Cola
doesn't rule the world anymore. Global energy drinks are the 21st century's
alternative to soda pop.
Instead of carbonated
sugar water and food coloring, younger generations demand something more
substantial in their beverage of choice. Sparking suitable stimulation
to the tech savvy hyperactivity of Gen X, Jolt Cola ignited this smart
drink revolution back in the mid 1980s. It soon was followed by Herbal
XTC Tea/Cola and finally in the early-mid 1990s with the ubiquitous standard
bearer, Red Bull.
Originating
in Austria, and a mainstay on the European continent for the last half
decade, Red Bull has set the pace for a worldwide global energy elixir
phenomenon, and spurred many imitators in the process. Today, one would
be hard pressed not to find a plethora of local energy drinks in any convenience
or liquor store across the globe.
The marketing
and packaging of energy drinks are often more interesting than the drinks
themselves. Lithely chic cans about half the size of a can of soda pop
are the order of the day.
Many are clearly
geared toward the under-20 market, while others promise everything from
sexual performance to hangover cures.
Many taste like
sugared-down vitamin juice, but some are excellent and addicting -- in
both taste and effect. Most pack as much caffeine as a cup of coffee, in
addition to a multitude of other ingredients that center around glucose
(sugar), B vitamins, taurine, glucuronolactone, guarana, ginseng, and caffeine.
Taurine is a
naturally occurring amino acid found in the human body, but often is depleted
after physical exertion. It gives one the energy of caffeine without a
jittery feel.
Glucuronolactone
is produced in the human liver and helps detox the body while one's metabolism
is raised by the accompanying B vitamins and taurine. Guarana is derived
from a South American plant that grows wild in the Amazon and purportedly
enhances sex drive and prolongs the effect of caffeine on the body.
The following
are a sampling of global power brews with taste and kick factors ranked
on a scale of one to five, with five being the best in terms of potency
and strength:
RED BULL (Austria)
The father
of all energy drinks and clearly the best, Red Bull is the measure by which
all other energy drinks to aspire. Red Bull was launched in 1987 by an
Austrian businessman who became inspired by the throng of energy drinks
available in Asia. One million cans were sold in 1987, and that number
has grown to over 300 million worldwide in 1998. Red Bull is the Coca Cola
of energy drinks. Its mix of B vitamins, glucuronolactone, taurine, and
caffeine "Give you wings," as their effective marketing pledges. Red Bull
is the current global leader, reaching virtually every continent.
It is
entrenched in the European
youth culture, sponsoring extreme sporting events and soccer matches, as
well as DJ Academies and festivals.
Taste Factor:
5
Kick Factor:
5
THAI RED BULL
Red Bull rip-off
available in Bangkok. Sugared-down version of regular red bull without
the kick.
Taste Factor:
3
Kick Factor:
3
DARK DOG (Austria)
Strange taste
in an innocuous way. It comes in orange and lemon flavors. Its active ingredients
are B vitamins, taurine, caffeine, and guarana.
Taste Factor:
2
Kick Factor:
3
SoBe(U.S.A.)
Tasting like
lightly carbonated Tang, it is aptly named, "Adrenaline Rush." Its active
ingredients include taurine, d-ribose, l-carnitine, Inositol, B Vitamins,
guarana, ginseng, and caffeine.
Taste Factor:
4
Kick Factor:
4
BLUE OX (U.S.A.)
Tasting of a
sweet, limey Orange Crush, the Blue Ox is a poor imitator to Red Bull.
Its active ingredients include caffeine, taurine, B vitamins, inositol,
and ginseng.
Taste Factor:
2
Kick Factor:
3.5
LUCOZADE SOLSTIS
(UK)
The can's slogan
reads, "Fast Stimulation for Body and Mind." It tastes good at first, but
then has a weird aftertaste, a bit like sour carbonated coconut juice.
Ingredients include B vitamins, taurine, caffeine, and guarana.
Taste Factor:
3
Kick Factor:
2.5
GO-GO (U.S.A)
With such flavors
as Passion (with yohimbe and ginseng to promote sexual passion), Bliss
(with kava kava and St. John's Wort to mellow out), Buzzkill (with aloe
vera and nettles to detox and cure the hangover), Frenzy (cola flavor that
really jacks you up), and Combat (with echinacea and
Vitamin C to ward off colds),
accompanying a hip marketing plan, these drinks are holding up in the competitive
energy elixir universe.
Taste Factor:
5
Kick Factor:
5
KMX (U.S.A.)
Tastes like
a stronger, heavily carbonated Tang. Its active ingredients consist of
ginseng, guarana and B vitamins.
Taste Factor:
2.5
Kick Factor:
1
ERECTUS (Czech
Republic)
Czech brewed
imitator to its Austrian counterpart (Red Bull), the can employs a bit
of Czech humor, with a stick figure that exemplifies its name.
V (New Zealand)
With a guava-like,
mild taste, V's slogan claims to "Invigorate Body and Mind," by improving
mental alertness and enhancing concentration. Active ingredients include
guarana, caffeine, taurine, glucuronolactone, and B
vitamins.
Taste Factor:
4
Kick Factor:
3
DT (UK)
DT is produced
by Virgin Atlantic Airlines, and comes in blue, green and purple "flavors."
Purple is best, with a combination of cranberry and grapefruit flavor.
It is very refreshing and unlike a lot of energy drinks, has no vitamin
odor or stickiness. Taurine, caffeine, B vitamins, glucuronolactone, and
ginseng are among the drink's active ingredients.
Taste Factor:
5
Kick Factor:
4
SPIKED SILVER
(UK)
Cranberry flavored
and lightly carbonated, it tastes quite refreshingly good. Ingredients
include guarana, yerba mate, glucuronolactone, caffeine, inositol, and
taurine.
Taste Factor:
4.5
Kick Factor:
4
OKITAROU (Japan)
Among the ubiquitous
world of Japanese energy drinks made available at subway stations and 7-Elevens
throughout Tokyo, Okitarou means "wake-up" and is one of many futsukayoi
hangover drinks popular with Japanese businessmen for the day after business
blitz sake sessions. It smells like a bottle of vitamin B multivitamins
and tastes rather innocuous if you can get beyond the smell. Active ingredients
include vitamins B1, 2, 6, caffeine, and guarana.
Kick Factor:
5
Taste Factor:
2
WHOOP ASS (U.S.A.)
Tasting like
strong 7-Up, the retro-looking can has a mangaesque cartoon character on
it with the slogan, "Revitalizes attitude & restores faith in mankind."
Caffeine, ginseng, inositol, and taurine make up its active ingredients.
Taste Factor:
3.5
Kick Factor:
2
VAAM (Japan)
This clear,
lightly-carbonated beverage has a grapefruit flavor and a bitter after-taste.
Its ingredients are unknown, as the bottle is written in untranslatable
Japanese words.
Taste Factor:
3
Kick Factor:
2.5
MAGIC (Kuwait/Sweden)
The taste is
unlike anything else, but not clearly describable nor memorable. It is
produced in Kuwait under the authority of A.T. Jahnsson's Magic House AB
Sweden and available at Ikea in Kuwait City. Guarana, ginseng, and
caffeine are its active ingredients.
Taste Factor:
3.5
Kick Factor:
1.5
GREEN PEOPLE'S
(UK)
This 100% natural
herbal drink tastes like medicine. It can be consumed on its own, or mixed
with fruit juice. It is available at the spa/bar in the Virgin Atlantic's
First Class Recovery lounge at London's Heathrow Airport.
Taste Factor:
1
Kick Factor:
1
Taking the
global energy drink phenomenon to another level, global clubbers have mixed
these high-powered elixirs with alcohol for that all-night-so-you-can-stay-awake
buzz on the dance floor. Red Bull and Vodka tops the list in popularity,
but new concoctions are constantly brewed at hip clubs throughout the world.
Red Bull mixed with Jagermeister is a potent mix that tastes like a double
shot of "sweet tarts" candy. Spiked Silver with vodka puts a new spin on
cranberry and vodka. To take the edge off all the caffeine, Go-Go's Bliss
with vodka and a squeeze of lemon makes for a mellow martini mix.
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Copyright 2001 by United
Press International.
All rights reserved.
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