Tapout Energy

Product Type:Functional: Energy Drink: Diet; Container: 16 oz Can
BevNET Review: Tapout, whose roots are as a clothing company for fans of mixed martial arts, is a brand that should have some demographic crossover with the energy drink category. The first flavor that we sampled was this one, Cherry Citrus. While it might not be overly obvious from looking at the can, this is a sugar-free product that uses a blend of sucralose and acesulfame potassium. The flavor is quite good, with a CSD like flavor that blends a tart note of cherry flavoring and a bitter note of citrus flavoring into a cohesive mix. The level of sweetness is good, although it’s clearly derived from artificial sweeteners. Fortunately, there isn’t too much in the way of aftertaste. Functionally, the product has high levels of taurine (2000mg) and caffeine (200mg) per can. This should result in an energy kick that’s comparable to other products on the market. The can is clean and appealing to the eye and will likely score well with consumers who are familiar with the brand. However, burying the fact that this is a sugar-free product (it’s in the fine print on the bottom of the front panel) seems like a mistake. Overall, though, an above-average product. Reviewed on: 7/26/2010

Product Type:Functional: Energy Drink: Diet; Container: 16 oz Can
BevNET Review: Of the three flavors of Tapout Energy Drink that we sampled, Cranberry Orange was our favorite. The reason is that this flavor carries the least amount of aftertaste from the sucralose and acesulfame potassium sweeteners that are used in the drink. Otherwise, we think it really comes down to personal preference as the three flavors really aren’t that much different than one another. In this case, the flavor is slightly more tart than the other two, but the flavors aren’t really distinguishable as cranberry or orange (it’s more like a fruit punch). For this type of product, that’s not really a big deal, with the end result being that the product tastes good and has kick to it. Speaking of kick, the product packs a punch, with 200mg of caffeine per can as well as 2000mg of taurine and added ginseng, B vitamins, and amino acids. On the outside, the product relies heavily on the existing brand equity of the mixed martial arts clothing brand known as “Tapout.” The front panel is simple, with the exception of the a large block of fine print that’s at the bottom of the can. Our biggest issue with this is that it’s the only place on the can that mentions that this is a sugar-free product. Making this a bit more obvious would definitely be a good thing. Otherwise, we think they’ve done a good job of executing this product. Reviewed on: 7/26/2010