XS Energy Tea-Berry Blast Tea

A Fair & Honest Energy Drink Review

XS Energy Tea-Berry Blast Tea Retail Package Description

The can color scheme looks like it was taken directly from Leatrice Eisman's book "Pantone Guide to Communicating with Color" (an excellent color resource, by the way) the "Energetic" section. One could also argue that it looks like a "Spicy/Tangy" color scheme, but I think the context indicates otherwise. The can is mostly lime green, with some "Gen X" graphics distributed extravagantly around the can's facade. There's a bright yellow crayon scribble box located in the upper left corner of the front that reads, in a combination of white and grass green letters, "0 sugar and only 1 carb". Then a big gradient ramped orange-to-red "XS". To the left of that, in white, "All of the energy! None of the Sugar!". To the right of "XS", in black and yellow, "Only 12 calories". Under "XS", in yellow, "Energy Tea", and under that, in white, "Tea-Berry Blast". Then, near the bottom, in tiny white letter, "Green and Black Tea Blend with Essence of Raspberry". At the far south pole of the can, in black, "8.4 fl. oz. (250ml)". The words that adorn the background are "energy, endurance, power, performance". I think I might see an "explosive" in there too, so you may not want to try to board a plain with this. As you might expect, XS (a drink touted by its followers to be the healthiest energy drink on the market) has a great deal to say about its value proposition on the back of the can. "Enjoy the many health benefits of antioxidant rich green and black teas combined with high powered adaptogenic herbs, potent levels of B-vitamins and key amino acids that can lift your spirits and energy level. New XS Tea-Berry Blast Energy Tea is non-carbonated and contains no sugar and only one carbohydrate, so you can energize your body and mind without storing fat. Amazing taste and performance are just a few sips away. Drink up and enjoy XS Energy Tea!

• This is a product made with adaptogenic herbs, Flavor and color may occassionally vary.
• Not recommended for persons sensitive to caffeine.
• This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Caffeine Addict's XS Energy Tea-Berry Blast Tea Review

On August 29th, 2005, I made one of the most profoundly poor decisions of my life. I reviewed XS Energy Drink Cranberry Grape Blast. Sometime around the beginning of 2008 I made another mistake that was nearly as catastrophic, I let users (Amway Q-berters included) share their opinion. Here we are in the middle of 2009, and I've yet to learn my lesson. So, based on experience, I fully expect to get comments that say things like, "If you want to get this product, contact me, I have exclusive distribution rights", and "Every other product on the market is garbage, I've drank them all, and only XS energy doesn't cause cancer, and will make you rich, and make the opposite sex uncompromisingly attracted to you". Ok, noone has made that second claim, at least not word-for-word.

As much as every fiber within me wants to hate this drink, I simply cannot. Firstly, I love green and black teas (I usually drink them unsweetened). XS Tea-Berry Blast is lightly sweetened, and isn't syrupy at all. XS has also managed to remove all the bitterness of a black tea (not quite as impressive at Inko's making a white tea that's smooth, but impressive nonetheless). I acquired this beverage from Robin and Carol Klar of Walkertown, NC. If you're going to become an Amway member, they're the people with whom you need to talk. Robin also informed me that this drink is now available in a 12oz. size, which is good, because if you also like green and black tea, you'll find yourself jonesing for more.

The energy is sufficient, but in today's market of energy shots and Energy Micro-Shots, the active ingredients here can't hang with the products geared only toward energy. If you factor taste in the equation, which isn't usually as important in energy shots 2oz. or less, which are more about effectiveness than enjoyment, then this product certainly has a place in the market. Unfortunately, not in the retail market. As with all the flavors of XS, you can only get these from an Amway member.

If/when you acquire them, you may find yourself paying a handsome sum to do that. Directly through the amway website, you can purchase these for about $2 each (before taxes and shipping). If you buy 4 cases, you can currently get shipping for free. Prices vary based on how much the person you're ordering from thinks you're going to sign up to be a member directly under them in the non-pyramidal-shaped internal structure. We're listing this at $2.19, which I think is reasonably accurate, if you can get two amway partners cannibalizing one anothers' sales.

Energy Junkie's XS Energy Tea-Berry Blast Tea Review

I have to admit, I've never really used a sub-par product available from Amway. I used to use their toothpaste, breath spray, vitamins, juice boxes, household cleaners and more. What it all boils down to for me, and probably 80% of people who don't like Amway is the people. They come up to you while you're shopping at Best Buy, all wild-eyed, looking like David Koresh talking about a modern day Cyrus. Luring you in with enchanting assertions like, "You look like a smart guy", "How would you like to own your own business, set your own hours?", "I should have 140 wives, 60 queens and 80 concubines." The thing is, when I buy body wash, I'd like to just buy body wash, not agree to assert my undying loyalty to the Amway movement. (Unfortunately, because of the culture of some persons that originally adopted certain practical notions in the 70s, this is the view many people take about "green energy", "sustainable energy" and "organic farming". I assure you, sustainable energy and organic farming are good practices, and you don't have to subscribe to any cultural sentiments, agree with ecological forecasts, go to meetings or buy tapes/CDs to implement those practices at some level.) When I go to Circle K and buy a 5 Hour Energy, the cashier does not ask me to subscribe to the Circle K way of life, recruit (affectionately, "alienate") my friends and declare heresy against anyone who might buy products from another establishment. Interestingly, anyone reading this, who is involved in Amway, will know whether or not the aforementioned applies to them. If it doesn't, they will be forced to admit that it does describe the portion of the Amway community to which non-Amway pagans are most often exposed. The problem with a group being "open to everyone" is that Amway is represented by a great deal of people that would normally be fired from representing any other company. The difference is Wal-Mart employees aren't shoveling money into buying Wal-Mart memberships and motivational tapes.

So, in short, reasonable-to-good product line, with very few ways to acquire the products without having a conversation that rivals the awkwardness of discussing ED with your just-out-of-med-school intelligent and attractive physician, who replaced the 64-year-old grizzled war veteran with whom you'd intended to discuss this sensitive matter.

Once you've acquired XS Green Tea and either joined Amway, or are dealing with the guilt heaped on you for not supporting your friend's pursuit of financial independence by continuing to submit to the class system dominated by the kulaks, you can enjoy the bittersweet experience that is "XS Energy Tea". Yes, believe it or not, it tastes fantastic. So fantastic, I can almost completely tune out any and all Amway-centric rhetoric spewing forth from the belly of the beast. As a tea drinker, I was surprised at the smooth flavor of a green and black tea combination. The sucralose makes for a naturally-sweetened flavor that I would rate as superior to any bottled tea (with the possible exceptions of Inko's White Tea Energy and Sobe Green Tea, but not the Sobe Green Tea Lean). Only 12 calories, low sodium, about as much caffeine as Red Bull (which I think is too little) and a pleasant mildly fruity undertone. On taste alone, I'm sold.

This drink will provide what a Red Bull provides in the way of energy. For me, it wasn't a profound experience. On paper, XS Energy Tea offers anti-oxidants and a drinkability you won't find in Red Bull Sugar Free. There are certainly more affective drinks on the market. If you're interested in low-calorie and sugar-free drinks, it's nice that this one uses sucralose. Like All In Root Beer, the use of sucralose makes this sugar-free energy experience far more palatable.

Then comes the pink elephant in the room, the price. $2.19. I've started organically farming myself, and while I've found that it's a misnomer that organic farming costs more (in materials), I have found that it takes more work (of which Americans are deathly afraid). If you're of the opinion that XS Energy Tea uses higher quality, better growing/harvesting practices, then I feel like you're paying $1.50 for a reasonable drink, and $.69 to the extra effort that went into making a drink that's not loaded with high fructose corn syrup, tap water, and green tea that was grown using undocumented growing practices. This is usually part of the value proposition shared with me by "Amway representatives". I actually have no idea where the ingredients in this can came from. On the other hand, if you want it in writing, and you want to support a "fair trade" brewed drink that uses "organic Columbian coffee", I'd recommend Adina Vanilla Nut Case.