AMP Overdrive Energy Drink Review

This brings back fond memories. AMP was the first drink that I ever reviewed here on taurine rules. Before I started this little energy drink review site and my current energy drink addiction I got my energy boost from the caffeine in Mountain Dew. Now admittedly I didn’t really know what I was missing, but Mountain Dew was a good start. So when I tried AMP I loved it, because it basically tasted like Mountain Dew. Of course during my Mountain Dew phase, I came to appreciate the distinctiveness of Mountain Dew Code Red. It had the same boost of Mountain Dew but mixed that Mountain Dew flavor with the cherry syrup of grenadine. AMP Overdrive is Pepsi’s energy drink recreation of Mountain Dew Code Red. They’ve taken taurine, guarana, a boatload of caffeine and a few other ingredients and thrown into a super sized 16 oz can of Code Red. Since my initial review of AMP they’ve also changed the can a little bit, going from the 8 oz standard set by Red Bull to the new 16 oz standard set by Monster and Rockstar. They’ve kept the original AMP logo of the stylized chevron but have changed the simple static looking can background to a more busy and dynamic look. I like the old one a little better but this one probably has more appeal since it looks very agitated and excited.

AMP Overdrive has the same bright red of Mountain Dew Code Red in color. If you aren’t familiar with that drink it’s probably closest in color to Vamp. The taste is very similar to Code Red but with a lot of lemon flavor in it and a little lime. I can also taste a tinge of strawberry. The consistency is not what I look for when reviewing an energy drink, it’s very thick and syrupy, which is a bad change after trying some drinks that are clean on the palette. Overall I was disappointed with AMP Overdrive after having enjoyed AMP and liking Code Red before it. This misses the mark and takes the worst characteristics of both. There’s plenty of other good cherry drinks out there such as Lolli's Cherry Pop that are good substitutes in Overdrive’s place.

The ingredients in Overdrive are pretty strong with all the basics you want in an energy drink, but for some reason I didn’t get the massive boost I thought I would. I guess when you drink an energy drink from the makers of Mountain Dew you expect to get the best of the best and that was definitely not the case. Let’s take a look at what’s inside. AMP Overdrive has guarana, sodium hexametaphosphate, maltodextrin, caffeine, gum arabic, taurine, ginseng, B Vitamins, edta, and BVO. There’s some dubious ingredients in there for sure along with the basic energy trinity ingredients of caffeine, guarana and taurine. But closer inspection reveals only a token amount of taurine at 20mg. What the heck is that? I feel totally ripped off and that clearly explains why AMP Overdrive underdelivered on its energy boost. Underdeliver, that pretty much sums up AMP Overdrive.

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