Coolah Energy

I was feeling great today and wanted to assure myself I'd have the chance to review a great drink. So I pulled out Coolah Energy from the fridge. The drink's can has a lemon yellow background and sports a nifty stylized boomerang in motion. Below this, it calls itself "energy from down under," which I personally like. Anything from Australia appeals to me, and I've tried this one once before, and I remember some great flavor coming through. This time, I'll have the time to focus on the taste a bit more and learn a bit more about it. Something interesting about this drink is the fact that it has something I haven't yet seen in an energy drink: Boronia. A quick search tells me this is some sort of evergreen herb. As I learn more about this shrub, I find that it's indigenous to Australia and is found all over. I can't recall exactly what sort of effects this drink gave me last time I had it, but I'm going to be sure to pick them up today.

I took a deep whiff and smelled a delightfully mild lemon-lime, reminding me exactly of Sprite. It's incredibly similar, except somewhere in here I smell a small tinge of sour lemon like Lemonhead candies. Taking a sip, theres that same lovely lemon-lime soda taste with minimal to moderate carbonation with a bit of the usual lime absent, resulting in more of a simple and narrow flavor, however every time I take a sip, I'm yearning for some depth, probably missing because of the absence of lime. This doesn't mean it's a bad drink, but it does mean you may become tired of the flavor sooner. Describing the taste from start to finish, we first have a bit of carbonation masking the lemon and then pretty generic natural lemon comes through with some pleasantly stinging carbonation giving this drink some texture. On the way down, that same flavor fades and you have plain sourness. Overall, it's a bit bland, but it is very refreshing if had over a period of time, with infrequent sips. You have to understand this isn't one of those insanely addicting drinks like Monster or the Monster Javas, but it is one that'll keep you going for a night of gaming, as it has proven itself to me as a decent gaming drink.

After slamming this thing down reluctantly, I have to say my focus was intense in a game of Combat Arms. Yes, I've heard of its reputation, but opinions aside, I must admit my focus was intense and I did much better than I have recently. My focus was increased greatly which you always look for from a drink while your gaming. My energy level was good, but not over-the-top, which would have me unable to keep still, something I don't want when I'm playing a first person shooter.

This drink has 30g per serving, 60g total of sugar and the calorie count is 240 per can, which is slightly higher than most drinks. The ingredients list is as follows: Filtered Carbonated Water, HFCS, Citric Acid, Taurine, Natural and Artificial Lemon Flavor with Other Natural Flavors (Including Boronia Extract), Potassium Citrate, Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate, Caffeine, Modified Corn Starch, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Ester Gum, Niacinimide (Vitamin B3), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Calcium Disodium EDTA, Yellow 5, Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12).

Overall, it's not an extraordinary ingredients list, looking at the HFCS and the few energy ingredients, but what does interest me is the fact that Boronia is not meant for energy but for flavor. That's something I like a lot, seeing unique and distinct flavors blended with traditional ones. Boronia isn't something I've ever tasted myself but I suppose it accounts for that very distinct flowery tang behind the lemon. Overall, I can sum this drink up as a delightful, heritage-rich Australian lemon soda on steroids. Considering the great price I found it at, $1.25, I would definitely get one of these again, for a night of gaming or what have you.

Taste: 7.8 - Nice take on lemon; not addicting, but satisfying and refreshing
Kick: 6.5 - Just decent for an energy drink, but non-jittery, which is favorable
Overall: 7.5 - Not the best drink, but I like it a lot and the heritage is facinating

Reviewed by: Jeff