Texas Brew Honey Roasted Chipotle Salsa review
Texas Brew Products is a San Antonio, Texas based company founded by Brenda Craig. Her Honey Roasted Chipotle Salsa won a 1st Place Scovie Award as well as a 1st Place Austin Chronicle award.
Brenda and I met in Houston at the Houston Hot Sauce Festival at a “behind the scenes” party at the Chile Pepper Magazine’s headquarters. Brenda offered me a sample jar of her Honey Roasted Chipotle Salsa for this review.
It’s a remarkably different tasting salsa. And as they say, well… just read the quote:
We are focused on producing “Simply Salsalicious” all natural, gluten free gourmet salsas (condiments) made with fresh fire-roasted vegetables and smoked spices the old fashioned authentic Mexican way. “A Little Bit Of Texas In Every Jar”.
We opened the jar, and promptly started dipping chips into the salsa to get a taste of Texas – salsa stye.
Ingredients: roasted tomato, roasted tomatillo, roasted onion, honey, lime juice from concentrate, roasted garlic, chipotle peppers (chipotles, tomatoes, salt, sesame oil, paprika, vinegar and spices), roasted poblano pepper, fresh cilantro, salt, sugar, spices, molasses and water
Texture & Appearance: 
– Bold, beautiful, mahogany color with a nice fine grind (my favorite), but in an overall thin base that is just a tad too thin for my tastes. There are lots of flecks and specks of blackened skins from the peppers and veggies.
Taste Straight Up: 
– Dark flavor, with a musky taste – in a good way, but not a lot of chipotle pepper smokiness or heat. Most of the smoky nuances are surely from the roasted veggies. There’s more tang and twang and sweetness from the abundance of roasted veggie ingredients (a natural sweet byproduct) with an overpowering sweetness from the honey, sugar and molasses.
Heat Level: 
– Branded as “Slow Kick Medium” in heat level on the label, I find it to be quite mild – just a notch above mild. Very edible, and certainly a great sauce to serve at a party that everyone could enjoy.
Label/Graphics: 
– Texas Brew labels all feature a caricature of either founder Brenda Craig or Don Hendricks, a friend (with a great cowboy look), along with simple lettering that let you know quickly and easily what you are buying. And the ingredients are easy to read – just an all-around classy label. Kudos.
Overall Rating (Taste on Food, Final Thoughts): As much as I love a good sweetness to my heatness, whether it be BBQ sauce, hot sauce, rubs or in this case, salsa… I’m afraid for this reviewer, the sweet is just too much. Too much honey (I don’t think I like it in my salsa) and too much molasses. Yes, molasses is almost dead last in the ingredients, but it plays a supporting role along with the sugar and honey… and that’s just too syrupy for me.
– An enjoyable salsa that would please everyone, but is not going to be a repeat for me.
I can see where this salsa could be the hit of your appetizer table, and hear people raving about how good it is. “Wow, this salsa is amazingly different”! And indeed it is different. Just not my cup of tea err, salsa.
Update: In addition to the “Slow Kick Medium”, Texas Brew Honey Roasted Chipotle Salsa also comes in 2 other heat levels: a “Slow Burn Hot” and a “No Heat Mild”.
Texas Brew offers a wide range of other Honey Roasted salsas that include a Peach, a Pineapple, a Mango and an Apple Cinnamon. Also there is a Fire Roasted Poblano and a Hot Iron Habanero salsa.
You can shop for Texas Brew Salsa here.
Disclaimer: We received this product courtesy of the manufacturer for review.
Brian thanks for the review and you’re most right, some people don’t like sweet in their salsa and some do 🙂 to the tune of 67 thousand jars the first year. So I ain’t a complaining 🙂
Frankly I was surprised at some of my awards since I do have a salsa with honey (not the typical salsa to say the least), however; when it comes to cooking, barbecuing and so much more this baby THE salsa. From making Beer Bacon Brownies to the most luscious grilled steaks this salsa is unequaled.
Now if not so sweet is your taste be sure and try out our Texas Brew Fire Roasted Poblano (red salsa and Verde) soon to be found at all Spec’s Liquors and Fine Foods and at Select HEBs, & Whole Foods (Verde only at Spec’s for now)
Happy Chippin’ and Dippin’
Thank you Brenda, for the opportunity to review the Honey Roasted. You have a great lineup of other salsas and flavors, so I will be placing an order for some of those.
Love the graphics and the “slow kick” text, those two things would catch my eye on the shelf. I don’t think I’ve ever had a salsa with a sweet edge to it before.
I should have mentioned there are 2 other heat levels available. In addition to the “Slow Kick Medium”, there is a “Slow Burn Hot” and a “No Heat Mild” variety.
I’ve updated the post to reflect that.
Chris, I checked out your website and it looked yummy…now my slow kick medium might be just the thing for you…let me know and I wills send u some and u can try it out on the grill. Happy Chippn’ and Dippin’
I happen to love the salsa. I do like things on the sweeter side of the fence, yet to me this wasn’t overly sugary. The balance was spot on. It was a utilitarian, all-purpose salsa. Still, it’s good to read your take on things, Brian.:)
That’s some high praise for Texas Brew, coming from you Scott. Thanks!
Also, I want to point out to our readers, that you picked this salsa as your favorite of 2012.
This salsa is definitely not the usual flavor because of the honey, but we served it for our Texans game-watching party — along with the hot with habanero. Both were very popular with everyone, but for different reasons! This honey-roasted poblano is really good served over a block of cream cheese with crackers. The habanero was a bit hotter than I usually eat, but it wasn’t so intense I couldn’t enjoy it.
Thanks, Wendy. I plan on checking out their other flavors.
There’s no doubt it’s a high quality product. I’m especially interested the poblano salsa, and Brenda tells me they have something new coming… Soon. 😉
I happen to be one of Brenda’s customers and I also LOVE the Honey Chipolte Medium Sauce. I like to simply enjoy it just with chips or over some cream cheese. I hope that everyone can appreciate the quality of her products because I have. Everyone does have different tastes but she has something for everyone. I will continue to purchase her product no matter what.
I agree with you, Veronica, about the quality. Thank you for your nice comment. We do get passionate about our favorite salsas don’t we?
Different….definitely, delicious….definitely, do I want more….MOST DEFINITELY! I was first introduced to this salsa about a year ago and since then it has become a condiment in my house. We put it meat, salad, in soup and even in brownies (thanks to the amazing recipes on the Texas Brew website). I myself prefer the milder spice, but my wife who eats ghost peppers for breakfast finds satisfaction in the slow burn. My only complaint…the jars don’t come in gallon size!
It’s a good thing for you that Texas Brew offers the 3-pack and 6- pack of jars, huh? Thank you, Jesse, for chiming in.
Wow…awesome on the comments…I just posted it on facebook reaching out for some salsa love and well, I guess I got it…lol…this is so much fun 🙂
You do have your fans! Thanks for sharing on Facebook.
I am drooling thinking about making brownies with this salsa.
Ok, Chilebrown. I’ve *never* heard of brownies with salsa. Please educate us. Sounds amazing and yet confusing at the same time.
Brian, One of our favorite things about Texas Brew Salsa is its versatility in recipes. I did a review on Texas Brew and made “Texas Brew Bacon Peanut Butter Cup Espresso Beer Brownies”. These brownies were to die for. I think their website has the recipes or maybe Brenda can help. Oh man, I need to make some brownies.
I will check it out. Thanks.
My absolute FAVORITE salsa in the entire world!!!!!! I use the PABLANO as dip, the MEDIUM to cook meals with, and the FRUIT salsas to make desserts with…..GREAT recipies at the Texas Brew Website.
Awesome, Courtney! Thank you for your comment. I love the passion folks have for their favorite salsas.
Another win for Texas Brew Honey Roasted Chipotle Slow Kick Medium…well two…second place Chipotle and blended pepper salsa 2013 Zest Fest Fiery Food Challenge in Irving this last weekend…whoo hoo
Congrats Brenda! Way to go!