Product Name: Red Hawk Premium Peppers B³
Style: Fruit-based hot sauce
Manufacturer: Red Hawk Premium Peppers
Country of Origin: USA
Website: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Red-Hawk-Premium-Peppers/206163169425811?sk=info
Ingredients: Blueberries, strawberries, bananas, carrots, bhut jolokia peppers, red wine vinegar, grape juice, onions, water, brown sugar
Label/Packaging: The label is clearly homemade/printed. It is white with black print, and has a picture of a red bhut. The writing is clear and concise. Nothing flashy, but with the list of ingredients, I am anxious to get to the sauce!
Appearance/Aroma: The appearance is a fairly dark red color. The sauce seems to be a nice thick but pourable consistency. There are a few flecks of pepper skins visible. The aroma is AMAZING! The smell of fresh fruit followed by the pungency of peppers and a slight tang of vinegar. I just got some on my nose trying to stick it in the bottle!
Body of Review:
Well, when Dan (RedtailForester) contacted me to try his sauces I said sure. I mean heck, we are practically neighbors here in PA. That being said, I wasn't expecting a whole lot since he is just starting out. I couldn't have been more wrong! This sauce is like something out of a hot sauce fantasy tale. It has it all (at least as far as I am concerned). Those that know me know that I am a sucker for fruit sauces that deliver a punch. That's what I normally make when I am making my own sauces. This one, by the ingredients, had me salivating from the moment I unwrapped the bottle.
As I said the consistency is thick, but pourable. Think of your favorite BBQ sauce. When I taste it, the first thing I taste is the combination of fruits. I think it is the strawberry first, then the blueberry and banana. A little punch from the bhut, then a little tang from the red wine vinegar. Not much, just a hint. Then the bhut taste. Next, I finally taste the grape juice. That and the bhut linger.
The heat is unexpectedly big. I usually expect a fruit sauce to have a touch of heat, but not the punch that this one has. It's almost as much heat as it is sweet. Like, a nearly perfect balance. The heat is pretty quickly on your tongue (mainly the tip) and then there's the familiar throat burn of the bhut. I think some may have a pretty good surprise at the heat level and especially how long it lasts. Now, how will I use this.
Heat Level: 7.5
Applications: This sauce is very versatile, you just have to use your imagination. I would suggest it with white meats such as turkey, pork, or chicken. It would be good with shellfish such as shrimp, or oysters... as a topping on a sushi roll. Even dessert, as I made a granita with it for the Throwdown.
Appearance Score: 4.5
Aroma Score: 5
Taste Score: 4.5
Mouthfeel Score: 4.5
Heat Accuracy Score: 4.5
Overall Score: 4.6
Notes: There is very little left to say about this sauce. For you being a new manufacturer, you really knocked it out of the park! I have nearly finished the bottle already. I will be calling for more.
Style: Fruit-based hot sauce
Manufacturer: Red Hawk Premium Peppers
Country of Origin: USA
Website: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Red-Hawk-Premium-Peppers/206163169425811?sk=info
Ingredients: Blueberries, strawberries, bananas, carrots, bhut jolokia peppers, red wine vinegar, grape juice, onions, water, brown sugar
Label/Packaging: The label is clearly homemade/printed. It is white with black print, and has a picture of a red bhut. The writing is clear and concise. Nothing flashy, but with the list of ingredients, I am anxious to get to the sauce!
Appearance/Aroma: The appearance is a fairly dark red color. The sauce seems to be a nice thick but pourable consistency. There are a few flecks of pepper skins visible. The aroma is AMAZING! The smell of fresh fruit followed by the pungency of peppers and a slight tang of vinegar. I just got some on my nose trying to stick it in the bottle!
Body of Review:
Well, when Dan (RedtailForester) contacted me to try his sauces I said sure. I mean heck, we are practically neighbors here in PA. That being said, I wasn't expecting a whole lot since he is just starting out. I couldn't have been more wrong! This sauce is like something out of a hot sauce fantasy tale. It has it all (at least as far as I am concerned). Those that know me know that I am a sucker for fruit sauces that deliver a punch. That's what I normally make when I am making my own sauces. This one, by the ingredients, had me salivating from the moment I unwrapped the bottle.
As I said the consistency is thick, but pourable. Think of your favorite BBQ sauce. When I taste it, the first thing I taste is the combination of fruits. I think it is the strawberry first, then the blueberry and banana. A little punch from the bhut, then a little tang from the red wine vinegar. Not much, just a hint. Then the bhut taste. Next, I finally taste the grape juice. That and the bhut linger.
The heat is unexpectedly big. I usually expect a fruit sauce to have a touch of heat, but not the punch that this one has. It's almost as much heat as it is sweet. Like, a nearly perfect balance. The heat is pretty quickly on your tongue (mainly the tip) and then there's the familiar throat burn of the bhut. I think some may have a pretty good surprise at the heat level and especially how long it lasts. Now, how will I use this.
Heat Level: 7.5
Applications: This sauce is very versatile, you just have to use your imagination. I would suggest it with white meats such as turkey, pork, or chicken. It would be good with shellfish such as shrimp, or oysters... as a topping on a sushi roll. Even dessert, as I made a granita with it for the Throwdown.
Appearance Score: 4.5
Aroma Score: 5
Taste Score: 4.5
Mouthfeel Score: 4.5
Heat Accuracy Score: 4.5
Overall Score: 4.6
Notes: There is very little left to say about this sauce. For you being a new manufacturer, you really knocked it out of the park! I have nearly finished the bottle already. I will be calling for more.
