​Two things you should know – 1. Very rarely will I drink an energy drink of any kind unless it’s something that catches my eye or if it’s coffee or any of its many variations.  2.  I will rarely do energy drink reviews, that’s just not the type of drinks this blog is about.  I will however on occasion feel the need to post about an energy drink if it is something that can be mixed in a cocktail or if I just like it and feel the need to share, such is the case with this review.  UpTime was an energy drink that caught my eye at my local convenience store.

UpTime Energy Drink stood out amongst the many other energy drinks in the cooler due to its aluminum can/bottle shape.  Every other energy drink pretty much has the same type of packaging so a lot of them get lost in the shuffle.  The one UpTime Energy Drink that stood out and grabbed my attention first was the black (original) bottle and then the white (sugar-free) bottle caught my eye and began screaming “pick me!” I grabbed one of each as I headed off to work a night shift and needed a pick me up that coffee couldn’t have handled.

UpTime Back Story:  
Upon my research, I found that UpTime has been in the supplement industry for about 30 years. UpTime manufactures high-quality products with natural energy producing ingredients.  Every ingredient provides clarity, focus and has limited to no side effects.  With these natural ingredients, UpTime claims to give you “energy to excel.”  Much like everything that is on the market now and also with what seems to be the trend UpTime is infused with the vitamins and minerals needed to provide the focus and energy the promise.  Each bottle is infused with ginseng, ginkgo biloba, guarana, and CoQ10 so you will get a naturally nutritional boost of energy.

UpTime Energy Drink Review:
When I first opened the aluminum bottle I got a crisp, citrusy smell very similar to what I would get if I opened a Fresca soda.  It wasn’t a strong scent like I would get from other original flavored energy drinks on the market.  UpTime smells like a Fresca but tastes very similar to a lemon-lime soda, just not as bubbly. 

My boost from UpTime came within about 15 minutes of drinking about ¾ of the bottle/can.  After about 3 hours I noticed that the drink was beginning to wear off, but I didn’t feel I was crashing.  I just seemed to notice that I wasn’t as alert as I felt I was an hour or so before.  I didn’t feel wasted or knocked out or like I just ate a plate of MSG like I’ve gotten from many of the other energy drinks.  It was just the lack of focus that I felt I was missing.  

Based on taste alone I would say that I preferred that sugar-free (white can).  The original black can seemed to be more thick and syrupy and the flavor didn’t seem to linger.

Both UpTime energy drinks worked the same as the other, and both will be a good choice. Either would be perfect if you need the energy and focus for an early morning or late afternoon meeting.  Above all of the listed benefits, you will also get to look cool walking around with an aluminum bottle.  UpTime will certainly be my new goto energy drink, the price point does seem slightly higher.   

​In my opinion, if you have a great quality product you shouldn’t have to bundle your products to compete.

The Details:
One Shot is based out of Houston, Texas and is a family of eight different flavored tequilas as well as a straight 100% Silver Tequila from Mexico.   One Shot is also comprised of three premium vodka shots as well as one premium rum shot  Each of the 11 flavors is infused with different natural fruit essences.  There are 7 infused tequilas which come in an array of flavors such as, Coffee, Coconut, Apple, Peach or other misc Citrus flavors.  Citrus, Orange, and Raspberry make up the three different types of vodkas and a basic Rum and Coconut makes up the last. 

According to their website and co-founder, the premise of One Shot was created while they were having drinks in Mexico.   They have called it a “new way of drinking,” and each One Shot is bottled in a reusable 50ml shot glass (really two shots per).
One Shot doesn’t lack on the Alcohol By Volume either, it settles in at a nice 40%.

My Review:
Over the years we’ve seen a huge increase in “pre-bottled” shots, and those numbers keep growing.  Most of which are way to strong, or way too sweet or way too gimmicky, which is why most of the time you see them stacked on the shelf with 2 inches of dust on them.  I’ve walked by the “bucket o’ One Shot” a hundred times as I checked out of my local liquor store. 

Something about Mint Infused Tequila didn’t sound right to me, plus it was in a gimmicky bottle and honestly for $.79 per shot, how good could it be?  Finally, last week I figured I may as well give it a shot (get it?).  I bought two of them and threw them in the freezer to drink when they were super cold, it’s the only way I drink my tequila.  The next day while my friend/colleague and I were watching a webinar we decided that was a good time to try the One Shot.  Both of us had a great hesitation, mostly because neither of us really like tequila.  We pulled back the aluminum cap and instantly got the cool minty rush aroma with a slight undertone of tequila.  Unlike other pre-bottled shots, the smell of the spirit came second and the flavor came first.

First, we tried the Mint Infused One Shot, the flavor was great, the tequila was mellow in comparison to other tequilas I’ve tried.  I was a little afraid of how the mint would go with the tequila but the combination was perfect.  I am not sure what brand of premium tequila is used but it tasted very similar to Milagro 100% Silver. 

Immediately, I could feel the 40% abv only it tasted like I just brushed my teeth.  Unfortunately, the liquor store only had two flavors the second flavor I tried after a couple of days was the Coffee Infused tequila One Shot.  Once again I kept it in the freezer until I was ready to drink it.  I grabbed the ring on the aluminum lid and pulled it back.  Immediately my nose was opened up to 100% coffee, and a mild undertone of tequila.  My first thought was Kahlua or a Brave Bull Cocktail, again the smell of the tequila stayed in the back.  As I let my senses settled I took my shot and it was coffee all the way down, no burn from the tequila, no lingering tequila aftertaste just pure coffee.

After trying the two, I immediately went back to my liquor store and ended up buying the rest he had in stock and instantly went searching for the other products.  I called Houston and expressed my interest, the operator at One Shot told me to contact the distributor in my area.  After, being on hold with the distributor for about 30 minutes I was told nobody has ordered the product since 2013, but they did give me a list of stores that did have it back in 2013. 

I called One Shot back and told them my dilemma and I was told they are “bottling more now and should soon be available.”  I hope that they do continue to bottle, I hope that California begins to see more of One Shot, it’s truly a great product.  With all of the run of the mill pre-bottled products on the market, many consumers share my opinion in staying away from it.  It’s my hope that we do not see the end of One Shot and that they bottle more, find their niche and market it like crazy to put their brand in everyone’s face. 

​I look forward to trying the flavors I’ve not tried yet, I look forward to seeing them in every liquor store and selling at a premium price as they deserve.

It seems every season around this time we see a spike in “trendy new flavors” of bourbons and whiskeys. It started off with cherry a few years ago, following closely behind was honey, apple, cinnamon, and more recently maple.  Recently I found a great price on Knob Creek Smoked Maple and figured I would give it a try and also wanted to post an excellent spring recipe.  

My first thought after tasting was Knob Creek Smoked Maple Bourbon doesn’t really  need anything but french toast, eggs and a side of bacon.  It’s a much fuller and less sugary bourbon than others that have tried to duplicate or others that may have lead the pack.  Smoked Maple, is certainly a great bourbon and I am looking forward to seeing what else I can mix with it, until then enjoy this Chai Latte on a warm spring day.

• 6-8 oz Water
• 2-3 Bags (depending on how strong of a flavor you like) Chai Tea
• 2 oz Knob Creek Smoked Maple Small Batch
• Cream

Make tea as normal, fill a glass full of ice, once the tea is done cool to a room temperature you don’t want to pour the hot tea over the ice and water down the drink.  Add the Knob Creek Smoked Maple, add the tea (which at this point should be cooled off) and fill the glass with cream.  Garnish with cinnamon or with a cinnamon stick or two.  Sit back and enjoy the extra hour of daylight.

Coffee Liqueur aka Kahlua is one of the few spirits you should always have on hand in your home bar.  It is always great for desserts drinks as well as using it for a topping with desserts.  It’s also the key ingredient in many popular cocktails, most commonly are the White Russian, Black Russian and Mudslide.
Here is the issue that I have with the store bought “coffee liqueur” it has an uneccessary amount of corn syrup.  When you make it yourself you can eliminate that, though you would still be using sugar, you can adust how much of it is being added.  There are many coffee liqueurs on the market and pretty much taste the same ….. like coffee.  

My version will yield you about 2 quarts, and is super simple to make, and in my opinion it should keep for about 3 months before having to throw it away.  It’s so simple that you can make it the night before your guests arrive and you will have it on hand when needed.  

​Here is the recipe, please modify it to your liking and if you change anything please let me know, I would like to try the different variations.

• 1 Cup Good Quality Instant Coffee
• 2 Cups Water
• 4 Cups of Sugar
• 2.5 Cups Vanilla Vodka (or spirit of your choice)
• Optional:  Vanilla Extract (amount to your liking)

Mix first three ingredients into a medium saucepan.  Heat and stir until completely dissolved.  Cool to room temperature.  Add your spirit of choice and the vanilla extract.  Pour the entire mixture into bottles, jars, or the storage container of your choice.