Lower.com Field menus bring the heat with Columbus Crew-FC Cincinnati 'Hell Is Real' game
When the matches against your biggest rival carry a title like "Hell Is Real," you can't just serve fans Dippin' Dots and call it a day.
So when Columbus hosts Cincinnati on Saturday night at Lower.com Field (kickoff is at 7:45 p.m.), the team north of the billboard that gave the rivalry its name will turn the temperature up a few notches at the concession stands. Normally tame to mildly tingly snacks get an extra dash, dusting, crusting or coating of heat.
Not even Bavarian pretzels, where the spiciest sprinkling was salt, can escape. There's a Hell Is Real version for the Hell Is Real match that's covered with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos dust and jalapeno cheddar-cheese sauce.
Here's the entire menu of cranked-up food and drinks for Saturday night at Lower.com. Warning: Some may require an extra beer.
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Flamin' Hot Bavarian pretzel
The normally mild-mannered pretzel makes a Hulk-like transformation with what Crew concessionaires describe as a dusting of pulverized Flamin' Hot Cheetos. It looks like a pretty thick coating to us, though, and it's held on with jalapeno cheddar sauce.
The Flamin' Hot Bavarian pretzel is $9.99 and available at the Pretzel Haus.
Scoville rating: According to SpicyQuest.com, Flamin' Hot Cheetos come in at about 50,000 Scoville units. That's at the upper end of cayenne peppers.
How many beers will it take to put out the fire? 🍺🍺
Pressore diavolo
Think of this pressed sandwich as an Italian quesadilla. It's a flour tortilla with Italian sausage, peppers and onions. It comes with a side of garlic fries. The pressore diavolo gets its kick from Calabrian peppers, a medium-hot Italian chili.
The pressore diavolo − its name might be bigger than its bite − is available at the Tipico Sportsbook Club, River Club and loge seats for $10.99.
Scoville rating: Pepperscale.com ranks Calabrian peppers at 25,000 to 40,000 Scoville units, roughly in the range of Tabasco sauce.
How many beers will it take to put out the fire? 🍺
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Flamin’ Hot Korean cheese corn dog
Given the over-the-top presentation and spicy (yet flavorful) lean of many Korean street foods, it wouldn't be surprising to see this version of a Korean corn dog in Korea. Flamin’ Hot Cheetos are doing double duty for Saturday's Hell Is Real night to coat the Flamin' Hot Korean cheese corn dog, which is to be available in Lower.com Field's ledge seats.
Crew officials didn't have a price for it Friday morning.
(For a more authentic version of a Korean corn dog, try Seoul Food on the Go at Bubbly Hall in New Albany. It's half hot dog-half cheese stick, battered, fried, dusted in sugar and drizzled with ketchup and mustard.)
How many beers will it take to put out the fire? 🍺 (It looks smaller than the pretzel.)
More:Columbus Crew, FC Cincinnati rivalry heats up with Hell Is Real hot dog from Dirty Frank's
Sauce Boss Gang spicy margarita
Sauce Boss Gang, a Columbus brand of hot and hotter sauces, saved its hottest for a spicy margarita that is to be served at stands throughout the stadium. The drink is made with Patron tequila, fresh lime juice, triple sec, sweet-and-sour mix and a couple dashes of Sauce Boss Gang's "Scorpion." Throw a couple jalapeno slices in there, too.
Sauce Boss Gang says its "Scorpion" sauce (scorpion peppers and a habanero mash) comes in at about 250,000. That's Scotch-bonnet territory.
The Sauce Boss Gang spicy margarita is to sell for $15.49 at the Tipico Sportsbook Club, Miller Lite Bar, Lower 614 Pours, River Club, Huntington Field Club, Southeast Field Club, NetJets Suite Level Bar and East Field Club Bunker Bar.
How many beers will it take to put out the fire? Better stick to water on this one: 🥤🥤🥤🥤🥤
Sauce Boss wing toss
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You get a choice of Sauce Boss Gang sauces for these dry-rubbed wings. Spanish chipotle is a mild(ish), smokey sauce at 50,000 Scoville units, at the low range for Thai chilis. Green jalapeno is a tangy take on salsa verde that rates slightly higher at about 60,000 on the Scoville scale. "Scorpion" is Sauce Boss Gang's hottest (see above).
The Sauce Boss wing toss comes with celery and carrot sticks, buttermilk ranch dressing and serves six. It's $120 and available in Lower.com Field suites.
How many beers will it take to put out the fire? 🍺🍺, 🍺🍺🍺 or 🍺🍺🍺🍺
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