Caffeinated Beer

If you've ever watched "The Drew Carey Show", you're familiar with their brand of caffeinated and coffee-flavored beer, aptly called Buzz Beer. Well, today's newest beers aren't actually flavored like coffee but they do offer a caffeine punch.

All the beer brands listed below get their caffeine from guarana, which is the latest fad for 'more natural' caffeine. I'm not sure what would make this any more natural than caffeine from other sources.More on Guarana

Labatt's Shok
This is the newest brand of caffeinated beer on the market, and it is a potent brew. Not only does Kick have 60mg of caffeine, it also has a high alcohol content of 6.9% in a smaller 250mL bottle. There are so-called "berry aromas" added as well, making for an unusual flavor that you might not expect in a beer.
Labatt's Home Page

Molson's Kick
Molson's entry is a lager, with 55mg of caffeine added. There are no extra flavours added, so you might not even notice any difference between this and a regular beer. Though you will notice the funky aluminum beer bottles that you will get when you order at the local bar. Retail purchases are in traditional glass. Kick has a bit less alcohol than Shok, at a modest 5%.
Molson's Home Page

Anheueser-Busch's B^E
This brand name is read "B to the E", where the E stands for Extra. B^E is a sweet/tart and berry-flavored brew, that has not only guarana for caffeine but also ginseng. A can of B^E will net you 54mg of caffeine and 6.6% alcohol content.
Anheueser-Busch Home page

Aside from these major breweries, there are other local offerings in the caffeinated beer market, such as:

Third Rail Beer - California only. No fruity flavors here.
Moonshot - Found in Massachusetts, Wisconsin and Georgia. A smooth beer with no unusual tastes.
Sparks - Not really a beer, but a malt-based caffeinated beverage with guarana, alcohol and ginseng.

Of course, you have to wonder about the health impact these types of drinks will have. Is it really a good idea to mix two addictive and mood-altering substances in one beverage? Some experts fear that these products will lead people to think they will stay more alert on account of the caffeine, which may lead to excessive consumption or even increased instances of drinking and driving.

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