Sobe Energy

I was just browsing at Albertson's, not really interested in getting any energy drinks when I saw the Sobe Energy. I figured that it qualifies as an energy drink because it contains guarana, ginseng, and taurine, so I just decided, "Why not?" I'm pretty interested in reviewing this for a few reasons. First, I really haven't reviewed a drink that's made out of glass, nor one without a pop tab. Next, I have really enjoyed Sobe's energy drinks, and I hope they will continue to impress and amaze me. I think Sobe does a great job on their taste but I've realized one thing about it: most have a base flavor of citrus. This bottle is obviously transparent, revealing a dark, opaque citrus color, as well as waves and dots carved into the glass. Sobe slapped a sticker on the glass showing a dark logo that is the two lizards and the default word, "Sobe." In smaller print the words, "Citrus Flavored Beverage" is printed at the bottom, which helps me out explaining the taste. Okay, here it goes...

Unlike many drinks, this one twisted off with the sound of metal separating, or the cracking sound you get when you open up a water bottle. Anyway, I go in for a smell to get a tropical orange-citrus aroma. Just like I mentioned earlier, Sobe Energy has a dark orange color, like a citrus fruit. This drink has an extremely light citrus-orange flavor immediately going into the mouth and touching the tongue. Odd enough, I can feel a chalky, or vitaminy taste as it goes into the mouth as well. I peek over to the ingredients and I don't seem to find anything explaining this odd taste. Okay, I let the ingredients settle, and it tastes about normal; maybe I shouldn't have shaken it. It fades away with some odd various berries, and maybe a bit of cherry, perhaps. This one reminds me of the Vitamin Water Energy, because it has the same mild and light taste; maybe it's Sobe's answer to Vitamin Water's energy drinks. In case you didn't know, this is not carbonated, which leaves me caught chugging its light taste enjoyably. As well as that, I'm pleased to delcare that it has no gumminess whatsoever. Overall, this drink wasn't bad, I really enjoyed its various tropical flavor, but I think it was just too light for me.

Here comes an ingredient list you won't see in just any energy drink. I first see filtered water, which is basically an alternative to carbonated water. Next, I see just plain sugar, or sucrose as well as orange juice from concentrate. Following citric acid, there's some lemon juice from concentrate and natural flavors. There's vitamin C and caffeine with some cherry juice from concentrate (I knew it). After that, taurine finally shows up in this list as well as elderberry juice from concentrate. Per can, you get 270 calories, which isn't bad, considering that it's a 20 ounce bottle. there's also 66g of sugar, isn't that a nice amount for this size? In hardly noticeable small font at the bottom, I see the caffeine content, which is a weak 81mg. For a 20oz bottle, I was expecting a bolder buzz and taste, I guess this is one Sobe didn't do their best on. Compared to all the other citrus energy drinks out there, this one was an easy fail. I think that this one didn't have enough flavor to wow someone, but just enough to down in about 5 minutes or less.

Taste: 6.5 - It wasn't gross at all, but the ingredients in the drink didn't settle
Kick: 5 - 81mg?
Overall: 6- Nothing great, there are many better citrus drinks to choose from

Reviewed by: Chan

Sobe Adrenaline Rush Sugar Free

Ahh, here again with yet another classic Sobe energy drink. I'm really glad that Sobe started making energy drinks because they make some quality juice-like regular drinks. Although Sobe can make a good energy drink, they have some adjustments to make as well. This one is the Sugar Free Adrenaline Rush, and I've heard it is better than the original Adrenaline Rush. I've never tried the original, but I get a good picture of what it tastes like. I think that this Sugar Free will have like a citrus-tangerine flavor, but lacking that boost of flavor regular energy drinks have. This new can design is pretty simple, blue and silver blended background with the large silver two lizards smack, in the middle. I really like the older can design because this one is a bit too glossy, but it's fine. Okay, I think I'm ready to start reviewing.

As I open up the can, I smell a surprisingly strong grapefruit aroma. That totally caught me off guard, I never would have expected a grapefruit scent. Out of the can, Adrenaline Rush Sugar Free gives a yellow-orange color, similar to orange juice, almost exactly. This Sobe drink has a natural orange juice flavor right as it hits your tongue. As it fades away, you get an odd artificial grapefruit taste and a bit of some unappetizing papaya flavor. Luckily, sugar free energy drinks usually have no aftertaste, but their taste 'fades' away artificially. I think this drink is really well made, for an energy drink because the artificial taste is hardly noticeable. I can't stop thinking how much this drink resembles orange juice, but carbonated and a bit less flavor. It also tastes like the Rip It Citrus X and the Sobe Essential Energy Orange. As for carbonation, this drink, you can bet, has very little carbonation, which I and many others enjoy. One error I notice in this drink is the amount of gumminess, which is surprisingly a lot. I have reviewed quite a few sugar free drinks to know that they shouldn't have much gumminess at all. Overall, this was one powerful sugar free energy drink, but it got a bit bland after 3 seconds in your mouth, like fake fruit.

Now for the ingredients. After carbonated water, I see citric acid, taurine, and natural flavors. If you do the math, you see that taurine comes in at number three, not too bad. A few ingredients after that, I see a threatening sucralose, which is number 7. As you might know, too much sucralose can ruin a drink, like the Rockstar Sugar Free. Which reminds me to tell that before you purchase a sugar free drink, make sure and check how high sucralose is in the ingredients list. Make sure that it is not higher than 6 or 7. Adrenaline Rush Sugar Free also has the same ingredients in it, in terms of giving you energy, as your every day Monster or Rockstar. Per can, you get about 20 calories, which is about the same amount as the Lo-Carb Monster. You obviously get no sugar, but 1g of carbohydrates. As for caffeine, I see 152mg, which is about average, maybe a bit more, but no a lot. You also get 1,920mg of taurine; that leaves me wondering, "Why not just round to 2,000?" This beverage wasn't anything great, it had too much sucralose, which is now upsetting my stomach. It also had a pretty mild and weak flavor that kind of disappointed me, but definitely one of the better sugar free drinks out there.

Taste: 7 - Just a decent drink, nothing too special
Kick: 8 - Pretty nice kick, Sobe does a good job of that
Overall: 7.5 - It's pretty much what I expected it to be like

Reviewed by: Chan

Sobe Essential Energy Berry Pomegranate

Yay, I finally got a chance to review the Essential Energy Berry Pomegranate. I am so excited to crack this one open because I really enjoyed the Orange Essential Energy. Sobe Essential Energy claims they their drink is "Better-For-You Energy" which basically means that it has healthier ingredients, like yerba mate and crystalline fructose. This can has a blue bar at the top, rather than a citrus-orange bar found on the Orange. The other difference is that the two Lizards and the large Lizard centered on the can is blue. Above that, I see the words Sobe and Essential Energy in all lowercase words. It's a pretty basic can desgin, right? I'm predicted a smooth berry flavor, with a sharp pomegranate aftertaste. If that is so, I believe it'll be a pretty intense drink. So, here I go.

As I open up the can, I get an unpleasant weak scent. However, it's not a bad one. It's a blend of bitter berry and a weak pomegranate, which reminds me of the Monster Mixxd, Extreme 6-Hour Energy Shot, and the Sobe No Fear. I think that it has an overwhelming scent, but isn't strong at all. It comes out of the can an extremely dark purple, almost violet, with some fizziness. Oh good, it tastes way better than its scent. As it first enters the mouth, I get a refreshing grape taste, with a hint of some raspberry. I can also taste trace amount of tea, most likely the yerba mate blended in. The aftertaste is a cheek-pinching, mellow pomegranate, probably the most natural tasting pomegranate I've ever had in a drink thus far. Every flavor in the Essential Energy Berry Pomegranate seems to be incredibly natural, one of the best you'll find, in terms of natural taste. This drink has neutral carbonation, so it's really easy to enjoy and down it quickly, not that you'd want to, anyway. As for gumminess, I notice some lingering around, but it wouldn't get in your way, though. Overall, this drink has a refreshing natural taste, as if you were drinking fresh squeezed raspberry, grape and pomegranate juice. A unique one, a must try.

Now for the ingredients. Like a few other drinks I've reviewed here on Canned Reviews, this drink contains crystalline fructose, which is basically table sugar, but coming from cornstarch, not fruit. Next, I see grape, pomegranate, and raspberry juice from concentrate. That explains all the natural flavors. Oh, that, and the fact that I see natural flavors listed next in the ingredients. You also get Vitamin C, caffeine, guarana, ginseng, and yerba mate. Per can, you get 230 calories, not bad, mostly coming from the fruit. You also get only about 59g of sugar, not bad either, considering that this is a pretty sweet drink, I thought. I just noticed that the Berry Pomegranate doesn't contain any taurine, but I'm feeling a noticeable kick now, anyway. It doesn't say how much caffeine is in here, but I'm gonna guess around 140-180mg, which is about average for an energy drink. Lastly, I see at the top of the nutritional facts that it says "Contains 7% Juice." This drink was great, in terms of having such a genuine and natural flavor, but the flavor just didn't appeal to me that much.

Taste: 7 - Natural, but not the best
Kick: 8 - Great kick, so far
Overall: 7.5 - It got a bit bland halfway through the can, and frankly wasn't nearly as good as the Orange

Reviewed by: Chan

Sobe Essential Energy Orange

Here I am again, in a never ending search for energy drinks all over the world. This time, I dug out the Sobe Essential Energy Orange. I know that they make a blue one, or berry, but I decided to try orange. You can find this drink at your local market or store. I found this one at Ralph's, so I guess they aren't too hard to spot. This can explains and describes how it is better for you than most other energy drinks. It has the two orange lizard logo along with a larger golden lizard in the back. Other a few dents and scratches, this can is pretty basic. I do remember trying this drink about 5 months ago, but all I remember is that it's crisp and light. Let's find out if my memory is right...

As soon as I pop open the can, I get a real orange-like smell, similar to the Rip It Citrus. However, this one doesn't smell as artificial as the Rip It. As I tip the can towards the cup, I get a bright orange color with a bit of light yellow mixed in. This drink's color resembles orange juice, because of its opaque orange tint. I don't know what Sobe is saying because I notice quite a lot of carbonation, although they say it is lightly carbonated. Wow, that is one tasty drink. If you can remember what Sunny D tasted like, back in your childhood days, you know what this taste like. However ,there isn't that artificial taste. Instead, you get a burst of natural orange flavor, sorta like a freshly squeezed orange, in a cup, or in this case, a can. The people at Sobe weren't lying when they said "Better for You Energy: because I cannot taste any artificial part to this drink at all. Like many other drinks, this one contains a lot of gumminess that builds up in the back of your mouth. Next, I was in disbeliefwhen they mention "lightly carbonated" because you know how many companies do that, right? Well I was wrong, this drink is light and very easy to chug. You should not though, because you most likely won't find a tastier energy drink thats 'better for you', so I do suggest you savor it. Overall, you need to try this drink, maybe for a breakfast drink, instead of coffee. Trust me, you'd get a healthier breakfast blend with this drink, for a better price than Starbucks.

Now the ingredients. I first notice, of course, carbonated water. Then I see, crystalline fructose. You might be thinking "Woah, what is that?. " That's just a fancy name for table sugar, or sucrose. Next comes orange, grape and pear juice from concentrate. That's odd because I never tasted any grape or pear in the drink, so I guess they don't put as much. I also noticed Yerba Mate leaf extract. It's a tea leaf rarely seen in most energy drinks, but natural ones. Per can, you get 240 calories, which is quite a few for an energy drink, but I guess they need it to pack this much energy. You also get 59g of sugar per can, which is pretty above average for an energy drink. Just so you know, this drink isn't all energy, it is 30% juice, which I prefer out of most drinks out there. This drink met my expectations and I know Sobe makes great energy drinks. You need to get yourself one right away.

Taste: 9 - The taste was phenomenal, but the gumminess kinda threw me off
Kick: 9.5 - I am really focused and a bit jittery
Overall: 9.3 - Wow! this is a true energy blend here!

Reviewed by: Chan

Sobe Power Fruit Punch

As I was out today, I saw this, the Sobe Power Fruit Punch. I guessed from the name "Power" and the words, "Flavored Beverage with a blend of Proline, Guarana, & Taurine," that this was made to give energy. So, thinking it was worth a try, I decided to get it and save it for later. I know Sobe makes pretty high quality drinks, so I'm interested in seeing what this has to offer. Let's crack it open.

I didn't forget to shake it this time, so it's well mixed. At the opening of the clear glass bottle, I got an amazing trademark Sobe scent. Incredibly pungent fruitiness with a sour bite, but nothing that will make you pucker. It's like a bolder version of Hawaiian punch bringing some stronger and more citrus flavors into the mix. It's just a little gummy, with 30 grams of sugar, but overall, the gumminess isn't nearly as bad as some of the other drinks I've tried. As I tear further into this beast, I can tell it gets a little overpowering, yet it is still addicting at the same time. It makes me keep on coming back for more and more. In fact, by the time I finish this paragraph, I'll be nearly done. You may like this one more than the other popular drinks, because there's none of that "bubble gum" flavor, characteristic of energy drinks. It's just a smooth, fruity ride, yet I have to admit it tastes very sugary.

In terms of energy supplements, I see there are 50mg of Taurine, 50 mg of Guarana, and 25mg of L-Proline, pretty weak to energy drink standards. But I discovered something interesting about the last energy ingredient, L-Proline. L-Proline is an amino acid, found in your DNA, characteristic of Sobe soft drinks. It's the cause of that peculiar sweet aftertaste. It's unique to Sobes and I find it to be interesting. Moving right along, there's Caffeine, but it seems a very small amount, otherwise it would be listed in the Nutrition Facts. And, oh look! There's a whole day's recommendation of Vitamin C! Well, I'm set for half the day, now, with this drink. I don't feel much more energized, but a little. It seems this Sobe Power is more something to improve vitality, rather than energy, just like the Vitamin Energy. It's fine if you like Sobes, but I'm not really a big fan of this drink.

Taste: 5 - Unique and bold, but not insanely good
Kick: 3 - Weak on ingredients, I feel vitalized but not hyped-up
Overall: 6 - Fine if you like Sobes, but it's just not for me...

Reviewed by: Jeff

Sobe Adrenaline Rush

Hurray! I got an energy drink today, thankfully. I'm interested in this one because it has the name Sobe in it. Should be good. And fruity.

First of all, I like the can, with the orange-red burst and the metallic white around it. Very appealing, with the lizard design laid over it. From what I read below High Performance Energy Supplement, this thing contains the energy ingredients L-Carnitine, D-Ribose, and Taurine. A quick Google search reveals that L-Cartinine aids in the metabolism of fats. Now I think I'm ready to open the can. My sense of smell isn't so great today, but I'll do my best.

Yes, it's true, I can hardly smell anything, but I sure can taste. I'm guessing from what I get, that there is a tinge of bitterness in the aroma like grapefruit along with some pretty organic-smelling orange. Pretty pleasing overall. The color of the beverage in my clear cup is, interestingly, a very yellow yellow, like the yellow Gatorade. It leads me to believe that this is more of a grapefruit flavor than I thought. When I go for a sip, I am delighted with a pleasant and non-artificial orange flavor. It's like I'm eating a real orange, with some grapefruit thrown in. And just like fresh-squeezed orange juice, there's minimal gumminess. Further along, I find in this drink, the grapefruit gets stronger, and seems to become a little more synthetic-tasting, like Squirt. I think I prefer this grapefruit flavor over the orange, since all I've had recently is orange. It's like a change in pace. In terms of texture, the carbonation is moderate, but I'm finding now that the gumminess has been building up in my mouth and is a little hard to ignore. Maybe this would be best with a glass of water by my side. Yeah, I'll try that.

Back from the water cooler, I think I'm ready for another swig of this drink.

Aha! Much better. When you try this drink, have some water standing by. It helps.

Now, for the ingredients. I just want to say now, that I am pretty sure I can taste those B vitamins. In the ingredients list, I see -oh no!- HFCS. I guess that's fine, since it doesn't really make this drink taste so dull as I might expect it to. Vitamin C in the form of Citric Acid is high on the list, next to D-Ribose and Taurine. and all the basics. There are some more interesting ingredients here, like Glycerol Ester of Wood Rosin, and Gum Arabic, but I'm not worried. Overall, this is a nice drink, but I see no big reason to have it, when there's Monsters and other high-quality drinks available.

* Mmm... do I sense pineapple? Maybe trace amounts.

Taste: 6 - Pretty pleasing overall, but not too exciting
Kick: 5 - I think I should expect something in a minute. I'll let you know if I can't get to sleep.
Overall: 6 - Interesting, but why, when there's other drinks?

Reviewed by: Jeff

Sobe No Fear

I'm currently out of town in Las Vegas, but I definitely won't forget reviewing. This time around I thought I'd swing by a local market and pick up a basic energy drink, Sobe No Fear. I'm pretty sure it's different from the regular No Fear because Sobe has their logos on it and posssibly, it's their version of a No Fear. The can design is really cool, having a just black, red, and silver colors to it. I like it's black background with the silver outlined red flames. No Fear is pounded on to the can in what appears to be steel as well as the two lizard logo. Since it does say "Super Energy Supplement", I'm expecting a nice kick; I hope they live up to that phrase. I'm pretty eagar to crack this one open and determine the difference, but right now, I'm going to predict a flavor. I'll go with a regular No Fear flavor, with a twist of lemon-lime, or possibly a Monster clone. Sobe is a great company and I know they'll impress me with a great drink, why don't we find out now?

As the can is opened, I smell an intense guava aroma wafting through the air, similar to the regular No Fear, but having more of a zing to it. When I pour the liquid into a cheap plastic hotel cup, I see a wine red color with a brownish tint to it and some strong fizziness shortly following it. This taste is different... It seems like a mix between energy drinks I have tried, probably due to the multi-flavored guava. First, I tasted a strong guava with just a little bit of bitterness. Then, I taste a smooth apple and prune ensemble with a lot of all-the-sudden bitterness and barely any sweetness. The aftertaste is an unbearable bitter apple-guava and now I need to drink more, just to even out the bitterness. However, I believe that this drink isn't too bad because the type of bitterness shows the natural flavors in this drink, which is really enjoyable. The carbonation adds more to the flavor and makes up for the bitterness, I was wrong, it's not that carbonated. It's pretty gummy, kind of like that gumminess you get after eating some fruit, not bad, but a nuisance. Overall, it tastes like a better version of the Rockstar Juiced Guava, as well as many other guava energy drinks out there on the market.

As for ingredients, I see an unfortunate high fructose corn syrup, a cheap and common sweetener made from corn. Next, I see grape juice concentrate and ''fruit extract,'' meaning that the artificial flavors are no where to be found. Taurine comes in at a shocking number four, which is different than many other energy drinks. Per can, you get only a basic 2000mg of taurine, not bad, but I'm yet to find an energy with more. You get 260 calories per can as well as 66 g of sugar, way to high for my standards. It's another drink where the excess sugar kills the drink, although it's not really that sweet. Overall, this can of No Fear had a pretty nice flavor, the HFCS didn't do well, nor did the amount of sugar, bumping it down to just an alright drink. Maybe, you would appreciate the flavor more if you were into natural-tasting energy drinks, but to me, HFCS isn't that natural.

Taste: 7.4 - I would make some sweetener improvements, if I had the opportunity
Kick: 7.5 - The kick is standard, having only standard energy ingredients
Overall: 7.5 - An above average drink, I would buy it again, just to see how much better it would be the second time around

Reviewed by: Chan

Sobe No Fear Gold

I waited a while to review this, I had it for a couple days and never got around to drinking it. This is a product of Sobe, as you can tell from the can.

This is not as heavily carbonated as some other drinks I've had, and that gave it more of a juice feeling. I opened it and found a guava like smell, somewhat like what Chan experienced with his regular No Fear. It's quite sweet and with relatively little gumminess, I was impressed. There was no real change in the aftertaste compared to the actual flavor except for a slight bitterness. There is, though HFCS, although I wouldn't have known.The flavor really kept me coming back for more because of the sweet then slight bitter taste, and the guava really overwhelms. If you like guava juice, this is certainly a plus for you. The flavor was a clear amber, but I'm just gonna have to say again how much the guava and assorted citrus flavor were appreciated.

I have to say I think the ingredients are nice, but the HFCS, no matter what little effect it added to the taste, really made me wonder what they were thinking by putting that in there.

Here we have the usual 2000 mg of taurine per can, and there's some vitamin B and C, actually, quite a lot. There's a ginseng, Grape seed, and Guarana extract, along with some Carnitine and Arginine. This puts down a good kick, nothing extraordinary, but it didn't disappoint.

Taste: # 9- I really enjoyed the guava
Kick: # 7- Nothing amazing, put passable.
Overall: # 8- It was better in flavor than kick, but still great.

Reviewed by: Chris