Ace

Ace is one of those energy drinks found at the dollar store, at least where I live. Chan and I have seen it there, but we never bothered to pick it up. Well, we decided it was time we finally did and that we review it once and for all. The can design isn't a bad one, looking like a 1940's or 50's housewife in a sultry pose and an army green outfit. Behind her are two cards that look like Aces and behind them is an olive background with rivets and bullet holes. This can is really a work of art, portraying the style of the 40's and 50's and the war-era. I cannot commend Ace enough for this detailed and beautiful can. Looking at the can, it's not very easy to imagine what sort of flavor this will have to offer. I'm not sure what was "the" drink of the 40s and 50s. Perhaps orange juice or maybe apple juice; I don't know. This can does look suspiciously similar to a Monster can, in terms of layout, so I'm going to expect that classic energy drink flavor. We'll see.

I was expecting Ace to be a Monster clone, and it seemed to smell that way. Comparing it to Monster, there's a whole lot more citrus and lemon and less grape. It's like a slightly toned-down Monster, to put it simply. The color looks very close to a Monster, but just a little yellower. There are basically the same flavors, but also a strong apple and a weaker cinnamon. Sipping it, there are the same flavors, but they seem much stronger. I'm going to say that this tastes like apple/cinnamon/grape/citrus, an incredibly unique and tart taste, just like a Monster. Even slightly below room temperature, this is a very refreshing, smooth, and tasty beverage. The gumminess is less than moderate and the carbonation is light and complements the bite of the flavor. I wasn't a great fan of this the first time I tried it, but that time, it was expired. I'm telling you, this is one drink you're going to like if you're into Monster. Like Chan says so often, this is one of those drinks I just want to drink and not review.

I found out that this in fact was made by Monster, as it says on the can that it comes from Corona, California, the origin of Monster. The ingredients are also very similar; this drink has Carbonated Water, Sucrose, Glucose, Citric Acid, Natural Flavors, Taurine, Sodium Citrate, Grape Skin Extract, Panax Ginseng, Caffeine, Sorbic Acid, Glucuronolactone, Benzoic Acid, Niacinamide, Sodium Chloride, Pyridoxine HCL, Pantothenic Acid, Sucralose, Inositol, Guarana Seed Extract, Riboflavin, Maltodextrin, Cyanocobalamin. These energy ingredients look a lot like a Monster. In the Energy Blend, there are 2200mg of Glucose, Caffeine, Guarana, Inositol, Glucuronolactone, and Maltodextrin. That's 300mg less than in Monsters. That makes sense, too; the kick I felt from this thing was great, but only almost as good as a Monster. Still, it's worth paying just a dollar (or even 60 cents, if you can find it at a Big Lots) for a Monster-quality drink.

Taste: 8 - Nice cousin to Monster
Kick: 7.5 - Kick akin to Monster's
Overall: 8 - Great value for the price

Reviewed by: Jeff