real smooth.

Monster M3 Ingredients

Yes the bottle is only 5 oz, but Monster seemed to jam a lot into that tiny M3 bottle. 2000mg of taurine is a good start, along with 400mg panax ginseng and energy blend of 5000mg! Yes, 5000mg made up of guarana, inositol, glucuronolactone , L-carnitine, glucose, and maltodextrin and 160 mg Caffeine. On top of all that, they managed to fit in 100% of your Vitamin B2, B3, B6 and B12. All that with just 13g of sugar and 60 total calories.

Effect

The kick that Monster M3 delivered is just what I expected, intense. It’s been a long time since I felt a rush like that M3 gave me. The buzz was full on about 10 minutes after finishing the bottle. It felt like a sugar loaded jittery rush, yet it did last a bit longer than normal sugar based energy drinks. The effects lasted about 4 hours before just disappearing as quickly as it came, and guess what… no crash either!

Monster M3 Verdict

As for energy drinks, M3 Energy Drink may be as close to a perfect energy drink as you may find. First the look of the bottle is real cool. Second, it tastes great and with it only being 5 oz, you can quickly drink it without feeling full or bloated. Thirdly, it provided a high intensity rush that is more than enough to power you through anything you will face. I think Monster really put there time and research into Monster M3 Energy Drink and it shows. Great job!

Reviewed by Brandon Trouten