Teachers, doctors and law enforcement join forces to warn parents and students of the dangers associated with energy drinks that include alcohol.
From the article:
Youth gave law enforcement officers and teachers energy drinks, some with alcohol some without, to see if they can tell the difference between an energy drink containing alcohol and one without. "These drinks taste very similar to each other. Most adults we have found can't tell which have alcohol in them," said Mary Kate Foster, chair of the San Diego County Youth Council. "On top of that, the alcohol industry labeling practices make it too hard to tell the difference between drinks that contain alcohol and those that don't. It's not surprising some parents are accidentally purchasing these items for their kids."...
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Del Monte Wild Berry Bloom Energy Drink
Cost: $1.99 for 10.5 oz.
Active ingredients: Fruit juices, B vitamins, caffeine (white tea and guarana)
Rating: 8 out of 10
Calories: 100

Offering a full serving of fruit, calcium, rich in antioxidants and caffeine (via white tea extract and guarana), how can a girl go wrong? The female reviewers on our team liked the Cran Raspberry Bloom we reviewed earlier this month so much, they felt compelled to try the Wild Berry. The Wild Berry does not disappoint.

Borrowing from its sister-package, the graphics are basic and safe, full of plenty of health benefits: supports bones, promotes healthy skin, CoQ10, etc. The taste is exactly what you would want with an expectation of wild berry-juicy, tangy and sweet. Bloom Wild Berry did not have a tremendous energy kick...just a slight lift, perfect for a mid-afternoon bump prior to that afternoon meeting or workout.

Wild Berry Bloom will go great over the rocks or straight-up with your favorite clear alcohol. We even mixed it with a light beer. Yes, it sounds strange but it tasted good.

Web site: Del Monte

Law enforcement in Idaho and other states are teaming with retailers to increase the awareness of halting the sale of energy drinks containing alcohol to minors.
From the article:
Several companies have come out with new alcoholic versions of popular energy drinks that are packaged very similarly to their non-alcoholic counter parts.
Now, Idaho State Police are warning parents, convenience store clerks and school officials to beware. ...
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Anheuser-Busch supports relief efforts for those affected by wildfires that raged in Southern California recently.
From the article:
The Anheuser-Busch Foundation said Thursday it donated $500,000 and more than 500,000 cans of drinking water and energy drinks to the American Red Cross to aid relief efforts to those affected by the Southern California wildfires. ...
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Rockstar enters into an agreement with Barr Soft Drinks to start its own British invasion.
From the article:
Barr Soft Drinks, the maker of Irn-Bru, has signed an exclusive five-year partnership agreement with Rockstar Inc Energy Drinks from North America to sell its double sized energy drink brands across the UK from this November...
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Fixx Maximum Strength Energy Drink
Cost: $2.00 for 20 oz
Active ingredients: Green tea, caffeine, taurine, B vitamins
Rating: 7.5 out of 10
Calories: 0

Fixx Maximum Strength Energy Drink first comes at you as a sports drink/energy drink hybrid, but don't be fooled...its all energy. This beverage gives you a solid shot of energy straight to the solar plexus (aka-the middle of your chest). We had only drunk half of the 20 oz. bottle and knew this was going to be a bumpy ride. With all this extra energy, we decided to go for an extended jog. We felt a steady stream of energy throughout the workout that did not let up. Fixx does not have any carbonation which lends itself well to a pre/post workout beverage. The flavor of the drink reminds us of a fruit punch with a hint of walnuts. (yes, walnuts; its the best way we can describe it!)

The packaging is basic in its approach with a solid blue background, a black and white-lettered logo, a red "X" and text drawing attention to "Liquid Adrenaline". The plastic bottle would fit well anywhere an active life is sought. Did we mention it has zero calories?

Web site: Fixx Maximum Strength Energy Drink

Energy drinks help propel the world's largest soft drink bottler, CCE, to strong profits.
From the article:
One of the principal drivers was sales of energy drinks — namely the Full Throttle and RockStar beverages. They increased more than 25 percent in the quarter...
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Its no surprise many college students depend on caffeinated drinks to start and sustain their day. Energy drinks and coffee are popular options.
From the article:
Like West, freshman undecided major Mary K. Caudle said she can’t live without her favorite energy drink. ...
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Wired Energy Drink
Cost: $1.99 for 16 oz
Active ingredients: Inositol, caffeine, taurine
Rating: 7 out of 10
Calories: 200

If you are a guy and you like energy drinks for guys, then you are going to enjoy Wired Energy Drink. This no disrespect to women or that a woman won't enjoy this beverage. However, this drink comes across strong. Wired is available in a 16 oz. can and is labeled with solid black graphics in the background and what can be described as hot-rod flames. The imagery fits because this drink packs quite a big energy kick. We drank one can and shortly afterward felt the energy start to build. As the day went on, the buzz kept us going. We are happy to report that there was no crash, either.

Wired Energy Drink looked similar to a beer when poured, head and all. The drink has a very juicy beginning to it and ended up citrusy-sour. With all this flavor going on, vodka and rum would be solid mixers.

Web site: Wired Energy Drink

Its estimated the energy drink category globally will grow to $10 billion in sales by 2010. Several factors can impede this growth, namely improper marketing and labeling of energy drinks containing alcohol.
From the article:

That was just one of the horror stories about the innocent-looking drinks in decorative cans at grocery and convenience stores along the Wasatch Front and elsewhere. While the young man's choice of drink contained no alcohol, many do, said Becky Canning, a prevention specialist with the Utah County Division of Substance Abuse at a recent Lehi Community Council Family Workshop. All contain high amounts of caffeine and sugar...
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A known and well-understood ingredient, caffeine, is a major reason for the appeal of energy drinks.
From the article:
Neither regulated nor standardized by the Food and Drug Administration, energy drinks comprise a multibillion-dollar industry, with 65 percent of consumers under age 35, data show...
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Full Throttle Mother Energy Drink
Cost: $2.39 for 16 oz
Active ingredients: Acai, ginseng, caffeine
Rating: 5 out of 10
Calories: 230

Full Throttle Mother is another extension of the Full Throttle energy drink franchise and it misses the mark. (In football terms, wide and to the right.) Full Throttle ("Nature is One BAD" is listed in small print) Mother has difficulty being edgy and cool while also trying to be healthy. The can is presented in a green (get it, green) background with the bold statement it is energy from natural sources. The rest of the package is clearly all Full Throttle. We would describe the taste as honey/papaya/pink grapefruit which starts out strong but finishes flat. The look, too, is of a lightly carbonated pink grapefruit. The overall flavor was not pleasing. The aroma started out as pear but turned almost astringent. We waited for the caffeine kick, but it never came.

We give Coca-Cola credit for attempting to tap into the healthy energy drink segment with Full Throttle Mother, but unfortunately, it does not match up.

Web site: Full Throttle Mother Energy Drink

San Diego, among many other cities across the country, is investigating the dangers associated with teens and energy drinks that include alcohol.
From the article:
They have catchy names such as Tilt, Rockstar 21 and Sparks, and contain many of the same ingredients as ordinary energy drinks. But the beverages are laced with alcohol, and youths are guzzling them, often unbeknown to parents or teachers. ...
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The need for bold product labeling is vitally important to companies marketing energy drinks that contain alcohol. Retailers must be on guard to protect themselves against selling these products to minors.
From the article:
That's because the carbonated drinks contain alcohol, and you may not even know it...
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Pimpjuice Extra Strength Energy Drink
Cost: $1.99 for 8 oz
Active ingredients: Guarana, caffeine, taurine, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and 12
Rating: 8 out of 10
Calories: 130

In a world dominated by carbonated energy drinks, Pimpjuice Extra Strength energy drink goes the non-carbonated route while living up to its claim of "extra strength" (and then some). The beverage rolls out of its can and hits the glass with a funky green color reminding us of green apples. Although we didn't have a blacklight similar to those used in bars and clubs, we can't help but think this energy drink would look fantastic. The flavor is not close to an energy drink at all but more like a sweet/mildly sour apple. We did not have any alcohol handy, but all agree Pimpjuice Extra Strength would stand up against any players. The buzz we felt was solid and lasted a good long time. Better yet, no crash was experienced either. We were also pleasantly surprised to see that lots of vitamins (vitamin C, vitamins B6 and 12 to name a few) were included.

Web site: Pimpjuice Extra Strength Energy Drink

Moderate caffeine consumption, exercise and a balanced diet are clearly a path to sustainable health.
From the article:
Dr. Roger Spahr and Dr. John Martin point out the alternatives to