Review: Drank
May 9th, 2009 by Steve
Described as an "anti-energy drink," Drank is a functional beverage that advertises to bring you relaxation through the inclusion of such calming ingredients such as melatonin, valerian root, and rose hips. It's an interesting concept, and with the promised slogan to "Slow Your Roll," we were curious to test out this drink.
Manufactured by the folks at Innovative Beverage Group Holdings, Drank comes to you in 16 oz. cans, similar in size to that of your typical energy drink. The packaging is light purple, which also reflects the hue of the drink. The Drank logo showcases the phrase "Relax", while the front of the can proclaims "Extreme Relaxation Beverage." The back of the can features the following message describing the drink:
We have combined Rose Hips, Melatonin and Valerian Root with a great tasting beverage to create the industry's first "Relaxed Lifestyle Beverage."These ingredients have the ability to relax your body, mind and soul, so when life comes at you fast, just remember to "slow your roll" with Drank.
The following interesting callout also appears:
Warning: This product may cause drowiness. Not recommended more than 2 servings within a 24 hour period.
So what does Drank taste like? When you open the can, you are greeted with a gentle, grape scent, similar to a grape-flavored SweetTarts candy.
As for the flavor, it started out a lot like 2004's Mountain Dew Pitch Black, with a subtle grape flavor. However, that flavor wasn't as strong, being more watered-down in general. Beyond the type of flavor, Drank seems to be very, very sweet. For a drink that desires to 'wind you down', that surprised me, as the sweetness seemed to counteract that purpose.
While the beginning of the drink experience was subtle grape, the aftertaste seemed rather unnatural, bitter, and syrupy. It wasn't as bad as something that used an artificial sweetener, but it also wasn't clean (for the record, the primary sweetener is high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), though sucrose is also high in the ingredient list). The overall flavor experience was on the weaker side of the grape flavor, with a low level of carbonation.
Ingredients:
Drank
Water, high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, citric acid, natural flavor, sodium citrate, potassium benzoate, potassium sorbate, niaciamide (Vitamin B3), D-calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5), valerian root extract, rose hips extract, pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Red 40, melatonin, Blue 1, cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12)
A 16 oz can will cost you 220 calories, 120 g of sodium, and 54 g of sugars.
I'm a person who is quite a light sleeper, so in the past I have taken melatonin to help me sleep well. Because of this, the concept behind Drank really intrigued me, as it's not often you see a carbonated beverage marketed to not give you more energy, but less. That said, I can't say that I noticed a considerable difference after drinking a can of Drank. In fact, I wonder if it's counterproductive to offer such "calming" ingredients such as melatonin and valerian root, while at the same time packing a drink with the same amount of sugar as typically found in a regular soda.
I like the concept behind Drank, a functional beverage that produces a calming effect. The grape taste is light, but saddled with some negative aftertaste and an overtly sweet flavor. Unfortunately, I personally didn't experience the relaxing influence that the can proclaimed, however your mileage may vary.
Great review on Drank. Yes this concept is very different for a drink that is supposed to wind you down rather than the opposite. To bad it didn't work like the bottle proclaims it should. I will have to test it out myself and its effects on me. If it works I think I will start drinking it at night before bed to help me wind down.
I can see this type of anti-energy drink might create a mini-fad to counteract energy drink effects. Combine Drank with RedBull to create a legal "8-ball" similar to Vodka+RedBull?
Since aside from tea this is the first of its kind as far as I can recall, it opens the door for newer, more potent relaxant drinks. Intriguing. Too bad it tastes like a wrecking-ball made entirely of grape Skittles, but it's a start in the right direction.
Great review (as usual) btw.
I have to try this! Caffeine doesn't affect me anyway, but I'd be curious if this would work for me at night.
Can this be found at regular retailers?
I'm surprised you didn't mention the link between this drink and hip hop culture. The whole "buy you a drank" thing (see T-Pain) and the phrase "slow your roll" (aka "slow your row") are pretty big clues. I guess they are trying to appeal to the hip hop fans with this one. I'm happy it's not alcohol, but I sure am tired of all the super sweet, HFCS-fllled beverages out there. I'm staying away from this one.
That drank k.o me!!
Just so you guys know, different people get affected differently. I personally can't function while on this drink. It makes every limb of my body feel heavy and week. It also gives the same tired giddiness that you experience when staying up till 4 or 5am.
I say try it and see how it works, but don't be upset if you lose a good 4 hours of your day, lol.
-Brandon
I have had this 3 times now and every time its worked. I sometimes have problems going to sleep and took Tylenol PM which knocks me out but makes me feel bad and still half asleep in the morning. With this I wake up feeling more refreshed I dont have that sleepy side effect. Plus it starts working about a hour after I drink it.
I wouldn't say it "works," but it does have some sort of melatonin-induced effect, and I like it. I also like the taste, it reminds me of dimetapp cough syrup form childhood. The corner store next to me carries it and I tend to break down and get a couple cans every two weeks or so. Pretty pleasant, but not the vicodin syzzurp that I'm looking for.
I'd love it if other companies worked on the same idea though. Especially a no sugar version — probably more effective, and I'd drink it more (I mean, nearly 500 cals for a two can jag? I really don't need that).
This product did work for me. I only skimmed through the article but drinking the entire can worked actually very well for me.
this drink has a lot to do with texas hip hop culture….chopped and screwed style hip hop producers are known for slowing down music and shifting the pitch down low…many combine a prescription cough medicine liquid codeine (sp) with a soda of their choice in a styrofoam cup…it turns the drink purple and is refferd to as DRANK or purple drank and is supposed to calm / slow everything down…the de-energy drink in the review seems to be paying homage to texas (or dirty south hip hop in general)…
Far too much sugar.
Too bad becuse it interested me too, a light sleeper.
This company is aiming for Coke and Pepsi drinkers as I see it.
My new fav beverage is Solixir.
They have a Relax beverge with Chamomile nd other herbs.
The Orange "Awaken" having the best flavor.
It is flying off the shelves of stores I shop in.
this sounds really mysterious to me..it sounds like lean or prymethsine cough syrup…hmmm
I've drank Drank a few times and I love the taste. It doesn't make me tired or knock me out or anything like that, but I've notived that I my quality of sleep is a lot better. I love it… it's awesome.
I think it is HILARIOUS that all you health nuts are posting whining and complaining about HFCS & Sugars in it. This is NOT a drink for health nuts. 9/10 energy drinks are packed full of sugar, caffeine, and guarana. Yet you complain when a manufacturer made extracts from some of the nastiest tasting herbal supplements taste good with sugar.
Sorry if you were a child deprived of ever tasting a soda, and 54g's of sugar winds you up. Bottom line is for the average american, your body should have a tolerance of well over 200g's of sugar to give you an energy boost.
I also find the commentaries about the reference to hiphop culture quite humorous. You speak about it almost as in a derogatory way, as if the hip-hop culture which INSPIRED THE NAME & APPEARANCE OF THE DRINK NOT THE TASTE OR INCLUDED INGREDIENTS. .
Just as several people who have said, it has different effects on different people & if you are such a health nut you completely avoid HFCS & Sugar then maybe you shouldn't be buying beverages at a local GAS STATION. Yeah, you show your superior intellect & well being!
Anyhow about the drink, I purchase one every night after work. I work at a high energy night club until 2.30am every other day. Ive tried the beverage many times. The first time it was a slight body high with a teeny case of fatigue. The second time it knocked me out. Then nothing. Now when I drink it, it always puts me down. I just consumed one about an hour ago and im ready for bed.
It works well. The 'health risks' posed by the HFCS & Sugar & Caffeine are so minimal and the drink definitely OVERWHELMS them by far. So for anyone wanting something SUGAR FREE. Just dont even look at this can, dont post your opinions about this drink CLEARLY ITS NOT FOR YOU. Now go to your local heath food store, buy some tea (which Ive tried it all and every other herbal method of ingesting sleep inducing herbs is about 75% placebo effect) and make sure you pick a giant case of STFU on the way home. Go read about beverages which you actually would drink. No one cares if you wont try it.
I just hope you never have children who will have to suffer your narrow minded and pathetic views attempting to keep your body in prestine condition.
P.S.
I just had a check up 1 month ago, I am a 22 year old male slightly overweight with almost perfect health including low bad cholesterol triglycerides & slightly above the average for bad cholesterol.
You should really do some research on the effects of sugar, and if it can give a person a sugar "rush" Studies show, that the "sugar high" is in fact a myth, that sugar does not have the properies to amp kids or adults up. For kids it it the excitement of getting the actual sugar that makes them excited. T he sugar in this beverage would not counter act the relaxing properties in the herds, it would just make it un unhealthy dietary choice