Photo by Joe Lanane

"Crazy hot" and "stupid hot" are not exactly the way Mahlon's MicroCrafted Beef Jerky owner Bob Wolesensky would describe business these days, but things are looking up.

In fact, his two newest jerky flavors, aptly named for their heat, were hot sellers heading into 2013, he said.

Made with Trinidad scorpion chiles, the Crazy Hot recipe was originally intended to be hotter but turned out milder than the Stupid Hot made with Mad Dog 357 hot sauce.

"A lot of people will react by saying, 'That is just stupid. Who would eat that?'" he said.

The two fiery options have been popular with jerky enthusiasts and heat freaks alike, Wolesensky said, helping to boost holiday sales higher than anticipated. In fact, Wolesensky spent much of January replenishing his stock, which also includes a new raspberry chipotle flavor as well as two new jerkies coming soon that are made using serrano peppers and jalapeos.

And the outlook is optimistic for 2013. Wolesensky said he could expand production by buying a second meat smoker this year. He also opened a second retail site Jan. 11 on Hwy. 79 in Liberty Hill where he will continue selling approximately 20 rotating flavored jerky packages.

  • Mon.–Fri. 9 a.m.–6 p.m.
  • Saturday 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
  • Closed Sunday