Review of Old Vienna of St. Louis Riplets Potato Chips

Today, Kevin and I are sampling a variety of potato chips from Old Vienna of St. Louis. Specifically, we're trying several flavors of their Riplets line: Original, Honey Barbecue, All Dressed, Sour Cream and Onion, Jalapeno Ranch, and Red Hot. These 9 oz (255 g) bags were each priced at $3.99 at Rural King, a great deal for a brand we're trying for the first time. 

Old Vienna of St. Louis distributes these chips from Fenton, Missouri. According to their website, www.oldvllc.com, their chips start with fresh, natural potatoes that are fried to perfection, resulting in a deliciously natural taste. Each bag contains approximately nine servings, with each serving (1 oz or 28 g, about 12 chips) providing 160 calories.

- Texture and Crunch: These chips have a pleasant texture and a good crunch but lack sufficient salt.

- Flavor: The flavor is quite plain, allowing the natural potato taste to come through, which some may find too bland.

- Verdict: While the texture is enjoyable, these chips need significantly more salt to be more palatable.

- Texture and Crunch: These chips open nicely and are well-coated with seasoning.

- Flavor: The flavor is fantastic, combining sweet honey and smoky barbecue notes. The sweetness is the predominant taste, but there's a subtle smokiness that enhances the experience.

- Verdict: These are a hit. The well-balanced sweet and smoky flavors make them a favorite.

- Texture and Crunch: These chips are slightly lighter in color but large in size.

- Flavor: The dominant flavors are vinegar and seasoning, with an underlying hint of ketchup. Unlike other all dressed chips, the vinegar flavor is more prominent.

- Verdict: These chips are enjoyable, especially if you like vinegar-flavored snacks. However, they don't stand out as much as the Honey Barbecue.

- Texture and Crunch: These chips have a softer crunch and are well-seasoned.

- Flavor: The onion flavor is strong and pleasant, but the seasoning could be more robust.

- Verdict: These are tasty, but the flavor could be more pronounced. They’re still a solid choice if you enjoy sour cream and onion chips.

- Texture and Crunch: These chips don't have a strong green pepper smell typical of jalapeno-flavored snacks.

- Flavor: The flavor is more of a general heat with a salty taste rather than a distinct jalapeno flavor.

- Verdict: These chips fail to deliver on the jalapeno flavor but are still good as a spicy, salty snack.

- Texture and Crunch: These chips are red from the seasoning and quite hot.

- Flavor: The heat is immediate and strong, with a peppery taste rather than a traditional barbecue flavor.

- Verdict: These are too hot for our liking, overshadowing any potential barbecue notes. They are best suited for those who enjoy intense heat.

Our top pick from Old Vienna’s Riplets line is the Honey Barbecue flavor, which strikes a perfect balance between sweet and smoky. The All Dressed and Sour Cream and Onion varieties are also enjoyable, though they could benefit from more intense flavors. The Original chips need more salt, while the Jalapeno Ranch and Red Hot flavors didn't quite meet expectations.

Overall, these chips are worth trying, especially given their reasonable price. Let us know if you've tried Old Vienna Riplets and if there are other flavors we should look out for. We've only seen them at Rural King, so if you find them elsewhere, we'd love to hear about it!