Get Wild

Why this boozy sparkling water will be your new fave (well past summer)

You're not imagining it: hard seltzer is the drink of the summer (and probably well into next summer). But which sparkly sip should you be reaching for during happy hour, nights out, or any time you want a low-calorie lift?

Wild Basin Boozy Sparkling Water from Oskar Blues Brewery, and there are plenty of reasons why.

An impressive pedigree
The new boozy sparkling water comes from the grand daddy of craft beer. Founded by Dale Katechis in 1997 in Lyons, Colorado, Oskar Blues Brewery launched the craft-beer-in-a-can apocalypse with its hand-canned flagship brew, Dale's Pale Ale. Today, Oskar Blues operates breweries in Colorado, North Carolina, and Texas.

It's almost...good for you?
Gluten-free. Only 100 calories. Zero grams sugar. One gram of carbs. Five percent alcohol. Wild Basin is crystal clear, just like the clean, pristine waters it's made from. Lively carbonation punctuates contemporary flavor profiles like jammy, sun-kissed black raspberry, tropical lemon agave hibiscus, refreshing cucumber peach, smooth melon basil, and classic lime. Look for a new mix pack of flavors later this year, focusing on unique, juicy berry-forward flavor combinations.

No syrup here
Unlike some other hard seltzers that can taste of chemicals or come off as syrupy sweet, Wild Basin has only a hint of sweetness and a clean, fresh finish without any lingering aftertaste.

Good for the planet
At the heart of Wild Basin's identity is a reverence for the outdoors that connects back to its Rocky Mountain origin, so a percentage of sales goes toward river and ocean clean-up efforts led by Can'd Aid, with over $100,000 donated so far.

In a sea of black and white cans, look for the fun, bold, bright colors of Wild Basin. The cans depict a mountain scene similar to what can be viewed from Wild Basin, 8,500 feet above sea level in Rocky Mountain National Park. The mountains are reflected in the water at their feet — the same water that flows through Wild Basin via Colorado's majestic St. Vrain River, and ends up in every can of Wild Basin.

Wild Basin Boozy Sparkling Water has zero sugar and only 100 calories.

Photo by Ashley Gongora

Wild Basin Boozy Sparkling Water has zero sugar and only 100 calories.

Saucy Summer

Loro Asian Smokehouse bottles fan-favorite sauces for summer in Dallas

Photo courtesy of Hai Hospitality

This lively salsa can now dress up dishes at home.

You can't bottle famed Texas pitmaster Aaron Franklin's meat-smoking skills, but you can bottle the sauce at Loro, his popular Asian Smokehouse founded with Uchi chef Tyson Cole. Three of the restaurant's signature sauces will be available for a limited time this summer, starting June 21 and ending July 5.

A press release promises "bold, smoke-kissed flavors" on offer during the restaurant's "Saucy Summer" event. Guests can pick them up from all Loro locations across Texas. In Dallas, that means 1812 North Haskell Ave. in East Dallas and 14999 Montfort Dr. in Addison. There are also locations in Austin and Houston.

Fans of Loro probably already know these flavors from dipping wonton chips and slathering fried chicken sandwiches.

Loro Hot Sauce Loro's smoked hot sauce and chicken are a perfect match.Photo courtesy of Hai Hospitality

The three sauces for sale are:

Tamarind BBQ: A sweet sauce that's "a little wild" thanks to spicy and fruity flavors. Ingredients include tamarind, honey, soy, pineapple, Thai sriracha, mesquite, and nam tok seasoning — usually a mix of lime, chili flakes, and other standard seasonings like salt and sugar. This one is recommended for brisket, grilled chicken, or brushing ribs in the last five minutes of cooking.
Loro Hot Sauce: Described as "buttery" and "chili-forward." It's also made with Thai sriracha and augmented with dried Thai chili flakes, vinegar, butter, and tallow. The recipe was made with eggs, tacos, fried rice, wings, sandwiches, and spicy spreads in mind.
Green Chili Salsa and Marinade: Be careful with this spicy sauce, which has a "sneaky heat." The overall tone is bright and herbal thanks to green tomato, cilantro, garlic, lime, and ginger, with soybean paste and Thai chili adding oomph. This sauce is great for marinating chicken or shrimp, but it can also be poured right on top of tacos and rice bowls or used to finish veggies and grilled fish.

Each sauce sells for $8, but shoppers can bundle three of them for $20.

Purchases can be made for dine-in or takeout via Toast. Deliveries are available via Door Dash and Uber Eats while the promotion is running. To stay on top of stock, only a certain number of sauces will be sold each day.

Loro Tamarind BBQ Sauce Sauce-lovers can bundle all three sauces for variety.Photo courtesy of Hai Hospitality

Whether or not guests purchase a sauce, they can use the code SAUCYSUMMER to take $10 off to-go orders placed July 3 and 4.

aaron franklin tacos cooking barbecue