Reize Energy Drink Review

This black little sachet comes in a tiny box of six, only a tad larger than a pack of cigarettes. The packaging is clean, with text of course, but nothing superfluous, aside from the obligatory puffery ("pocketful of energy," etc.). The tiny rocket blasting off of the "i" in the title is clever, but I would love to have a flavor indicator somewhere.

The pouch took a bit of persuasion to open, though it was not too significant a struggle. The grains inside stain the 250 ml of water a cloudy gold, with granular matter not yet disintegrated in the aqua floating like pollen in the air. Once the particles settle into their new serous home, sips discover the savor to be sharp but indistinguishable, a super sour and approaches tasting excessively sweet, a blend of aspartame and ace-k. There are far too few sips offered by the small amount for things to become grossly over-sweet, but those reaching for their second packet may want to reconsider. Very smooth despite its powder origins, the texture is surprisingly silky, never gritty and in no one sip does the powder taste individual from the taste of water. The flavor is mostly apple, orange and passion fruit, but it is a blend blandly blended; no one fruit stands tall away from the others, a cocktail so muted your tongue searches each particle for an individual flavor to notice. Not inherently a bad thing, but if the brand ever wants to branch out into other taste territories, they need a strong flavor-profile for consumers to identify.

Each pack contains B vitamins, taurine, ginseng, inositol, and fifty milligrams of caffeine. The kick is disappointing, lasting an hour, but I will take a weaker buzz over a bitter flavor. On the whole, Reize is an interesting energy powder, but a nip here and a tuck there would send it blasting off and over the moon.

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Water Sensations Energy Citrus Liquid Water Infusion Review

A golden boarder is succeeded by white and baby blue, minimalistically designed with perhaps a touch too much text. It is concentrated in a sole location, and suffers from poor readability thanks to misguided color choice or font size.

With the allegation that stirring and shaking are superfluous, I sipped immediately after the liquid's initial greeting. The citrus flavored fluid was identically viscous to water but the recommended sixteen ounce serving proved too overwhelming. You can hardly detect any depth or how well the fruits are impersonated. There is something of lemon to each sip, weakly sour and sweet, but it is too light to really notice any nuance. There is no lime to note or any other citrus; just the little yellow fruit who's effete potency prevents it from making it an experience dedicated to the tropical export. I was bored for the sixteen ounces of botched tries at refreshment and subtly.

For energy, there are 100 milligrams of caffeine and varied quantities of B vitamins, kicking for two or so hours with restricted strength. On the whole, the creativity and ingenuity are appreciated, but not much else.

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Great Value Mixed Berry Energy Drink Mix Review

Nothing but a trivial color and small text modification different, this new energy mix flavor is hardly dissimilar from the others in the line. It is difficult to detect any distinction between the now three varieties, and I really had to think to authenticate that this version had not in fact been reviewed.

The thirty calorie mix mixes effortlessly, dissolving quickly into a deep purplish red blend. It smells very much like AMP Focus Mixed Berry, and fortunately resembles it to the tongue. Cranberry and blueberry appear in full effect, robust imitations who's sweetness hits the mark. Raspberry is another contender here, equally as strong in the experience and as an impersonation. There is some apple to taste, as well as some pomegranate, accessory flavors giving each of every enjoyable sip brilliant depth. The tartness here is adaptive and caters to each involved without ever being incongruous to another. Precipitously intricate for an energy drink not just mix, this is easily the strongest Wal Mart brand beverage yet.

Each satchel subsumes: caffeine (160 milligrams), taurine, and B vitamins. The buzz lasts no longer than three hours, one of conventional strength. On the whole, this Great Value Mixed Berry Energy Drink Mix is a lot better than it probably should be.

Crystal Light Peach Mango Energy Drink Mix Review

Only the second of these Crystal Light energy drink mixes to be reviewed, they are being found now everywhere and inspiring numerous store knockoffs. Despite being found in clearance, the pretty orange box complements the clean logo and excited details. The powder transport is still too circumlocutory, but the color works wonderful against an all-white center.

Mixed with bottled spring water to avoid hard aqua contamination, the beverage is a faint and foggy, almost pulpy orange. Pheremonally inviting, the taste is not nearly as sprightly, uninterestingly sweet without much tartness. The peach is absolutely the better fruit, cutting in with a realistic edge that never distracts. The mango on the other hand, appearing latter in each sip, requires more than the supplied saccharinity, tasting awkward and off. Some opaque orange blurs the border between the two namesake, unemotional without tailored attention. It goes down without much problem, however the other nine sachets will be sitting there awhile.

The energy flowed through for not longer than two hours, a slow buzz that (intentionally?) pales in comparison to most other drinks. The ingredient cocktail is 120 mg of caffeine and some B vitamins; an unremarkable finish to an overall unnoteworthy drink mix.

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Great Value Dragon Fruit Energy Drink Mix Review

More so the satchel than the box, Great Value's Dragon Fruit energy drink mix is a bland reminder of the no-frills generic products of yesteryear. Its cardboard container is only the slightest bit more interesting, with stock graphics and unimpressive illustration of the intimidating fruit. With less caffeine and duller appearance, these are unfortunately unrelated to Great Value's other energy drink mixes.

For an "artificially flavored... sugar free, low calorie" drink mix, the first sip is surprisingly content. They all are actually, even if it hardly tastes like dragon fruit. It lacks nuance and resembles strawberry kiwi with a milder sweetness. That is not a bad thing however, as the saccharinity does its job adequately, albeit with an even milder synthetic aftertaste. The bad thing is just how boring everything is, with you growing even more so as the remaining ounces shrink. The flavors are stale and without any depth, with each sip tasting exactly the same as the last with nothing developing or maturing. If this excites you, then ten packs are available for about two bucks. If you are like me, then this is a waste of two bucks.

Each packet contains: caffeine (120 mg of caffeine) and small quantities of several B vitamins. The crappy cocktail stirs up a weak hour and a half buzz, with some jitters though without a crash. Overall, sorry Wal Mart, but this is not a great value.

4C Totally Light Tea 2 Go Energy Rush Tea 3-Pack Review

This hopelessly long named three pack of energy teas comes in a decent enough box, thick with words and a bit busy, but gets its point across. The green and yellow sachets jump off of the nice red background, but with all the text scrolling across it is easy to miss the "energy" motif. There are three flavours but they all sound nearly identical; all are teas and flavored with lemon. Sure, one has green instead of the mystery "iced" tea, and one claims to be not just lemon but "lemonade," but until we start mixing they are confusingly parallel.

This green tea variety is certainly the one I am the least looking forward too and is aptly named. The lemon shines weakly through the dense clouds of the colored tea, itself not bitter but unpleasantly organic with a devastatingly watery finish. There is no sweetness to pierce the heaviness of the brewed leaves, and the sixteen ounces sip at a monotonous pace.

“Iced Tea with Lemon” reads the packaging of the next flavor, but ignore that and its rather attractive aroma, this muddy brown mix tastes uncharacteristically weak. The lemon is lusterless and conflicts with the domineering tea, slimy textured and somewhat earthy. It is a decent, appropriate bitterness however, but its issue is its dimensionless complexion and uncooperative attitude. But if we are discussing problems here, we must make mention of the unenthused sweetness, something making the sixteen ounces sip at a crawl, an oily, diluted crawl.

The finale of the three is easily the best (how could it be worse?), with the lemonade to tea ratio giving the experience not only a more potent sweetness but also some beneficial tartness. But this Arnold Palmer is an insult to the golfer, a watery exercise and not the flavorful refreshment it should be. There is barely any tea tasted, and the aforementioned other half would never sell even if the cutest kid sold it at the end of the street. Plus, when the sham sugars are not avoiding doing their job, they contribute an aftertaste as well; another sixteen ounces grossly gulped simply to end the misery.

Each packet contains: caffeine(160mg), taurine, and B vitamins. The kick was three or so hours, causing no jitters and leaving no one crashed. In the end, you do not have to read between lines or look up definitions to understand my hatred for these.
 
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Great Value Tropical Blend Energy Mix Review

For a generic energy mix, both the box and pouch to Great Value Tropical Blend does not look too shabby. Of course the widely know, if not laughed upon, Wal Mart private label logo is a bit out of place, but it is small enough that you can appreciate all else without the cold reality that it is store brand.

The shiny silver sachet sunders with slight struggle, and out pours a crystalline substance that resembles table sugar without the weight. The water is now dyed a thick neon greenish yellow, and resembles NOS to the nose, though the absence of verbal effervescence breaks that mental connection. The flavour however, is rather bland, with a subdued bitter bite following the unenthusiastic fruitiness. The tropical blend is namely lime, guava, white grape, raspberry, and kiwi, all one dimensional and sound better than they end up tasting. The first two are most notably on the tongue, both shallow excuses for works more intricate. The superseding troika is equally inept but excusably so, all untidily acting as notes but give each non-volatile sip an ounce of respected depth. The saccharinity is done dexterously through a balance of real and faux sweeteners, nothing breathtaking but a quality quality that is worth mentioning. Overall, energy mixes can be and often are less cohesive than Great Value Tropical Blend, but more was honestly expected.

The kick was equal too any with with 160 milligrams of caffeine, some taurine and B vitamins. In the end, the Great Value energy mix line has seen brighter days, but let us hope this is as darkest they get.

Crystal Light Grape Energy Drink Mix Review

From Crystal Light, this grape flavoured drink mix gets its point across, telling consumers about its dirty habit of containing caffeine and the likes, but the sachet that holds the powder is a bit too verbose. There is no reason to say "energy releasing B vitamins," or really even mention the actual flavour, considering there is not only a picture of the fruit, but the top and bottom tip are purple.

The pretty colour of the box did not translate to the drink itself, being much more of dull bluish purple. The flavour, however, is shockingly stark, kicking one's teeth with a potent sweetness and strong tartness. The two give the dumbly simple grape taste a great candied quality, even with purely artificial sugars and usual subsequent aftertaste, the fruit feels right at home within both the amateur complexity and counterfeit saccharinity. The latter bites the back of one's throat, pinching it with an equally asinine cloyingness that surprisingly does not make the experience an unenjoyable one, and actually, Crystal Light Grape is a bit of a guilty pleasure.

There is 120 milligrams of caffeine and some B vitamins, a truly unexciting blend that was probably deliberate, with the consumer base probably not accustomed to larger amounts, at least in their eyes. The kick was two and a half hours long, being rather generous. All in all, Crystal Light Grape Energy Drink Mix feels more like an introductory course to energy drinks rather than actually being one.

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Great Value Lemonade+Tea Energy Mix Review

These "Energy Mixes" never truly caught on, yet Wal Mart imprudently unleashed at least two new varieties recently. Interestingly, however, these fresh products do actually contain sugar, six grams a packet, which should give this an advantage compared to the purely artificially sweetened ones that have since died out. The carton, who holds seven two-serving envelopes, is quite the looker, surprisingly, reading easily and cleanly even with a lot of text. The pouch itself is also decent to the eyes, condensing much of the box while keeping its clarity.

The mix dissolves with relative ease, and although the Froot Loop scent is enticing, the muddy colour certainly is not. The flavour is actually quite tasty, however, with a strong upfront sourness and a mild overall lemon flavour. It calmly leads into an equally tepid tea taste, noticeably weaker than is the former but ever still nondiscordant with the experience. It gives the citrus some deserved depth, a slightly earthy undertone that conflicts celestially with its fresh ripeness. Sucralose and Ace-K sweeten, along with glucose, crafting a balanced saccharinity that is genuine enough not to noticeably taste synthetic or leave much of an aftertaste. There actually is not one, with the flavour finishing cleanly and leaving no subsequent trace of what you just had the pleasure of consuming.

Each packet contains: caffeine(160mg), taurine, and a minor variety of B vitamins. The buzz lasted a smidgen under three hours, with unexpected jitters rearing in quite soon after emptying your bottle. Overall, Great Value Lemonade+Tea Energy Mix is rather well rounded, and quite a steal for only a buck fifty.

Power Edge Wild Berry

Years, and I mean years ago I was at Wal Mart when I picked up a ten pack of Power Edge Wild Berry. In the back of my mini fridge it sat until today when the drink I was planning on reviewing didn't show up in my mailbox. I hadn't had Power Edge in years nor did I ever review it, so I decided to review it instead. Power Edge Berry is made by Sturm Foods, and though I don't believe I've ever reviewed one of their products, I do have some of their products on the review waiting list.

FIRST IMPRESSION: The packet design to Power Edge Wild Berry is miles ahead of the design to Energy Rush. The shiny red strips fits the billed wild berry flavour quite well and the flames along with the name(Power Edge) help the mix look hard core and edgy. The colour scheme of the flames are not only red, but also black and gray, adding some "freshness" to the usual flame colour. While I do like the packet, there are some problems with it. My most obvious complaint is the cluttered text. While the text isn't the worst offense I've ever seen, it is still an issue. Another problem is the colour of the drink once it is mixed with water. Maybe I've been living under a rock but I don't think that the market this mix is intended for(the hard to the core) will risk their reputation by carrying around a pale pink beverage.

TASTE: I opened the packet, poured the contents into a sixteen.nine oz. bottle of water and shook vigorously. Once I took a sip I found that the flavour starts out a light and rather generic berry taste that is quickly interrupted by a spike of sugar free taste and ends abruptly, leaving a taste of nothing for a while until more sugar free taste builds and finishes the experience. The berry taste is boring and pretty dull, which is sad given that it is the only real flavour to speak of. The flavour to Power Wild Berry isn't to any extent tart, sweet, or really any good. Overall, Power Edge Wild Berry's taste is lifeless and for a flavour that is labeled Wild Berry it really is disappointingly bland.

KICK: Each packet contains: 160mg of caffeine, 1000mg of Taurine, ginseng, guarana, inositol, pantothenic acid, Vit. B6, and Vit. B12. As you can imagine I didn't feel that I had an "edge" after drinking the entire bottle. For around two to three hours I felt slightly more awake and had no jitters. Once the two+ hours ended I didn't notice any signs of a crash(and no bodies were found).

FINAL WORD: Power Edge Wild Berry is nothing more than a second rate energy drink mix. While the packet was good, the taste was disgraceful and the kick was poor. Nothing about this powdered drink was great and it is products like this that make me really hate my job. If there was one area that I was really displeased with it would have to be the taste. Not only was it a chore to drink but it really brought the overall score down. All in all, Power Edge Wild Berry is more dull than the drink mix colour itself...2/5

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Energy Rush Orange Mix

As my stalker already knows, I'm going on vacation tomorrow for a week, so while the chance of me seeing some new energy drinks is high, I won't be able to update as much as I'd like. Since my reviews for next week are likely to be scattered, I've decided to put off packing and do a review. Energy Rush Orange is the third and finale flavour in the Energy Rush line, and the one I'm least excited for. Because the line has been rather mediocre in the past, and that orange flavoured energy drinks aren't my favorite, I doubt that it will be any good.

FIRST IMPRESSION: The packet to Energy Rush Orange uses the same design that the previous Energy Rush flavours did, but with some mild changes. One of the changes is the colour, which is now orange, which makes sense given that that's the flavour. Perhaps the least noticeable change is the biggest one. While I still think the packet design is cluttered, it is less cluttered due to the removal of the "Splenda" logo. This makes the packet just that much better than the other packet in the line.

TASTE: I opened the packet, poured it in a sixteen.nine oz. bottle of water and shook. The flavour starts out a barely carbonated, light orange/tangerine blend, with the tangerine being the most noticeable of the two flavours, that then slowly fades away, leaving behind a faint sugar free aftertaste. The tangerine starts the flavour, then quickly fades, letting a orange taste develop, and then is over thrown by some more tangerine. The tangerine tastes fresh and sweet, where as the orange tastes bland and dull. Overall, while Energy Rush Orange is by far the best in the line, it's still not as good Helix Orange.

KICK: Each packet contains: caffeine, Taurine, 100% of Vit. B5, twenty % of Vit. B9, 160% of Vit. B12, and 200% of Vit. B6, and niacin. This blend of ingredients gave me a pretty good buzz. For around three+ hours I felt more mentally alert, and had some mild twitches. After the three+ hours I slowly began to fade back to my normal state of being.

FINAL WORD: After all is said and done, I feel that Energy Rush Orange is undoubtedly the best in the line, and the second best energy powder I've ever had. While the packet could of definitely been better, the good taste and kick made up for it. Now, I'm not saying that Energy Rush Orange is great or anything, but I am saying for an energy powder, it's a good overall product. All in all, if your looking for a good, cheap alternative to energy drinks that won't break your belt, then buy Energy Rush Orange...3.4/5

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Energy Rush Berry Mix

A while back I reviewed Energy Rush Citrus and found that it was a decent attempt at an energy mix, so I've decided to try another flavour in the line, berry. Energy Rush is made by the 4C company, who is known for there grated cheese and bread crumbs, so naturally, making an energy mix was a logical choice. Note,*In my review for Energy Rush Citrus, I said that there were only two flavours in the line, berry and citrus, but I was wrong. There is also an orange variety, which if Energy Rush Berry Mix turns out good, I might consider trying.

FIRST IMPRESSION: The packet, while slightly more attractive than its citrus counterpart because of the soft blue, still falls into the same traps that Citrus did before it. The packet is too cluttered and the company's logo is too big. I do, however, like the large "with taurine" text below "Energy Rush." This tells me that at least they tried to put some energy ingredients instead of just caffeine, like some other energy products I've had.

TASTE: I opened the packet and poured it into a sixteen.nine oz. bottle of water. The bottle turned a light purple colour, indicating that its gonna be more of a grape drink and a berry drink. The flavours best described as a light mix of berry and grape, with the grape trailing the berry and adding a little zing towards the end. The berry flavour consists of mostly blue raspberry, but there is some açaí in there as well. The drink isn't tart, which I think is a little disappointing. There's also no sugar free aftertaste, which is surprising. Overall, the flavour's is not as good as Energy Rush Citrus, but it is still drinkable and is a pretty good tasting energy mix.

KICK: Each packet contains: caffeine, Taurine, 200% of Vit. B6, B3, 100% of Vit. B5, twenty % of Vit. B9, and 160% of Vit. B12. This mix of ingredients gave me a decent buzz, but nothing great. My alertness was noticeably up and only slight jitters were experienced. This lasted a good three hours or so.

FINAL WORD: All in all, Energy Rush Berry Mix is a slightly lower than decent energy mix. While the taste was antiqued, the packet was unimpressive and the buzz was nothing I have never seen before. While its still a good deal(fourteen packets for $3.99), Energy Rush Berry just doesn't have an edge over other energy mixes such as Helix Orange. Unless looking for a decent berry flavoured energy mix that won't have you going crazy, I say skip Energy Rush Berry Mix...2.9/5

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Helix Energy + Ginseng Orange

With the small success of Energy Rush Citrus, I decided to try another energy mix, this time Helix Orange. Helix Orange is from the (gasp) Helix Drinks company. The drink has won several awards since its release in 2008, so I couldn't pass up an opportunity to get some free samples. Though many people have praised Helix Orange, I wouldn't bet money on it being great...

FIRST IMPRESSION: I really like the package of Helix Orange. The DNA on a white package is pretty intriguing and matches its slogan, "The New DNA of Energy." I don't quite understand what "Helix" means, or why they chose orange as there first flavour, I would of picked cranberry or fruit punch. Either way, there's no two thoughts about the package being good looking. One thing that bugs me is the purple DNA thing in the name "Helix." Shouldn't it be orange? I don't know...4/5

TASTE: I ripped the top off and poured it in the bottle. It comes out looking like neon, yet some how dull orange colour. The scent is Orange Tic Tacs, which I'm sure everyone knows are the best Tic Tacs... The flavour is best described as a weak orange taste, with a good level of tartness and sweetness. There's no after taste, which is good. It goes down really smooth, making it an adequate thirst quencher. Overall, the flavours pretty good, being very true to the fruit its mimiking...3.8/5

KICK: Each packet contains: citric acid, natural flavours, caffeine, sucralose, ginseng, and Vit. B6, B12, and C. This mix gave me a pretty good buzz. I didn't feel like going crazy or anything, but Jesus Crow did my alertness go up. I felt full or energy. Because of the lack of sugar, these feelings lasted around four or so hours...4/5

FINAL WORD: While I did have my doubts, I have to say that I'm pretty impressed with Helix Orange. The flavour, the kick, and the packaging were all above average, something that energy drinks usually can't do, let alone energy drink mixes. Overall, while I do feel that the flavour could be a little stronger, its an impressive product which leaves me waiting in excitement for Helix's next flavour...3.9/5

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Energy Rush Citrus Mix

I have reviewed a number of non traditional energy products, such as mints, sprays, but never a mix. Mixes have gained moderate popularity from energy deprived consumers, because of them being cheaper than regular energy drinks, but with all of the mixes I've ever had, they haven't been worth it. But, one energy mix caught my attention by being carbonated. Yeah, a carbonated mix. Reminds me of Fizzies. There are, I believe, two different flavours of Energy Rush Mix, citrus and berry. I chose citrus, because of my love affair with citrus drinks. But, will it be a great addition to the long line of citrus energy drinks, or will it aboard the fail boat?

FIRST IMPRESSION: The... packet is pretty unimpressive. Its too cluttered. There shouldn't be the Totally Light Go 2 logo, the picture of the bottle, or the Splenda logo on the packet. I'm guessing that its a lemon/lime flavoured drink, mainly because the colour of the packet. Either way, I'm not all too excited to try this mix, as there are plenty of other drinks that have excited me more...2.8/5

TASTE: I mixed the packet in a sixteen oz. water bottle and was greeted by a piss yellow colour. I took a sip and was greeted by a light, rather refreshing lemon-lime drink, in a mild, really mild carbonation. The flavour is not complex. To give you a better idea of what the flavour is, imagine mixing Lemon-Lime Kool-Aid with seltzer water. Overall, the flavours pretty good, going down smooth, and doesn't taste grainy...3.3/5

KICK: Each packet contains: caffeine, Taurine, 200% of Vit. B6, B3, 100% of Vit. B5, and 160% of Vit. B12. I received a average kick from Energy Rush Citrus Mix. I felt awake to a minor extent, and some mild jitters, and this lasted around three or so hours. More thnt I expected from an energy mix...3.4/5

FINAL WORD: Overall, I'm mildly impressed with Energy Rush Citrus Mix. The taste was decent, surprisingly, and the kick was average. I really didn't have the highest of hopes for it though, considering that the maker, 4C, features a website that shows an old lady holding a pot and spoon, and that doesn't scream "WILD KICK" to me... But, to be fair, its a decent drink mix, and for $3.99 for a fourteen pack, its rather inexpensive. So, if your in the need for a cheap thrill, pick up Energy Rush Citrus Mix, but if your looking for a high octane energy drinks, stray away...3.2/5

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