Review: Doctor Craig’s Say Ahhhh Caribbean Hot Sauce
First impression: I tend to really like sauces labeled Caribbean hot sauce, I have found most sauces labeled Caribbean have more of a fresh peppers taste to them, often scotch bonnets which I love, reading the ingredients I see one ingredient that would make me put it back on the shelf if I was in a store, pineapple. I don’t like sweet sauces and it’s a safe bet if it says pineapple it is going to be sweet. The consistency doesn’t look to bad, I like my sauces a little on the thin side, and the label is just a very simple one nothing special there. From the looks of the bottle and ingredients I probably wouldn’t of bought it myself.
First smell/taste: I opened it up and smelled it, and got a strong sweetness, I can already tell this is not going to be my favorite. The sweet smell is no doubt from the pineapple, and I also smelled a tough of vinegar and garlic. I decided to cook some chicken cordon bleu. When my meal came out of the oven I put a generous helping on it right down the middle and it spread across the chicken and dripped of the sides just enough that I had an even coating of sauce and a little extra to rub each bite in. I love chicken cordon bleu and despite my low first impression of the sauce I couldn’t wait to dig in! I cut off a piece, rubbed it through the extra sauce and it was sweet, that’s all I can really say. I’m sensitive to sweets, if I’m in the mood for something sweet I have a diet coke. The first half piece of chicken was ok and actually tasted decent, on top of the ingredients you get in the smell I also tasted the onion, allspice, and a pepper that must be the chili pepper because its not fruity enough to be habanero’s. By the time I finished my first piece of chicken the sweetness was to much for me, and I was craving some heat that this sauce don’t have. By the end of the second piece I a little overwhelmed from to much sweetness. Keep in mind that a candy bar will do the same thing to me I really don’t like sweets. I’m stressing how much I dislike sweets because although I’m sure this sauce will taste sweet to anyone, you might like it more than I did if you enjoy sweet sauces. this is one thing I’m very picky about.
Recommendations: although I didn’t like this sauce, I still have a recommendation for it. it reminded me of Blair’s sweet death. If you like Blair’s sweet death I recommend this one to you!
Taste: 4.9/10 that’s based on the first bite I took before the sweetness was to much for me, and I was focusing on the flavor instead of just focusing on the one thing I didn’t like. I also want to note that the sweetness to it, is kind of a syrupy sweetness.
Heat: 1.5/10 if there is any heat here it was overpowered by the sweetness and lost in the mix.
Smell: 2/10
Overall: 2/10 I wont finish this bottle and definitely wouldn’t buy it again. Keep watch for my review on Doctor Craig’s Cajun hot sauce though!
Contact:
MFD. by Bobbees Bottling
Louisburg, N.C. 27549
www.doctorcraigs.com
Justin, this sauce was in my on-deck circle for a review, so I am just going to add to your comments if that’s OK. This isn’t in any way a rebuttal of your excellent review, but I do want to register a few contrary impressions.
I had a similar first impression about after reading the ingredients. I’m thinking I should start reading the label after I taste it, so as not to be prejudiced.
I actually like the smell of this sauce quite a lot. It reminds me of Pickapeppa. If I had not read the label, I think I would not have the same impression as you about the potential sweetness, but after tasting it, I agree…it’s on the sweet side. BUT…as you point out, for those who like a sweeter sauce (and I’m admittedly one of them), I highly recommend this sauce.
I give Doctor Craig’s very high marks for resisting industrial sweeteners and just naturally sweetening with Pineapple, Orange Juice and Honey. I like the nice garlicky aftertaste. I also applaud their restraint in the addition of curry and allspice – it’s just perfect – not overpowering.
Where I really differ with Justin is on the heat. I peg the heat at a 6+, using the descriptions on the HSB heat scale. All I have had so far this morning is a cup of coffee and numerous swigs directly from the bottle of Dr. Craig’s. I’ve got all the symptoms of a Habanero whupping – lips, roof of mouth and back of throat burning for 10 minutes or more, a good shvitz on face and top of head, etc. The burn comes on quickly and sticks with you.
So, for chileheads with a lower tolerance for heat, this sauce will do you fine. As Justin accurately points out, if you don’t like sweet sauce, you should probably avoid this. For those who do like sweet, and especially those who like the flavor of the Carribean, I think you ought to keep this one on the list.
Thanks for letting me add to your review, Justin.
SM
Thanks for adding to the review Steve. I just want to add my 2 cents for a review such as this. In the ever changing world we live in, if we get a chance to improve something, we usy have 2 choices. We change or we don’t. I do believe the multi-blind review is an improvement over these single person reviews This is a great example why you need more than 1 voice. Justin did his best, but the sauce just didn’t work for him because of his tastes. Steve M stepped up to add something, but he too is not a sweet heat type of guy either. So we have a hot sauce review undone in my opinion.
You can disagree and of course someone might, but without getting into a war of words and opinionated views, let me add something. I know its a headache to coordinate multi-person reviews, blind or otherwise. I also realize that some people didn’t like the style that was presented with the first set of blind reviews. Is it possible to have your fine review staff fill out a mini-questionaire to find out their likes, gripes and predujices towards a particular hot sauce, condiment or other spicy food item? If you knew Justin didn’t like sweet sauce or Lars for example doesn’t like MSG, you could adjust who gets a product over another reviewer.
I am not looking for trouble or cause a war of words. I am just suggesting something to make the HSB all it can be. I love the site, but why not make it better? I am off to NY tomorrow for a few days after work, so I hope everyone has a safe and fun New Year!
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Greetings Buddah:
I too have this sauce and will put up a third review as soon as I have time. Nick has a good idea of reviewers tastes before he sends out samples. For me, I can’t take insanely hot, so I get a lot of BBQ sauces to review instead of hot sauces. I too like the blind review format, but it does present some challenges. This is indeed a great site and it just gets better and better.
I think its time to open your eyes and your mouths. No, I don’t mean speak, I mean try something. Just because you are predisposed to not liking a taste doesn’t mean you will not like a sauce. Sure, Im not a huge fan of sweet sauces either, but if I tried it, maybe I would like it. I don’t think a reviewer should be limited to just reviewing what they like. Again, we can point towards movies, books, wine, cigars etc… Are all of these people only reviewing the categories, genre, style, flavors they like? I don’t think so.
Now this is an ongoing debate. “If you don’t like it to begin with, how can you give it a fair shot?†But I think it’s a shot that needs to be taken. The reviewers do a great job at explaining what they are thinking, feeling, and tasting when they taste a sauce. So, on the flip side, if a reviewer that likes a sweet sauce reviews a sweet sauce, will be more likely to say it’s good because they already like sweet? Where would it end? I don’t like habaneros so I shouldn’t try a habanero sauce? When it comes down to it, wont a chilehead try almost any sauce just to see for themselves? The only exception I see is heat. If you aren’t at Huv level and can handle 10+, then you really shouldn’t try something that strong. Not only will you not like it, but it will be painful.
Personally, I don’t read a review to determine what sauces to sample. I just like to see what others may think, or see what they are saying about my favorite manufacturers. It really doesn’t influence me on what to buy. Whatever the outcome, if I like a sauce it’s all that matters. It will be the only factor if I continue to buy it or not. Remember, there is also the collecting factor here. A sauce may flat out suck, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t on the shelf. (what it means is it probably isn’t in the fridge).
Good job on the review and at least your honest Justin.
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Thanks ChrisK for answering me, and your keen insight. I did think about some of the things you said. I am very opening in trying hot sauces, food, whatever. Unlike yourself I do take these reviews and the recommendations quite at heart. If someone is telling me that they liked a hot sauce a lot, then I am jotting the name down and at some point will buy it unless I had a chance to sample it beforehand. I think people should not be closed off in trying a product, but with that said we all have our built up prejudice, and sometimes we can’t help the way we feel. Justin did a great job telling us how much he was influenced before, during and after sampling the sweet product.
The other day I was at a supermarket and they had several cheese spread products and one was called Buffalo Wing Cheese Spread. Being a lover of cheddar cheese and of buffalo wings, I thought it would be a winner, but I noticed through the cheese spread there was bleu cheese. I can’t stand the taste of bleu, so I just put it back. A couple notices my trepidation, and informs me that the product is kickass. I say I don’t like the bleu, and they say you can barely notice it because the wing and cheddar taste are the main ingredients. Okay, what the hell I will give it a shot. Well $5.50 later, I learned a lesson. I tasted the bleu and despite the wing flavor and cheddar cheese I just couldn’t deal with it. Maybe it was my prejudice that took over, but the taste bothered me.
Justin tells himself he doesn’t like sweet, and lives a life avoiding sweet stuff. Well, if I was the one that made that sauce I would be flatout disappointed that I didn’t get a fairshake with someone that actually likes sweet hot sauce. Like myself. Also a big pineapple fan I might add. Although I can’t have the high sugary products anymore. 🙁
Yes the movie analogy, as I have heard before is a good one. I think we couldn’t hold a candle to that industry. The good makers of any spicy condiment should be honored to have received the attention this blog brings to their product. Yet, if the HSB is to influence the public, I think it would be fair to find the best hot sauce and review(s) match possible. Yes, its not as easy as I make it out to sound, but if one took the time to make a standard questionaire of likes and gripes, you would find it helpful in sending the right product to the right reviewer(s). Thus helping the public and the hot sauce manufacturer at the same time.
Wow, what a great, honest review, and everyone else has some great comments and points of view.
Justin great take on the sauce. 😉 Great job as always!!!!
Great comments, all.
Buddah, my friend, I must correct you. If you re-read my comment, I DO, in fact, like sweet sauces, so this sauce did get a fair shake, since a sweet-sauce-liker stepped up.
But you and others make a bigger and more important point – it is apparent from reading these reviews that we reviewers often don’t hide our likes and dislikes, and they often influence our impressions. A good example is Justin’s comment that he got too distracted by the sweetness of this sauce to register much heat. On one hand, that’s an honest comment that can help somoene who also dislikes sweetness avoid this product. On the other hand, since I wasn’t bothered by the sweetness, I focused more on the heat and gave it a much higher heat rating. Neither of us is right or wrong, since it’s a matter of individual taste. But…it points out that we should challenge ourselves as reviewers to focus on each category (i.e. heat, color, consistency, smell) without regard to our pre-dispositions.
Easier said than done, but a solution lies in the methodology Nick came up with for the blind reviews. Just that! They are blind. Go back and look at the descriptions given by the blind reviewers when they were forced to examine sauces without having read the ingredients first. Look at how similar many of them are. Nobody’s review was tainted as much by their likes and dislikes – they were just using their expert sense of smell and taste and sight.
So, with my future reviews, I resolve to hold off reading the ingredients until AFTER making my examination of the sauce and typing my comments. I encourage my fellow reviewers to do the same in the interest of greater objectivity.
That stated, I still like having individual reviews as much as the blind ones. Let’s not forget how much we all like to be entertained by one-another’s writing style. Switching to all blind, all the time would take the character out of this blog right quick!
SM
Justin well done, Buddah and Chrisk, you both have valid points. I value the reviews and opinions of all who visit this site. I REALLY enjoy open discussion without personal attacks. I send my friends and family as well as many customers here to check out what is new, tasty, trendy, etc… The general public doesn’t yet know where to find great hot sauce, and until the supermarkets make it profitable, sites like this and hot shops will be the place to find them.
Sorry Steve, I meant to include your comments too (not a snub) great points!
wow, its great to see people debating rather than fighting.
i think that nick has a good idea of what we all like and sends us alot of sauces based on that, but if all we got was what we like than all sauces would get good reviews. the key is to find a reviewer that you agree with the opinions of, one that rates everything close to what you would rate it yourself and trust that persons opinion. i know what most of the other reviewers likes and dislikes are and if can tell if the product sound like something i would like weather it be someone i agree with gives it a 10 or someone that i dont usually agree with gives it a one. i tried to stress in this review how much i dislike sweet sauces so that people reading it know what my likes and dislikes are.
Well said, Justin.
ALMOST more interesting than the civil disagreement is the number of us that don’t care for a sweet based hot sauce. Then again, I’ve tried a few that I knew I wasn’t going to like and ended up liking them anyway. I even tried my hand at making my own sauce this fall with caramelized apples and fataliis picked fresh from Open Fields. (Thanks, Jim, btw.) I didn’t plan on using apples but I didn’t feel safe experimenting with tomatoes and I wasn’t about to let the fataliis turn on me. I think it came out halfway decent. Problem was: I didn’t know what to use it on when it was done. Turns out it was great on ham and pancakes so another nice inclusion in the review, blind or not, is a suggested use for the particular sauce. I probably wouldn’t like this sauce on anything but that’s just me.
Buddah –
I do get info from the reviewers as to what the like and don’t like, however from time to time I will mix it up because it does get boring if all you hear is good things. And you never know, they could end up liking it. Now, that being said – if only one bottle of a sweet sauce is sent it – then no way would I send it to someone that isn’t into sweet sauces but, as with this particular case, if multiple bottles are sent in, I will distribute amongst the crowd to diversify the feedback.
Greatt job guys!!! great reviews and some interesting points!!!!
CHRIS K
From speaking to you on a daily basis I dont understand some points you have made but,,we will talk tomm..
i wonder why all these comments are not going to my mail box like normal
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Justin –
I think it has to do with the server move – ever since last week, I’ve been getting bounced responses too. I’ll dig into it tomorrow.
Nick, same deal here. I don’t get review comments to the inbox.