It's a bit embarassing that I've been doing these energy drink reviews for months and still have not reviewed the OG Monster. That changes today. After all, Monster is one of the OG energy drinks; it wouldn't be a proper review series if I didn't review the second OG energy drink in the US.

Across the hall from the lab I built all of my ECE 306 (Embedded Systems) projects in, nestled in a small alcove, was a vending machine that sold the full-sugar Monster, alongside the Java Monsters. This vending machine was on the Electrical / Computer Engineering (ECE) side of the building, the tactfully-named Engineering Building 2 (EB2)

In the same building on the Computer Science side there was a Port City Java that closed at 3P. Routinely I was in there much, much later than the PCJ was open, as I had 24/7 access to the building and the project I was building for ECE306 demanded a lot of my time; the small alcove with the vending machine with the Monster on my side of EB2 became a routine visit for these reasons.

I remember distinctly leaving my x240 in the lab, connected via Mini USB to the MSP430 board controlling my ECE306 project, normally within 30 minutes of around 10 at night, and walking the short distance to this vending machine. I'd swipe my campus card, debiting my Dining Dollars, and watch the robotic arm inside the vending machine spring to life and achieve its given purpose for only a moment, retrieving my night-black Monster from the cold corner of the machine. You were so helpful; thank you.

It tastes like battery acid; it's in-your-face; it sort of tastes like sour candy and it has all the sugar to prove it. This taste is the baseline, for me, that I compare and derive the taste of all energy drinks presented to me because it's one of the first ones I remember having.

Because of its early success there are many Monster imitators out there, like Rip It Stinger-Mo, and honestly most do a fine job. There's nothing special about Monster, especially the original flavor, other than that it was one of the OGs from way back. We salute your service.