Bringing Heat
Ready to spice up your life?
Herein, the ultimate guide to which hot sauce in The Hot Sauce Issue will annihilate you and which will not, and all the other stuff you may be wondering about like where to buy them and what their slogans are and who is from Canada and who is actually a sticker company or a magazine and all that jazz. Time to get saucy.
The spice of chili peppers are ranked on the Scoville Scale, measured in Scoville heat units (SHU). The world’s hottest pepper, the Carolina Reaper, measures at 2,200,000 units, the jalapeño ranges from 2,500–8,000 units, for reference. (We measure things in Whalebone Heatness Units, which work a little differently.) To learn more about the fierceness of the Carolina Reaper, please contact Matt, the assistant to the regional manager, who has first-hand experience with the Reaper (photo evidence in The Hot Sauce Issue of Whalebone Magazine). We suggest doing so before consuming anything near as spicy. Anyway, now you know how hot sauces are measured and that Matt may or may not be okay. Carry on.
Brought to you by The Whalebone Hot Sauce Co. (a division of Whalebone Thermodynamics)
Senor Lechuga: #calienteasfuck
It all started in Brooklyn, NY with the brains of a husband and wife duo who love to bring the heat. Crafted like small-batch whiskey, each bottle is made with love. And fire.
Whalebone Heatness Units: Somewhere between “mmmmm” and “ouchy” (all three sauces contain the Reaper)
Number of hot sauces: 3
Hellfire: Setting the World on Fire with Flavor one Bottle at a Time!
Batched by Diana and Merle, they wanted to share their Wisconsin grown peppers with the rest of the world. Providing the world with the heat and flavor they want since ‘09.
WHU: “Don’t go in there” to Fear This!
Number of hot sauces: 28
Hank Sauce: The Hot Sauce for People who don’t like Hot Sauce
When three Flagler College students live together, one is a chef and two don’t like hot sauce, what do you get? Well, Hank got Josh and Matt to like hot sauce and the rest is history. Shout out Hank.
WHU: Reverend Horton to Hank’s Hot Heat
Number of hot sauces: 4
Tia Lupita: Flavorful, Healthy Ingredients
To Hector, food is love. His mom used to send him hot sauce so he wouldn’t forget the flavor after he moved to California. Little did he know everyone who tried it would want their own bottle. Naming the brand after his mother, now everyone can have some. Thanks, Mom.
WHU: “Your auntie would never hurt you.”
Number of hot sauces: 4
Formosa: A Recipe from Mexico
It all began with a young man and his grandmother in a small Mexican village, batching hot sauces with authentic ingredients. Then came perfection and thus the bottle, and being able to share it with the rest of the world. Tasty, tasty sauces.
WHU: “Come on in, the water’s fine.”
Number of hot sauces: 4
Born to Hula: It’s not just a hot sauce, it’s a way of life!
Created to make good times great and great times even better. Late night meals after work need to be accompanied by good hot sauces, and that was the problem. Culinary school + need for good sauces = Born to Hula. Never stop hulaing.
WHU: “Don’t let the mango fool you” to Reaper of Sorrow
Number of hot sauces: 8
Caulfield Provision Company: Small Batched for Quality
Owned by Connie, this woman-crafted hot sauce company is on fire. With a passion for healthy meals packed with flavor, what started out as a hobby has turned into a family business. Bringing the heat to Maryland and beyond.
WHU: “Pour it on.”
Number of hot sauces: 4
Hotter then El: We specialize in HEAT with flavor
Making yourself hot sauce, then having your friends try it, then selling it to them, to now being available nationwide. A success story almost as good as the actual hot sauce.
SHU: “A little dab’ll do ’ya” to Scorpion Sting
Number of hot sauces: 9
Humble House: Honest Food. Honest People.
With a mission to make every meal a meaningful part of life, farm-to-table and sustainability is a key value for these sauce gurus. They bring a fresh, natural kick to farmer’s markets. We’ll take two.
WHU: *chef’s kiss* to :sweat_smile:
Number of hot sauces: 3
Sticker Mule: Hot Sauce that Kicks Ass
A printing company makes a hot sauce. I guess we have a similar story. Created to provide something memorable with Sticker Mule’s “Free Burger Day,” where they cooked over 10,000 burgers for the community. Helping the people and now out their own hot sauce. Who’s complaining?
WHU: Ass-kicking
Number of hot sauces: 1
Double Take: Flavor First, Heat Second
Starting as a salsa company based out of Minnesota, the next step was bringing the heat to go with it. Bernie perfected the salsa and then moved on to something a little hotter and a little saucier. Don’t stop doing what you’re doing, Bernie.
WHU: “That’s a spicy tomato” to Scotch Bonnet Mustard Hot Sauce
Number of hot sauces: 9
Torch Bearer: Accidentally Healthy, Intentionally Delicious.
It all started with some extra habaneros and the love of a good condiment. From there, Vid, Ben, & Tom created TorchBearer sauces and the rest is history. Saucy to say the least.
WHU: “Horrifically hot” to Zombie Apocalypse Hot Sauce
Number of hot sauces: 7
True Made Foods’ Veracha: Veteran Owned, American Made
Veteran and father of four, Abe, wanted an alternative for sugar-filled condiments at the backyard barbecue, so he made one. Using only vegetables to sweeten the sauces, True Made Foods are plant-based, better tasting and better for you. Dad of the year.
WHU: “Green means go”
Number of hot sauces: 1
Lost in the Sauce: You Have to be Lost in Order to be Found
When Toronto-based duo, Karthy and Doris, lost a close friend, they worked to carry on his spirit through his father’s hot sauce, adding a kick and making it their own. Emphasizing the importance of the balance between flavor and heat. Bottled with love.
WHU: “Spark it up” to “It’s actually lit”
Number of hot sauces: 4
Heartbeat Hot Sauce: For True Lovers of Heat
Founded in Thunder Bay, Ontario, what once started as making sauce at home turned into supplying the entire area and beyond. Available throughout Canada and the US, they still honor their small batch process. The beat goes on at Whalebone Radio presented by Heartbeat.
WHU: “People at a party” to Pineapple Habanero Hot Sauce
Number of hot sauces: 4
The Whalebone Hot Sauce Company: We’re a hot sauce company now?
We got a little hot and bothered researching this issue and were so inspired by all the innovative brands out there that we said, “why not?” Founded not too long ago when we decided to make hot sauce. It worked out.
WHU: “Hasn’t Matt already had enough? Let’s just give him something with a nice enough amount of heat to spice up his clams on the half shell at Napeague Stretch or maybe a lobster roll.”
Number of hot sauces: 1
