Angry Goat Purple Hippo
Angry Goat Primo ROCKpotamus
Note: This sauce was provided for purposes of review by Roger Damptz of
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Note: Support video available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oenx-EWP-E8
Before I get into this review proper, I will note there are also a couple of variations I found out about after getting these sauces. Purple Hippo seems to be the median, with a milder sauce utilizing Cayenne and Jalapeno called Cool Hippo, as well as a Limited Edition with golden prickly pear fruit and Scotch Bonnets called Golden Hippo. I may try to track one or both of those down in future, but for now, we'll ride with what we have here.
And what we have is another rather novel sauce combination in the Purple Hippo. The prickly pear is described as a bubblegum/watermelon flavor, which I don't have enough of an argument to counter, followed up with some strawberry, so you know me, I'm thinking maybe a nice desserty sauce. Whatever else this is, it definitely is not that. There's some agave, some Habanero, some citrus, and all of it is punched at the end with Scorpion pepper sauce. Now, I mention this because I think we're dealing with another sauce that is essentially a base, then switch out some peppers, with the 7-Pot Primos being added into the mix for the ROCKpotamus (I keep wanting to say Rocktopotamus). This should yield a couple of sauces with a relatively similar flavor profile...yet it does not.
There are many who feel the Primos could easily give the Reapers a run for the money on the SHU scale on a good day and the ROCKpotamus is a good example of why. While the Purple Hippo definitely has some good solid punch to it, enough that I doubt non-chileheads will enjoy it much, the addition of the 7-Pot Primos makes this more akin to a mouth full of blast furnace. The heat, the bitter superhot notes, all of it is immediate, no build, no foreplay, just a nice healthy blast of heat, which runs roughshod over nearly everything else, aside from a light residual vague sweetness. The Purple Hippo for me was between a 2 - 3, but with the Habanero build, I find it more towards the higher side, which is also the dividing line between whether I think a normie will conceivably enjoy it. The ROCKpotamus I'd put between a 5 and a 6. I leaned down here, as I'd call it roughly double the heat of the Hippo, but it is unquestionably blazing. Angry Goat evidently didn't like hearing that the Purple Hippo was too tame and moved to make it more punishing.
For all that, I think the sauce still works, largely because 7-Pot Primos are a great flavor choice. Yes, they're absolutely superhots and can get to a build quickly, but I find the taste of them to be quite nice. In terms of overall flavor, the Purple Hippo is notably better. It's not just bitter, blazing, with a touch of sweet, but one can get the excellent sense of all the fruits there, which I didn't find played well together with desserts, but which are marvels on any meats, including burgers. I thought it would be heavier on the strawberry side, which can be a mixed bag, but it aims right for a balance between the component and largely nails it. The heat is one that takes a bit to arrive, but as with Habaneros generally, steadily rises to whatever crescendo it's going to have. This is probably aided a bit by the Scorpions, which I almost wish weren't there, as they also lend a bit of bitterness that ruins what could conceivably be a more delicious sauce that would lend itself well to desserts.
I ran these two largely head to head, but they are radically different sauces, despite sharing the majority of ingredients between the two of them. I suspect the Cool Hippo and Purple Hippo will be closer in town, possibly also the Golden Hippo, while the ROCKpotamus is a thing that definitely stands alone. I hesitate to say the sacrifice was made to flavor in favor of heat, but I also don't think that is an incorrect sentiment ultimately.
Bottom line: The Purple Hippo is another unique and rather inspired concoction from the masters of this characteristic.The ROCKpotamus demonstrates a number of things, but definitely moves away from "same sauce, only hotter" and becomes its own blazing entry, albeit one that is not as flavorful. Both are best reserved for chileheads only.
Purple Hippo Breakdown:
Heat level: 3
Flavor: 8
Flexibility: 8
Enjoyment to dollar factor: 9
Overall: 7
Primo ROCKpotamus Breakdown:
Heat level: 5
Flavor: 5
Flexibility: 6
Enjoyment to dollar factor: 8
Overall: 6
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