Well receiving the Vibe Energy Gum was like reliving my childhood. These little test tubes of energy love are some of the most confusing things I’ve ever eaten. The package clearly states gum yet when you open it up you have these tablets that look like vitamins.

Dubious to see what would happen I put one in my mouth, waited, chewed, and then suddenly the Vibe Energy Gum tablet morphed into gum. If that isn’t magic I don’t know what is.

Taste

If you open the tube and sniff it, it smells like, well, chewing gum and the same goes for taste. It’s light and refreshing and bares no resemblance to energy drinks or, well anything, but good old fashioned chewing gum. So Vibe is a great substitute for normal chewing gum, if you feel everything you eat has to give you a buzz… like me. One of the best things is that the taste doesn’t seem to fade even if it’s been a while since I started to chew Vibe. The flavor is still there and going strong.

Effect

According to the Vibe Energy Gum packet, every two tablets is the same as a 250ml can of  of your standard energy drink. However, it stated the effect was delivered 4-5 times faster and I have to say it was. Now I don’t do anything by half’s and I never have a single can so I ate the equivalent of 2 and a half cans in one go.

Within a few minutes I was more alert even though I didn’t sleep last night and I’m writing this review thanks to the fact that I’m chewing on the Vibe caffeinated goodness. Although its caffeine content is not mind blowing, you can eat a lot of it without even realizing it, so these magical tablets get the vote from me.

Ingredients

Per 2g piece we have: 40.5mg caffeine, 10mg Ginseng, and 3.5mg Guarana

Verdict

Like a magnum shotgun shell, Vibe Energy Gum is a tiny tube packing a punch. Although it makes you look a bit mental eating things out of what looks like tiny cigar tubes, these things are pretty awesome. Best of all they fit perfectly into a shotgun cartridge holder so I can wonder the fields with a handily supply of my favorite substance.Luckily for me they slide all the way through my barrel so I can’t fire them, although the idea of fire caffeine does make me smile.

On a more serious note, Vibe Energy Gum is a good buy and they provided a good boost that doesn’t make you loose concentration. Vibe, you get the thumbs up here, it’s a great bit of caffeine based chemistry.

What’s in that stuff?

Some kids were given free samples of Locozade’s new Alert Plus Energy Shot and they definitely felt alert alright.

The two students 11 and 12 years old were walking to school when a promotional firm at King’s Cross, London gave them several samples of the drink. “Why stop at just one?”, thought the bright pupil… “I think I’ll drink all six”!

Well, Alert Plus certainly worked for the chaps because their teacher reported them being full of energy and acting unusual.  It was only a caffeine high though. After looking at the information on Lucozade Alert Plus it is just a 60ml shot with 120mg of caffeine and B vitamins. Therefore, the kid that skulled six had a quick dose of 720mg of caffeine.

Here again, it will be energy products that get the bad rap, even though, it says it’s not suitable for those under 16. Not to mention the promotional firm’s lack of judgment giving an 11 year old six bottles….

Source: Mirror.co.uk

The little red bottle caught my eye straight away when I was fumbling through my mail at work. After reading the little leaflet I got with it, I have to say I was eager to try it. Not only this, but anything that has any form of German undertone, I start expecting a lot  from due to previous experience and I have to say in hind-sight this drink delivered.

I was low on caffeine as it was and with a sustainability meeting in the afternoon I had to do something quickly. So without a second thought I cracked open the little bottle and downed it without stopping to think. Whether this was down to the cute packaging or the somewhat mystical facts and figures that accompanied it, I would not know.

Taste

I never know what to expect with drinks that label their flavour as ‘original’ and yet again I was impressed with this flavour in the sense that I couldn’t work it out and with only 58ml to draft a conclusion from I was at a bit of a loss.  However, if I get updated on what the flavour is I will pass it on to all of you.

Back on track with the flavour… I have to say I like it, Ubershot’s slightly acidic and it’s quite refreshing. However, due to the sucralose that has been used to replace the sugar, it reminded me a little bit of the cheap sugar-free fruit concentrates. But, this didn’t bother me as it was only a single gulp with a decent boost in energy.

Ingredients

Ubershot isn’t “Uber” for nothing….It’s pretty packed, boasting a pretty impressive energy blend consisting of Taurine, Glucuronolactone, Caffeine (210mg), and amino acids. Usually B vitamins are included in the energy blend, but Uber lists them seperatly with a healthy dose of B12, B6, B9, B3, and B5.

Effect

As with every energy drink I test, I test them in different circumstances and I have to say that this one performed well in all of them. I have to say the feeling was pleasant and it died off slowly instead of dropping instantly after a few hours. In the majority of the tests, I only took 1 Ubershot, but when I was driving I took 2 which I have to say made me feel a little odd. Not really buzzing, but more spaced out which I have to say isn’t the best thing when you’ve been on the road for 5 hours.

However, I have to say these are perfect as a mid-day drink to keep you pumped up for the rest of the day (or at least till the end of work). I don’t really have a bad thing to say about the effect unless you overdose and then I guess there’s never a good thing to say.

Conclusion

Okay, so in my eyes it doesn’t taste perfect, but the pros out weigh the cons. Ubershot is a great drink it gives you a boost, its small, and best of all it looks sexy. I still have the empty bottle just because Ubershot look so good. I have to tip my hat to them, its one classy drink with a decent taste and effect.

Reviewed by Josh Nathan

The infamous original flavour that tasted like nothing original at all and of course the Orange flavour that I spent most of childhood downing. This drink, however, unlike the other two had a very definitive taste and aroma.

Taste

So I cracked open a Lucozade Cherry and gave it a good sniff.  As with wine, if energy drinks smell fowl then they normally taste the same. When I did this I got a strong waft of cherry and it reminded me instantly of Cherry Drops and cherry cough sweets. Although a little bit overpowering at first, I took a good long gulp and was pleasantly surprised. It tasted like it smelled. It was like drinking cherry jam which is a really nice feeling to be honest.

The taste itself was really rather sweet and if you lack the sweet tooth this isn’t a drink for you. After finishing the first one, I went straight onto the next and downed that pretty quickly as well and I have to say by this point the taste was getting a little overbearing. I don’t think it’s a drink that can be had in to large a quantity. As with any quick succession of drinks the ensuing belching tasted like cherry ice cream which was pleasant, I guess, but really got on my nerves as it started to make me feel some what queasy.

Now I’m not saying this is the effect that everyone will get,  but I drank Lucozade Cherry like I do after a rugby match which is to just down a couple and I’m good to go. I have to say this had a different effect on me. It was a lot harder to stomach the sweetness in comparison to the other flavours as an after sport drink.

Ingredients

Lucozade Cherry doesn’t have much to brag about in this category, basically glucose, vitamin c and 46mg of caffeine per 380ml bottle.

Feeling

Well apart from the sickly feeling mentioned above (due to my own fault), it gave the same boost as the good old Lucozade  Energy did. There’s nothing different or special in this one ingredient wise. The steady flow of sugar into my system brought me back up to par after going for a run as have all other Lucozade’s in the past.

Verdict

I’m not a massive fan of cherries, but I felt it was my duty to try this drink out and I have to say I really liked it. I think in my mind it serves a different purpose to the other Lucozades. This one isn’t a drink you down at the end of a game, it’s something you drink over a long period of time and savour the sweet taste. Although Lucozade Cherry’s not a drink for me in its own right, I reckon it’s something a lot of people will like and something people should defiantly try.

When I got this I was so excited. This is an energy drink that for me is almost as amazing as ERECTUS, (another British energy drink that once I find I will be reviewing as well).

In its own right it’s classed as an exclusive energy drink, one that you find in some of the top end clubs in London like the Mews, which is where I first fell in love with it. Stupidly I had the package sent to work, which the goods manager found very amusing when a long package arrived with “PUSSY” written on it.

He very openly delivered the brown package to my desk and exclaimed “Here is your pussy Josh” which took not only me by surprise but the entire office. Giggling aside I opened up the package and with drew the can, it felt like drawing the sword from the stone. A childhood excitement came over me… CHRISTMAS HAD COME!

Taste

Since Pussy only sent me one can, I had to wait for the right moment to crack it open. When the time came, I opened up the can and gave it a good sniff.  The smell of what I can only imagine to be Chinese flowers came to mind. It wasn’t how I remembered it, but I was quite drunk at the time so this was starting a fresh.

I took a sip and was really surprised it had a really subtle taste. Unlike other energy drinks I’ve had which are quite strong, this one was easily drinkable and was a nice change from the standard taste of Relentless and the likes. Over all, the taste was really quite pleasant, but for some reason Pussy made me think that it was more orientated for the female market.

Ingredients

Nothing artificial in this Pussy as it claims to be all natural using a juice blend for flavour and 6 herbs; Milk Thistle, Guarana, Siberian Ginseng, Sarsaparilla, Schizandra, Ginko Biloba. With 90mg of Caffeine.

The Buzz

Well I only have one 250ml can of Pussy Energy Drink so the buzz was not incredible, but for some reason I don’t think this is a drink that your supposed to get an amazing buzz from. It was more of just a pick me up. After about 20 minutes I felt only slightly more alert then before, but not enough to say I was substantially more awake then I had been prior to Pussy.

Verdict

Pussy Energy Drink is something different alright and the name is just downright amusing being right up there with Big Cock Energy Drink.  Whether it would become a staple part of my energy drink diet I don’t know. I would however defiantly recommend it as a drink to try after all, it is Pussy in a can.

As always with something new I get quite excited and to be honest I think the adrenalin rush from finding the drink did more for me then the drink itself… , but I’ll go into that later.

So anyway, I buy the little Quick Shot bottle, for the extortionate price of £2.99 or $6.00 and downed it.

Taste

For what you pay (yes I’m going to keep going back to the price), it should taste like god. However,  I was disappointed. Quick Shot smelled like orange concentrate and tasted like I was drinking orangey acid. It’s only 59ml and to be honest, I found my self quite tempted not to finish it. However, craving the little morsels of caffeine I did. Remember I was a little drunk at the time so normally anything goes, and yet I still found quick shot to be an unwelcoming taste.

Ingredients

Quick Energy Shot also managed to do the one thing I hate, put that it had the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee, after all, how vague can you be. After much snooping around I found out it had about 175mg of caffeine per bottle (59ml) which is okay I guess. On top of this it had the normal B vitamins and antioxidants, nothing over the top to be honest.

Effect

Apart from the wince I made whilst drinking it, Quick Shot had little effect on me. That might have been due to the fact that it had no sugar in it, or the fact that the release of the caffeine etc. was too slow. However, I have to say I am disappointed, especially with what I paid for it (told you I’d mention cost again). It says on the bottle ‘no crash’ and I now know why… because it doesn’t give you a boost to start with. *inserts a sad face*

Verdict

So I paid a bundle for a small orange bottle with a clock on it, great. Apart from that Quick Energy Shot serves no other purpose then for me to write this review and tell you that you get no bang for your buck, in fact, throwing the money will probably hit things harder. If anything this is proof how annoying the shot market is.

Reviewed by Josh Nathan

It arrived in a crushed box (thanks DHL) and from then on everything else was perfect.

I opened the box and found 24 cans of Pure Coffain floating around, I think I might have cried with happiness. So I cracked the first can open and gave it a sniff, I couldn’t work out what it smelt like so I took the most important sip of any energy drink… the first.

Taste

I still don’t know what to say about the flavour I mean I like it, for some reason it reminds me of coffee and Coca-Cola mixed together. That’s about as close as I’ve ever got to describing it. That or it tastes like how coffee smells. I tried to work out what I was reading, but as everything on Pure Coffain 699 was all in German, I’m not to sure. All I can say is that the taste is a love or hate thing which is amusing as it’s the same color as Marmite.

Ingredients

Okay I’m going to be frank here I have no idea as it’s all in German, however, I can deduce that the 250ml can  has 175mg of caffeine in it or 699mg per liter which is the reason for the 699 on the can. Apart from that I think its sugar free but that’s as far as I go.

Effect

Pure Coffain says in a nice white box on the front ‘ACHTUNG! STARK KOFFEINHALTIG’ or, (Attention! a lot of Caffeine). That’s correct it does have a lot of caffeine in it and I felt it. Okay I admit one can had a pretty good effect, but I was really a busy bee after 2 cans.

I didn’t feel the best I’ve ever felt, but it was great. I didn’t really experience a down side although about 12 hours later I became quite sleepy. Otherwise it’s a pretty solid kick from a little black can.

Verdict

Pure Cofain699 is a pretty solid drink, it’s simplistic can does the job. It’s a no frills drink, not like Relentless who have a graphics department the size of China. This drink is all about the drink it’s self and it’s pretty awesome. If you can find it, I recommend you try it. It’s something different and I reckon it would do great as a mixer.

Reviewed by Josh Nathan

Before I received my trial from Firestar, I didn’t really know what to expect. If I’m being honest, I thought I was receiving cans until a small package cropped up in my post box.

Eagerly opening the package I was greeted by 6 or 7 small sachets. Part of me thought I’d be duped, after all how can such a small amount affect me… Oh how I was wrong.

Taste

Taste doesn’t seem to be that important when all you’re doing is pouring a small amount of powder onto your tongue. However I was surprised to find a slight tingle and the reminder of lemon sherberts. Instead of just eating Firestar as I expected to do, I found my self savouring the flavour before swallowing. The moment I’d finished my little packet I found myself wanting more, however, the reason as to why I didn’t have another straight away will be explained later.

Effect

Everyone is to there own and so it’s hard to make an objective review here, but the 200mg of caffeine that the packet contains had an instant kick. I mean instant, I was awake and alert within 30 or so seconds. Unlike a drink which you can take an hour to drink, this is an instant kick, but a kick that lasts. Hours later I was still alert and awake with out feeling any of the side effects I some times find myself having after other products. However, the effects differ from person to person. I gave some Firestar Energy Booster to someone who never ever drinks caffeine and well the effects were amusing, he was hyperactive beyond all reason.

Verdict

Well all I can say is the condom, I think every bloke keeps in there wallet, is about to have a partner… MINES IN MY WALLET NOW. Firestar is caffeine gold. If you ever get the chance to try it, it’s worth every penny. If you are into endurance sport this is the product is especially for you! The only downfall I have with this product is the price, but as Firestar Energy goes into a more streamlined production I’m sure it will change.

Reviewed by Josh Nathan

There was a day when I could bask in the glory of the mountain of energy drink cans that littered the area around my bin. My addiction was my pride and still is, but with the credit crunch having come into full swing, the corporate foot came flying down onto my fridge.

The sound of the dying hiss as the cans bled caffeine on to the floor, would have been a sad moment for me had I not had a plan B. Although I felt like I was stepping down the energy drinks ladder into the underworld, expecting to be shocked by the festering world of ill thought out graphics and poor taste… I was astonished.

Almost every supermarket has managed to dip its finger into the white gold that is caffeine, (at least in the UK that is). With every one trying to come up with a more original name the next, with such energy invoking names as Red Rooster and Bolt. Now I have no quarrels with the names, the only thing I have a problem with is the underlying suspicion I have that all these bargain energy drinks are all made in the same factory.

Taste

This is the basis for my suspicions… Every drink no matter where it seems to come from in the budget own brand energy drinks department, seems to taste the same. Everyone has had a bottle of Coca-Cola before and then had another brand of Cola and although you commend them for there efforts to make it, it never tastes as good as the original and I have to say the same is true here.

Every one of these energy drinks tastes like an attempt at cloning Redbull, however with a slightly different after taste. Now I’m not complaining about this, I mean caffeine is caffeine and if it tasted like piss I wouldn’t bat an eyelid as it passed my lips.

Ingredients

(Insert for Redbull) it’s the same to the letter, bar a different chemical compound for flavour.)

Effect

Now this is where it gets interesting… So its ingredients are almost exactly the same as Redbull and so the effects are the same. For 36mg per 100ml you get your standard buzz, but at only $0.50 for a can (250ml) or $1.50 for 1000ml. It doesn’t seem to matter anymore I’m as happy drinking a litre of the UK own brand energy drink as I am the average can of any other main stream energy drink.

Verdict

So okay, it tastes like everything else on the market, which isn’t a bad thing. At least this means that the flavours are tried and tested and at the price they go for it’s a bloody bargain, so here it is the phrase I never thought I’d say,  a UK energy drink own brand is still a good brand!

Written by Josh Nathan

However, one cropped up in the past year or so that has appeared once on this website, but only as part of a homage to dog based energy drinks. Bulldog Buzz really is about the best thing Britain has going for it in the energy department.

Bulldog buzz is a rather oddly sized can being no standard size for an energy drink or in fact any other British drink. (Although to be fair its initial idea came from a Canadian company)

What does it for me though is the can; nothing says Britain like a pissed off bulldog and the Union Jack, but this pride of the British Nation is becoming rarer and rarer to find with most of the shops near me canceling their orders making it as faint a memory as the Pussy Energy Drink that appeared once on a shelf in the local garage and then never again.

Taste

It’s not all good news; the drink came in two flavors kindly represented by the color of their cans; Blue and Red (Berry & Citrus). One tasted awful (but it didn’t stop me from drinking it) and well the other still had a little to be desired. To tell you the truth, even if they both tasted bad I’d buy it just for the fact that any drink that tells me it’s the dogs bollocks on the can has to be good.

Ingredients

Bull Dog Buzz is boasting 55mg of caffeine per 100ml (204mg/can) instead of the average 32mg. This means it has that extra noticeable kick coupled with 5000% daily allowance of B vitamins.

Effect

As for what you can expect to get out of a can of Bulldog Buzz it seems to vary between the flavors. From a personal point of view the Berry seems to provide a better kick and whilst it might not be the strongest drink on the market it seems to have enough of a punch to wake the caffeine hardened junkie up in the morning.

Verdict

For its price (retailing at around $1.50) in the UK it’s a bargain, however this seems to be necessary with it’s biggest contender being Relentless owned by Coca-Cola®. Bull Dog Buzz it’s self is still not widely available in the UK and due to its country specific advertising is unlikely to be seen in any other country.

Reviewed by Josh Nathan