Funky's experience of WIN with Betancourt Big Blend
First of all I’d like to thank tatteredsaint and the good people at Betancourt Nutrition for hooking me up with 4 double-scoop samples of Big Blend. This review is completely honest.
[B]1/5:[/B] Flat out bad, terrible, horrible, or even horrendous. Stay very far away, there is no reason to use this supplement, even if you got it for free.
[B]2/5:[/B] Poor. There’s some expectation that was not lived up to, or so flaw that I cannot overlook.
[B]3/5:[/B] Fine, but nothing spectacular. This really shouldn’t be a factor in your decision to either buy or use.
[B]4/5:[/B] Very good. There is something that this supplement offers that the run of the mill variety does not.
[B]5/5:[/B] Cream of the crop, epic win. There is nothing I dislike about this product, except for the fact that I will eventually run out.
(Please note that my comments on profile are based on my limited knowledge I’ve picked up from first hand experience and from what I’ve read from the bb.com boards. Regarding mixability, if it matters I will specify whether the powder was added before of after the water. Taste is entirely subjective. Price/value is opinion.)
[center][U][B]Betancourt Nutrition Big Blend[/B][/U]
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[B]Profile: [/B]
The macronutrient profile seems pretty standard for protein. Low fat, lowish carbs, and over 20g of protein. Hardly special at first glance. However, the protein source and all the extra goodies are where Big Blend starts to shine. I really like the inclusion of the egg albumin, but the addition of rice protein and casein blows my mind. Definitely not your standard ‘WPC only’ protein profile. While I don’t fully understand the direct impact of the AA derivative blend, I do notice that several of added amino acids have had an ethyl ester attached, which is not cheap. Furthermore, I do love me some L-Norvaline. :D The nitrated BCAAs are just icing on the cake. Digestive enzyme blend is something that I’ve never seen in a protein powder before, and is a nice addition. It’s obvious that Betancourt didn’t cut corners while making this product. The only thing that kills it for me it the proprietary blend.
[B]Score-4.5/5
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[B]Mixability: [/B]
[I]In oatmeal:[/I]
Mixed in absolutely perfectly, and thickened the oatmeal to boot. Score-5/5
[B]Taste:[/B]
I tried these samples 3 ways.
1) Straight. Just a tiny bit (1-2g) on the end of my spoon, eaten with no food or water.
2) 1 scoop mixed in with oatmeal (80g oats, 300g water, 90 seconds in the microwave)
3) As a protein brownie (1 scoop with ½ tsp of baking powder, mixed with water until pudding consistency, and then nuked for 40 seconds. Eaten ‘flipped out’ of the bowl or out of the bowl)
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[I]Vanilla Cappuccino (spoon): [/I]
Distinctively vanilla, although not straight vanilla. The hint of coffee flavoring just sends the mixture of sweetness/bitterness/rich depthy-ness to a whole other word. It’s a good thing I didn’t have a bigger spoon.
[B]Score-5/5[/B]
[I]Vanilla Cappuccino (brownie): [/I]
This was THICK AND MOIST AND DELICIOUS. That rich and deep sweetness accompanied by that ever so small hint of bitter coffee-ness was insanely good. Perfect sweet tooth killer. Distinctively vanilla, but distinctively not JUST vanilla. I do prefer it in oatmeal though. It is a completely different beast from French Vanilla.
[B]Score-4/5[/B]
[I]Vanilla Cappuccino (oatmeal): [/I]
Very very very creamy, but not overly rich. There’s a distinct butterscotchy flavor with a HUGE knock of sweetness. As bad as that sounds, it’s actually incredibly deep sweetness, not at all like a whole lot of sugar sweet. The cappuccino bitterness hint just sets it off into complete win mode. I like this more than some of my Vasolate/UP2.0 flavors, and is now my favorite protein with “Vanilla” in its title.
[B]Score-5/5[/B]
[I]
Choco-latte (spoon): [/I]
Tasted JUST like the coffee ice creams I typically get, which is a dream come true. To make things ever better, there was a very subtle, sweet hint of chocolate in there too.
[B]Score-5/5[/B]
[I]Choco-latte (brownie): [/I]
Maybe I cooked it just right this time, but WOOOOW it was good. It tasted exactly like something I would order at a coffee shop, or like a light chocolate-coffee ice cream. Light and airy flavoring that does not punch your tastebuds in the face. Perfection.
[B]Score-5/5[/B]
[I]Choco-latte (oatmeal): [/I]
Sweet, but the distinct bittersweetness in the Vanilla Capp is not as present here. The flavor seems a little more tame, but the sweetness of the chocolate is definitely apparent but not overwhelming. Honestly, it was sort of underwhelming compared to the Vanilla Cappuccino, but still definitely falls under the category of “good.”
[B]Score-3.5/5[/B]
[I]White Chocolate (spoon): [/I]
You know when you’re a kid, and you think a little sugar is good, so a whole spoon must be great? Same concept. The White Chocolate is amazing, just not straight. It’s completely overpowering and sweet sort of a kick in the tongue. Don’t eat it like this.
[B]Score-2/5[/B]
[I]White Chocolate (browniel): [/I]
Wow. Wowowowowowowowow. Tastes like a prechewed white chocolate cookie with triple the white chocolate that is standard. The sweetness of the white chocolate really stands out, but there is a sort of background bready texture as well that keeps the chocolate flavor from being overpowering (maybe this is because of how I made it this time). Outstanding.
[B]Score-5/5 easily[/B]
[I]White Chocolate (oatmeal): [/I]
That distinctive white chocolate flavor shines through in oats as well. Definitely not as strong of the protein brownie, but it still tasted like there were white chocolate cookies in my oatmeal.
[B]Score-4/5[/B]
[I]French Vanilla (spoon):[/I]
Extremely deep rich and creamy, not very sweet at all. Very forgettable, but by no means bad.
[B]Score-3/5[/B]
[I]French Vanilla (brownie): [/I]
After taking a bigger bite, I got a stark, DEEP vanilla flavor. For vanilla, I was impressed. Beats the hell out of ON’s flavoring. I still can’t get over how DEEP the flavor is, if that makes any sense. It almost had a custardy-butterscotchy flavor to it.
[B]Score-4/5[/B]
[I]French Vanilla (oatmeal): [/I]
Deep and creamy, but with some sweetness. Definitely great, but not really something that I am too crazy about.
[B]Score-3.5/5[/B]
[b]
Price/Value:[/b]
When purchasing Big Blend, it’s important to remember that you really are getting what you pay for. At $30 for 35 servings, and $47 for 60 servings, it is pricier than the likes of Optimum, Gaspari, and Scivation. However, one look at the profile and the community feedback on the incredible taste should tell you that Big Blend is a quality product, and 100% worth the pickup if you have a few extra bucks to spare during your next whey order.
[B]Score-4.5/5[/B]
[B]Will I buy/recommend a tub?:[/B]
I will absolutely recommend Big Blend to anyone looking for protein powder with extra goodies. I will definitely be buying a tub in the future. However, with the holidays coming up and my credit card still recovering from my latest supplement shopping spree, it may be a while. Hmmmm….maybe Santa can hook it up.
[U][B][I]OVERALL SCORE: 4.75/5-[/I][/B][/U]Big Blend is, in a word, legit. Awesome profile, fair price, orgasmic flavoring. The only thing I can ask for past this is a nonproprietary blend. There WILL be more Big Blend in my future. Oh yes.
