Bawls
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| Type | Soft drink |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Solvi Acquisition |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Introduced | November 1996 |
| Flavor | Citrus and cream soda |
| Ingredients | Guarana |
| Variants |
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Bawls (also known as BAWLS Guarana) is a type of soft drink that has a high amount of caffeine. It was first created in 1996.
The drink has a unique flavor that is a mix of citrus and cream soda. Its energy-boosting effects come from the guarana berry, a plant found in the Amazon jungle. Bawls is famous for its special cobalt-blue glass bottles that have raised bumps on them.
Because of its high caffeine content, Bawls became very popular with gamers who wanted to stay awake during long gaming sessions. The company focused on marketing to this community, and the drink even appeared in some video games. Today, Bawls is still sold along with several other flavors.
Contents
The Story of Bawls
How It All Started
The idea for Bawls came from a college student named Hobart C. Buppert III in 1994. While he was a student at Cornell University, he traveled to Vienna, a city in Europe. There, he saw people drinking a caffeinated drink made from guarana beans to stay energized. Buppert, who didn't like coffee, thought he could create a better-tasting version of this drink. Cornell University allowed him to develop his idea as a school project.
After graduating in 1995, Buppert started a company called Hobarama. In November 1996, he launched his first product, Bawls Guarana. It had three times more caffeine than a regular cola. The drink quickly became popular in nightclubs and was soon sold in grocery stores across the United States and Europe.
Challenges and Changes
By 2002, other energy drinks like Monster Energy began to compete with Bawls. Over time, other brands that were also aimed at gamers, such as G Fuel, became more popular.
In 2009, the company that made Bawls faced some business challenges and needed new leaders. After a few years, the company was back on its feet. As of 2022, the drink was being made by a company called Solvi Acquisition.
What's in Bawls?
Flavor and Ingredients
Bawls is known for its taste, which has been described as a citrus-flavored cream soda. The main source of its caffeine is the guarana berry from the Amazon.
In 2004, a 10-ounce bottle of Bawls had about as much caffeine as one and a half cups of coffee. The recipe and the source of the guarana have stayed the same since the drink was first made in 1996.
Cool Bottles and Cans
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One of the most recognizable things about Bawls is its packaging. The drink comes in a bright cobalt-blue bottle with raised bumps all over it. The founder said the bumps were meant to look like "bouncing balls inside the bottle punching their way out."
In 2006, the company also started selling Bawls in cans. This was helpful for events like paintball tournaments where glass bottles were not allowed. The cans were special because they used a new technology called "foaming ink." This ink swells up when heated, giving the can a bumpy texture similar to the glass bottle.
A Gamer's Favorite Drink
Marketing to Gamers
By 2002, about half of the people who drank Bawls were gamers. The company realized this and began to focus its marketing on them. Bawls became known as a drink that could help gamers stay focused during long play sessions, sometimes lasting all night. The company even sponsored thousands of LAN parties, which are events where gamers bring their computers to play together.
The computer store chain CompUSA started selling Bawls to attract serious gamers. The drink was also a big feature at the Penny Arcade Expo, a popular gaming festival, which helped it gain a lot of attention.
How Did It Get Its Name?
There are a few different stories about how the drink got its name. In one interview, the founder said the name "Bawls" represents being "bold and daring." He thought it was a name that people would not easily forget.
Another story from 2015 suggested the name was inspired by the idea of bouncing. A company slogan for a while was "Bounce with BAWLS," connecting the name to the energy the drink provides.
Bawls in Video Games and TV
Bawls has appeared in several video games through product placement. In the 2002 game ... Like Hell, the main character could drink Bawls from vending machines to regain health.
In the 2004 video game Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel, Bawls replaced the famous fictional drink of the Fallout series, Nuka-Cola. This change was a surprise to many fans of the series.
The drink has also been spotted in TV shows like The Big Bang Theory and Silicon Valley.
Sponsorships
Bawls has been an official sponsor for many events. In 2002, it was the official soft drink of the Cyberathlete Professional League, a league for professional video game players. It has also sponsored the National Professional Paintball League and fashion events.
Different Types of Bawls
The first new version of Bawls was Bawls Guaranexx, a sugar-free option released in 2003. Over the years, the company has introduced many other flavors.
Some of the flavors available include:
- Original Soda (also in a Zero sugar version)
- Orange
- Ginger
- Cherry
- Cherry Cola
- Root Beer (called G33k Beer)
The Root Beer flavor was first introduced at a Halo video game tournament in 2008 and was named Energy Drink of the Year by BevNET, a beverage review website.
