The first review on Alien Fresh Jerky will be on a 4 ounce/113.4 gram bag of their whiskey flavored beef jerky. This bag was purchased in 2012 at a convenience store off the Las Vegas strip, in Nevada.
The Alien Fresh Jerky brand name is distributed by The Ramallos Inc., located in Baker, California. This brand was launched in 2004 by the founder Luis Ramallo, his wife Susana Ramallo, and his eldest son Martin Ramallo. Today, they are located in a 4800 square foot building. Apart from jerky, there are things such as nuts, trail mixes, dried fruits, stuffed olives, honey and souvenirs for sale. Baker, California is known as the unofficial halfway driving point between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The Alien Fresh Jerky store is just off the highway, and worth a visit, with an alien sitting on a chair in the sky.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, BBQ Sauce (Tomato Concentrate, High Fructose Corn Syrup Solids, Vinegar, Molasses, Water, Hickory Smoke Flavoring, Salt, Modified Corn Starch, Mustard, Onion Powder, Garlic, Spices), Brown Sugar, Seasoning (Brown Sugar, Salt, Spices, Paprika, Garlic, Smoke Flavouring, Spices, Vegetable Oil), Bourbon, Vinegar, Honey, Liquid Smoke, Corn Syrup Solids, Cayenne Pepper, Sodium Nitrite
The beef used is not guaranteed to be free of growth hormones or additional antibiotics. Also, the beef is not guaranteed to have at least partial free range access to graze on grass. As a result, the highest ingredient rating that can be awarded is a Good (8/10) rating.
The liquid marinade consists of BBQ sauce, bourbon, vinegar, honey, and liquid smoke. It is disappointing to see that high fructose corn syrup solids (powdered form) is second on the BBQ sauce ingredient list by weight. Locally produced honey can be healthy, if eaten in moderation.
The type of whiskey used is bourbon, which is distilled from maize and rye. The drying process removes all alcohol content.
There is no nutrition facts table provided. As a result, the exact sugar and salt levels are unknown.
This jerky does use unhealthy sodium nitrite as the main preservative, apart from salt. On a better note, this jerky does qualify to have no MSG added.
Alright (6/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
It should be noted that I kept poor tastes back in 2012. I could not taste any bourbon in this jerky. You could detect sugar and barbecue sauce. This jerky was only a bit hot with the cayenne pepper. Nothing overly special about the flavor, where the jerky strips were cut with medium thickness.
This bag cost $5.99 but today is selling for $8.00. Using today’s price of $8.00 for a 4 ounce/113.4 gram bag that is $2.00 an ounce, which is an average price. The ingredient list has since changed from 2012.
Bag Review
Even for 4 ounces, this is a fairly large bag. There is a label affixed to the clear plastic front, and it has a gold colored back. It’s an interesting logo, with an alien on a horse dressed as a cowboy doing some cow herding.
Their slogan is “The Best Jerky In The Universe”. Facts printed on this bag are “Liquid Smoke Added” and “No MSG”
The majority of bag categories are covered. Most notably missing is a nutrition facts table. Also missing is a blurb written about the flavor and jerky, but there is no room. To the credit of Alien Fresh Jerky, they provide a toll free phone number for customer inquiries.
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