Michael Edgar is back for this review.
There are many versions or barbecue sauces and that’s what makes or breaks a good grill. Sure, you can dry barbecue, but then that’s not the point of these flavours. Otherwise, you might as well just buy ribs or Wagyu flavoured crisps.
The lightly salted variety has tomato powder on it, which is acidic and counteracts the flavour of salt. So, even though it claims to be 50% less salty, it taste like its 75% less. The flavoured themes of old fashioned and hickory stumped us because while they were good they weren’t distinctive enough to warrant their own brand.
Lightly Salted Bar-B-Q
Imitation: 6/10. Has hints of being a barbecue flavour, but it’s too sweet to claim to be traditional due to the tomato powder.
Desirability: 7/10. The less salty flavour is less likely to make your lips pucker and the inviting sweetness of a tomato keeps us coming back for more like an hors d’oeuvres.
Crunch: 6/10. Regular chip with lots of curled up ones in the specific bag.
Texture: 4/10. Normal, base level.
Appearance: 6/10. The slightly darker color makes it more visually appealing and convinces the eyes of flavour even if the tongue might not agree.
Total: 29/50. Classic plus tomato zest, easy to go down.
Bar-B-Q
Imitation: 7/10. Has deeper notes of salty spices than the lightly salted version, and more authentic to a neutral barbecue taste.
Desirability: 6/10. The authenticity means you can’t have too much all at once.
Crunch: 6/10. Regular chip and mostly bubbly.
Texture: 5/10. The heavily deep fried nature of the chip gives it more bubbles, which makes it slightly more interesting.
Appearance: 4/10. The light color and occasional specks makes it boring.
Total: 28/50. Classic but not ball-bustlingly good.
Old Fashioned Bar-B-Q
Imitation: 5/10. The addition of onion powder has made it a little more spicy, but a lot less saucy then the traditional taste.
Desirability: 7/10. The crunch sells it.
Crunch: 9/10. The crunch is amazing. Thanks to a lack of molasses and malted barley flour, the potato crisps out.
Texture: 8/10. Hard enough hear through headphones but not hard enough to cut your lip.
Appearance: 7/10. It’s orange, it’s dark, but don’t confuse it with Donald Trump.
Total: 36/50. The vote is in – the crunch has it, the crunch has it.
Hickory BarB-Q
Imitation: 7/10. Crisps will never be as good as a real barbecue, but it did remind us of burnt ends from Kansas City.
Desirability: 7/10. The flavour is not as strong as the old fashioned variety, but it has a balanced taste thanks to garlic powder and paprika.
Crunch: 6/10. We expected more crunch from a crinkle-cut chip.
Texture: 5/10. Too machined and predictable.
Appearance: 6/10. For a barbecue variety, a lighter hue is not better.
Total: 31/50. It’s interesting on paper, and interesting in your mouth, but not interesting enough to win the barbecue crown.
