I've been skimming the archives on the forum and I've read a lot of threads about protein shakes but there doesn't seem to be a lot of consensus on a best protein shake for bulking up. Whey seems to be recommended a lot so I tried 'Whey Gourmet' and it tastes alright. I'm almost done the bottle and I'm looking around for a new one just for some variety.

I'm curious as to what you guys use. I'm not interested in the shakes with creatine, steroids in them though. Just the pure protein shakes for me.

I'm interested in hearing from the big guys on here who have had a lot of experience with protein shakes.

P.S. I know this topic has been discussed to death on these boards but most of the protein threads are dead so I figured I'd create a new one.

Thanks for listening!

You don't need shakes for bulking.

However, if you're having trouble getting adequate calories in to fuel growth, I'd suggest one of the more calorically dense shakes such as Muscle Milk or the like.

Bulking or cutting, I stick with ON Whey shakes. I enjoy all their flavors.

Besides ON, which Steve already mentioned, I like trueprotein. They are by far my favorite. (But allow a long-ass time for delivery, if you're not living in the US.) I get the complete milk dairy isolate, which is 80% casein and 20% whey, but a bit pricey. I find it mixes nice and thick, and that the banana flavor + say 2 cups of blueberries and some cocoa = a party in your mouth.

I wouldn't drink muscle milk or any sort of "mass gainer" personally, unless it's a cost effectiveness thing. Just use fruit. More vitamins and such. And generally speaking, whole foods > supplements, so try to eat nice and clean from lean proteins, good fats (everything but possibly trans, in balance), and fruits + vegetables. Starches (from whole grains and tubers and whatnot, preferably) after weight training only, ideally, imo.

And there's always milk. Lots and lots of milk. Any protein shake is improved by the addition of milk, generally speaking. Whey is significantly more disgusting in water. Milk + quality chocolate protein = fat free chocolate milk, with more protein than sugar. Fat free chocolate milk + (1 cup milk to 30g powder) chocolate protein = chocolate milk with evensies protein and carb.

Also, I would google Berardi's "Massive Eating" and "7 Habits" articles on nutrition. Gaining size is a simple matter of calories in > calories out. But, getting plenty of protein, and eating nice and clean (and healthy) surely won't hurt, and may even help, a lot.

I definitely agree with all this.

On a related note, Rippetoe has his trainees who are looking to add size drink a gallon of milk per day!

Get it thru food. Your body will thank you when you're 50.

Just remember, Creatine is NOT IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM A TYPE OF STEROID.

If you don't wanna take creatine, fine. But don't lump it with anabolic steroids. Its no more a steroid than protein is.
(Hint: red meat...FULL of creatine)