| Type | Alcopop |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | FBM Distilleries Ltd. |
| Distributor | Bacardi |
| Introduced | 2000 |
| Alcohol by volume | 7.0% |
| Colour | Blue, (Purple, Green and Red have been discontinued) |
| Variants | Rev, Rev Factor |
| Website | www.reverage.com |
Rev is a 7% ABV vodka-based cola beverage (alcopop), infused with guarana. Rev is manufactured by FBM Distilleries in Brampton, Ontario, Canada and distributed exclusively within the country under license from Bacardi.[1][2] It is currently available in blue (Rev Energy) only. Purple, red, and green have been discontinued. The drink is sold in packs of four 330mL bottles and single 473mL bottles.[3]
Rev was introduced in April, 2000, as a beverage marketed towards rave and nightclub culture.
Contents |
Rev Energy is described as brilliant sky-blue in colour with candied blue kool aid and raspberry freezie aromas and citrusy flavours.[1]
Rev Factor is described as having white cranberry and invigorating pomegranate flavours.[4]
Rev is sold in tall slender plastic bottles which can be resealed. Thought to be easier to hold onto while dancing in a club/rave.
Rev is a popular ingredient in mixed drinks. It is especially popular among many Eastern Canadians when combined with Jägermeister to make a drink called a "Rev-Bomb", a variation of a Jägerbomb. The drink was first introduced in 2009 at the campus bar The T-Room, in Halifax, Nova Scotia and is thus also referred to as a "Halifax Explosion".
The Rev-bomb is a cocktail that is mixed by dropping a shot of Jägermeister into a glass of Rev.[5]
This drink is a “depth charge” or “bomb shot”, which refers to cocktails that are made by dropping a shot glass filled with liquor into another drink.
In Southern Saskatchewan, the term "Rev-Bomb" is used to describe the act of piercing the bottom of the bottle with a knife, covering the hole, then opening the top and chugging the entirety of the drink. This is a form of shotgunning.
| A shot of Jägermeister dropped into Rev creates a Rev-bomb. | |
| Type | Mixed drink |
|---|---|
| Standard drinkware | A pub glass and a shot glass. |
A Rev-bomb is usually sold with a bottle of Rev, half of which is poured into a pint glass and separately accompanied by Jägermeister in a shot glass. The glass of Jägermeister is then dropped into the Rev.[5]
The effects of a Rev-bomb are held to be similar to those of a Jägerbomb, which differ from the effects of other alcoholic drinks. This is attributed to the fact that Rev is similar to an energy drink and has a stimulating effect upon the central nervous system, whereas the alcohol has a depressing effect. Consequently, some of the effects of intoxication are masked.
A Brazilian study conducted in 2006 found that combining energy drinks and alcohol “appears to show us that the use of energy drinks might predispose people to abuse alcohol when its depressant effects — or at least the perception of such effects — are masked by them.”[6] Professor Roseli Boergnen de Lacerda, who conducted the study, also warned of another possible effect: “a higher risk of car accidents because they [people who drank energy drinks with alcohol] felt less intoxicated than they were.”[7]
A further concern is the effect that the stimulant-depressant combination has upon the heart. Alcohol can reduce brain activity, impair heart function, and lead to a heart attack.[8] When combined with an energy drink, its effects may include cardiovascular risks, shortness of breath, and rapid heartbeat. The body’s defenses are weakened by the dehydration caused by the alcohol and caffeine, both of which are diuretics.[8][9]