Awake Caffeinated Chocolate Energy Bites (Dark Chocolate, 50)

I love these little guys. I have had the dark chocolate, milk chocolate, milk chocolate caramel, and dark chocolate peanut butter. The dark chocolate pb (at the time of writing this review 6/12/2020) is only available for purchase through the AWAKE website. All of the flavors are great, but the plain dark chocolate is my favorite. I take the chocolates with me to campus, and the amount of caffeine from one is enough to boost my energy just enough to get back into working when I hit a midday slump. Unless you are desensitized to caffeine, you won't need an energy drink or a coffee, just grab a little owl. If you are used to coffee and energy drinks on the daily (or hourly), and trying to reduce your caffeine intake, one of these little owls can help drive away the withdrawal headache. Don't expect the flavor of your preferred brand of non-caffeinated chocolate. There is a distinct flavor that comes through in all flavors that I attribute to the caffeine (as it is the only ingredient that you will not find in other chocolates). If the caffeine flavor bothers you, the plain dark chocolate has a bitterness that masks the caffeine flavor, but it still comes through in the dark chocolate peanut butter. When I ordered through Amazon, it was springtime, but here in NC it was still a cool 60-70F in the daytime. The chocolates I ordered then came through the mail in good shape, no blooming or melting. The packaging was the standard Amazon box with no insulation. If you order in the warmer months (80+F in the daytime) from either AWAKE or Amazon, your chocolates might be melted. I am near certain that Amazon does not insulate the box when these ship in the summer months, but correct me if I am wrong. Amazon's vans might have a/c, but those are not always used for transporting items directly to your address; it depends on where you live. I ordered directly from the AWAKE website and received a shipment earlier this week with melted chocolates, but it was not the fault of AWAKE. The box was insulated and had ice packs inside to help protect from the heat. Unfortunately, the UPS delivery trucks are not climate controlled, and my box was on the truck for upwards of 5 hours. The box was hot, the ice packs were hot, and the chocolates were hot. However, I put them in the fridge and now they look fine - the majority of the bites I have opened thus far have barely any signs of being melted. Also, no blooming on the chocolates. Blooming is that chalky white stuff, and it is not harmful. It is just the process of the cocoa butter separating from the other ingredients. Fluctuating temperatures are the likely culprit for this product, but it can also happen during long-term storage. If you buy from Amazon, you are taking chances on how long the product has been stored. Amazon does not accept chocolate shipments from manufacturers/companies during the summer months due to the lack of climate control on their vehicles shipping product between their various storage buildings and fulfillment centers. If you order from Amazon, you risk bloomed and melted chocolates. My recommendation is that you order from the AWAKE website. There are more options. You won't get chocolates that have been stored for long periods of time. Your delivery box will be insulated. Much less of a risk with bloom and melting. You will have to pay for delivery, but they usually have coupons/promotions that balance out the cost of shipping.

Yummy chocolates! Great customer service!

I have been buying these chocolates for a while now and they work great. I study graphic design in college and many of my classes are in computer labs. Since bringing coffee to a computer lab is not an option, these have become my go-to for a quick pick-me-up when I start feeling sleepy. They have the perfect amount of caffeine to help me stay awake without messing up my sleep cycle. The only “problem” I’ve noticed with them is that they are a little difficult to bite through, so I usually start sucking on them first and then they are fine. I have tried the dark, milk, and caramel options. I have always been a dark chocolate person so those are naturally my favorite. The caramel chocolate option is a bit too sweet for me personally, but I can see others liking them. So far, I haven’t had any issues with ordering them from Amazon. I live in Phoenix where it gets spicy outside. While I have never needed to order them in the summer, it can still get hot throughout the year and I haven’t had any arrive melted yet. Overall, they taste great, work well, and I can't help handing out samples to everyone I know because I am still excited about them.

One of my favorite items to have packed with me when I’m flying. Instead of pouring a cup of coffee, I could just pop one of these and be good for a while. The taste is fantastic, and you would never know that it was caffeinated.

Pros - low cal, low sugar, and still tastes good. Mild caffeine boost coming from someone that drinks 12oz drip coffee in the morning and a small Diet Coke during the day. This is my extra oomph to get through the afternoon. Cons - could have a stronger coffee and dark chocolate flavor. Would like an extra caffeinated version for those super tired days.