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Jolt or Mountain Dew in the UK? 40

Posted by Cliff from the brits-need-caffeine-too dept.
Zerbey asks: "The age old problem of the geeks, where to get caffeine? I discovered these drinks in the States and despite whisperings from various corners that it is available (Alan Cox drinks Jolt) have never found a decent supplier in the UK. Anyone know of any that would sell to a caffeine-deprived geek and a decent price? Useful answers will be put onto a Web page. "
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Jolt or Mountain Dew in the UK? More

Jolt or Mountain Dew in the UK?

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  • I do believe this is the case. As someone has already mentioned, fruit-based sodas can not have caffeine in them. I guess that includes drinks like 7-Up, Mountain Dew, etc. What is Jolt "based" on, by the way ?? I've tried and didn't like it.

    I saw this on one of those news shows... It was about how terrible caffeine was for kids and how soooo many are addicted (one or two kids drank Mountain Dew by the 2-liter !! Ummm, Mom and Dad -- don't buy it !!).

    Of course, they then had the infamous taste test and guess what ?? The kids couldn't tell the difference between Canadian Mountain Dew (and other sodas) and the American versions !

  • Dr. Pepper my nasturtium! It tastes exactly the way month-old, never-washed sweat socks smell. (Once was more than enough, in case you can't tell.)

    I like Dr. Pepper, even if it does taste like carbonated prune juice. But then, I like prune juice....

  • Don't forget the Coffee Crisp! Another great reason for USA'ers to go to CanadaLand!

    How do you like your coffee?
    Crisp!
  • The one thing I love about going anywhere in Europe is being able to get Fanta, I havent been able to find it in the states.

    If I living in England I would have cases of the shit sent to my house.

  • Thanks for the answers, not sure where this article went I never actually saw it but never mind :) I'll be coallating the useful answers into a web page and will let people know (probably a /. post if it gets accepted).

  • Jolt (Score:1)

    by Qube ( 17569 )
    In Cardiff at least, there are several shops that sell it - little newsagent-type places and a couple of petrol stations. My local Texaco used to stock the bottles, sadly now it's just the can which are way smaller and cost nearly as much..

    I'd love to get hold of a whole case at once.. I've never seen it anywhere else in the UK - maybe it's just a Wales thing? :)

    --
    qube http://www.quake3arena.co.uk/
  • Alright - this isn't about the UK but I have the same problem.

    Anyway, I've found a pseudo-substitute, it's a candy called "Coffee-Go", it's american but it's pretty common around here (in Brazil) - two of them are enough to give me a 5 minute rush. Other acceptable caffine rich alternatives that I've tried are "Red Bull"-like drinks (kind of expensive though) and Guaraná (it's a Brazilian softdrink that you can buy in powder around here, VERY good stuff).
  • When I was in Australia in October, I was horrified to find out that their dew had no caffine either. Strangely, their COKE did have caffine. The labeling on the bottle was very prominent saying "this product contains caffine."

    no worries,

    Mike
  • I am by no means an expert on Canadian law, but I seem to recall reading that the ban was on caffein in citrus drinks (hence Jolt varieties are OK, but Mountain Dew isn't). Test of theory: Has anyone seen the citrus version of Jolt on Canada?
  • Fanta can be found in most supermarkets I've seen (PDX area) in the generic foods isle for cheap.
  • Pepsico recently "persuaded" the government to allow caffienated citrus drinks to be sold in Canada - last I heard (which admittedly was last December) it should be available near the end of 2000 (I know, that's a long time to a geek, but damn speedy for a government regulation :o)

    I'll never drink it of course - I don't like the way that Pepsico got the government to change the regs ("We don't want to add the caffeine because it's a stimulant, we add it because it improves the flavour - oh, and we never EVER market to kids, or use children in our advertising, or tell people to drink our products because of the caffeine")

    Since I stopped working graveyards, Coke has enough kick for me.. (before then, it was Jolt all the way.)
  • Thanx, this is a real lifesaver!

  • Homer: Do you have anything to drink?

    Vendor: Yes! Crab Juice or Mountain Dew.

    Homer: Eeeewwwww! Bleha, I guess I'll have the crab juice.
  • For you Dutch nerds, you can find Jolt and Mt Dew (and a range of other American products - Kool-Aid, Oreo's, and many others) at the "Chill-Out zone" in 'de Bijenkorf'. Interestingly enough, the Jolt they sell there is made in Germany.

    Cheers

    Costyn.
  • Only colas can be caffinated. However I think the authorities turn a blind eye to small scale importation ie Thinkgeek sampler as I have purchased it. The laws here are changing so soon you will be able get all you caffinated goodness whenevr you are in Australia.

  • Do you have any idea how hard it is to get Jolt in a rural area of the states? I sometimes only find it in the exteme south (think Georgia).
  • I don't think that stuff would be legal, dude.
  • It is rather fast for government. The Canadian government for that matter (it took them a year to get a passport for me!). Makes you wonder how much Pepsico slipped under the table to the Canucks...

  • Last Blown-off-limbs Day (Veterans Day), I was driving through the southern leg of Michigan and saw a billboard for Rock n' Roll McDonalds. If you're curious, I suggest you check it out.
  • Better yet, does anyone know where in the states you can get Lilt? (Or lift perhaps, I forget which name was in Germany and which was in the UK). I love this drink, it's made by Coca-Cola, but can't find it anywhere, even including places like Total Beverage. If you know a place, preferably in the Northern Virginia, Washington DC area, please email me: mattlesko at yahoo dot com. TIA.
  • The newsagent just down the street from where I go to uni used to stock Jolt. Every morning, I'd go there and pick up a bottle before going to lectures.

    They stopped stocking it a few months ago due to the fact that I was the only one buying it and it wasn't worth their stocking it any more. I was disappointed. Now I have a cup of strong coffee in the mornings instead, One up for Nescafe.

    This is the problem in a lot of situations, I think. This was a shop frequented by lots of geeks, but it would appear that most of them would drink Red Bull instead, a (very expensive) fizzy drink with caffein and taurine, or even Coca-cola.

    To add insult to injury, when I tried to order a crate of Jolt from thinkgeek.com, I was told they wouldn't ship to the EU (I think, could have been just the UK). I miss Jolt, and I want to get some more....
  • well, in europe mate and gourana are fairly popular. these things work better than caffeine does in my opinion. I drink mate all the time. In fact, I work at a tea shop that carries it, so i have a fairly good supply. Anyhow, Id look into caffiene alternatives (eg, mate, gourana) if your having that much trouble finding a bit of caffiene there.



    drink tea
    http://www.specialtea.com [specialtea.com]
  • Strangely, though I cannot find Mt Dew in neither NL nor Germany, I have right in front of me an (empty) can of Jolt, produced by "Jolt Germany, 50925 Köln" (www.jolt.de). Got it in a "Spar"in Germany. In the NL widespread is Dr. Pepper and an almond-taste thingit called "Dr. Foots" both of which I like very much. Just like Dew and Jolt, they make me feel nicely sleepy...
  • Anyway, I must commend you on your choice of automobiles. "Some day..." (-: My uncle restores Mopars (including a SWEET '68(?) Road Runner, and a '69(?) Dart), and my father has a partially-assembled '72 Challenger in his garage. Somehow I doubt he'll let me drive it if/when it gets put together.

    Well, first off, I'd never seen that Charger concept car. I love the shape of it, the obvious tribute to the "Coke Bottle" 1969-1970 Charger (like the General Lee in the Dukes of Hazzard). And I like four-door cars. But a 4-door Charger? That's like building a 4-door Corvette! I hope they build it - but two doors only. Maybe they could call the 4-door version the "Satellite" for real vintage flavor.

    I'm a big Mopar fan. At the moment, I have three Mopars in my driveway:

    1974 Plymouth Valiant Brougham 4-door with a Slant 6 (lovely, comfy Sunday cruiser)

    1983 Dodge Ram with a Slant 6 / 4-speed transmission (slow but tough as nails and good on fuel)

    1976 Dodge Ram with a 400 (6.6L) big-block V8 and a 727 automatic (blows away Mustang 5.0s)

    And then, the non-Mopar stuff:

    1980 Chevrolet Chevette 2-dr with a Buick 3.8L (231) V6 stuffed under the hood (fast).

    So I'm mostly a Mopar fan. Love working on them; I've done my own engine rebuilds, rust repairs (welded, no Bond-o), lots of electrical and electronics repair and modifications. The Chevette needs a roll cage - must do it - and a new diff, because every time I stomp on the gas, I blow another wrecking yard diff. I've got a Ford 8.8" kicking around that I'll narrow for it.

    And the Valiant's lovely 297,000 mile Slant-6 engine block is sitting in my living room. As part of restoring the car, I'm rebuilding the motor. But I had no place to put it! So after I cleaned it, into the house it came. It needs a little machine work before I put the engine back together. It was badly worn, but running well, when I got it. Can't kill a Slant-6.

  • Just for sake of reference, especially if you're either travelling to, or have, Canadian connections:

    Mountain Dew in Canada is not caffeinated. Apparently, the Canadian Federal Health Gestapo has decided that colas are the only soft drinks that should be allowed to be caffeinated. I've heard this from several sources, so I don't think it's urban myth; however, a quick Yahoo search failed to confirm it.

    I think Wet Planet Beverages (makers of Jolt Cola) is small enough that they're able to slip under the radar, since XTC can occasionally be found, even though it is a soft drink but not a cola, and is highly caffeinated.

    Jolt Cola is no problem to get here; most larger convenience stores, especially in downtown Toronto, sell it.

    My personal technique has been to order the caffeine sampler from Think Geek, have it mailed to a friend's place in Buffalo, and then sneak it across the border when convenient.

  • DXM seemed to work for a friend of mine...though I don't think I've ever seen a person's eyes get that red before...not to mention he started to sing something called "Rock 'n Roll McDonald". Let's hear it for the power of synthetic heroine! (That's what DXM is, right?)

  • try some of these products
    yummies [thinkgeek.com]

    --Programmers are tools for converting caffeine into code.

  • What types of RedBull do you have in Brazil?

    As part of my quest to try every possible source of caffine I've found three types available in my area (Michigan, USA):

    weak [ofdoom.com] from Austria

    Strong [ofdoom.com] from Thiland

    Really Strong [ofdoom.com] also from Thiland

    I drank way too much of the third one a couple of months ago, and pushed my caffine tolerence way too high, so it's back to faygo [faygo.com] for me.
    --

  • I heard (someone please substantiate) that the Diet Mountain Dew does have caffeine in Canada, even though the regular does not. I got this tidbit from the alt.drugs.caffeine FAQ, though the copy I have is outdated. Here's a little chart from said FAQ that I used to keep on the wall in my cube at work:

    TheChemistryofCaffeineandrelatedproducts

    1.Howmuchcaffeineistherein[drink/food/pill]?

    Accordingtothe NationalSoftDrink Association,thefollowingis
    thecaffeine contentinmgsper12 ozcanofsoda:
    • Afri-Cola 100.0(?)
    • Jolt 71.2
    • Sugar-FreeMr.Pibb 58.8
    • MountainDew 55.0 (nocaffeineinCanada)
    • DietMountainDew 55.0
    • MelloYellow 52.8
    • Tab 46.8
    • Coca-Cola 45.6
    • DietCola 45.6
    • ShastaCola 44.4
    • ShastaCherryCola 44.4
    • ShastaDietCola 44.4
    • Mr.Pibb 40.8
    • OKSoda 40.5
    • Dr.Pepper 39.6
    • PepsiCola 37.2
    • Aspen 36.0
    • DietPepsi 35.4
    • RCCola 36.0
    • DietRC 36.0
    • DietRite 36.0
    • CanadaDryCola 30.0
    • CanadaDryDietCola 1.2
    • 7Up 0

    Notice that they included a note about Mt. Dew in Canada, but not Diet Mt. Dew... Anyway, I hope this helps!

    --Joe
    --
  • I use Nestea, a kind or instant tea. You can pretty much give yourself as much of a caffiene kick as necessary. It also works well mixed with juices or other flavorings (flavourings). Dont' try sucking coffee grounds though. For some reason it gives me a sore throat.
  • I'm following this thread, because I was talking about Canadian Dew being weak, then the Moxie thread.

    Anyway, I must commend you on your choice of automobiles. "Some day..." (-: My uncle restores Mopars (including a SWEET '68(?) Road Runner, and a '69(?) Dart), and my father has a partially-assembled '72 Challenger in his garage. Somehow I doubt he'll let me drive it if/when it gets put together.

    Have you seen the new Charger R/T [4adodge.com]? I'm drooling.
  • Yeah, kinda like Dr. Pepper.. but also kinda like cough medecine. (-:

    Pretty much everyone I know hates it.

    I once bought 8 bottles from a convenience store, leaving New Hampshire, on my way back home (to New Brunswick). When I got the Moxie up to the counter, the clerk said "You actually LIKE this stuff?"

    Needless to say, she wasn't on comission.
  • also as an alternative there is Fernandez, guaranteed to have NO natural ingredients, barring water. Get the green one.. oh.. when presenting a bottle of Fernandez, hold it by the top. Nice look on people's faces when you release, and it turns out that it is NOT a brightgreen bottle.
    some Albert Heijns stock the stuff.

    //rdj
  • FYI, as a fellow canuck, I've done some digging and found out something crucial for would-be caffeine junkies: 7-11. Seriously, the 7-11's in this area carry more high caffeine beverages than any other store I've found. Among them:

    Jolt, Jolt Cherry, Jolt Citrus
    XTC
    Water Joe Caffeinated Bottled Water
    Sobe (not so high-caffeine, but guarana goes down smooth)
    and Generator (mmm...tastes like cough syrup)

    Also, there's a canadian company called Northern Ice that makes caffeinated mints for canadian consumption, and 7-11's got them too. Same 15mg kick as penguins, though I prefer the penguins tin. (Northern Ice is a blue tin with a polar bear on it, fyi).

    Love 7-11, cherish 7-11. :)

    Johnath
  • So, Canadians come to the states for properly-caffenated Mountain Dew, while Americans go to Canada for Tylenol with Codeine.

    Weird ... really weird.

  • I'm from Toronto, Canada, and as such, Moxie isn't available here. I love the United States and travel fairly frequently, more so to the midwest now, but I'm still in New England twice a year.

    I had a job offer a while ago from a friend of mine in Livermore Falls, Maine.

    Excerpt from my Pros/Cons list:

    Con: Town's name says it all.

    Pro: Moxie is available everywhere.

    In the end, a Moxie-deprived existance won out.

  • What about Afri-cola? (Score:3)

    by wynlyndd ( 5732 ) <wynlyndd.gmail@com> on Tuesday May 30, 2000 @10:53AM (#1041054) Homepage
    Afri-cola is a German cola that I haven't tried yet but I have heard reports that it has 100mg of caffeine per bottle (11oz bottle) and at least one report I have seen says 250mg per bottle. Compare that to the approx. 58mg of caffeince per 12oz can...

  • Moxie (Score:3)

    by Zeni ( 52928 ) on Monday May 29, 2000 @07:37AM (#1041055)

    I second that! Moxie is the best. I live in the midwest now, but my family is from Mass. So I only get Moxie a few times a year when someone travels to/from Mass. :( The thing with Moxie is either you LOVE it or HATE it.
    (Tho most friends that have tried it hated it.)

    For those of you who don't know what Moxie is: it's kinda like Dr. Pepper but different. Dang I'm at a lose of words how to describe it. YUM!

  • Weak Dew (Score:3)

    by TheTomcat ( 53158 ) on Monday May 29, 2000 @03:32AM (#1041056) Homepage
    I live in Canada.

    We have Mountain Dew here, but it's weak. It doesn't contain caffeine. None.

    When I cross over into the 'states, I pick up some real 'Dew, Jolt, and of course, my favourite, Moxie. (Even though it's not hyper-caffeinated, it's still really good stuff.)

    Which reminds me, I should take another trip down there. I just ran out of Penguin Mints.

  • UK Supplier Info from the Jolt WebSite (Score:3)

    by awb2 ( 183842 ) on Monday May 29, 2000 @03:32AM (#1041057)
    This may be of interest: http://www.wetplanet.com/intern_uk.html [wetplanet.com]
    An excerpt of which is:
    THE JOLT COMPANY INC. announces the appointment of PREMIUM SOFT DRINKS as its UK importer of JOLT COLA.

    For more details on how to get "jolted" in the U.K, please contact:


    Premium Soft Drinks Ltd.
    George Cayley Drive
    York Y030 4XE
    ENGLAND
    Phone: 01904 693 945
    Fax: 01904 690 745

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