The Boulder Hot Sauce Company Smokey Serrano: mountains of veggie flavor

There's a school of art called Dadaism; it uses surreal, child-like images and motifs that came out of Europe in the post-WWI period as a reaction to the brutal "reality" of war; by achieving a state of simplicity, Dadaism revolutionized art for decades to come, leading to movements in painting, poetry, music, and sculpture. The Dadaists formed a tight, positive community where they shared ideas and based their lives and livelihoods around the idea of blissful human simplicity and our creative childhood urges.
The point: when did hot sauce become so murderous and violent?
Yes, there's true art in violence; hot freaks like me enjoy the meditative, muster-testing blast of pepper's, nature's sweetest weapon. But Boulder Hot Sauce Company, run by Harry Robertson, is on a mission: to bring the joy of flavor into a hot sauce world of pain.

Let's look at the facts: Don't let my long ramble about Dadaism fool you...this sauce isn't child's play. It's a complex mix of vegetable flavors with enough heat to let it compete with serious hot sauces. Oh yes...they have a catch phrase, too: "I always sweat like this!" I may not be soaked in sweat after eating it, but you better believe I'm happy with this sauce.

Good Hurts: I chose the Serrano sauce because it's unconventional...many hot sauces these days have jalapeno, cayenne variations, or murderous amount of habanero. The heat is one of the most enjoyable I can describe; like a raw Poblano pepper, Serrano heat's there, lingering, tingling, and lasting along with a smokiness you just can't beat. A lot of sauces claim to use a smokey flavor/pepper, but this one does it without Chipotles or Anchos (smokey tasting peppers) and they do it without relying too much on roasted tomatoes or corn as a base. That can sometimes bring your hot sauce into the realm of salsa, and make no mistake: this thick, chunky sauce IS a hot sauce.

Flavor: Flavor is Harry's best friend with this sauce. He makes a habanero sauce I've yet to try, but this Serrano pepper/vinegar/vegetable sauce successfully walks a fine line many sauces tumble off of. While the sauce is chunky, I strongly advise you to shake before you use every single time...the hot liquid that tends to collect at the top like in any thick hot sauce or salsa won't do this sauce adequate representation. Sometimes I get sick of roasted tomato salsa or hot sauce quickly, but this sauce has so many other flavors--you can taste the carrots, the sweet Spanish onions, (and there really is an awesome sweetness here) and, most importantly, the Serrano peppers. If you want a flavorful sauce, this is a must-buy for your hot sauce shelf.

Availability: The best thing about Harry's (besides, well, the sauce itself) is their American-Dream-like obsession and dedication to customer service. You can, of course, order it on their website, but I found it in a little grocery store here in Iowa City. If they don't have it, ask for it. I'd be willing to bet dollars to donuts that Harry will ship it anywhere that asks for it within seconds.

Good For: I can't say this as much as I'd like to, but you can literally put this sauce on anything. They invented the word "robust" for this sauce. I bet it would make pasta sauce nice'n spicy; I believe it would make a meaty sandwich more smokey and Earthy; I bet it would spring salads to life. Because it's so veggie-heavy AND includes a smokey pepper flavor, I'd say add it to any veggie dish you can think of.

Review:
Heat: ***
Flavor: ****1/2
My Review: 8.4/10

The heat is decent, but the flavor is what you'll come back for. I'd call this sauce a best buy. Make sure you shake the bottle, though! You want to get every chunk'o flavor you can.