If you’ve been reading my articles for some time now, you will know that I’m a massive fan of energy drinks in the quad cities. I’ve written about my favorites at specific energy bars, but I was recently asked by a friend what my top three drinks are in general. Honestly, it was something I didn’t even think about before, but after reading back through my articles, I can narrow my favorites down to three. So if you’re craving an energy drink today, here’s what I would recommend:
- Strawberry Shortcake as a Slush from Atomic.
When I first tried the Strawberry Shortcake energy brew from Atomic, I was underwhelmed. I still thought that it was one of the better drinks on the menu, but it wasn’t as “mind-blowing” as some of my friends described it to be. I usually got the next brew on this list, until I randomly decided to give Strawberry Shortcake another chance. One of the things that I like about Atomic is that they can turn their energy brews into slushies, so out of curiosity, I ordered the Strawberry Shortcake as a slushie.
It’s now my newest obsession.
The drink is still bursting with a powerful strawberry flavor, but there are hints of vanilla and white chocolate within every sip. They turn the brew from a regular strawberry drink into the liquid version of strawberry cake, making the drink unique from other strawberry brews across the quad cities. I find the vanilla and white chocolate flavors to be more pronounced in the slushie than the regular brew, so I don’t mind paying a little extra to get a taste of strawberry heaven. If you ever catch me in the Atomic drive-thru lines the next few days, you can bet this is what I’m getting. Ever since I first tried it, I can’t stop craving it.
- PMS with Peach from Atomic.
Before the Strawberry Shortcake rocked my world, the PMS was my go-to from Atomic. Many of my friends at college prefer to get it with pomegranate, but I prefer adding peach syrup to the drink because it’s more sweet and flavorful. Plus, its sweetness balances out the tanginess from the strawberry and mango better. Unlike the strawberry shortcake, this drink is fantastic whether I get it as a slushie or as a regular brew. Every sip packs a punch of flavor and it’s the perfect drink to bring out the sun on a rainy day. I’m still craving the strawberry shortcake slushie, but I will always go back for my beloved PMS, even if it’s not for a few weeks.
- Copycat from Awake.
Even though Atomic currently has my latest obsessions, I will always be an Awake girl at heart, so I knew I had to include one drink on this list. However, because every single energy brew from Awake I’ve tried has been delicious, I had a difficult time deciding what my favorite would be.
However, as soon as I remembered that Copycat existed, my internal debate was cut short.
If anyone asked me what drink best represents Awake, I would immediately say Copycat. The mango and peach flavors blend perfectly together while an explosion of sweet and tangy flavors dance on my tongue. On top of that, Awake adds gorgeous hot pink rose petals on top to turn the drink into a beautiful pink. Don’t worry though, even though there are literal flower petals in the drink, they don’t disturb the mango or peach flavors. So, Copycat can not only be the prettiest drink on the menu, but it can be the most delicious. If you’re ever planning on trying Awake for the first time, I can’t recommend Copycat enough. It will truly blow your mind.
And there you have it; my current favorite energy drinks to get throughout the Quad Cities. Even if this list changes in the future, I will always recommend these brews to anyone who needs an extra dose of energy.