Sauce to Bring
Central New York Native, Mike Otis has been making craft barbecue sauce for more than 35 years, and now he’s taken his sauce-making talents public with a mission to give back.
The Syracuse Veteran launched ‘Battle Tested Craft Barbecue Sauce’ based on an old family recipe used by his father Ed, he says. After years of asking what was in the sauce and never getting a solid answer, Mike says he was surprised with a handwritten recipe card on his 21st birthday. That same recipe is the base of what is now known as Otis’ Battle Tested Craft Barbecue Sauce.
Since taking his sauce skills to market, Otis says the response has been overwhelming. Shomar’s Restaurant’s in Charlottte chose Otis’ Battle Tested Craft Barbecue as their sauce of choice for their spring BBQ sandwich promotion, and grocery stores are also jumping in to sell the sauce.
Locally, you can find Mike’s sauce in Liverpool at Mazzye’s Meats and Nichols Market. You can also score some from Spera’s market in Cicero. Recently Tops Friendly Markets announced that they’ll sell Otis’ Battle Tested Barbecue Sauce in all 30 store locations.
Coupled with the company’s success is Mike’s drive to give back too. Much of his family has proudly worn the uniform of the U.S. Military through our nation’s history, he says, and that’s why 5-percent of the profits of each bottle sold will be donated to a veteran not-for-profit organization. “It’s the mission behind our sauce and one we’re proud to support,” he adds.
To learn more about Battle Tested Craft Barbecue Sauce, visit BattleTestedBBQ.com.
