Review - Irish Dog Bloody Mary Mix
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Although I am an infrequent drinker, I do partake in consuming adult beverages specifically when I'm assured they have a great taste. I want my hard-earned beer or mixed drink dollar to go towards something that's worthy. After all, even if it would give you a good buzz, who would want to drink anything if it tastes like ass?
Enter Irish Dog Bloody Mary Mix, who is attempting to enter the busy cocktail market with pre-made mix. I have, no pun intended, mixed feelings about pre-bottled stuff with which you can make alcoholic drinks. Convenience factor aside, it can be difficult to find an abundance of truly noteworthy thing out there in liquor stores or supermarkets. Well, I tested out Irish Dog Bloody Mary Mix and here's what I found below...
Ingredients:
Water, Tomato Paste, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Worcestershire Sauce (molasses, corn syrup, caramel color, caramel color, garlic powder,sugar, spices, tamarind, natural flavor, sulfating agent), Salt, Black Pepper, Celery Salt, Onion Juice, Cayenne Pepper, Citric Acid, Beef Broth, Ground Celery, Distilled Vinegar, Clam Powder, Sodium Benzoate & Potassium Sorbate (as preservatives), FD&C Red No. 40. Contains Shellfish (Clams) and less than 2% sulfates.
While I'm definitely not a food snob or a health food not, I wasn't thrilled about the inclusion of HFCS and Sodium Benzoate in this mix. Yet one of my mottos is, "if it's in moderation, then it ain't gonna kill ya". Well, not really; I just made that upon the spot, but deep down I've had a philosophy along those lines, so I'm not going to sweat it in this case.
Here's the recipe that was followed, exactly as suggested on the label:
4 parts Irish Dog Bloody Mary Mix
1 part your favorite vodka
Pour over ice, stir.
Garnish with celery stalk.
I created it exactly like it was printed. I was highly tempted to add all sorts of extraneous goodies like olives, carrots, lemon slices, or summer sausage, but I wanted to get a good handle on what Irish Dog Bloody Mary Mix would bring to the core flavor and I was afraid those other frivolous variables might influence the taste one way or the other.
Appearance:
2.5 out of 5. The look and texture was not all that could be desired. I shook the dickens out of the mix in the bottle itself before pouring and measuring, healthily shook the mix plus vodka in a shaker cup, and gave it a nice stirring up when the Bloody Mary was complete with ice in the serving glass, and the concoction still had a bit of a gritty feel to the tongue. It wasn't as bad as a powdered drink like Tang can be when it doesn't fully dissolve in water, and it certainly did not distract too much when drinking, but there was enough of the odd grain or two floating in each sip to prevent this from being a smooth beverage.
The color was more of a murky brown-orange than a purer red, but then again I've seen all variations in between those hues so it was neither here nor there. And going back to the graininess aspect of it - Bloody Marys virtually always have a bespeckled look to them, whether it be from the black pepper, salt or spices from Worcestershire Sauce. This on the other hand seemed more speckly than normal, and I'm sure it contributed to the perceived texture in the mouth.
Taste:
3.5 out of 5. Irish Dog nailed the good base flavor of Bloody Marys. It's about what you would expect: a tangy tomato-dominated taste with only a minimal sweetness, a touch of rich vegetable and beef flavor and had a moderate salt presence. There's little I would be able to complain about, but...it simply didn't knock me out with a standout savoriness or zestiness.
What about any heat? Well, the spiciness was drilled WAY down. If you like your drinks mild, then this would be fitting for you. If you prefer some cozy warmth, you may have to splash a few extra shakes of your favorite hot sauce in your glass before consuming.
Label:
4 out of 5. The mostly whiteness is reminiscent of a "generic" label, but I like the rough fonts used in the logo and loved the picture of the dog with the flaming red hair.
Overall:
Irish Dog Bloody Mary Mix isn't bad at all and I would probably recommend it if drink texture isn't a concern to you. This mix comes in a 32 oz. bottle. A quick glance at the Irish Dog website and their Facebook fan page reveals this product is available at select grocery stores and bars across eastern Iowa and northern Illinois. The main website does not mention a price or even allow for online ordering yet, but it does provide the e-mail address of Steve @ drinkirishdog.com for additional information.
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2010-04-19 19:29:30
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2011-12-21 20:27:11
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