"energy" news and stories

A new energy drink called Liquid Experience, inspired by Jimi Hendrix, is being released this spring by Beverage Concepts. The drink, which is named after Hendrix's breakthrough album, "Are You Experienced?" is nonalcoholic and uses the guitarist's image as part of its promotional materials. While the Jimi Hendrix vodka didn't seem to excite much controversy, the energy drink is not going over too well with fans, who feel that "his image and the beautiful feelings it has created during my lifetime cheapened by base advertising." Hopefully, those somewhat disgruntled fans can take comfort in the fact that Beverage Concepts Chief Executive Josh Glass has promised to donated a portion of the royalties from the sale of the drink will go to educational causes, as many other products that have use Hendrix's image in the past have done. According to Glass, the company will probably choose a music education foundation.

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So how much energy is in a kiss? I guess it depends upon the kiss. Is it a kiss by Helen of Troy? Or a Hershey's kiss? Well Helen's days of kissing are long gone, but scientists have calculated the energy in a Hershey's kiss (and any other food) and you would be amazed. They use something called a bomb calorimeter which is designed to hold small food explosions and then measure the heat produced by the explosion.

A Hershey's kiss has 26 calories. Now that's not much, but if you look at calories from a scientific viewpoint, and the energy they measure, then that tiny little kiss can provide enough energy to lift a 8,600 lb. SUV over six feet into the air. There's a heck of a lot more energy in our food than you think. If you want to learn more about this check out the article at www.NPR.org.

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The controversial energy drink, Cocaine, has been banned by 7-Eleven convenience stores, after the company received numerous complaints from parents about the drink. The drug-like effects promised to teens by a drink named after a drug crossed the line with them, especially considering that the beverage is marketed to teens. A spokeswoman said "the product's name promotes an image which we didn't want to be associated with." And 7-Eleven isn't the only company that feels this way. Many other stores in Chicago and New York have pulled the drink from shelves.

Representatives from the drink company said that "the company wasn't glorifying an illegal drug" - even though it seems that way to just about everyone. They also say that Cocaine will be available through Amazon soon, so teens in areas that don't sell it can get their fix that way.

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I mentioned Zygo Energy Vodka a few weeks ago, when it first came to my attention. Recently, I had a chance to taste it and experiment with a few drinks. The vodka has all the appealing energy-boosters that are in drinks like Red Bull, such as guarana, taurine and yerba matte in the form of a 70-proof spirit, which sounds like the perfect drink for party-goers.

Zygo isn't quite as smooth as 44°North was, but it is very, very close and certainly more so than many vodkas. It smells and tastes like peaches, and underneath the peach, there is a hint of vanilla and orange that really rounds the flavor. It tastes great on its own. Really great. In fact, I think that Zygo is an excellent choice just to sip chilled or over ice. I can't say that I felt a big rush of energy from the drink, and I'm fairly certain that what I did feel was from the alcohol, but I won't deny that the feeling was a good one, wherever it came from.

With peach, orange and vanilla, there are a plethora of mixers that would do well with Zygo if you're not inclined to sip it straight, so if and when you have a chance to pick up a bottle, don't hesitate to experiment. I decided to use the peach flavor to its full advantage by keeping the other ingredients to a minimum.

Peachy Sunrise
5oz orange juice
2 oz Zygo
splash grenadine

Combine all orange juice and Zygo in a tall glass over ice. Stir together, then top with a splash of grenadine.

Teen consumption of energy drinks is way up and the reason for their popularity is primarily their caffeine content. A Red Bull has 9.64mg of caffeine per ounce, while a Coke only has 2.83 mg per ounce (Pepsi has 3.17mg). The extra caffeine can help to keep the chronically sleep-deprived awake, but more interesting to the students this time of year is the fact that caffeine can potentially help them concentrate slightly better in class or on exams by making them more alert.  Columnists at the Mercury News - judged to be amateur, moderate or pro caffeine consumers - tested three popular drinks: Red Bull, Rockstar (9.38mg/oz.) and Monster (8.75mg/oz.). They rated them on taste and how long it took the boost to kick in. Not completely scientific, perhaps, but an interesting look at the drinks and certainly a good start for anyone looking to get through finals. 

 

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