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This Fourth of July, two beloved Wisconsin brands are bringing on the backyard magic with a BBQ sauce that’s as bold and unforgettable as the fireworks.
Mug Shot Root Beer BBQ Sauce is a marriage of tradition and innovation that brings together PS Seasoning’s expertise in crafting BBQ-ready flavor boosters with the smooth sweetness of Jolly Good Root Beer.
The two companies came together at last year’s “Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin” contest, a celebration of the state’s manufacturing ingenuity. Jolly Good took home the top prize and PS Seasoning landed in the final eight. But their meeting led to a flavorful partnership and determination to create something uniquely delicious together.
“This isn’t just another BBQ sauce—it’s a pour of Wisconsin history,” said Joe Hanni, CEO of PS Seasoning. “We partnered with Jolly Good to create something that evokes the memories of soda shops and summer cookouts. Mug Shot is the perfect blend of sweet nostalgia and smoky heat, just in time for the height of grilling season.”
It’s a sauce that captures the growing appetite for comfort food classics while offering up something new for America’s quickly growing BBQ culture. Mug Shot captures the sweetness of classic molasses and warming spices along with the sweet complexity of root beer, delivering a rich, caramelized finish and an oh-so-subtle kick that’s delicious for basting ribs, glazing pulled pork and dunking crispy wings.
“PS Seasoning and Jolly Good have been adding standout flavor to Wisconsin traditions for generations,” adds Zach Malin, Senior Vice President of Krier Beverage, makers of Jolly Good Soda.
“We couldn’t be more excited to take the root beer people grew up with and give it a bold new role at the dinner table, right alongside the ribs.”
Mug Shot Root Beer BBQ Sauce is available now at psseasoning.com and at select grocery and specialty stores.
Some local stores that carry PS Seasoning products include Sendik's Food Market stores, select Festival Foods' locations, Bunzel's Old Fashioned Meat Market, Kettle Range Meat Co., Ray's Butcher Shoppe and Locally Inspired in Port Washington. It's advisable to call your location of choice before visiting to ensure they have the seasoning you are looking for.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
