G FUEL energy drink review

I've done my due diligence on GamingTrend when it comes to energy drinks. I generally drink a lot of caffeine and via a lot of different drinks. That's all to say, I'm qualified when it comes to judging whether or not an energy formula works. G FUEL is a company I've bought from before, and was one of the first powdered products I tried back in the day. Now, they're back with a new and improved formula, so it's time to take it to the test. Did G FUEL enhance their energy drink? Albeit with a few caveats, I think yes.

In order to sample a wide variety of G FUEL's offerings during this review, I went with their recent Fallout collection. One of the things G FUEL does incredibly well is collaborations, doing so with franchises like Fallout or Naruto. Sure, they make their own flavors as well, such as the new Watermelon 2.0, but the heart of their brand is matching a drink to a character or series. Given they release a new drop every week, the ingenuity and relentless effort from the team is commendable.

They've put that same energy (pun intended) into this Fallout lineup. It's somewhat of an easy mashup, as Fallout's Nuka Cola is iconic and serves for a template, but the team took that and ran with it. The flavors of this collection are Sunset Sarsaparilla, Nuka Cola 2.0, Nuka Cherry, and Nuka Grape.

Each of these has its own distinct taste. Sunset Sarsaparilla goes for a root beer lollipop, Nuka Cola 2.0 is tropical citrus berry, and I'd say it's easy to guess what Nuka Cherry and Nuka Grape are. My only gripe is Nuka Cola 2.0, which in my mind should have been a cola flavor, or re-named to Nuka Quantum, as it resembles that more closely. Besides that silly nitpick, everything is just as I'd expected. All of them taste good, representative of their relayed flavors, although the grape and cherry are more of the "candy/Kool-aid" versions of the flavor.

Before we move into the drink itself, I want to address G FUEL's shaker. Included with my Sunset Sarsaparilla box was a 24oz metal shaker. This shaker has a great aesthetic to it, mimicking the wooden walls of an old western town and emblazoned with a deputy star. It's on point for the fictional beverage from Fallout lore. The metal cup is sturdy, and feels like a quality utensil. I'd only add one thing: markings inside so you know how much you've filled it up. The screw-on top is also well built, and while I'd like the grill to be removable to clean it easier, it works as intended in helping mix your drink.

When you need a drink, G FUEL is a simple creation. Just add 12-16oz of water to your shaker, add a single scoop of powder, close the shaker, and shake it well. My biggest surprise with this was how watered down it could taste when following these instructions. 16oz of water is just too much, and it leads to an odd aftertaste. Somewhere around 12oz of water, and maybe in between that and 10oz, is the sweet spot. I mostly filled my 24oz shaker and dropped two scoops in, and that led to the most flavorful version of G FUEL.

Of course, the reason you drink G FUEL beyond the expansive library of flavors are the enhancements to your energy and awareness. This no-sugar formula has only a gram of carbs and five calories, making it a good shout for anyone watching their intake. G FUEL features 140mg of caffeine per scoop, which is a standard amount for most people and drinks. As with most energy drinks, caffeine might be the star of the show, but they are loaded with other ingredients and vitamins to give you a boost.

Taurine is a well-known amino acid that supports brain health and reduces fatigue. Glycine and Choline are other supplements that enhance your brain function. L-Citrulline assists blood flow, and L-Theanine can give your focus an upgrade, with Glucuronolactone doing the same. Vitamins B6 and B12 help your nervous system, and Vitamin C is great for your immune system. Niacin and L-Carnitine Tartare give your body the juice to metabolize all of what's coming in. That's a whole lot of breakdown for G FUEL, but needless to say, there are plenty of healthy inclusions in their special formula.

Compared to the original formula, there's no doubt in my mind G FUEL has fixed their biggest problem: chalky drinks. For some reason, original G FUEL didn't mix that well, and it led to grainy leftovers that didn't taste good at all. Whatever changes have been made are tremendous, as this is 100% better.

It hasn't led to a lack of a medicine-y aftertaste, though. Any energy formula does its best to mask the bitterness of its ingredients, and G FUEL's is most prevalent when the mixture features more water. I was a bit concerned at first before discovering my double scoop solution. I also forgot that, after the initial shock to my taste buds in the past, I did eventually get used to it before, and the same occurred with this formula. It actually brings me back as I write this; I remember thinking, "This doesn't taste that good", before drinking my second serving the next day to surmise, "Actually, this is pretty good". G FUEL does have a good taste to it, but it is an acquired one.

The real question you're probably here looking for: Does it work? I think it does. I spent the last week exclusively drinking G FUEL, abandoning my usual schedule of Ghost/Monster/or REDCON energy cans. To my surprise, even lacking around 120mg of caffeine from my usual intake, I've felt just as energized with an alertness I need to have on the daily. With Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's Ranked Play releasing scant weeks ago, I've also been able to climb quickly (even if my recent lobbies have been terrible). Maybe I'm losing, but it has nothing to do with fatigue. G FUEL works.