Hotsaucepedia – the hot sauce know-how of Pikantista
In short
Here you'll find everything I've written on Pikantista about hot sauce: heat and Scoville, how sauces are made, chilli varieties, sauce styles from around the world and the brands we've tested. Each point is explained in a few words and takes you to the full page. We update the Hotsaucepedia every month.
Last updated: 13 November 2026
The Hotsaucepedia is our hot sauce reference. It grows with every new page.
1. Heat & Scoville
- Scoville scale – how heat is measured
- Scoville of chilli varieties – table from mild to extreme
- Capsaicin – the stuff that burns
- Hottest sauces in the world – with Scoville values
- Training your heat tolerance
- Neutralising chilli heat – when it was too much
2. How is hot sauce made?
The method decides the taste, the shelf life and how you store the bottle.
| Type | In a nutshell | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Vinegar only | Chilli, vinegar, salt. Sour, thin, keeps for a long time. | Valentina, Frank's RedHot |
| Fermented + vinegar | The chilli mash ages for a long time, then vinegar is added. | Tabasco (mash aged in oak barrels) |
| Cooked with ingredients | Chilli is cooked with vegetables, fruit, garlic or spices. Most craft sauces. | Sriracha, chipotle sauces |
| Fermented, stopped | Heated after fermentation. The flavour stays stable. | Common with people who ferment at home – here's how |
| Fermented, live | Not heated, the sauce keeps working. Keep it cool and open it slowly, or you'll have it on the ceiling. | Common with people who ferment at home – here's how |
| Oil-based | Chilli in oil, often with something crunchy like garlic, onion or nuts. | Chili Crisp, Salsa Macha |
| Paste | Thick, to spoon or cook with. | Sambal, Ajvar |
| Raw / fresh | Not cooked, freshly mixed, keeps only a few days. | Colombian ají, Venezuelan guasacaca |
3. Sauce styles from around the world
- Louisiana (USA): Tabasco, Frank's RedHot
- Mexico: Chipotle, Salsa Macha, Mole
- Thailand: Sriracha
- Indonesia: Sambal
- China: Chili Crisp
- Portugal / Africa: Piri Piri
- Balkans: Ajvar
- Colombia & Venezuela: ají and guasacaca, raw and fresh
- BBQ: BBQ sauce
4. The chillies behind the sauces
- Chilli variety lexicon – all varieties at a glance
- The 5 Capsicum species
- Jalapeño, Habanero, Ghost Pepper, Carolina Reaper
- Mexican dried chillies: Guajillo, Árbol, Pasilla, Pequin, Ancho
5. Brands we've tested
All brands by region are in the Pikantista world of hot sauces. So far:
- USA: Tabasco, Frank's RedHot, Da'Bomb, Karma Sauce
- Mexico: Valentina, Cholula
- Thailand / Vietnam: Flying Goose Sriracha
- Spain: La Chipotlera, Doctor Salsas
- Germany: Crazy Bastard, Fuego, Chili Mafia
Which brand should we test next? Write to us via the contact page. We Pikantistas take every suggestion seriously.
6. All about hot sauce
- Hot sauce or chilli sauce? – the difference
- Hot Ones – the show and its sauces
- Chilli challenge
- Swicy – sweet and spicy
- Hot sauce in vegan cooking
- Chilli & health
- Hot sauce gift box
FAQ
What is the Hotsaucepedia?
Pikantista's hot sauce reference: heat, production, chillies, styles and brands on one page. We update it every month.
Does a fermented hot sauce have to go in the fridge?
If the fermentation hasn't been stopped: yes. If it has been heated, the bottle usually only needs the fridge once opened. Check the label.
Can I suggest a brand?
Yes, via our contact page.
About the author
Fabian Rueda aka Pikantista — Founder of Pikantista, at chilli festivals since 2015 and in the hot sauce world with Chili Mafia since 2019. Every sauce tasted personally, every heat level experienced first-hand.