BevBlog

Looking for a real estate deal? Talk to Rockstar Energy – or at least its CEO, Russell Weiner.

Maybe it’s due to the flagging housing market. Maybe it’s due to the distribution deal Rockstar distributor Coca-Cola signed with Monster, but, either way, Weiner is selling his California home for the low, low discount price of just under $3 million.

Okay, you’re probably not going to find that kind of change by returning soda cans, but the Los Angeles Times reports that that price tag for the elevator-equipped 4,414-square-foot home just above the Sunset Strip fell by $2 million.

Interesting that his “must sell” price appeared only weeks after Coca-Cola announced its deal with Monster, but Weiner’s misfortune could be your gain.

If you’re the lucky millionaire bidder, you’ll get four bedrooms, four bathrooms, city views, a roof deck, a bridge to a pool and three fireplaces. If you’re real lucky, maybe Weiner will even throw in a palate of Rockstar.

Energy drinks have been nailed with a number of negative health claims, but this is a new one on us. Now they’re on the hook for being bad for your teeth–even worse than soda.

While it’s been said for years that acidic drinks erode your teeth, recent research by the Academy of General Dentistry discovered that some drinks are better at minimizing the effects of that acid than others – and energy drinks apparently do the least.

Note: We did our due-diligence, and all signs say that the AGD is a legitimate group The New York Times online archive listed the group in obituaries as far back as 1966.

To see the AGD’s full release, click the link below.

Read the rest of this entry »

Britney Spears, rushed to the hospital this morning and placed on something called “psychiatric hold,” did something vaguely normal last night. She bought a case of Red Bull.

America’s favorite train-wreck-in-action bought the case while driving an apparently rented Mercedes coupe around Beverly Hills, feigning a British accent, and wearing a bright pink wig. As it was L.A., even that part of the story was vaguely normal. Still, psychiatric hold is a bit out of the ordinary.

Of course, the paparazzi followed.

For pictures and more information, click here for X17 Online, or here for Gossip Girls.

A new survey being marketed by consumer trend watchers the NPD group has uncovered the sad little secret of energy drinks — the biggest use isn’t for snowboarding across flaming ski slopes while playing video games and humping everything in our path. It’s for getting enough focus to re-enter the cube and finish up our daily drudgery.

According to the survey, 36 percent of energy drink purchases are work-related; more than travel, school, mealtime and sporting evens combined.

Read the rest of this entry »

I don’t know how we missed this until now, but for about two weeks Jon Bon Jovi — you know, that New Jersey-loving singer who is largely famous because his guitar player went out with Heather Locklear — has been involved in a trademark skirmish over a guy’s right to sell a coffee-based energy drink called “Mijovi.” According to JBJ’s lawyer, Mijovi infringes on the world-famous Bon Jovi trademark.

The drink’s maker, Marcos Carrington — also from New Jersey — has a different story. Read the rest of this entry »

Unlike most American men in my demographic, I don’t like poker.  I also don’t really like the artificial hype that surrounds new energy drink launches….I guess that’s what happens after you’ve been pitched “the next Red Bull” about a million times.

Read the rest of this entry »

You knew it was coming, sooner or later. What with all the good life posing of a variety of barely-out-of-college energy drink companies — as well as an equal number from well-past-their-prime hucksters — it was only a matter of time before the originator of the good life himself, Hugh Hefner, got into the game.

Read the rest of this entry »

A few weeks ago, a couple of us here at the BevNET.com office were talking about our favorite BBQ foods…burgers….dogs….beer can chicken. So, being in the soft drink industry, we wondered if we could create our own variation: energy drink can chicken. Read the rest of this entry »

(by John Craven and Jeff Klineman)

We’ve tried a lot of energy drinks, but prior to today, we’ve never made our own.    So, when SodaClub.com offered to send us one of their soda club units and their new energy drink mix, we jumped at the chance.

Read the rest of this entry »

After my recent post about Full Throttle Slurpee, the folks at RF Binder (PR for Dunkin Donuts) contacted me about the new SoBe Energy Coolatta.    Unfortunately (note to PR folks), they sent a press kit that included a fancy messenger bag, a t-shirt, some SoBe stickers, and a press release….but no gift cards or anything that would allow me to purchase one of the drinks that they are promoting.  We’re not off to a good start here.

Anyway, after schlepping down to the Harvard Square Dunkin Donuts (one of 3 within walking distance, I might add) I finally obtained a SoBe Energy Coolatta.  Here’s my unofficial review:

• It’s green…Grotesquely green.
• I didn’t get the SoBe Energy cup that was advertised.  Bummer.
• The flavor…it’s a flat, syrupy lemon lime flavor.  Almost like Mountain Dew with a splash of energy.
• The slush….It’s like Slush Puppy slush with a gritty ice consistency as opposed to the smooth consistency.

Overall, Full Throttle Slurpee beats SoBe Energy Coolatta.  Sorry, guys.

What I really want to know is why energy slush is the hot crossover of the moment….I can only theorize that these brands are hot and licensing them out to convenience stores, QSRs, and donut chains creates new branding opportunities rather than meaningful revenue for the brand….especially since these formats seem to cheapen the overall experience and quality of product.

PS — Also pictured above is the Key Lime donut, a true wonder of food science.  It’s quite possibly the most disgusting thing I’ve even seen at a Dunkin Donuts (well, most disgusting thing being sold behind the counter)….