Product Name: HBD Goin' Blind:
Style: Caribbean
Manufacturer: Heartbreaking Dawns Artisan Foods
Country of Origin: USA
Website: http://www.heartbreakingdawns.com
Ingredients: Trinidad Scorpion Peppers, Yellow 7 Pod, Habanero Peppers, Jack Fruit, Cider Vinegar, Water, Jasmine Tea, Red Onion, Scallion, Tamari, Vodka, 16 Million Capsaicin Crystal, Smoked Sea Salt, Spices
Label/Packaging: The label is actually Johnny in Kiss makeup. A preview of the first annual Rockaria karaoke event for Peppers at the Beach. Hilarious!
Appearance/Aroma: The appearance of this sauce is a deep rich natural color with a pretty thick consistency. Loads of pepper skins and pieces cling to the side of the bottle as it is turned upside down and then upright again. The aroma just blows me away. It makes me think I am sitting in the middle of a small village in Trinidad while locals make mash with the peppers. The pungent sweet aroma of the pods themselves just overwhelms me. There are many, many ingredients in here, but all I smell is peppers, glorious peppers!
You interested in the EXCLUSIVE review of Heartbreaking Dawns' Goin' Blind: Scorpion & Crystal Limited Edition Peppers at the Beach 2012 hot sauce? Read on!
Body of Review:
I was fortunate enough to attend this year's Peppers at the Beach event in Rehoboth, DE. A couple weeks before, Johnny from Heartbreaking Dawns, let everyone know that he was making this limited edition sauce for the event, and that you should reserve one if you hope to get one as there are only 50 signed bottles. Of course, I am a huge fan of Heartbreaking Dawns so I quickly put my name on one, #12. When I arrived at the event I knew Johnny would be there, right in front of the store, pretty much holding court like the master of ceremonies. He was cooking all kinds of different foods such as lamb sliders, gumbo, and many others showcasing his sauces. Then I spotted them. A handful of beautiful gold wax-covered bottles. I looked through the numbers and mine wasn't there. "Not to worry" said Johnny, "I have yours back here." "Yes," I thought. Ok, but how can I taste it without ruining this beautiful bottle? He was "Johnny on the spot" yet again with a full-size taster bottle sitting there on the table. I dove in with a little tasting spoon and was as delighted as I am now tasting it again. I asked if he had any of the taster bottles for sale. Nope, just that one. Turns out he gave it to me at the end of the show on the condition that I do this review. No problem!
The first thing that I notice with the taste is the mix of flavors from the peppers. Scorpions and 7-pods are a bit sweet at first before the heat hits. I love the use of the smoked salt to balance the sweetness. Johnny always uses a variety of unusual ingredients other than the standard peppers, vinegar, and spices. This sauce is no exception, the tamari, jack fruit, and scallions round out the Caribbean feel of the sauce. Of course, there is little time to analyze all the flavors before this sauce punches you right in the teeth! This is definitely a sauce for a serious chilehead. As if using two of the hottest peppers on the planet is not enough, he adds pure 16 million SHU crystal to the mix. If you have not had crystal capsaicin before, it is a very clean burn. The heat in this baby is intense. It hits you hard and fast wherever it touches. Some peppers get me on the tip of my tongue, others the sides, others the throat. This one covers all the bases! The immediate flash of heat actually doesn't last too long, but the slow dull burn lasts forever. I can't help but go back for more. This sauce has amazing pepper flavor. The consistency of it is more of a puree than a sauce. It is very thick and loaded with pods. All the other ingredients just accentuate the peppers.
Heat Level: 10
Applications: This sauce tastes amazing, but I feel it is best used as an additive to soups and sauces. I used it successfully to heat up a steak marinade and mixed it in with the meat and veggies for a cheese steak.
Appearance Score: 5
Aroma Score: 5
Taste Score: 5
Mouthfeel Score: 3.5
Heat Accuracy Score: 5
Overall Score: 4.7
Notes: My only knock on this sauce is that maybe it could be blended more so it would be smoother and easier to use. Of course, I believe this was a small homemade batch so that would probably explain that. Delicious sauce Johnny. I am honored.
Style: Caribbean
Manufacturer: Heartbreaking Dawns Artisan Foods
Country of Origin: USA
Website: http://www.heartbreakingdawns.com
Ingredients: Trinidad Scorpion Peppers, Yellow 7 Pod, Habanero Peppers, Jack Fruit, Cider Vinegar, Water, Jasmine Tea, Red Onion, Scallion, Tamari, Vodka, 16 Million Capsaicin Crystal, Smoked Sea Salt, Spices
Label/Packaging: The label is actually Johnny in Kiss makeup. A preview of the first annual Rockaria karaoke event for Peppers at the Beach. Hilarious!
Appearance/Aroma: The appearance of this sauce is a deep rich natural color with a pretty thick consistency. Loads of pepper skins and pieces cling to the side of the bottle as it is turned upside down and then upright again. The aroma just blows me away. It makes me think I am sitting in the middle of a small village in Trinidad while locals make mash with the peppers. The pungent sweet aroma of the pods themselves just overwhelms me. There are many, many ingredients in here, but all I smell is peppers, glorious peppers!
You interested in the EXCLUSIVE review of Heartbreaking Dawns' Goin' Blind: Scorpion & Crystal Limited Edition Peppers at the Beach 2012 hot sauce? Read on!
Body of Review:
I was fortunate enough to attend this year's Peppers at the Beach event in Rehoboth, DE. A couple weeks before, Johnny from Heartbreaking Dawns, let everyone know that he was making this limited edition sauce for the event, and that you should reserve one if you hope to get one as there are only 50 signed bottles. Of course, I am a huge fan of Heartbreaking Dawns so I quickly put my name on one, #12. When I arrived at the event I knew Johnny would be there, right in front of the store, pretty much holding court like the master of ceremonies. He was cooking all kinds of different foods such as lamb sliders, gumbo, and many others showcasing his sauces. Then I spotted them. A handful of beautiful gold wax-covered bottles. I looked through the numbers and mine wasn't there. "Not to worry" said Johnny, "I have yours back here." "Yes," I thought. Ok, but how can I taste it without ruining this beautiful bottle? He was "Johnny on the spot" yet again with a full-size taster bottle sitting there on the table. I dove in with a little tasting spoon and was as delighted as I am now tasting it again. I asked if he had any of the taster bottles for sale. Nope, just that one. Turns out he gave it to me at the end of the show on the condition that I do this review. No problem!
The first thing that I notice with the taste is the mix of flavors from the peppers. Scorpions and 7-pods are a bit sweet at first before the heat hits. I love the use of the smoked salt to balance the sweetness. Johnny always uses a variety of unusual ingredients other than the standard peppers, vinegar, and spices. This sauce is no exception, the tamari, jack fruit, and scallions round out the Caribbean feel of the sauce. Of course, there is little time to analyze all the flavors before this sauce punches you right in the teeth! This is definitely a sauce for a serious chilehead. As if using two of the hottest peppers on the planet is not enough, he adds pure 16 million SHU crystal to the mix. If you have not had crystal capsaicin before, it is a very clean burn. The heat in this baby is intense. It hits you hard and fast wherever it touches. Some peppers get me on the tip of my tongue, others the sides, others the throat. This one covers all the bases! The immediate flash of heat actually doesn't last too long, but the slow dull burn lasts forever. I can't help but go back for more. This sauce has amazing pepper flavor. The consistency of it is more of a puree than a sauce. It is very thick and loaded with pods. All the other ingredients just accentuate the peppers.
Heat Level: 10
Applications: This sauce tastes amazing, but I feel it is best used as an additive to soups and sauces. I used it successfully to heat up a steak marinade and mixed it in with the meat and veggies for a cheese steak.
Appearance Score: 5
Aroma Score: 5
Taste Score: 5
Mouthfeel Score: 3.5
Heat Accuracy Score: 5
Overall Score: 4.7
Notes: My only knock on this sauce is that maybe it could be blended more so it would be smoother and easier to use. Of course, I believe this was a small homemade batch so that would probably explain that. Delicious sauce Johnny. I am honored.
