UMMBA! Night Edition is a product of the Polish Swarog Group Beverages. With a name like that, what immediately comes to mind is Grog. Is UMMBA! Night Edition like Grog? Probably not. Unlike Grog, this beverage contains a considerable amount of caffeine, in addition to taurine. This 250ml bottle contains “400/100ml” taurine, but I have no idea what that means. Taurine is an organic acid and I’m not sure if it’s possible to get “one taurine”. But let’s not get hung up in the details. Instead, let’s do some good old empirical research and find out what 400 taurines taste like.

Can

The can is black, with gold, script letters: “Night Edition”. Come on, whisper it while you stare intensely at your screen. “Night Edition”. I get the feeling Swarog is trying to make UMMBA! Night Edition stand out from the crowd as an exclusive energy drink. But I’m not sure if it works. The logo, also in gold, shows a guy dancing, or perhaps someone high as a kite. This might have been the designer’s inspiration. While the can does stand out a little, some sort of fancy, royal-like logo would perhaps been better for an exclusive effect.

First smell

Oh, what a surprise. It smells like Red Bull. Is this just another generic energy drink? Through the UMMBA! site, Swarog is trying to make their brand hip and popular like Red Bull, but maybe it would be better to try to invent their own, distinct smell instead of copying Red Bull.

First sip from the can

And it tastes like Red Bull as well. Or at least a washed out version. Unlike many other energy drink, UMMBA! Night Edition has plenty of carbonation, and we love that fizz, don’t we? Of course we do. The beverage is easy to drink, so it’s nice to if you need something to chug down, but UMMBA! Night edition doesn’t really taste like something you’ll sit down an enjoy with your favorite book. And beware of the weird aftertaste of ham!

Taste from a glass

There’s a very nice “wosh” of fizz when UMMBA! Night Edition is poured into the glass. From the glass, the drink has a pleasant, sweet smell. There is a good chance UMMBA! Night Edition would be a winner in a chilled glass, with crushed ice and a slice of lemon. But I have none of that available.

Visuals

There is nothing special at all about the way UMMBA! Night Edition looks. It’s just a generic energy drink.

After 5 minutes

Meeeeeeh… Unlike the character on the can, I’ve got no real need to dance yet. Nor do I feel high¹. A sip tastes next to noting, but the aftertaste of ham is still there. Could it be that Swarog is making their cans from badly recycled ham containers?

After 10 minutes

I’ve got no real desire to drink more, and I’m beginning to suspect that UMMBA! Night Edition is a better experience if you just chug everything down in one go, instead of trying to drag it out like I do.

The can is empty

It took 45 minutes. Now I want a slice of bread with ham.

The final verdict

There’s nothing special about UMMBA! Night edition. It’s just another generic energy drink. It might be that the beverage can help you if you need the extra energy to dance for another hour, just make sure you empty the can in one draft. That way you’ll keep the ham aftertaste at a minimum. Through the UMMBA! site, it’s possible to become a Night Edition distributor. What about ordering a truck full of UMMBA!? 30 pallets, 86 400 cans? Personally, I think I’ll pass.

Quick facts

Manufacturer

The Swarog Group Beverages Sp. z o.o. company is specialized in the production of energy and isotonic drinks. The company has a line for bottling beverages in 250 ml alu cans and a bottling line for PET beverage packaging. The factory is located in the heart of the National Park, and the production is based on spring water.

Caffeine

A central nervous system (CNS) stimulant. It is the world’s most widely consumed psychoactive drug, but unlike many other psychoactive substances, it is legal and unregulated in nearly all parts of the world. Caffeine is used to reduce physical fatigue and to prevent or treat drowsiness. It produces increased wakefulness, faster and clearer flow of thought, increased focus, and better general body coordination.

Taurine

Essential for cardiovascular function, and development and function of skeletal muscle, the retina, and the central nervous system. However, its role in these processes is not clearly understood and the influence of high taurine doses on these processes is uncertain.