Added 2010-02-18 12:27:52

Mini Chill Relaxation Natural Stress Relief

Nutrition Information:
Size: 2.0oz. · Serving Size: 2oz. Calories: 0 · Carbs: 0g · Sodium: 0mg

Ratings:
Combined Reviewer Rating: 6 out of 10

User Rating:  Rate this beverage: select rating 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

4.90 out of 10 from 18 reviewers
*Note: If the user review is grossly different than the editor rating for this energy product, this is probably because of unethical voting practices on the part of the manufacturer or a competitor.

Can Text:

The bottle looks like a brochure for Ambien or a magazine add for diet pills. Once I read what the product does though, that's not a bad thing. The colors are a calming blue/green combo with a hint of purple serenity. There is a graph paper sort of background, and a curve, which I assume graphically depicts a brain wave. The text on the front reads, "mini (in blue and turned vertically) CHILL (in all caps and faded blue to dark blue) relaxation (in purple)". Below the name, "Natural Stress Relief" in blue, and in a green circle, "Sugar Free" in white text. At the bottom, in white text, "Function: Mood and Focus [line break] Great Anything [middle dot] Non-Drowsy [middle dot] Caffeine Free. Then at the very bottom, in a band of green across the bottom, "2 fl oz (60ml) Dietary Supplement". On the back, one of the most thorough explanation of a shot (energy or otherwise) ever printed in tiny, hard-to-read text on a tiny 2 oz. shot bottle, "Finally, a healthy way to relax and feel good. Whether at home, on the town, or doing work. Mini Chill contain Relarian, an all natural patent pending blend of amino acids and herbs. Designed by doctors for fast-acting, long-lasting mood enhancement and focus." Since this isn't the same as every 2 oz. energy shot, I'll also include the directions, "Shake well then drink entire contents to enjoy fast-acting, long-lasting relaction and mental focus. Unused contents require no refrigeration. Discard after 72 hours. For best results drink on an empty stomach." Then there's a caution, "If you are on medication, consult with a physician before sonuming. Do not use if operating heavy machinery, pregnant, nursing or under 18 years of age. Limit use to 2 sergins/bottles per day."

Active Ingredients *Per can, not per serving:
Mini Chill Relaxation Natural Stress Relief contains the following active ingredients per serving (1 per bottle): Relarian, which is a patent-pending blend that contains the following: Valerian Root (briefly, Wikipedia reports that valerian root has been prescribed as a remedy for insomnia. In medieval Sweden, it was sometimes placed in the wedding clothes of the groom to ward off the "envy" of the elves. I gravitate toward believing they put this in Mini Chill to ward off those envious elves) 4:1 Extract, GABA (which some website, laden with pop-in windows and vacation ads...so you know you can trust it, described this as an amino acid that's classified as a neurotransmitter or something that balances excitability and inhibition, or something like that, and helps induce relaxation and sleep. I couldn't copy and paste the description because they'd use every javascript function ever made in some sort of strange experiment to make people never want to visit their site, so this is paraphrased from what I could gather in the 12 seconds I was able to read before the site installed a virus on my computer), L-Theanine (Wikipedia reports "Theanine has been shown to reduce mental and physical stress, and improves cognition and mood in a synergistic manner with caffeine.", but alas this product is caffeine free, so no synergy here [frowny face icon] ), 5-HTP (Wikipedia reports, "5-HTP increases the production of serotonin. Thus, it has been used to treat diseases, e.g. depression, for which the lack of serotonin is thought to be a contributing factor."

*The Stig's Review:
First order of business, this isn't an energy drink. Why are we reviewing it? Well, they sent it to us, and we like free stuff. Also, Jason puts a lot of focus on "energy drinks" that increase focus. Since Jason is a software developer, primarily, "spaz out and punch your mom in the face" energy drinks are of less importance than a product that can provide mental acuity after hours of grinding away at javascript code that will load a picture of an overflowed toilet in the background, while the user reads about some faux content, then replace all the browser content with vile fecal foul imagery. So, while this has some ingredients known to make you sleepy, I didn't experience sleepiness at all. What I experienced was a calm, stress-free afternoon, where I didn't feel like everything on my list of things to do was secretly conspiring against me. In addition, I felt like my brain wasn't handicapped by feeling like whatever I didn't do "right now" was going to be forgotten about and come back to haunt me in three months. While that may not seem particularly energizing, when your brain is weighted down by such nonsense all the time, it's a immense feeling of relief and almost energizing to not feel so stressed and overwhelmed. Again, this product didn't make me physically sleepy, tired or groggy at all, but I imagine it could affect everyone differently.

If you're a traditional energy shot drinker, you may initially find this drink bland. Since they aren't covering up inane amounts of caffeine, which is bitter like aspirin powder, the drink is neither bitter, or masked with tablespoons of artificial sweetener. The result, a very mild, albeit herbal, taste experience. Speaking of herbal, the aroma is certainly herbal, and smelling it before I tasted gave me an immediate negative (flashback to the Steven Seagal Energy Drink experience). Luckily, I sucked it up, because the flavor was mild, and didn't make me want to vomit at all, and the positive affects were noteworthy.

Then comes the bad news, Mini Chill Relaxation shot retails for $3/each. Their website speaks nondescriptly of getting discounts as much at 1/2 if you join their "chill club", but the signup page reads more like a run-of-the-mill newsletter with (likely scant) special offers and (probably frequent and irrelevant) events updates and press releases. At $1.50, these would be an exceptional value. If you are frequently "stressed", and live "high on the hog", $3 may be an just your price point for some afternoon piece of mind. For me, anything that cost more than ramen noodles, and has fewer calories and no caffeine is highway robbery.

Jason has decided that for this review "energy" in our rating will be "mental clarity/alertness", which he considers a form of energy, and I can see it, if I tilt my head just so.

Jason's Review:
How do I know Mini Chill Relaxation works? I just happened to enjoy one a few hours before a series of catastrophic events that would normally have sent me into a fit of mental rage and despair. Shortly after consuming mini chill relaxation, I was surfing the web for information about Rodney Mullen, the greatest skateboarder of all time. I hit a site which contained no relevant information, but in the top left corner of my screen and nearly unnoticeable pop-up came up, followed by an error (which to me appeared to be an error resulting from some exploit within early HTML 5 browser support). The error, like most, was cryptic, but some of the verbiage led me to believe HTML 5 might be involved. Within a few minutes a "virus scanner" popped up and started "scanning" my computer. Let me start by saying, in nearly 20 total years of computer use, this was the first known infection I've had on a computer I owned that was a result of my computer use. As a former "IT guy", I know to check systems administrator message boards about this, as they share information with one another openly, and they have a huge group of users to support. The exploit was described as installing the virus if: 1. You close the window. 2. You click anywhere on the windw 3. (Unconfirmed by this admin, but speculated) if you change focus from the window. Normally, I would call this voodoo, because I've heard users say 1,000 times, "I didn't do anything, it just installed itself". So, as a seasoned "IT guy", I wanted to chastise myself for negligent computer use.

I don't remember the specific name of this scareware/ransomware, but it behaved like "Personal Antivirus". Let me say that fortunately, I keep all my data on my non-system drive and backup my OS with Acronis True Image regularly. Also, I run task manager at startup, and have it minimized to the tray.

Here's the course of events, fake scanner, which I'm assuming is the tiny firefox window that appeared to contain nothing and couldn't see pops up, error changes focus from that window, virus installs. The virus sets registry keys to make .exe a safe filetype and to install unsigned software. It also sets up a proxy so IE (the only app that will run) will only show their "buy our crap" page. Somewhere this virus intercepts any application start, terminates the app, and reports it's infected by a virus (which normally would make removing it an enormous pain). Fortunately, since task manager was already running on my computer, I just noted the .exe name that was eating my resources and stopped it. Now, I removed the virus for my edification, but immediately thereafter re-imaged. Many forums referenced Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, which I installed, but did not detect this virus. The virus installs itself with a random exe name, so it's pretty easy to see it's out of place...if you can find a way to stop it, since regedit reports it's infected by a virus. If you restart your computer (and don't have a second computer), you're pretty much hosed, IE is all that runs, and the proxy is set to them.

All this to say, I was working on a tight project deadline, and had no time for this nonsense. I'd normally be furious at this, but that wasn't the end of it all. After a reimage, and reinstalling some updates since the last image, the computer just restarts (unacceptable in my book, and has never otherwise happened in over a year of using this PC). I assume it's something I updated and forgot about, so I flashed the bios and installed some updated drivers. Restart, "RAID found no bootable device". Oh, things were not looking up, and again, normally the only thing going through my mind would be "Hulk smash!". After some prayer, Mini Chill working overtime, and some calm reasoning, I found a "Extra RAID controller" setting in the bios, set to "enabled". After disabling this, the original RAID controller functioned as expected, and the PC booted. I was standing in relief next to the desk where my computer is turned out toward the room (for max cooling, so it's not just blowing hot air into the wall and trapping it), and I see something moving periodically in the case...immediately, I assume it's a mouse or a small unicorn. Turns out, the power supply fan isn't working properly, it's only turning every now and again. "Oh bother", I thought to myself. A muted response compared to throwing the whole thing at the tardy pizza delivery man, like I'd normally do. Mini Chill gave me the relaxaiton and piece of mind to walk away from this problem, knowing I had work to do, and get a restful night sleep, and attack the problem refreshed the following day. No small task for someone who would usually huff and puff my way through "fixing" the problem (meanwhile breaking 5 other costly things because I was angry and impatient).

Couple this frustration with Valentine's day, which for me, a month after a divorce I wanted no part of, was figuratively like being disemboweled with a padlock. Mini chill, and a great deal of prayer brought me through this difficult time, and with a minimum of mental duress.

The taste is mildly fruity and herbal. It's not offensive, but I wouldn't describe it as pleasant.

I would have happily paid $3 for this product's affects on the previously described day. Not sure I'd be inclined to do it every day, but it doesn't hurt I have a few more samples in the pantry, in case such another day is on the horizon.

*note: sodium was not listed on the product, so we are listing 0. This does not mean there's 0 mg, it means we don't know.

Mini Chill Relaxation Natural Stress Relief Videos and Commercials

Mini Chill Change the Lives of Homeless Mini Chill gives homeless people the incentive to buy a suit at goodwill and impress street walkers. Special Thanks to: Youtune User DrinkMiniChill Added: 2010-02-18 12:36:30

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Added 2010-01-25 14:43:55

Rockstar Roasted Mocha

Nutrition Information:
Size: 15.0oz. · Serving Size: 7.5oz. Calories: 100 · Carbs: 18g · Sodium: 130mg

Ratings:
Combined Reviewer Rating: 9 out of 10

User Rating:  Rate this beverage: select rating 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

6.97 out of 10 from 42 reviewers
*Note: If the user review is grossly different than the editor rating for this energy product, this is probably because of unethical voting practices on the part of the manufacturer or a competitor.

Can Text:

The can is painted a remarkably tru-to-life dookie ball brown color. The top is fake gold, like the engagement ring you got from your first baby daddy. In the same color, along the rim of the can are the words, "caffeine, guarana, ginseng, b-vitamins, taurine", I assume those things are contained within the can. On the front of the can, a big fake gold star, beside that, oriented vertically, "Rockstar Roasted Mocha", then horizontally, "Rockstar Roasted Coffee and Energy". In much smaller letters, "Premium Blended Mocha Cream and Coffee". On the right side, also oriented vertically, but rotated 180 degrees in relation to the other text, "Rockstar Roasted Mocha". In true, "Now we're a big company and people care what we have to say" fashion, Rockstar has inundated the back of the can with motivational text, "Rockstar Roasted is an amazing mix of the finest espresso coffee, fresh milk and cream packed with the powerful energy blend of Original Rockstar. Enhanced with the potent herbal blend of Guarana, Ginkgo, Ginseng and Milk Thistle, Roasted is scientifically formulated to provide an incredible energy boost for those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles-from athletes to rock stars. Enjoy this fully refreshing beverage super chilled. PARTY LIKE A ROCKSTAR." Lastly, as is almost always the case, "Not recommended for children, pregnant or nursing women, or those sensitive to caffeine".

Active Ingredients *Per can, not per serving:
This 15fl. oz. can of Rockstar Roasted contains (aside from entirely too much can text) the following mg(g)/US RDA % (whichever is listed, or both if available) per 8oz. serving (about 2 servings per can): 100 calories, fat 1g/2%, saturated fat .5g/3%, cholesterol 5mg/2%, carbohydrates 18g/6% (sugars 17g), protein 3g/6%, Vitamin B3 20mg/100%, Vitamin B5 10mg/100%, Vitamin B6 2mg/100%, Vitamin B12 6mcg/100%, calcium 84mg/8%, potassium 290mg/8%, phosphorus 125mg/12%, sodium 130mg/5%. The, the "energy blend" (1.39g): taurine 1g, ginkgo biloba leaf extract 150mg, caffeine 120mg, guarana seed extract 25mg, inositol 25mg, lcarnitine 25mg, panax ginseng extract 25mg, milk thistle extract 20mg.

*The Stig's Review:
Rockstar Roasted has a bolder coffee flavor than most of the other energy coffees. I feel like the Java Monster and Starbucks doubleshot Energy offerings, while good, focus far more on creamy flavor than does Rocsktar Roasted Mocha. The first thing I noticed when I opened the can was the aroma of a more robust coffee. I think black coffee drinkers will find this to be the closest to an unadulterated brewed coffee on the market (though it's still a far sight from "black").

Nearly all of the "Energy Coffees" contain about 20g of carbohydrates, but this one didn't taste as sweet to me. The other interesting observation, Java Monster contains nearly 3 times the sodium of both Rockstar Roasted and Starbucks doubleshot Energy Plus Coffee.

Aside from enjoying the drink's natural coffee flavor, which to be clear, I still wouldn't put on par, quality-wise, with Adina Double XXpresso Coffee Energy Drink, I was also comfortably energized. 240mg of caffeine per can, along with 2g of taurine, and only 50mg wasted on ginseng is a good combination (for me) for awakeness and alertness without the jitters. Depending on your sensitivity to caffeine, drinking this in one sitting could be overkill, as it's feasibly equivalent to 4 brewed cups of coffee.

I bought this can while on the road approaching 2 years ago. I think I paid $2.29 for it, but I feel comfortable saying that these are readily available between $1.99 and $2.19 in most stores in and around North Carolina (my immediate vicinity). At that price, I'd say this drink is on par with any other coffee energy product on the market, as it relates to value. If you like dark/flavorful coffee, I'd say this is superior to the Java Monster Big Black or Starbucks doubleshot Coffee Flavor.

Jason's Review:
We only had one can of this, so I'm only going to comment on the non-energy elements of this drink. As the Stig stated, this has an excellent bouquet, which brings to mind a tray of fresh-baked brownies and my favorite medium roast coffee. The scent almost sticks to the room of my mouth. The flavor is bold, but doesn't linger and leave me thirsty, or the "milk bubble" in the back of my throat, like many other "coffee energy" drinks. I feel like Rockstar Roasted goes down tastefully and smooth, with the only only aftertaste being the parts you want to linger.

With the price being only $2, I have to question why the Stig only purchased one can. In fact, I've literally posed the question, "Was $2 really too much to get two cans?". The Stig's only response was a energized/satisfied smile on his/her face as he/she sipped his/her Rockstar Roasted Mocha with a blank look on his/her face, as if he/she wasn't hearing me at all over his/her Microsft Zune (packed with 90's hits, like "LEN-Steal my Sunshine").

There Are No Rockstar Roasted Mocha Videos or Commercials

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Added 2010-01-14 14:24:47

Ubershot Original Energy Shot

Nutrition Information:
Size: 2.0oz. · Serving Size: 2oz. Calories: 5 · Carbs: 0g · Sodium: 5mg

Ratings:
Combined Reviewer Rating: 6.5 out of 10

User Rating:  Rate this beverage: select rating 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

6.48 out of 10 from 17 reviewers
*Note: If the user review is grossly different than the editor rating for this energy product, this is probably because of unethical voting practices on the part of the manufacturer or a competitor.

Can Text:

Ubershot comes in a remarkably attractive matte finish brushed aluminum 58ml (approx. 2 fl.oz.) bottle. The cap is held snuggly in place by a matte red sticker that keeps the lid from loosening during transport and making the cap all gunky. The front of the bottle has a big white double dotted u, which I have no idea what it's called, and I can't put it in the review because it breaks the RSS feed. Also, it's to no advantage as most of our traffic is the the U.S., and since it's not on the keyboard 99% of America doesn't know how to get that character typed in anyway (hint: for windows users it's Alt+0220, and you can look up other sputnik characters in start->accessories->system tools->character map). The text carries on "Ubershot" in black, "Original" in white and "Energy for life with no lows" in smaller white text.

The back continues, "Hours of energy and concentration-sustained high performance and increased alertness. Contains B vitamins and slow-release amino acid. No sugar, no lows, only 5 calories. Non-carbonated liquid energy food supplement with caffeine and sweetener. For maximum energy drink entire bottle. For moderate energy drink half bottle or less and reseal. Do not exceed two bottles a day, consumed several hours apart. This product is not a substitute for a diversified diet. Contains niacin which may cause skin flush (hot feeling, redness) in sensitive individuals. Contains caffeine equivalent to a strong cup of freshly brewed coffee (maybe a strong cup of Turkish coffee, but good luck getting 210mg in a cup of regular freeze-dried commercial coffee here in the states, I'd estimate 150mg/cup on the very high end). Not suitable for children, pregnant women and those sensitive to caffeine (probably not great for nursing women either). Please recycle this bottle.

Active Ingredients *Per can, not per serving:
The following is the per serving (58ml, 1 per bottle) nutritional facts for Ubershot in mg/% of RDA (whichever is listed, or both if available): Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 36mg/200%, Pantothenic Acid 12mg/200%, Folic Acid 400mcg (I think it's a mcg, it looks more like (an upside down h)g on the bottle, then it's also very tiny)/200%, Vitamin B6 10mg/500%, Vitamin B12 85mcg/8500%, Taurine 1050mg, Glucuronolactone 630mg, Caffeine 210mg, N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine 210mg, Malic Acid 160mg, L-Carnitine 50mg.

*The Stig's Review:
(LF9M) Ubershot takes me back to the "golden age" of World of Warcraft, back when downing Drakkisath and scoring that sweet Lightforge Breastplate for your healadin was worth "w00ting" about and linking in guild chat, followed by a celebratory dinner at Bennigan's with your only remaining 3 irl friends, who were also in the raid, and also are no longer concerned with bathing, shaving or reproducing.

So, as I look at this unimposing, unpolished 58ml bottle and think of all the UBRs glory lost, I'm almost unable to overcome the memory of my fallen brothers in battle. Then I look at that plate armored liquid, with it's proud funny shaped "U" tabard, and cloth sticky helm (probably because it's got fat intellect stats), and I need to consume its essence. Maybe I can again suit up and heal/off-tank Drak's second dragon buddy while our hunter friend kites Drak far away from us. I rip the cap off and knock back a funny bittery/tangy fruit flavored shot and 210mg of "well fed" caffeine goodness.

Within minutes I can feel the rush of energy as if I'd just gotten to Onyxia Buff. I'm awake and alert, I could wash dishes, vacuum, balance my checkbook or simply scratch my skin compulsively until I'm bleeding. There's plenty of energy to enjoy, and some extra to detract from other people's ability to enjoy anything.

I have no idea where you get Ubershot here in the states, it's available online in 12-packs for 20 quid ($32.60 at the time of this review), which works out to about $2.70/each, or $50/each after shipping. A far cry better than the $15/mo. raping you get from Blizzard (now Activision Blizzard...my worst two stock investments, finally together in one package...P.S. thanks Vivendi for de-listing on the U.S. exchange, and Activision for making the worst, yet overly-hyped launch release games for a console...ever...On a srs note, thanks for Pitfall!, srsly).

Jason's Review:
If it's possible to imaging a bitter banana, that's what I'd say that Ubershot Energy Shot tastes like. It's got a smooth underlying flavor with just a hint of that head-jerkingly-overt bitter caffeine flavor. Ubershot also doesn't taste as thick, syrupy, and sickeningly over-artificially-sweetened flavor I've come to expect from 5-8 calories, 0 carb, 2 fl. oz. energy shots. Apart from trying to describe the flavor, I'll simply say, I think it tastes pretty good.

Ubershot purports to help with that afternoon/post-lunch slump that many of us experience. They talk about (in their marketing materials) about taking it around 2PM for maximum benefit. My day starts a little later than most people, and that's usually when I eat lunch (or get up, depending on the day). So on an exceptionally taxing day, I took a nap around 3:30, I was really haggard. I hesitantly got up and started moving around about 4PM. Ubershot had its work cut out. I took an Ubershot, with muted expectations. As the bottle described, I experienced comfortably onset and sustained energy boost. It wasn't intense like rolling down the windows in the car on a frigid day as you're dozing off (which happens more often than I care to acknowledge), but more like that cool rejuvenating afternoon breeze our Saviour Jesus Christ sends just when we need it after a long day of moving all of your things, hopes and dreams out of the house that you and your wife bought 8 months ago. It's that little pick-me-up you need to pack away all the Wii she gave you for Christmas a few months ago, hammer the "For Sale" sign into ground and take half of everything you previously owned to the Goodwill because 2100 sq. ft. of stuff doesn't fit into 300sq. ft. of living space ( "...The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." Job 1:21) that your friend was kind enough to offer to you in his new home, so you don't have to live alone in a dark solitary cell of self-loathing. Sorry, I got carried away with how rich God's grace has been in my life over the last 2.5 years.

Ubershot costs about $2.70, which is an ok value, but pales in comparison to the aforementioned grace of God, which is completely free, and available to anyone who will confess their sins, recognizes their own inability to "earn" righteousness, and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ (who was born of the Virgin Mary, lived a life without sin, was fully God and fully man, died for our sins and was raised from the grave) and asks Him to save them from their wicked ways, and invites the Holy Spirit to come into their lives for Jesus' sake. A life of fulfillment and a relationship with the maker of the universe...and it's all free! If you're searching for meaning and purpose in your life, watch Steps to Peace with God a short flash movie by Billy Graham ministries.

Ubershot Original Energy Shot Videos and Commercials

Ubershot Looks like a commercial for Ubershot energy shot. There's some music and light reading. Special Thanks to: Youtube user 0800SPORTS Added: 2010-01-14 14:27:40

Ubershot Original Energy Shot User Comments

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Jason B on 2010-02-22 21:53:07 said:
Ubershot bottle looks nice.. can you buy it in the states? Edited by Jason: We were sent samples of this product, the Ubershot website has a "buy online" option, but I'm not sure if they have a distribution center in the states, or what the shipping ramifications are.

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Added 2010-01-04 22:09:19

Reed's Natural Energy Elixir

Nutrition Information:
Size: 10.5oz. · Serving Size: 10.5oz. Calories: 120 · Carbs: 33g · Sodium: 5mg

Ratings:
Combined Reviewer Rating: 6.5 out of 10

User Rating:  Rate this beverage: select rating 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

7.19 out of 10 from 16 reviewers
*Note: If the user review is grossly different than the editor rating for this energy product, this is probably because of unethical voting practices on the part of the manufacturer or a competitor.

Can Text:

The can is a vibrant combination of purple, red and yellow. Starting on the top of the can, "25% FRUIT JUICE". Below that is the Reed's Natural Energy Elixir logo which is a volcano spewing molten rock high into the air. Below that is a list of the primary ingredients; "GINGER, GREEN TEA, GINSENG, GOJI, ACAI, CAMU CAMU, JIAOGULAN, L-THEANINE, B VITAMINS". The back of the can sports a sweet Naturally Brewed icon featuring a cauldron of sorts above a campfire. Then we have some fluff; "Reed's Natural Energy Elixir is a next generation energy drink that is fundamentally different from current energy drinks. Current energy drinks borrow from the health of an individual by providing an artificial boost from stimulants. The long term effect of our beverage is to increase your basic health and energy levels and not to run you down. This delicious powerful blend will get you going naturally. Main Ingredients and Benefits*: Ginger - powerful antioxidant, increases metabolism, elevates mood, improves digestion and nutrition absorption. Green Tea - rich in epigallacatechin gallate (EGCG) a powerful antioxidant, a natural source of caffeine, lowers bad cholesterol. Ginseng - a powerful adaptogen that counters stress and increases endurance. Goji - Himalayan longevity secret with powerful antioxidants counters aging and increases resistance to disease. Acai - a rainforest super fruit packed with antioxidants, energy, and nutrition. Camu Camu - a rainforest super fruit with the highest concentration of vitamin C of any plant, antioxidant, mood balancing, antidepressant. Jiagulan - called the immortality herb a powerful adaptogen that increases the body's resistance to stress. L-Theanine - an amino acid that creates a sense of relaxation and alertness similar to meditation. B Vitamins - essential nutrients that help counteract stressful living. *These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagonose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Active Ingredients *Per can, not per serving:
Reed's Natural Energy Elixir contains the following mg/USRDA per serving (1), whichever or both if listed: Calories 120, Total Carbohydrate 33g/11%, Sugars 33g, B12 333%, B3 40%, B6 500%, Fresh Ginger Root 23000mg, Green Tea 1000mg, Ginseng 25mg, Goji 200mg, Acai 100mg, Camu Camu 100mg, Jiaogulan 100mg, L-Theanine 15mg. Reed's Natural Energy Elixir also contains sparkling filtered water (sweetened by a blend of sugar cane and pineapple juice concentrate and honey), fresh ginger root, lemon and lime juices from concentrate, green tea leaf, ginseng, goji, acai, camu camu, jiaogulan, L-theanine, B6, B3, B12 and spices.

*The Stig's Review:
Reed's Natural Energy Elixir is one of most unique tasting beverages that I've ever encountered. You could almost say that it tastes like ginger snap cookies. I can see where this could be a drink that you either love or hate. I love the flavor. I get tired of tasting all of these other energy drinks that taste like my grandma's perfume and sugar. Reed's Natural Energy Elixir is a breath of fresh air. The taste of ginger walks a fine line of being almost too intense, but I think they've managed to find a perfect balance to allow for it to be a featured flavor but not grossly overstated.

The energy package for Reed's Natural Energy Elixir is quite nice as well. We have some of the standard energy drinks staples represented in ginseng, acai, and B vitamins, but we have some other rarities that should be considered. First off we have Camu Camu. Camu Camu comes from the Amazon and is renowned for having one of the highest concentrations of vitamin C of any plant. It also acts as a mood enhancer to some degree. This drink also contains Jiaogulan which comes from southern China. Jiaogulan is often referred to as Poor Man's Ginseng and has been used to help alleviate symptoms of jet lag and altitude sickness. Unfortunately, sometimes there is no substitute for a ton of caffeine and other chemical ingredients that are impossible to pronounce. While I enjoy the taste of Reed's Natural Energy Elixir, I am missing the energy boost from it.

At a cost of $1.96 a can, I suggest that you pick one up and try it for yourself. The taste is unique and you may end up loving it. Or you'll hate it and curse my name for making you waste your money.

TLDR: Unique taste, not great for energy

Jason's Review:
Reed's Natural Energy Elixir is like nothing you've ever had before, in or out of the energy drink arena. I'd most closely relate it to a strong ginger ale, like a Blenheim's light heat offering. For anyone unfamiliar with the Blenheim product line, you should be aware that the "hot" flavor is pretty much like drinking cayenne pepper sauce. All of the flavors are bold, unlike the bubbly lightly flavored varieties most people are used to (Scweppe's, Vernor's, Canada Dry, etc.). So, this actually has some ginger kick, but it's unfair to categorize it as "ginger ale", since it contains 25% fruit juice (Goji, Acai, pineapple, lemon and lime) and green tea, it's certainly more than just "ginger ale". This is a unique flavor, something you don't get from the energy drink market every day.

I found the taste initially offensive (ironically, I also originally found Blenheim's taste offensive). In both cases, the aftertaste was what got me hooked, a pleasant warming sensation, and lingering enjoyable flavor. The taste's onset eventually grew on me with both products as well, to the point that I now as people to get me Blenheim for Christmas. The fragrance, on the other hand, never grew on me. I don't like the smell of rooty things. The smell of Reed's Natural Energy Elixir reminds me of my experience with Korean Ginseng Drink, an ordeal from which I've still not fully recovered.

I wasn't really energized to any commendable degree. I'd call it average, at best, as it relates to the "energy" portion.

Hippies and bleeding heart liberals will love everything about Reed's Natural Energy Elixir, except that you can't smoke it, it's not free, and their's not currently any sort of legislation in the works to make it free for everyone without jobs and homosexuals (regardless of their employment situation). Reed's Natural Energy Elixir can be acquired for $1.96, which I think is a pretty reasonable deal, but what do I know? I'm a white, single, middle-class male, so my opinion should be immediately disregarded. I should keep my mouth shut and just work to fund social programs that benefit everyone I oppress.

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Reed's Natural Energy Elixir User Comments

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Viki on 2010-02-22 21:53:35 said:
I tried Reed's Natural Energy and was very impressed! I felt alert, but not jittery. The taste is great, too. I give it a 10 all the way.

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Added 2009-12-14 22:17:23

NOS Fruit Punch High Performance Energy

Nutrition Information:
Size: 16.0oz. · Serving Size: 8oz. Calories: 110 · Carbs: 27g · Sodium: 130mg

Ratings:
Combined Reviewer Rating: 7.5 out of 10

User Rating:  Rate this beverage: select rating 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

7.49 out of 10 from 51 reviewers
*Note: If the user review is grossly different than the editor rating for this energy product, this is probably because of unethical voting practices on the part of the manufacturer or a competitor.

Can Text:

This can screams fruit punch with it's vibrant red coloring. Across the top of the can, we have a laundry list of energy drink staples; "TAURINE + GINSENG + CAFFEINE + TAURINE + L-CARNITINE. Apparently there's a double shot of Taurine in here. The front of the can displays the NOS logo prominently reading "NOS FRUIT PUNCH HIGH PERFORMANCE ENERGY DRINK". On the back of the can we have a dire warning, "CAUTION: POWERFUL". O'rly? YA RLY!!1!

Active Ingredients *Per can, not per serving:
NOS Fruit Punch contains the following mg/USRDA per serving (1), whichever or both if listed: Calories 110, Total Carb. 27G, 9%, Sugars 26g, Vitamin B6 2mg 100%, Vitamin B12 6mcg 100%, Sodium 130mg 5%, Energy Blend 1.48g (Taurine 1000mg, L-Carnitine 200mg, Caffeine 130mg, Inositol 100mg, Panax Ginseng Extract 50mg. POWER Ingredients: Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Citric Acid, Taurine, Sodium Citrate, Natural Fruit Punch Flavor with other natural flavors, L-Carnitine, Caffeine, Sodium Hexametaphosphate, Sodium Benzoate, Monopotassium Phosphate, Potassium Sorbate, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Red #40, Calcium Disodium Salt of EDTA, Sucralose, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Cyanocobalamin.

*The Stig's Review:
I feel as though I've been smashed in the face with cherries. If you enjoy cherry flavor, NOS Fruit Punch is the drink for you! I honestly think that they should have called the drink "CHERRY". I'm sure that there may be some other fruit flavors lingering in the can, but the cherry flavor dominates this drink. I enjoy cherry quite a bit so it's not a problem for me. Apparently NOS Fruit Punch does not contain any juice, which is surprising considering the juice like quality of the drink.

The energy gained is substantial, but I wouldn't say that it warrants a warning that it is "POWERFUL". According to the top of the can it contains taurine, ginseng, caffeine, taurine, and l-carnitine. That's right folks, double taurine! With all of this taurine, I can feel my hypothalamus tingling! Now that I'm all jacked up on endocrine and caffeine, I can focus on writing the rest of this review.

I paid $2.10 for a can of NOS Fruit Punch at the local gas station. I feel that this is a pretty sweet deal. You get a drink that gets you energized and doesn't taste like your grandma's perfume mixed with vomit for a moderate price tag.

Jason's Review:
Having sufficiently mocked Paul Walker and the "Fast and Furious" franchise in previous NOS reviews, I'll try to focus on more relevant bits for this review. The first, and more relevant for me, is that this drink behaves a great deal like the dentist's plaque tablets. About four sips in, I looked like I'd eaten a block of cheese and drank and box of wine. This doesn't say a lot for my dental hygiene, since I'd expect better plaque exposure results from a 16th century British dock worker. Unfortunately, my teeth look like a collection of "that one" tooth of Jewel's, so it's hard to brush affectively. Compound that with me not caring, and you get my grimy oral landscape. To be fair, I've never had a cavity, so maybe if you guys stopped rubbing snake oil pastes and potions on your teeth, that are full of mind controlling fluorides, you would have a set of jagged plaque guarded teeth like me.

Otherwise, this does taste more "cherry" than "fruity", unlike Paul Walker, who is far more "fruity" than just about any other word used to describe Paul Walker. Since cherries are fruits, I guess it's still correct, just not as accurate as it could be. Notable amount of carbs and sodium make this a dieter/diabetic's nightmare.

I think it's worth mentioning that the cans we got looked like they'd been through WWII. Not only did they look like they'd been in the store since before refrigeration units were commonplace, but they were beat up like they were married to Ike Turner. On top of that, the lids were dirty like Madonna Louise Ciccone (the "music" performer Madonna) is dirty down stairs.

For around $2, this is a reasonable deal. Besides your teeth looking like you ate clown makeup, and people assuming you're a Vin Diesel fan, NOS Fruit Punch is a worthwhile energy investment. Tangy cherry/fruit flavor, acceptable energy supplementation and industry standard price. I wouldn't rush out an buy one, but it's probably worth a try if you're not going to be around anyone who's going to make fun of your teeth.

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*As of May 2007, Angie is no longer contributing reviews to Screaming Energy Drink Reviews. Since the guest reviewer does not want to be identified, we've affectionately been referring to them as "The Stig". "The Stig" is the creation of BBC television show "Top Gear". More about "The Stig"