Re: Energy Drinks

I used them to help me when I needed an oral rush when I was kicking smoking. Somewhere I learned that it takes a month to make or break a habit, and my smoking routine, while less than a pack a day, was predominantly when driving around town. Because I didn't want to get hung up on caffeine/crack-in-a-can drinks, I would stop at the gas station, buy me a different flavor/brand each time, and drink it during my commute.

I have never gotten into the taste of those drinks, but the shock to my oral senses helped me get over those stupid cigs. After a month, I relied on a bottle of water to help me during my drive, and that habit hasn't changed in these couple of years since I kicked the cigs.

Re: Energy Drinks

Starbux ice triple espresso for me does the trick and goes down alot smoother than red bull.

Re: Energy Drinks

Two words: PIMP JUICE

Really, it's the best tasting energy drink I've found. It's promoted by Nelly!

Re: Energy Drinks

two wrongs don't make a right.

Re: Energy Drinks

I tried Tab Energy yesterday. It was foul. Tasted not unlike that pink super-flouride stuff you get smeared on your teeth when getting them cleaned.

Re: Energy Drinks

Does anybody in Honolulu still sell Jolt Cola? I remember they had to stop using aluminum cans because the soda was so corrosive it always had a metallic tang from dissolving away the inner surface of the cans.

"All the sugar and twice the caffeine!"

Re: Energy Drinks

I am with you guys. Dont know if it was mental but I really liked them when I worked the graveyard shift at the juvenile hall. It tasted horribly but I was right awake for about 3 hours. It got too pricey drinking at least 2 a night - then I switched to black coffee. When I stopped working there, I stopped drinking those things - man those horrible headaches I got

Re: Energy Drinks

Note to self: DO NOT TRY Tab Energy Drink.

Thanks for the tip.

That sounds similar to my first impression of Red Bull. Gross.

My girlfriend swears by Goji Juice. Not necessarily a speed-like, pumped feeling (it's not labeled an Energy Drink). She just doesn't feel as exhausted or drained, even after a full day's work.

I tried Jolt Cola once and never again. Way too sweet.

I'll take you up on that PIMP JUICE. But I ain't wearin' any of them "bling bling" grills over my teeth. lol

Re: Energy Drinks

I've had Monster a few times and I've tried MDX (Pepsi's Mountain Dew energy drink) once. Monster definitely gave me a kick (whether it was psychological, physical, or both - I don't know) and it didn't taste all that bad, although the good taste weakened as I consumed more. MDX tasted better initially but it had a bad aftertaste. It also lacked the boost that Monster had. The fact that it looked like antifreeze wasn't very appetizing either.

Bottom line, energy drinks are fun, but because I don't trust the ingredients, I don't care for the syrupy taste, the buzz is shortlived, and the prices are on the high side, I tend to go for simpler drinks such as juice, soda, and Sobe.

Re: Energy Drinks

I haven't tried any of the specialty drinks. I am drinking Vault which does seem to have a little more kick or something than Mountain Dew. I think MD tastes better.

I'm drinking:
Fuze Green Tea
Gluceau Green Tea
Hawaiian Sun Green Tea
Sobe Green Tea
Arizona Ice Tea Green Tea

Hawaiian Sun is still my favorite tasting. The Gluceau water drinks are refreshing although they taste like watered down drinks. I'll drink a Royal Mills coffee if I really want a pick me up. Yum! The Itoen Tea's teas are good. Very refreshing. I tried the Apple and Blue berry.

Interesting thread so far ...

Re: Energy Drinks

No, but three do.

I didn't enjoy Red Bull ... too sweet. It made me suspect that most other e-drinks are also too sweet. Vault (an energy soda?) was okay, but still too sweet.

It seems to me I had a diet Arizona green tea that was pretty good, but I prefer black coffee and diet sodas.

Dissention from, or avoidance by me isn't going to hurt the energy drink business. It is a rapidly growing sector of the beverage industry.

Re: Energy Drinks

Jolt Cola is still marketed here in the Northeast, though rather than being sold in aluminum cans, it is sold in 20 oz. plastic bottles. Flavors now include the original cola flavor; blue raspberry; and a red colored citrus punch.

I've read the comments about Tab Energy..the drink sold in the small, narrow ten oz. aluminum cans. Reading those comments compeled me to bring up the fact the original Tab diet cola, marketed by Coca-Cola, is still available here as well. I was in a supermarket in Newport this past Saturday, and I noted in the beverage aisle that Tab was available in 2 liter bottles, 6 packs, and 12 packs. Based on what I've read, Tab is seldom seen in many parts of the US. I haven't seen the original Tab sold in Hawaii for some time.

Re: Energy Drinks

It's gettable, but I don't know if anyone's carrying it. You're more likely to get it at a liquor store than at a supermarket. My understanding is that liquor stores get a list of goods available from the distributor, and there might be a "non alcoholic" section, and some retailers order Jolt off that list.

As for sugar, you can forget about it, because Jolt, which was sweetened with 100% cane sugar until 1994 or 1995, is now sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. While you used to be able to get it in glass bottles, it is now sold in twenty-ounce plastic. Add this all up, and you get a regular soft drink with as much caffeine as a strong cup of coffee. Jolt used to be something special, but no more.

"Twice the caffeine" was 100mg per twelve-ounce serving. Coca-Cola had between 50 and 55 mg per twelve-ounce can, so that's where they got that number. Mountain Dew has about 75 mg per twelve-ounce can, so even when Jolt was tasty in a glass bottle, it wasn't that caffeinated. A cup of strong coffee has about 100 mg, as does a standard shot of espresso (these vary, of course). Pepsi and Diet Pepsi have about 35 mg (if I remember correctly) per twelve-ounce can, so in a way, Mountain Dew could claim to have "twice the caffeine."

As for Red Bull, in addition to caffeine, it claims taurine as one of its active ingredients, as do many other energy drinks. I don't know if taurine does anything, but there have been mornings when I've needed a little bit more SOMETHING, and I've had Diet Red Bull and I really think it made a difference. It could have been the caffeine. Or it could have been the guarana, which was most famously (for a while, anyway) the touted ingredient in Josta.

I recently tried a Korean energy drink called Bacchus-F mostly because the name cracked me up (attention former students: I told you there were countless reasons to study Greek and Roman mythology). I believe it is marketed in Korea as a hangover remedy. The ingredients looked pretty much like the ingredients in Jolt, except for the addition of apple juice. I did not notice any effects from teh Bacchus-F, which comes in small glass bottles like the ones Lipovitan comes in.

Speaking of Lipovitan, has anyone tried this? I have a few bottles in my fridge because my mom thought they'd be good for me, but I've never tried them.

Re: Energy Drinks

An aside about cola drinks sweetened with 100% cane sugar: Coca-Cola that has been sweetened with cane sugar is available around here during the time period Passover is celebrated.

I don't know much about the Jewish faith, but evidently regular Coca-Cola that has been sweetened with corn syrup is not certified as Kosher for Passover; as such, Coca-Cola mixes up small batches of cane sugar-sweetened Coke, sold in two liter bottles, around the time of that holiday. The cane sugar Coca-Cola is identifiable from regular corn syrup Coke by the color of the screw-off caps of the bottles. Additionally, there is some marking on the caps of cane sugered Coke, usually in Hebrew charecters, along with a small message that the contents of the bottle have been certifiied as Kosher for Passover.

I like corn syrup Coke better; cane sugar sweetened Coke isn't quite as crisp and refreshing to me as corn syrup sweetened Coke.