Scotty B’s Hot Sauces were reviewed here on the HSB earlier this year and not long after the original review, Scotty sent me another round of sauces, this time he included his newest addition, Berrie’s In Heat. I admit it, this review is long over due. The 12oz. bottle of Berries in Heat has sat on my desk, right in front of my keyboard since it’s arrival – all the time staring at me, beckoning to be taste tested. I kept putting it off for one reason or another, mostly because I couldn’t figure out what to use it on. Take a look at the ingredients and you can see why I was perplexed on how to best use Berries in Heat:

Ingredients: Blueberries, Blackberries, Strawberries, Red Raspberries, Serrano Pepper Mash, Vegetable Juice, Water, Sugar, Vinegar, Lemon Juice, Salt, Garlic, Onion Powder, Spices, Corn Starch.

I must have asked Scotty 4-5 times how he recommended using the sauce, until one day I could take it no more and cracked open the bottle. The intial smell was mostly Serrano Peppers surprisingly enough, followed by the sweet fruity essence of the 3 berries. Mmmmmm… Heat & Sweet.

Initial Taste: Right off the finger, all I could taste was the Serrano Peppers – no real sweetness, but the sample was not that large, so I pressed on.

Steak Test: I decided to try the sauce out as a sweet steak dipping sauce. The sweetness of the sauce really came to light when contrasted with the juicy tenderness of the T-Bone. The heat of the serranos is a subtle slow building heat and the sweetness of the berries keeps your mouth watering several bites later.

Breakfast Test: One test with this sauce wasn’t enough, so I took a moment out of my usual morning schedule and mixed a little of the Berries in Heat with some cream cheese before spreading it on my morning bagel. Now we were talking. I really did like the sauce with some steak, but when mixed with the cream cheese, the flavor of the berries really came through. I think the dairy muted the heat, which allowed the berries to shine.

Overall: If you love sweet sauces or Serrano based sauces, then this is a good sauce for you to pick up. It’s a medium heat hot sauce so it won’t blow your lid – and the complex nature of the berries makes this an excellent sauce for marinating chicken, beef or even fish.

Scotty B’s Hot Sauce
It’s all about the flavor and the heat!
826 21st Street
Lewiston, ID 83501