🔌Review - Phorm Energy

🔌Review - Phorm Energy - Grape Smash

A purple explosion from triple threat partnership Phorm Energy, Grape Smash was one of the initial flavors in the company's drink portfolio. Phorm is the progeny of 1st Phorm nutrition, UFC's Dana White, and beer giant Anheuser-Busch. The brand focuses on a patriotic and blue-collar vibe with slogans like "We do the work" and flavors like "Screamin' Freedom". 1st Phorm performs extensive product testing and all Phorm products are produced only in facilities that are FDA inspected, SQF Level-3 certified, & cGMP (Current Good Manufacturing Practices) compliant.

🛒Price: $1 at Kroger, typically $2-3 per can in most formats. Available in 12 oz can 4-packs and 16oz. singles or 12 packs.

✨Calories: 15, 16oz. can

🍵Caffeine: 200mg, on par with Celsius (little less per volume), sourced from green tea extract. The 12oz. format has 150mg of caffeine.

👅Flavor: This is the classic natural flavors grape that you're probably used to from Fanta or other sodas. There is some slight minerality that peaks through the waves of purple. Medium carbonation. It's a little syrupy which is interesting but not overly so.

🧪Ingredients: Phorm falls on the lower end of vitamin concentrations but does include choline and N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine which aid with the replenishment and effectiveness of neurotransmitters. Notably absent are the standard taurine and ginseng from other energy blends as Phorm is taking a more brain-focused approach to energy. It does have enough sodium, potassium, and magnesium to function as a somewhat hydrating beverage.

Sweetener: Sucralose
Energy Blend: Caffeine (200mg), N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, NeuroFactor Whole Coffee 100mg
Vitamins: 100% DV of Vitamin B12, 120% DV of B6, 30% DV of Niacin, 70% DV of Choline, 10% DV of Magnesium

🏆Rating: 3 - Good - If you like Grape, this can does a good job of living up to the traditional soda flavors. It's a pretty clean stimulant and does feel generally refreshing. They seem to be priced to move in the market, particularly within the grocery segment, so I could see them being a solid value play. I'm not sure I would use this for gaming, but as a pre-workout or desk companion it has a great presence.

⚖️Scale:

1 | Bad | Don't Drink it | I Wouldn't Drink it

2 | Poor | I would drink it if there was nothing else or it was free

3 | Good | Serviceable | Buy it on sale

4 | Great | A Cut Above | White Monster | Buy at full price

5 | Excellent | Standout in the Category | Pay venue prices

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