Functional Foods

The Pichuberry: A New, Old Fruit to Taste Here in Phoenix

A new member of the 'superfood' family has hit the Arizona marketplace and its promotors hope to take our tastebuds by storm. The Pichuberry is a fruit that at first looks like a ground cherry or what some may call a gooseberry, but do not be mistaken, for this berry is being billed as a superfood a ... More >>

Monster Beverage Sued San Francisco, Now the City's Suing Back

There's a legal battle brewing in California, where the San Francisco city attorney sued Monster Beverage earlier this week for marketing its drinks to children. This comes after Monster Beverage sued the city last week in federal court, accusing San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera of overste ... More >>

Shocking: Drinking Too Many Energy Drinks Linked to Increase in ER Visits

Caffeine has been in the news the last couples of days with reports that the over consumption of it, particularly in the form of energy drinks, has caused an uptick in caffeine related emergency room visits. In fact the FDA has established that at least five people have died after consuming energy d ... More >>

Get a Free Caffeine Fix to Celebrate the Ninth Dutch Bros. in Metro Phoenix, Opening Sept. 8 in Mesa

Free is always better and since we'll readily admit we're only a half-step down from installing a permanent caffeine IV, free coffee really gets us going. See also: Five Ice-Cold Caffeine-Packed Drinks in Metro Phoenix Saturday, September 8, the newest Dutch Bros. Coffee will celebrate its grand ... More >>

Five Ice-Cold Caffeine-Packed Drinks in Metro Phoenix

If the morning usually finds you face down in a cauldron of strong, black coffee -- you're not alone. Thanks to the proliferation of Starbucks and the multitude of other outlets serving coffee drinks, we've all but made caffeine addiction our national disorder of choice. We know you know it's hot. ... More >>

Zone of Arc

Car Talk

Taste Makers

Steve Nash, Duck Sauce Team Up With Vitamin Water

​A new commercial for Vitamin Water pairs up Steve Nash and "Barbra Streisand" by Duck Sauce, according to Prefix. What a winning combination.Keeping it classy by wearing a suit and tie to a party and then at a fancy restaurant, Steve Nash plays himself in the ad. There couldn't be a better, more ... More >>

Monster Rehab

​We've tried dozens and dozens of energy drinks, and the regular Monster (green label) is still our favorite. But we can't always handle the mass amounts of sugar and carbonation in the regular Monster, so when we saw a newer, non-carbonated drink called Monster Rehab, we figured we'd give it a tr ... More >>

Rockstar Energy Gum

​After drinking countless energy drinks, coffees, teas, and even caffeinated beef jerky, we're down to try almost anything. And while we're not fond of energy mints in general, we discovered that Rockstar's energy gum is actually pretty good -- definitely better than their energy drinks.Each servi ... More >>

Craft Punk

It’s a making marathon

Relentless Energy Drink

drinkrelentless.com​The cans for Relentless Energy Drinks say "Conceived in the U.K., Born in the U.S.," and the can of orange "Fire" flavor we tried included this quote from Benjamin Franklin: "Energy and persistence alter all things."It's an interesting use of the quote, especially since we can' ... More >>

Euphoric Energy

​The taste of Euphoric Energy's watermelon/kiwi energy drink could be described as similar to sucking on watermelon Jolly Ranchers. It could also be described as similar to blending some kiwi flavored Kool-Aid, carbonated water, watermelon chunks, and a ton of sugar, then sipping it.It's not an al ... More >>

Caffiend: Unbound Energy

​There aren't many negative things we can say about Unbound Energy. It's cheap (around two bucks a can), tastes good, and provides a nice energy boost. For years, we've been waiting for an energy drink that we liked as much as Monster -- and we may have finally found it in Unbound Energy.

Dirty Dancing

Caffiend: Monster Hitman Energy Shooter

​Fans of Monster Energy drinks are in for both disappointment and surprise with the Monster Energy Shooters. We're big fans of the 16-ounce regular Monsters, which taste like carbonated apple juice to us, but the Monster Hitman Energy Shooter was...well, a whole different monster. The shooter bot ... More >>

Caffiend: Crunk Energy

​Those unfamiliar with the meaning of the slang word "crunk" may not see the humor in naming an energy drink after the term, but in hip-hop speak, "crunk" means being stoned and drunk -- hardly an "energizing" state of being.Nevertheless, Crunk Energy is surprisingly refreshing and invigorating. W ... More >>

Slap Energy

​Forget regular old energy drinks - sustained energy is the thing now, or so those 5-Hour Energy drink commercials would have us believe. Slap Energy is advertised as a "multi-stage energy supplement," and its manufacturers claim that an energy "sensation" builds as you drink it.

Caffiend: Ole Energy

​With thousands of different "energy drinks" on the market, it's hard to stand apart. Ole Energy, which is distributed by Sudden Impact Partners in Chandler, tries to make itself unique by including a blend of "adaptogenic herbs."This blend of herbs includes stuff we've never heard of: Eleutheroco ... More >>

Caffiend: Lotte's It's the Sun Energy Drink

​We've tried hundreds of energy drinks, and just when it seemed like we'd tried them all, we found Lotte: It's the Sun energy drink. The colorful 8.3 ounce can looks energizing, with its bright orange and red sun label and depiction of a soccer player, but is there really anything that makes It's ... More >>

Caffiend: Sambazon Amazon Energy

E. Groves​It's no secret that constantly ingesting tons of sugars and artificial flavoring and coloring is bad for you, but when it comes to energy drinks, the aforementioned "bad stuff" is almost unavoidable. Most of the energy drinks on the market are full of artificial ingredients, and the hand ... More >>

Caffiend: Ol' Glory

E. Groves​There are so many energy drinks on the market these days, and so few that truly stand out -- even visually. A walk down the energy drink aisle at the store becomes a monotonous montage of black and silver aluminum, decorated with various logos in bright orange and florescent green. But t ... More >>

Caffiend: Molotov Explosive Energy

​Energy drinks come in all kinds of flavors, but we've got to admit, the Molotov line of energy drinks contains some of the most eclectic: tamarind, mango, and pineapple -- the latter two combined with Tapatio hot sauce and lemon.We were unsure how a fruity, carbonated drink would taste with hot s ... More >>

True Food Boosts Diners With New Immune Power Menu

​Here's something pretty novel for Phoenix. It's True Food's special prix fixe menu geared to keeping you healthy during cold and flu season, called "Andy's Immune Power Menu." Andy, of course, is the acclaimed wellness guru Dr. Andrew Weil, who's been involved with the h ... More >>

Caffiend: Ironclad Energy

​According to its shiny aluminum can, the Ironclad energy drink was "specially formulated for the industrial athlete." The drink's blend of Taurine, caffeine, electrolytes, and B vitamins is supposed to provide an unusually high-octane boost for active folks, while also preventing dehydration. The ... More >>

Caffiend: Encaff Energy Stix

​Imagine if Pixie Stix candy were full of sugar and caffeine; that's pretty much what Encaff Energy Stix are. These little .11 ounce (three gram) pouches are packed with powder that's supposed to provide an energy boost. The idea is that instead of troubling oneself by actually drinking a beverage ... More >>

Caffiend: Killer Buzz

In the beginning, there was Red Bull, and it was said that Red Bull "gives you wings." At its stateside genesis in 1997, the little silver can that could stood alone on the frontier of a new market, soon-to-be-borne of the "energy drink" craze. Now energy drinks have gone forth and multiplied, to th ... More >>

Caffiend: Jolt Orange Blast

E. Groves​Since it was introduced in 1985, Jolt Cola's had a well-deserved reputation as one of the world's most caffeinated sodas, proudly standing by its motto of "All the sugar and twice the caffeine" -- at least until the cane sugar in the original recipe was replaced with high fructose corn s ... More >>

Caffiend: Guru

E. Groves​There are seemingly a gazillion energy drinks on the market, loaded with sugars and artificial flavors and colors. And while we're fans of the sweet stuff, sometimes we like to try and get a boost without all the artificial additives. Hence, the appeal of a product like Guru, a "100% Nat ... More >>

Caffiend: Bawls G33K B33R

E. Groves​Anybody who ever attended a LAN party has seen Bawls, the Guarana-based drink of choice for geeks. This is a reputation Bawls clearly embraces, as they named one of their concoctions "G33K B33R."G33K B33R is a high-octane root beer that tastes great, like old time Sarsparilla. And the en ... More >>

Caffiend: Xyience's Xenergy

E. Groves​The Xyience Xenergy drink is "the official energy drink" of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). That factoid, combined with all the "x" references in the brand (as in "extreme," we assume), had us thinking that this drink was gonna either majorly kick our asses or help us kick some ... More >>

This Week In Chow Bella

Another week has come and gone leaving us to ponder the upcoming events that will shape our lives and, more importantly, our dinners out. But before we move on, let's have one last look at the blog posts from this week: Chef Talk: Josh Hebert, Posh Bashas' Closing 10 Grocery Stores Battle of the ... More >>

Caffiend: MacAlpine's Coffee Shake

Walk into vintage soda shop MacAlpine's (on 7th street, between Thomas and McDowell) on a hot day and ask for something special, something with a super-kick, and they just might make you a delicious shake with coffee in it. It's not on the menu, but it's their suggestion, and while you might not get ... More >>

Caffiend: Java Monster Loca Moca

Monster is one of the most popular energy drinks on the market. The brand offers a plethora of flavors, including coffee-flavored energy drinks like the Java Monster Loca Moca. Looks like: A big ol' can of whoop ass.Smells like: Sugar-laden espresso.Tastes like: Chocolate coffee with an extra s ... More >>

Caffiend: Sucker Punch

Ed Hardy might have tried to corner the rockabilly and hot rod market with his own designer energy drinks, but he's got some tough competition in Sucker Punch, a new drink made by old school motorcycle and chopper company Sucker Punch Sally's.Looks like: A vintage soda, with a retro design featuring ... More >>

Caffiend: 24:7 Coffee Energy

Cold coffee drinks have been a cool commodity since Starbucks introduced its Frappuccino line. Since then, makers of energy drinks like Rock Star and Monster have added cofffee-type drinks to their line of products. The latest energy drink to jump on the iced coffee bandwagon is 24:7 Energy. Let's s ... More >>

Caffiend: Red Line Xtreme

You know an energy drink is "extreme" when more than half the label is filled with warnings in .3 font. An eight ounce bottle of Red Line Xtreme gives a litany of cautions: "Do not consume Red Line on an empty stomach," "Do not exceed recommended serving," "Do not use for weight reduction" (even tho ... More >>

Caffiend: AriZona Green Tea Energy Drink

AriZona Green Tea is one of the most popular pre-made teas, so when we heard the company made a new Green Tea Energy Drink, we figured we'd give it a try, despite our reservations about how strange a "lightly carbonated" green tea might taste.Looks like: The can is black, embossed with cherry blosso ... More >>

Caffiend: Blu Frog Wildly Healthy Energy Drink

As suggested by one of our readers in the comments of a previous Caffiend, the new Blu Frog "Wildly Healthy" energy drink is supposed to provide an energy boost similar to the most popular energy drinks on the market, but with healthier ingredients.

Caffiend: Ed Hardy's Celebrity Energy Drink

Tattoo pioneer Ed Hardy was one of the first artists to start using color in his tattoos, more than 40 years ago. His energy drinks (which come in orange, apple, and pomegranate flavors) are touted as "tattoos for the tongue." Hardy's brand of clothing is also popular (especially among the hipster-c ... More >>

Caffiend: Buzz Bites and FOOSH Mints

As an MBA candidate in Boston, Jason Kensey loved caffeine, but hated the taste of energy drinks and didn't drink coffee, preferring caffeinated sodas with tons of sugar. His disappointment with caffeinated beverages led him to start Vroom Foods in 1996, a company that makes high-energy mints and ch ... More >>

Caffiend: Socko Energy Drink

Socko is made right here in the Valley, at Bliss Beverages on Scottsdale Road. The company, founded five years ago by 32 year-old Jordan Harwood, has been fairly successful in its short existence, teaming up with World Wrestling Entertainment to produce the Hulk Energy drink, and raking in an estima ... More >>

Caffiend: Sobe Adrenaline Rush

I've never been a huge fan of Sobe's juice drinks, but the Sobe Adrenaline Rush energy drink is by far my favorite of all energy drinks (and I've tried tons). It's delicious and loaded with caffeine, and a 16 oz. can of AR contains less sugar than a 12 oz. can of Mountain Dew.

Bottoms Up: The Jimi Hendrix Liquid Experience Inspires InSIPid Humor

Inside the Offices of 50 Cent

Gwen Stefani

Can't be bad

Let It Ride

Aaron Homoki

X Man

The guy behind the high octane, glow-in-the-dark energy drink Liquid X is working overtime to create a buzz - in the market, and in your brain.