Source Orange

April 20th, 2013

Cheap tasting and probably not worth the effort. It doesn’t quite achieve the optimum sweetness/sharpness ratio and leans on the sharp side making the drink a little unpleasant to consume – it doesn’t taste awful, but it could have been a lot better.

Overall Rating:
(2.1/5)
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Originality:
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Visitor Ratings:
Caffeine: 30mg/100ml Tags:
,
Calories: 45kCal/100ml
Size: 250ml
Sold By: Morrisons
Web Site:

Guarana Force

April 17th, 2013

I’d never seen this one before at all so was quite keen to sample its French delights. It has a very low caffeine content as energy drinks go, comparable to Mountain Dew Energy in the UK so  I wasn’t expecting much of a kick. It is a Red Bull Clone, but on the sweet side and very watered down making it quite a light tasting drink. I’d recommend it as an energy drink for later in the day when you don’t want a full wake-up, but just have a hankering for the taste.

Overall Rating:
(2.2/5)
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Originality:
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Visitor Ratings:
Caffeine: 15mg/100ml Tags:
,
Calories: 45kCal/100ml
Size: 250ml
Sold By: Carrefour, France
Web Site:

Shark Stimulation

April 13th, 2013

Discovered at a bar of all places, I had to ask them not to open it before serving. Quite bitter in taste, very much like the European own-brands to some degree and sadly not as nice as I wanted it to be. Branding and can design is great though, and the kick from the product itself is no different to any other regular energy drink, but sadly this is just another clone of the brightly coloured horned creature.

Overall Rating:
(1.8/5)
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Originality:
Strength:
Visitor Ratings:
Caffeine: 32mg/100ml Tags:
,
Calories: 45kCal/100ml
Size: 250ml
Sold By: Dewstow Golf Club
Web Site: Click here

Euro Shopper Energy Drink Sugar Free

April 6th, 2013

I maybe putting this second in my list of nicest Red Bull Clones. It was very similar to Red Bull Sugar Free, but with a little bit more bitterness (a tiny eeny weeny amount more). This will give Aldi’s Red Thunder a run for its money and the deciding factors will now have to be price, availability and convenience. It’s a lot nicer than the non-sugar-free version of Euro Shopper’s Energy Drink and whether that is down to a ‘new improved’ flavour exercise that has happened since I tried the original I’m not sure – I may have to re-evaluate.

Overall Rating:
(3.5/5)
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Caffeine: 32mg/100ml Tags:
, ,
Calories: 2kCal/100ml
Size: 250ml
Sold By: Premier Stores, UK
Web Site:

Burn

April 3rd, 2013

Another French energy drink, which I believe I have also seen in Spain, Germany, Italy and Croatia but NOT the UK! It’s really nice and very different so gains points on originality. The colour is bright red and the taste, I think, is raspberry. I say ‘I think’ because I’m not 100% sure – I didn’t get the raspberry breakthrough until I took a sip after munching a double chocolate cookie and suddenly had a chocolate and raspberry moment (those two flavours go together very well FYI and create quite a memorable lasting taste). Wake-up-wise it packs a standard 32mg/100ml caffeine punch plus Guarana so you’ll know you’ve had one. Top marks and I hope they bring it to the UK soon – I’ll post a news article if I hear anything.

Overall Rating:
(3.8/5)
Taste:
Originality:
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Visitor Ratings:
Caffeine: 32mg/100ml Tags:
,
Calories: 57.1kCal/100ml
Size: 250ml
Sold By: Carrefour, France
Web Site: Click here

Blue Bolt Cherry and Blackcurrant

March 30th, 2013

An interesting combination – I think that Sainsbury”s have just taken a summer fruits cordial, added some carbonated water, and dropped a couple of Pro Plus tablets in to the concoction. I’m not sure this is a necessary addition to the own-brand energy drink market but all the supermarkets seem to be trying to out-do each other at the moment.

Overall Rating:
(2.4/5)
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Visitor Ratings:
Caffeine: 30mg/100ml Tags:
,
Calories: 48kCal/100ml
Size: 250ml
Sold By: Sainsbury's
Web Site:

Rockstar Super Sours Bubbleburst

March 23rd, 2013

Hmm… I was concerned that it would taste like those cheap tubs of bright blue ‘drink’ you get from corner shops everywhere, and I wasn’t far wrong. It tastes of bubblegum, and is not very sour either which was disappointing. Having said that, I did enjoy it though! Given the name ‘super sour’, both this and the green apple flavour are far too tame in my opinion. Rockstar should have gone all out and made them proper sour so as your lips and gums peel back over your teeth. Then I’d have been really impressed.

Overall Rating:
(3.9/5)
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Originality:
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Caffeine: 32mg/100ml Tags:
, ,
Calories: 59kCal/100ml
Size: 500ml
Sold By: Lifestyle Stores
Web Site: Click here

Rockstar Super Sours Green Apple

March 16th, 2013

Rockstar does it again with their original ideas. Whilst not particularly sour, it is reminiscent of the apple sour sweets you used to get when you were a child but much more palatable. I was concerned that a sour drink would be more suited to a smaller can but I was wrong – this drink was moreish and refreshing. Top marks all around!

Overall Rating:
(4.2/5)
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Originality:
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Visitor Ratings:
Caffeine: 32mg/100ml Tags:
, , ,
Calories: 59kCal/100ml
Size: 500ml
Sold By: Lifestyle Stores
Web Site: Click here

Red Bull – The Silver Edition (2013) Citrus

March 9th, 2013

Do you remember the good old days when alcopops such as Hooch and Metz ruled the bars? Well, another member of that bygone family was the Smirnoff Mule, and the Silver Edition of Red Bull tastes pretty much as a remember that tasting, only with less vodka of course. The lime flavour is pretty strong and sour but works. Out of the three special editions, I’d put this one as my second favourite. It’s refreshing, but only just – any stronger and it’d be far too sickly.

Overall Rating:
(3.8/5)
Taste:
Originality:
Strength:
Visitor Ratings:
Caffeine: 32mg/100ml Tags:
,
Calories: 45kCal/100ml
Size: 250ml
Sold By: Asda
Web Site: Click here