Balls were originally a gamer's beverage designed as a high-caffeine drink. Hoby Buppert (1998 CNN Money interview) created the drink as an alternative to coffee as part of a college class project in 1997. He developed a carbonated and non-alcoholic beverage made with Guarana, a highly caffeinated berry native to the Amazonian rainforest. This root beer is no
exception.
The original variant,
Bawls Guarana, is packaged in a cobalt blue, non-slip glass bottle, while Bawls EXXtra comes in a clear bottle. Both containers have approximately
104 bumps for easier gripping.
The root beer was released
in 2008 and has about 64 mg of caffeine in 10 ounces. This is more than Mountain Dew Game Fuel. Almost double a Dr. Pepper or Coke (according to
caffeineinformer.com). The bottle is labeled “Warning:
This product contains high levels of caffeine.” Another example is that Bawls has 6.4 mg/fl oz, whereas Barq’s has
1.9 mg/fl oz. Regarding energy
drinks, KickStart is lower at 6.0 mg/fl oz, while Monster is higher at 9.4 mg/fl oz.
Ingredients: Carbonated Water, High
Fructose Corn Syrup, Caramel Color, Citric Acid, Natural Guarana Extract, Sodium
Benzoate (preservative), Caffeine, Natural & Artificial
Nutrition information from the label (per 10 oz):
- 130 Calories (13 per oz)
- 35mg Sodium. (3.5 mg per oz)
- 36g Sugar (12%) of Daily Carbohydrates (3.6 per oz)
- 64mg Caffeine (6.4 mg per oz)
Aroma and Flavor – 1.25 out of 3 mugs
Using
high fructose corn syrup caused me to lower the score by 0.5.
When I opened the beverage, the aroma was
outstanding! The taste was nothing
special but good. It has the
commercial root beer taste (like A&W) and carbonization with an unidentified
fruity aftertaste. That may be the caffeine and
Guarana? It left my mouth a little dry.
Head -- 2.25 out of 3 mugs
The head is one of
the best I have tested. Full and
frothy and lasted to the last drop. Its only negative effect is that it impacts overall enjoyment.
Zip -- 1 out of 3 mugs
The zip is actually strange. It has a peculiar sensation that leaves
the mouth feeling a little dry. While
not disappointing, it is nothing special either.
Post Consumption
Impression – 1 out of 3 mugs
This is a typical
root beer. I would drink it again
but at breakfast. The caffeine
punch was noticeable! When I get
this type of caffeine buzz, I usually feel it when the effect is passed through
my internal organs. In fact, the
buzz was such that I actually became dizzy and felt ill for several hours. Realistically, this is a solid energy
drink that lacks the vitamins. While I enjoy energy drinks, I usually take 6-8 hours to drink one, and I could not imagine that with a root beer.
Would I recommend
this at 6.25 out of 12 mugs?
This is not the worst, but
based on its effect on my internal organs and nothing special in taste,
I wonder if it would be the root beer of choice for me. It would be at the bottom of my rankings if this had such a solid head.
Other Reviews
Anthony’s Root Beer Barrel – 71 out of 100
Cosmo’s Root Beer Review – 5 out of 10
Edrinkblog - 6 out of 10
The Impulsive Buy - 7 out of 10
Eric’s Gourmet Root Beer – 2.5 of 5 barrels
Rob’s Root Beer Reviews – 8 out of 10
Steve’s Root Beer – 4.5 out of 10
Thirsty Dudes – 4 out of 5
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