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hot sauce tasting in rehoboth beach

A Spicy Odyssey: Hot Sauce and Bloody Mary Mix Tasting at Devil Daves

In the heart of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, lies a gourmet grocery shop unlike any other—Devil Daves. This unique shop is dedicated to the fiery world of hot sauces, Bloody Mary mixes, spices, and unique gifts. Our seemingly ordinary visit to Devil Daves Hot Sauce Shop in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, evolved into an extraordinary exploration of hot sauces and Bloody Mary mixes. Unlike sampling beer or wine, this experience delved deep into the fiery depths of hot sauces, paired uniquely with the shop's signature single-serve Bloody Mary seasoning.

A Serendipitous Tasting Experience

The tasting at Devil Daves was unplanned but turned out to be a highlight of our visit to Rehoboth Beach. Initially unaware of what to expect, we were intrigued by the offer to sample an array of hot sauces and the shop's renowned Bloody Mary mix. This initiation marked the beginning of a flavorful journey.

The staff at Devil Daves, with their deep knowledge of hot sauces, guided us through the tasting with the finesse of seasoned sommeliers. From gentle, fruity varieties to those that packed a punch, each tasting was an adventure. Ryan Pakenas, the owner who goes by "Dave" tailored the experience based on our reactions and preferences to make it all the more engaging. "Make sure to be careful with that one," exclaimed Dave. "It will put a hurtin' on ya!" - Well we couldn't be more intrigued Dave, it only makes me want it more!

The Intricacies of Hot Sauce Tasting

As we sampled from the hot sauce bar, we discovered that tasting hot sauce is an art form, revealing a spectrum of flavors beyond mere spiciness. Each sauce, with its distinct personality, taught us to appreciate the subtle nuances that differentiate one from another.

The hot sauce tasting transcended mere taste, invoking a full-body sensation with each new sauce. The intensity of some selections necessitated brief pauses, allowing us to fully appreciate their impact. I was perplexed as to how my body reacted to some sauces and was mildly satisfied by others.

Pairing with Devil Daves Bloody Mary Mix

In a unique twist, we paired our hot sauces with Devil Daves Bloody Mary mix. While Devil Daves is not a bar or restaurant and doesn't serve full drinks, they offer samples of their mixes and hot sauces, providing a unique tasting experience. His first pour of Devil Daves Bloody Mary mix was dosed with Dilly Pepper Hot Sauce - their signature pickle brine sauce. This pairing was perfect, as the savory and spicy notes of the Bloody Mary mix complemented the hot sauce beautifully, creating a harmonious blend of briny flavors.

SPICED JUST RIGHT

Devil Daves Dilly Pepper: Tangy, briny, and well seasoned. Pure pickle flavor and it's easy to see why this is the best hot sauce to use in Bloody Marys!

BUY HERE

Garlic Delicious

Mikey V's - Garlic Scorpion: Hot right from the gate. But you get that real pepper flavor and nothing seemed overdone. Lots of seasoning and garlic make this a hot sauce for steak & seafood.

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Exotic Flavor

High Desert Sauce - Tiki-Hot Masala: Wow - I didn't know you could get a hot sauce to taste like that! Amazingly authentic Western flavors of Masala and carrot. But the heat kicks in after. Just an amazing sauce - We bought some of this for sure!

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Crazy Good Selection & Great Pricing

Not only did we leave with way too many hot sauces, but adding some other goodies like mix and BBQ Rub didn't hurt too bad! Pricing was what you would expect and not hyped. With small batch comes quality, and with quality comes price. However, we didn't leave remorseful at all. Especially when the 10% discount hit for going over $40... In all we left with 6 new bottles of sauce, Bloody Mary stick packs, 2 Rubs, a Pickle Air Freshener (I know right), and free decals all in a gift bag - Total, $89.00 - Not too shabby - We will definitely be returning when we need to re-up!

Price points & In-House Discounts

  • 6 Bottles Hot Sauce

    We loaded up here getting some Tiki Masala, Scorpion & Reaper by Mikey V's, and a Buffalo Sauce by Melinda's - $58.00

  • 2 BBQ Rubs

    Thinking about our new smoker, we grabbed 2 Rubs; Spicology Korean BBQ, and Blonde Beards Rooster Cajun Rub - $19.00

  • 2 Boxes Stick Pack Mix

    We grabbed the 2 Pack deal of Bloody Mary Stick Packs so we could get both Original & Diablo - Great deal at $20.50!