Cocktail

Two ‘Chups

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So, seeing as we’re on a bit of a downward trend now, heat-wise, how about we take this week to look at a milder style of condiment? One with chillies, yes, but focussed at least as much on its tomato content as its spice.

Today’s pair come to us from Pip’s and Boom Sauce, both of whom I’ve featured exactly once before. Yet it’s been a good few months since the last of those reviews and neither of this one’s products are the chocolate, verde or ginger-based hot sauce that we previously witnessed.

Instead, as we move into july, I want to take a look at their ketchups and see just how much difference the trinidadian spices and classic cocktail theming make. Giving Pip’s Bloody Mary and the Boom Sauce Hot Chup a fair whack, in order to see what makes them tick and what separates them from the rest of the pack.

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Freaky Mary

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Hey folks, do you remember East Coast Chilli Co.‘s Chance? I did and I decided I needed another bottle of that creamy, roasted garlic deliciousness. So I went back to them.

I grabbed a bottle of their Reason – Their naga sauce – a little over a month ago. And I grabbed some more of my old favourites, along with.

When I cracked the seal on that new bottle, however, it wasn’t quite how I remembered. It was close but the worcestershire sauce was just a little bit more prominent. And that gave me the idea for today’s cocktail recipe.

A freaky, garlicky twist on a tomato-based classic. Click on through for the details, if you’re old enough to drink.

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Beardy Mary

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Greetings, everyone. Today, we have an item that you probably knew was coming – A salsa from Gingerbeard’s Preserves, flavoured with bristolian vodka and made to resemble a bloody mary.

As its label should give away.

MaryJar

After all, why else would we see a red-skinned, tomato-headed, salsa dancer arm in arm with a limbed alcohol bottle?

The artwork for this week’s product is both rather fun and pretty self-explanatory. Which is good, because its title font is a little too stylised to read with just a quick glance.

The lines through some (but not all) of the Os, Ts and Ds definitely increase the time that it takes to recognise the symbols and the way the midsection of its M crosses makes it appear almost nordic. As letters go, they aren’t exactly the most obviously english.

But that’s not to say that I don’t like this font. It’s stylish. It’s artistic. And that runic look is actually pretty cool. I just don’t know if it belongs on today’s jar.

Even if it doesn’t, though, it’s just one aspect of the packaging and everything else about the label is great. From the two dancers in the artwork to gingerbeard’s own logo and even the simple, to the point, black and white one of their collaborators – Bristol Vodka.

So, with that out of the way, let’s see what awaits us on the inside.

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Feeling Bitter

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Another tuesday, time for another spicy review. And this one, like the recent 🔥 Godslayer 🔥, is something that I can’t show you until after the Continue Reading button. It’s just as sweary.

But, unlike that one, it’s not a crazily hot extract sauce. It’s an usual cocktail ingredient or two that I got as a birthday gift and would rather like to talk about.

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Fresh and Fruity

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Hey folks, today it’s time to take another look at the East Coast Chilli Co.

A couple of months ago (has it really been that long?), I brought you a review of their teriyaki-style reaper sauce and told you that I thought it was probably their hottest. This month, we’re going straight to the opposite end of the spectrum, to their absolute mildest offering:

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This latest freebie of mine is their “Passion”, supposedly an extra mild mango sauce and one that they really talk up when it comes to flavour. We’ll see how well it holds up to their sales pitch in just a moment, though.

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