March 10, 2013
Kickstart Fruit Punch
The folks at Mountain Dew have set out to create a new type of morning beverage, one with the taste of juice and the “pick me up” that comes from coffee. And, of course, it had to taste like a Mountain Dew product too. Kickstart Fruit Punch has a pleasant, not-to-sweet fruit punch flavor with a hint of Mountain Dew flavor in the background. The taste is light and refreshing. It really is something that I would drink in the morning, when I don’t want anything too heavy but need some help getting going. The 16-ounce can of Kickstart contains 92 mg of caffeine, or 5.75 mg per ounce. That’s more than most caffeinated soft drinks but not as much as most coffees. It also has 100% daily value of vitamin C and 80% daily value of vitamin B6. Surprisingly, the 16-ounce can has only 80 calories. Okay, so it only has 5% fruit juice. What did you expect from a soft drink maker? It may not be as good for you as a glass of orange juice, but it’s probably a lot better than many other beverages you could drink to start your day.
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July 26, 2012
Purple Stuff Classic Grape
Energy drinks are all the rage nowadays, with everybody looking for different ways to keep themselves awake and alert. What many people don't know, however, is that there's a beverage out there that has the exact opposite effect of an energy drink. At first it was the name that caught my attention; but eventually I found out that Purple Stuff is supposed to reduce stress and anxiety. It contains ingredients such as rose hips and valerian root to put you in a happy and relaxed mood. While there are a few flavor variants, I decided to single out Classic Grape for this review. It has a pleasant grape flavor that goes down smooth while staying crisp and refreshing. There's a slight medicinal tinge to it, but it's nothing that detracts from the overall taste. And while I can't speak for everybody, I can say that I definitely felt a bit more sleepy after drinking this. If you ever feel the need to calm your nerves or loosen up, seek out this somewhat elusive beverage. Even if you're not necessarily wanting to chill out, I'd still recommend giving this great-tasting soda a try.
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February 15, 2011
Monster Absolutely Zero
I'm not sure what you want me to say here. An energy drink with the promise of no calories, no sugar, that's "good enough to earn the Monster M" made me skeptical. But then I cracked open the can, took a sip, and ladies and gentlemen, oh my goodness. I'm shocked. It's got the typical biting Monster taste, perhaps a notch down (an effect of the alternative sweetener?), but definitely still good. Great, in fact. I'm wired, I love the taste, and I'm not going to swell up like a waterlogged sea lion. So in my humble opinion, this drink earns an “Outstanding!" for both its taste and its health appeal. Just spray me with radiation foam when I start glowing.
Phoood rating: 
August 25, 2009
Monster Import
First of all let me say that I am skeptical about many things European. French cars have shoddy wiring, Ukrainian power plants have a tendency to blow up, and Italian sodas are much too fizzy. So I was hesitant to try Monster Energy's new product, Import. Can you blame me? The label even promises Euro-Flavor. Twisting off the nifty "European" style re-sealable cap, I take a draught. Oh. My. Goodness. Monster has done it again, mellowing out their traditional biting flavor into a silky sweet concoction. Less calories too! I find that the contents of an entire can would easily disappear into my ever-hungry gullet. Any traces of an aftertaste are obliterated in this mix, making Monster Import my new favorite energy drink. Kudos, Monster, kudos. (The cool coat of arms on the front gets bonus points, as well.)
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July 18, 2009
Rockstar Wild Berry Energy Shot
A small, black bottle sits in front of me. The label's gold star gleams in the harsh fluorescent light, and I decide to get the ordeal over with. Upon opening the twist-cap, I am greeted by a strong, sweet, almost cough-syrupy smell. So I reluctantly take a sip. The first flavor that hits my tongue is, you guessed it, cough syrup. The cherry kind. However, that assault on my senses subsides and a wave of surprisingly sweet, pleasant berry flavor hits. I decide that I may actually enjoy this caffeine-filled experience. Hmm.. I finish off the last of the small (read: one mouthful) bottle, and sit back. I have never liked energy drinks, so I was bemused that the one that I expected to be the worst ended up being quite good. An hour later, my hands shook like I had just survived a plane crash. My thoughts on this bottle of liquid lightning? Sweet. Syrupy. Pleasant. I will definitely go back to Rockstar Energy Shots for a quick boost.
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June 24, 2009
Venom Energy Mango
My coworker returned from a long road trip a few weeks back and told me the new energy drink she consumed had given her a headache and upset her stomach. When prompted for the name of the energy drink, she replied, "Venom." God forbid you suffer the ill effects of drinking 16.9 oz of Venom, I mused. This line of energy drinks comes in four flavors, of which Mango was my first foray. Clearly it made an impression if it spurred me to write my first contribution to Phoood.com. I'd like to think I am judicious in my use of the word "thermonuclear," but that said, nothing less would describe the reactive mango core of this can. Venom Energy Mango is too sweet for its own good. It is more mango than mango. Moreover, something about the way the drink met my tongue made me feel as though, if they pumped two or three more PSIs of carbonation into this canister, it might just blast itself off to the moon. It's certainly tasty, but probably more like liquid candy than any other energy drink I've ever had (but I don't drink many). I think I'll stick with coffee for my kicks. It may stain my teeth, but at least I don't feel like I'm drinking diabetes when I have a cup of joe.
Phoood rating: 
August 23, 2008
Rockstar Punched
I’m not sure why, but energy drinks almost never do anything for me. I think I’m immune to the effects of caffeine, guarana, ginseng, and all the other stuff that is in them. Every now and again, I like to have one just to see if it will have any effect on me. I recently drank a Rockstar Punched, which tropical punch flavored. I really liked the flavor of it, mostly because it didn’t have any of that odd “energy drink” flavor (I’m not sure how else to describe it…) that energy drinks usually have. It just tasted like a very good fruit punch. If I hadn’t have read the label, I would never have guessed that it contained 120 mg of caffeine, 1000 mg of taurine, 150 mg of ginko biloba leaf extract, and a bunch of other stuff that I’ve never heard of. And it’s effect on my body? Nothing. Oh well, maybe 16 ounces just isn’t enough. Next time, I’ll drink two cans.
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July 30, 2008
Jamba Strawberries Wild Smoothie
Impatient types that don’t want to wait in line at Jamba Juice while their smoothie is prepared will be glad to learn that Jamba Smoothies are now available in grocery and convenience stores (in eight Western States) in ready-to-drink bottles. I recently tried the Strawberries Wild smoothie, which is one of three flavors offered. It has a fresh strawberry taste and is very thick, like a smoothie should be. Unlike the smoothie you would get at your local Jamba Juice, the bottled smoothie is not made with ice. Instead, nonfat milk added to the smoothie gives it a smooth, creamy texture. I actually like it better than the ones made with ice. My only complaint is that the 2.5 ounce bottled smoothie is just too small. It’s gone in just a couple of gulps. I’ll be a lot more impressed when Jamba Juice offers a 32 ounce (or larger) bottled smoothie.
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March 12, 2008
G2 Fruit Punch
As if there weren’t already enough types of Gatorade (Gatorade A.M.???) now we have G2. Officially, it was designed for athletes off the field and has a different formulation than regular Gatorade. However, I have a hunch that the larger market is couch potatoes and others who don’t exercise much but still think they need a sports drink for some reason. G2 has half the calories of regular Gatorade, so I’m not surprised at all that it tastes like watered-down Gatorade. The fruit punch flavor of the G2 that I tried wasn’t necessarily bad, just very faint. Here's a tip: Take some regular Gatorade and mix it with an equal amount of water. Voilà, you just saved fifty percent. Clark Howard would be proud.
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January 6, 2008
Starbucks Caramel Misto
$4.50 for a Venti Caramel Macchiato. This rich, creamy, velvety smooth drink made from espresso shots and steamed milk is arguably the best Starbucks has to offer. The price of this warming drink, however, is not; four and a half dollars for a drink is ridiculously overpriced, and the expenditure is dangerous for everyday patrons. I suggest to those found in this dilemma to try the Caramel Misto. It's not on the official Starbucks menu, but most Baristas (Starbucks' workers) will understand. Rather than using a shot of espresso, the Misto uses a shot of black coffee. Normally, this would make the drink flavorless, the milk overpowering the essence of the coffee, but since the coffee at Starbucks is bolder than others, the two drinks taste relatively the same. One can also ask for "double shot", which also makes the drink's coffee fragrance bolder. The best part is most stores will give this to you at a price of $2.50. This extensive coffee drinker can tell the difference, even when ordering a double shot, but for two dollars less, that's a minute sacrifice to make. (Note: Though most Baristas should understand your order, some employees may not actually know about the Misto. The prices may also vary, so checking with your Barista is highly recommended)
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June 21, 2007
Amp Energy Drink
I think I've tried just about every energy drink on the market. There's nothing like a nice cold can of guarana, taurine, sugar, and most importantly, caffeine to get you through the rest of your day or night. About a year ago while I was testing all the energy drinks on the market to see which one was the best, I stumbled upon Amp. Most energy drinks have a harsh, bitter taste. However, Amp is the opposite. Unlike other energy drinks, it isn't tart and there's almost none of that energy drink flavor like the other brands. It tastes almost like Mountain. Dew. Which is what I expected, since Mountain Dew is the maker of Amp. I've found that since Amp isn't bitter like Rockstar or Monster, my stomach doesn't hate me in the long run.
Amp comes in two sizes and two flavors. The flavor I like most is "Overdrive," which is equivalent to Mountain Dews Code Red. I enjoy it so much I could almost drink it like any normal soda, but I have to sleep sooner or later. Also, with all that sugar and caffeine pumping through your body, you will probably crash when it wears off. So, like all energy drinks, if your are sensitive to caffeine, Amp is not for you.
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May 5, 2004
Yoo-hoo Double Fudge
Yoo-hoo has been around since the 1920's, but it has only been in the last few years that it has been widely available in California (where I live). I've always liked Yoo-hoo, but not just for it's taste. My favorite guitar player, Johnny Ramone, is a Yoo-hoo fan. Each time I drink a bottle, it reminds me of him. When I recently saw the Double Fudge flavor for the first time in a local Kwik-E-Mart, I just had to try it. I was not disappointed. It has a deep, rich chocolate flavor that is delicious. If you like regular Yoo-hoo but crave more chocolate, then Double Fudge is for you. I don't know if Johnny has tried the Double Fudge flavor, but I have a feeling he would love it.
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