I’ve tried and I’ve tried. But I still can’t come up with any good reason why the world needs caffeinated BBQ Sauce. It’s on the market this summer, and it’s billed as a counter-measure against heat exhaustion…
5-Hour Energy wants to keep that smile on your face as long as it
takes slaving over the grill to feed everyone at the party…
His brainchild…
“From my own family cookouts, I know how exhausting BBQing can be. From grilling to hosting, and all the fun lawn games that happen in between, it’s often an all-day affair,” explains Jeff Sigouin, President and COO of Living Essentials, the makers of 5-hour Energy brand caffeinated products.
He seems to know what he’s talking about. And I agree. Just a short time exerting myself under the blazing summer sun can drain me of both stamina and resolve. Even more so over a hot ‘cue.But is jacked-up BBQ sauce the answer? Sigouin is convinced it is:
“As we continue to redefine what 5-hour energy is and can be, we’re excited to be the first energy brand to offer hardworking BBQ aficionados what they really need — a caffeinated sauce to help stay focused and keep the party going.”
What’s in it?
5-Hour Energy’s boosted sauce débuts in Peach Mango flavour – a nice, light, fruity complement to the zippy feeling the caffeine is supposed to impart.
Speaking of which, how much caffeine is actually in it? 5-Hour Energy says each ‘serving’ contains 60 mg of caffeine – about the same as you’d get from a standard cup of coffee.
Fundamental miscues?
Why is 5-Hour plugging its sauce as an elixir for the BBQ chef? Logic would dictate that they’d benefit most from a boost while on the line, juggling the tongs. Maybe the 5-Hour folks are thinking of the caffeine boost as a reward after the fact, for the Q-master’s perseverance…
I also have questions about the effects of the caffeine on other diners at the party. What about older folks with weak hearts who might not be prepared for an unexpected jolt of caffeine? What about the kids? Well… They’re used to caffeinated sodas. No big deal to them, I guess.
But what about folks who go back for seconds or thirds? It happens all the time with burgers. They stand to OD on the sauce if they’re not careful – or they simply don’t know it’s ‘dosed’.
Where’s the fire?
Our own experience tells us that caffeine is unaffected by heat, as far as the temperatures used in making coffee and tea are concerned – 100 C / 212 F. The boiling point of water. In fact, science tells us the compound is ‘completely stable’ up to 235 C / 455 F. But that’s on the top end of the BBQing range. And some intrepid BBQers swear by quick searing at 500 F and above.
A wood fire can burn as hot as 1100° C / 2012° F. The average open campfire or wood-fired grill may hit 315 C / 600 F. Remember, wood ignites at 233 C / 451 F, just below the breakdown point of caffeine.
A charcoal fire can hit the same heights. Which is one reason we let charcoal burn down to glowing coals before putting the food on.
Propane and methane (natural) gas can both burn as hot as C / 3,560 F. But in BBQ use, most grills are engineered to maintain temperatures of ‘up to 260 C / 500 F’.
Will 5-Hour Energy ‘Energizing’ BBQ sauce work for you? Only you can judge…
How to get it
If you want to find out, you’ll have to visit the official website on July 2, 9 or 16, and put your name in for a bottle. There are some picky little details… But the sauce is FREE, if you register in time to get one ‘while supplies last’. And that includes shipping.
My take
Whether the stuff works or not, caffeine-boosted BBQ sauce is not something I feel a need to try. Much less, rush to the website to register for.
But I’m sure there are thousands of Q-masters out there who’ll be staying up until midnight the night before each ‘drop’ day to be first in line at the website!
~ Maggie J.