Rev is a 7% ABV vodka-based cola beverage, infused with guarana. Rev is manufactured by FBM Distilleries in Brampton, Ontario, Canada and distributed exclusively within the country under license from Bacardi. It is currently available in blue as Rev Energy. It is also available in pink and yellow. Purple, red, and green have been discontinued. Rev Low, a purple, low calorie, flavour of the drink has also been discontinued. The drink is sold in packs of four bottles and single bottles. Rev was introduced in April, 2000, as a beverage marketed towards rave and nightclub culture.
Packaging
Rev is sold in tall slender plastic bottles which can be resealed.
Rev-Bomb
Rev when combined with Jägermeister makes a drink called a "Rev-Bomb", a variation of a Jägerbomb. 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.
Commercial preparation
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.
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." Professor Roseli Boergnen de Lacerda, who conducted the study, also warned of another possible effect: "a higher risk of car accidents because they felt less intoxicated than they were." 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. 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.
