Boyd Specialties’ true specialty is their motivation to pioneer new areas of excellence. From producing Halal jerky to organic, gluten free snacks. Our specialty is to go the extra mile to help their clients exceed all of their goals. With a current output of over 5 million bags of jerky per year, Boyd Specialties can work with any client, big or small. They love jerky! At Boyd Specialties, their family’s driving passion for gourmet jerky is fueled by decades of experience and pride instilled in every bag of jerky they make.
The Boyd family has lived in the Heartland of Southern California for nearly a century. From “Grampy” Bishop Boyd’s early start, working for the Santa Fe railroad to Sue Boyd’s helping to develop the highway system with the California Division of Highways in the 50s, the Boyds have been a part of this great state’s history for a long time. It was easy for them to decide to use the Heartland of Southern California’s Inland Empire as their base of operation and a critical production facility. Close to airports, seaports, and rail shipping hubs, the Inland Empire is the perfect shipping point for products destined to go anywhere.
Boyd Specialties was presented the Family Business Entrepreneurs of the year award for 2013 by the California Spirit of the Entrepreneur Association. They were honored to receive such recognition, mainly because it celebrated their company and family. This Carnivore Candy jerky brand is distributed under the name of Boyd Specialties, and they are located in Colton, California.
The first review on Carnivore Candy will focus on a 3 ounce/85 gram bag of their Draft Ale flavored beef jerky. This bag was purchased in the East Rutherford Beef Jerky Outlet store in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Ingredient Review
Beef, Beer, Brown Sugar, Balsamic Vinegar, Seasoned Salt (Salt, Sugar, Spices, Onion, Cornstarch, Garlic, Tricalcium Phosphate, Natural Flavor, Paprika Oleoresin), Lime Juice (Lime Juice From Concentrate [Water, Concentrate Lime Juice], And Less Than 2% of Lime Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Meta Bisulfite), Soy Sauce (Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt), Granulated Garlic, Ground Pepper, Liquid Hickory Smoke (Water, Natural Hickory Smoke Flavor). Allergen Warnings: Soy, Wheat
While not advertised, this brisket cut of beef used is from cattle raised in California. 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 awarded is a Good (8/10) rating.
The liquid marinade consists of beer (an unknown draft ale), super healthy balsamic vinegar, healthy lime juice, a decent brand of soy sauce, and liquid hickory smoke.
Some healthy ingredients are added, such as spices, onion, garlic, granulated garlic, and black pepper.
The sugar level is very low at 1 gram of sugar per 28 grams of jerky. The salt level is also quite low at 85mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky.
This jerky does qualify to have no sodium nitrite, or any other similar unhealthy preservatives. Instead, the main preservative used is salt. Balsamic vinegar to a lesser degree, also acts as a preservative. Admirably, this jerky qualifies to have no MSG added.
Good (8/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
CARNIVORE CANDY – DRAFT ALE BEEF JERKY
Written by guest jerky reviewer Paul Rekker
When I open the bag I smell the vinegar. The pieces are medium to large in size. The jerky is soft and chewy. I wish it were a little more rigid in texture. There is no oily residue left on your fingers.
The first flavors I encounter are salt, sweet, pepper, light garlic, maybe very light vinegar. I have yet to detect any draft ale flavor, and I am drinking a pale ale as I do this review. I am drinking a tall can of Steam Whistle premium pale ale (the blue can), and I can not make a correlation between the two. One tastes nothing like the other. Don’t get me wrong, this jerky flavor is improving as I consume more and more, but still no draft ale flavor from the jerky. Possibly the ale flavor has dissipated, as had so many others along the years, because too much time elapsed between me receiving the jerky and eating it. That’s why I jumped on this flavor almost immediately to hopefully negate any time lapse on the jerky. Timing aside, I am really enjoying this flavor, and would definitely have scored it a 10/10.
However, since it’s advertised as draft ale flavor, I must go forward and deduct a point, now rendering this flavor a well-deserved 9/10. Gentlemen?
Written by guest jerky reviewer Stéphane Leclerc
I am impressed with the Carnivore Candy Draft Ale Beef Jerky, the flavor and texture are quite good. I am not an expert on beer & ale, and I usually don’t even like it when it is mixed with other products or dishes.
However, I am pleasantly surprised here, as it is skillfully paired with other great flavors, and it provides depth and complexity to its flavor profile. I can’t provide more specifics more than I could with a wine used in dishes like Coq au Vin or Beef Bourguignon. The draft ale is only one building block amongst so many others in this marinade and how well its flavor transfers to the end product within its final transformation.
The other flavors are sweetness, a little smokiness, some garlic, and a great boost of cracked black pepper. The texture is also pleasant. It should be said, a remarkable amount of seasoning fell off the jerky, and I simply sprinkled the extra bits onto the jerky pieces before taking a bite.
The Carnivore Candy Draft Ale Beef Jerky is really flavorful and a real pleasure munching on even when you are not so fond of beer or ale. I can only find good things, and I’d rate this jerky an Excellent 10/10 Taste Rating.
Here is what Mark had to say about this Draft Ale beef jerky flavor from Carnivore Candy: “Thanks Paul and Stéphane for the expert taste reviews. Beer is a tricky jerky flavor to pull off. Yes, the great flavor of beer was present but had mostly dissipated by the second day. Agreed in that this is a complex flavor profile with all sorts of treats for your taste buds. I am near certain that the cut of beef used was brisket, which tends to soak up the marinade better. With Paul at a 9 rating, and Stéphane and I at 10 ratings, an Excellent (10/10) taste rating will be awarded.”
This 3 ounce/85 gram bag sells in the Beef Jerky Outlet store for $12.66. That works out to $4.22 an ounce, which rates as an expensive price.
Excellent (10/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This resealable, gold colored plastic bag has a label affixed to the front and nothing on the back. The Carnivore Candy logo displays a tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur.
A slogan printed on this bag is “Premium Spirits Series”. Some facts printed on this bag are “Flosser Included”, “Natural Smoke Flavor Added”, and “Made With High Quality Alcoholic Beverages”.
The only missing bag category is a blurb about this jerky or flavor.
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