Some reviews take a long time because kind words are hard to find, others take time because of the sheer volume of sauces that need to be reviewed. This is one of those reviews. How does one person write a review on seven different hot sauces? Why would anyone subject themselves to eating 7 different hot sauces in one sitting? Ask not why, but why not?
Tasting each sauce that a manufacturer makes in one shot is a great way to determine where the strengths and weaknesses are in the brand and if the manufacturer stands a shot at becoming one of the greats.
4 out of 7 of Scotty B’s Hot Sauces have received either a Golden Chile or a Fiery Food Challenge award, so on paper Scotty B’s Hot Sauces pass with flying colors.
Devil’s Drool
Southern Style Habanero Vinegar Pepper Sauce
Ingredients: Vinegar, red habanero peppers, lemon juice, water, sea salt, garlic, corn starch, spices.
Smell: Vinegar & garlic
Tongue Taste: Can’t differentiate the flavor of the habaneros from the remaining ingredients, but the heat does hit the back of the throat quickly.
On the empanada: Does not overpower the flavor of the food, just adds good heat. Nose runner grade heat.
Overall: I love the heat in this one and finished the bottle in 2 days. It really does make your mouth drool.
Chipotle & Habanero Hot Sauce
Ingredients: Tomatoes, yellow onion, water, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, red habanero peppers, lemon juice, distilled vinegar, garlic, sea salt, spices, corn starch.
Smell: Yum – smells just like a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
Tongue Taste: Chipotle smokiness hits the tongue and the habanero heat assaults your taste buds.
On the empanada: A bit runny on food. Excellent balance of flavor and heat.
Overall: I could drink this one straight out of the bottle. In fact I did. The chipotles are the core flavor and are simply backed up by the habaneros for that extra kick. This sauce is an excellent cooking sauce or just your average table sauce.
**3rd place WINNER at the 10th Annual Zestfest Fiery Foods Challenge**
Dyin’ For Cayenne
Southern Style Sweet Cayenne Pepper Sauce
Ingredients: Water, tomatoes, sugar, cayenne peppers, sweet onion, garlic, salt, distilled vinegar, lemon juice, ground black pepper, corn starch and spices.
Smell: No pepper smell. I smell the tomatoes and onions, reminds me of a marinara sauce.
Tongue Taste: No heat. No pepper flavor either.
On an empanada: No empanadas were hurt in the tasting of this sauce.
Overall: After the stellar flavors from the first two sauces, this one was rather disappointing. Even the wife ventured to say that Cholula has more kick. All that being said, this sauce could be packaged in a larger bottle and sold as a marinade.
Just Damn Good
Habanero Hot Sauce
Ingredients: Tomatoes, red habanero peppers, yellow onion, water, lemon juice, distilled vinegar, garlic, sea salt, spices, corn starch.
Smell: All habs
Tongue Taste: Good habanero flavor, reminds me of a more blended version of Marie Sharp’s Belizean Heat – but with more onions.
On the empanada: Good honest habanero heat. Set off the hiccup alarm and even triggered the watering eyes fire alarm.
Overall: Just damn good. Nuff said.
**3rd place WINNER at the 10th Annual Zestfest Fiery Foods Challenge: XXX Hot Category**
Chipotle Pepper Sauce
Smok’in BBQ Flavor
Ingredients: Tomatoes, yellow onion, water, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, lemon juice, distilled vinegar, garlic, sea salt, corn starch and spices.
Smell: Just like the Pepper Fusion, smells just like a can of chipotles in adobo sauce.
Tongue Taste: Tastes exactly like the adobo sauce from the can but without the metallic bitterness.
On an empanada: No heat but adds good chipotle flavor.
Overall: This sauce is the mild version of the Pepper Fusion – ingredient lists are identical minus the habaneros in the Fusion. On my empanadas I prefer the heat of the Pepper Fusion, but I love the strong smokiness in this sauce. It is a great marinade (use it like you would Chipotle Tabasco) or as a tableside steak sauce.
**2nd place WINNER at the 10th Annual Zestfest Fiery Foods Challenge: Chipotle Category**
Sweet Jalapeno Heat
Ingredients: Water, tomatoes, sugar, jalapeno peppers, yellow onion, garlic, salt, distilled vinegar, lemon juice, ground black pepper, corn starch and spices.
Smell: Almost smells like a sweet & sour sauce.
Tongue Taste: No heat but it does have a good balance of chile flavor and sugary sweetness.
On a empanada: Frankly, this sauce was just not good on a beef empanada – but it would be great on a more appropriate food like eggrolls or some sort of stir fry.
Overall: Sweet Jalapeno Heat hits the “Sweet Heat” nail on its head – no wonder it’s an award winner. I’m going to have to order up some egg rolls just so I can enjoy more of this one.
**1ST PLACE WINNER-GOLDEN CHILI AWARD at the 10th annual Zestfest Fiery Foods Challenge: Jalapeno Category**
Incredibly Rediculous
Ingredients: Vinegar, red habanero peppers, water, lemon juice, dried african birdseye peppers, dried piquin peppers, sea salt, garlic, cayenne powder, corn starch and spices.
Smell: Habaneros – but followed by the aroma of other unidentifiable peppers.
Tongue Taste: It may just be me, but I didn’t think this sauce was nearly as hot as the Just Damn Good Hot Sauce, but the heat does linger around a bit longer.
On an empanada: Adds a good bit of heat and an interesting flavor, but not a flavor of any particular pepper.
Overall: This sauce is very close to the flavor of the Just Damn Good, it’s nice to see a few new peppers thrown into the ingredient mix with this one.
** I can’t seem to find this sauce on Scotty B’s website, so it may no longer be available.
Conclusion:
Scotty B’s has an extensive line of hot sauces and like any line of products, some are much better then others. Just Damn Good, Devil’s Drool & Pepper Fusion are my favorite of the line – which is to be expected with their top tier heat levels. The others are just as good and any beginner chilehead is sure to enjoy the flavor varieties. With all the award winners and more recipes in the works, Scotty B’s sauces are sure to be a hit with all chileheads.
Scotty B’s Hot Sauce
It’s all about the flavor and the heat!
826 21st Street
Lewiston, ID 83501
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