Brian dives into what has been going on behind the scenes of Craic Sauce. Topics include an expanding growing and farmers operation, the challenges and enjoyment from farmers markets and a preview of our newest limited edition sauce that will be released next week.

Joining us today is a true expert in the field, an individual who has mastered the craft of fiery peppers and brewing kombucha into a symphony of flavor and heat. Sean Kirkpatrick of Down to Ferment has honed his skills, bringing his experiences from his culinary background to creating flavor forward hot sauces in San Diego. On the podcast Sean shares his journey and Brian asks questions to hear how Down to Ferment approaches new recipes and has grown their operation since starting a few years ago. In this episode, we have the privilege of diving deep into the art of crafting fermented hot sauces, exploring the rich history, complex flavors, and the science behind this beloved condiment. Tune in to the Craft Hot Sauce Podcast on your favorite podcast player or stream on CraftHotSauce.com Down to Ferment Webiste: https://www.down2ferment.com/ Link to Patronicity Crowdfunding Campaign: https://www.patronicity.com/CraicSauce

Sarah Marshall is a born and raised Oregonian and creates an array of handmade hot sauces reflect her love for and deep connection to her home. Sarah and her husband Dirk have been making and selling spicy sauces in Portland, Oregon since 2011. On the podcast Sarah shares how she's driven by her passion for preserving Oregon's incredible local agricultural bounty and their shared desire to create a family business around that passion. Sarah shares their journey of going from making 12-jar batches in her home kitchen to making 200 jar batches in a commercial space. But, even as they've grown, their fundamental practice has remained the same. Every bottle of sauce still passes through each of their hands, with Sarah doing all of the sauce-making and flavor brainstorming, while Dirk chops, labels and ships out orders. Sarah explains the whole process behind a really cool collaboration hot sauce with the Heatonist as an example. https://marshallshautesauce.com/ @Marshallshautesauce Music on this podcast is by Vita and the Woolf, with the song "Home". You can purchase their music and album from the Tender Loving Empire or on Bandcamp: https://tenderlovingempire.com/collections/vita-and-the-woolf Thoughts on the pod? Leave us a review and visit our website www.crafthotsauce.com

Chef Chris Schlesinger joins the Craft Hot Sauce podcast. Chris was born and raised in Virginia, where he first developed his love for barbecue, spicy food, and live fire cooking. Chris put Boston on the map as a chilihead destination after starting the East Coast Grill in Inman Sq in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Customers fell in love with their mustard based scotch bonnet hot sauce, Inner Beauty Sauce, and a spicy dish that people weren't supposed to order, quickly turned into the number #1 destination for chiliheads with the creation of Hell Nights. Besides talking about the fire from peppers, we'll also get some tips about grilling and balancing spice, heat and flavor when creating sauces and dishes. Chris Schlesinger has won multiple James Beard Awards including Best Chef of the Northeast in 1996 and his cookbook co-written with his pal Doc Willoughby, The Thrill of the Grill, won the James Beard cookbook award. I'd highly recommend the checking out this cookbook. If you're not already signed up for our newsletter with other recent maker stories and our monthly newsletter, be sure to check out our website CraftHotSauce.com. We'd appreciate your support by leaving us a review on your podcast player.

The Merrimack Black is a limited edition hot sauce made with hand-crafted beer vinegar, roasted of wood fire ingredients, black garlic and the chocolate scorpion pepper. This black hot sauce from Craic Sauce was made in collaboration with F-Word Farm, Andre K Mills and Navigation Brewery Co in Lowell, MA. Brian interviews the three different collaborators and shares his own insights on getting pushed out of our comfort zone with this collab project. The first interview guest is Emily of F-Word Farm in Dracut, MA. Emily Makrez is a food, farm, foraging and fermenting enthusiast. Her interest in food took her to Seattle to study nutrition at Bastyr University, but a love of New England brought her back home to a farm with two dogs, a cat and a whole bunch of chickens. And peppers, and koji, and vinegar, and more f-word things! Follow F-Word Farm @fwordfarm PJ Mercier is the co-owner of Navigation Brewing C0 which was started 8 years ago on St. Patrick's Day. Navigation Brewery Co is located in Lowell, MA and has a wide offering of fresh & delectable handcrafted ales. Follow @navigationbrewingco Andre K Mills is a illustrator with a studio at Western Ave Studios in Lowell, MA. Born in Kingston Jamaica. Studied Art at Northern Essex Community College and University of Lowell. Most of his work is digital today. Andre likes to people watch and view my surroundings, to see what story he can tell. Andre made the illustration for the label. Check out his work in person during Open Studios in Lowell or online on his website: https://www.andrekmills.com/ Follow @andre_mills_art Music is brought to you by THE PARTY BAND! Lowell! Homegrown, unadulterated, unplugged FUN. Their goal is to bring people together through the joys of quality music in a way that is accessible to everyone. Originating in Lowell, MA, The Party Band has traveled the country blasting brass for fun, festivals, community events, schools, weddings, protests, and nightclub shows. The band plays a mix of original music inspired by sounds of Planet Earth. Follow @ https://partybandlowell.bandcamp.com/ 100% of the proceeds from this hot sauce will go to the Jack Kerouac Foundation to support the arts in our community https://jackkerouacfoundation.org/ This hot sauce will be temporarily available before it sells out. Visit the Craft Hot Sauce Shop to purchase: https://crafthotsauce.com/products/craic-sauce-collection Thoughts on the pod? Leave us a review and visit our website crafthotsauce.com

Hoots Sauce Co is a Scottish hand-crafted small batch hot sauce. Bruce Clyne-Watson joins the Craft Hot Sauce Podcast and shares how his venture was born out of a passion for fire, foods and spice. He describes their first sauce, Solstice. Rwandan and British Chilis, both hot and super hots are scorched and smoked over native applewood and then fermented. We received permission from Peat and Diesel and Wee Studio to share Brandy in the Airidh. Listen to and buy their music on bandcamp: https://peatanddiesel.bandcamp.com/ Check out Sandia Seed Company for your chili pepper seed needs. Thank you for listening! Please leave us a review and tell a friend.

Normally the Craft Hot Sauce Podcast interviews hot sauce makers all over the world. This episode is more of a riff from Brian the host about some of the things his hot sauce company Craic Sauce got up this summer. Music in this podcast is 'Baltimore' by Imam Collective. You can you follow them on bandcamp: https://imam.bandcamp.com/ View the Craic Sauce Way video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPToijm3Hjw&t=1s

Tim Myers, founder of Hot Heads Official, has always loved to create. Shortly after getting into brewing craft beer at home to exercise his creativity, Tim saw the similarities between the world of craft beer and the world of craft hot sauce, and quickly began growing his own peppers. Just three years ago, Tim made his first batch of hot sauce at home, and he hasn’t looked back since. Hot Heads Official, the brand Tim started when he began selling his sauce commercially, currently has a line of 12 hot sauces, ranging from the mild Fresno pepper-based Hawaiin Express to the super hot Scoville Scalé featuring 7 Pot and Trinidad Scorpion peppers. As if that wasn’t enough, Tim is also selling unique and original spice blends, hot pretzels, spicy stroopwafels, and hot candied nuts. On the podcast Tim talks about the motivations for starting his hot sauce company and what his work looks like today. Much of his energy is focused on his peppers, which he grows himself. We talk about the benefits of planting early and planting a lot, the logistics with processing and freezing peppers, how to use heat mats, and when to start planting for the year. In addition to growing his own peppers, Tim stays very busy with collaborations. Many of his products are team efforts with local companies and small shops, such as Smoke & Pickles Artisan Butcher Shop, the Stroopie Co., Sweet G’s Bakery, 7 Pot Club, and most recently, Honey Bee Friendly. He discusses the benefits of collaborations and the unique products that have come from them. It’s safe to say that Tim is a very busy man, and Hot Heads Official is showing no signs of slowing down any time soon. Tim’s story as a hot sauce aficionado-turned-entrepreneur is inspiring to say the least, proving that even in a short amount of time, the right amount of passion and creativity can create wonderfully unique and hot products for everyone to enjoy. To learn more about Hot Head Official, visit their website at www.hotheadsofficial.com Podcast editing by Mike Turnwall - miketurnwall.com Please tell a friend that would enjoy this podcast or leave us a review. Thank you for listening! Produced by CraftHotSauce.com

Debra Sandler is a doer. She is a perfect example of someone with high ambitions who has never forgotten her family and her roots. With over 30 years of experience in corporate America, she has now turned her focus to Bazodee, a Caribbean-inspired, natural, family-driven line of pepper sauces and marinades. Debra was born in Venezuela but grew up in Trinidad and Tobago surrounded by a large family. Speaking of her childhood, Debra describes Trinidad and Tobago as the “truest melting pot,” and she recalls celebrating a multitude of holidays and customs from many different cultures represented on the islands. She noted food and music as two of the most powerful uniting forces that bring these different cultures together as one and trigger a true sentiment of home. At age 18, Debra left Trinidad for the US, and attended Hofstra University to study international trade. After approaching Pepsi’s VP of Marketing as a college junior, she went on to spend 13 years at PepsiCo, eventually rising to Marketing VP herself. After PepsiCo, Debra worked for Johnson & Johnson and Mars, where her entrepreneurial spirit was further cultivated working on and supervising many exciting company projects. Although her corporate career is wildly successful by any measure, it was not without adversity. As a black woman in business, Debra many times found herself to be the only woman or the only person of color in the room. Emphasizing the importance of representation and listening to all voices, Debra refused to let the expectations and assumptions of others define or limit her. Sparked by her desire to honor and carry on her family’s unique recipes and culinary creations, Debra created Bazodee, making her Aunt Mavis’ sauces and marinades commercial-ready to share with all. A true family business, Debra, her Aunt, daughter, and fiance are all directly involved with Bazodee’s operations. From their traditional Trinidadian Curry to their Soca pepper sauce, flavorful Marinade, and sweet Tamarind sauce, Bazodee offers a truly unique and special line of sauces, as well as a perfect avenue for Debra to continue and share her family’s cooking. To learn more about Bazodee, visit Mavis Foods website at www.bazodee.com Podcast editing by Mike Turnwall - miketurnwall.com Please tell a friend that would enjoy this podcast or leave us a review. Thank you for listening! Produced by CraftHotSauce.com

Mustafa, Mikkal, Josh and Chima from Trini Pepper Sauce join the Craft Hot Sauce Podcast. Mustafa and Mikkal are first generation Americans, with their parents and sister being born in Trinidad. On the podcast they share how on every trip to Trinidad and Tobago Mustafa and Mikkel would end up returning with pepper sauce and other items my grandma made to distribute to family and friends. Over the years, they received glowing feedback and requests for the pepper sauce that led them to wanting to share the sauce with the world. Topics discussed include the food and culture in Trinidad, honing in on the Trini Pepper Sauce recipe, growing Scotch Bonnet and Trinidad Scorpion Peppers, and the journey following their successful kickstarter in 2017. You can try both the Original and Hotter version of their Trini Pepper Sauce here: https://crafthotsauce.com/collections/vendors?q=Trini%20Pepper%20Sauce The music guest on the podcast is Choo Jackson and the song “Prayers from the Sky”. You can follow and listen to Choo Jackson on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5Qg7V0CpqZOCksZdC5eGeM?si=dy-k6yROSPyl1NBBQgTptQ This episode is supported by Anton Paar. To learn more about Anton Paar and the Visco QC, click here: bit.ly/33AXEAh Please tell a friend that would enjoy this podcast or leave us a review. Thank you for listening! Produced by CraftHotSauce.com

Erica says she was the different one. At a young age, Erica loved drawing and art and knew she wanted to end up in NYC. She arrived there for the first time when parents dropped her off for college at FIT. Erica says NYC embraces being different, and early on she found herself drawn into Jamaican music like “Rock Steady”, Ska, and older reggae, building up a record collection. Erica said she knew she’d be doing something creatively and began taking on all types of opportunities from people she met. She was an off broadway stage manager doing lighting, was being trained as a professional makeup artist at Aveda, and ultimately landed as a graphic designer. Her co-worker at the time, Eric, encouraged her to play her record collection with him at locations around NYC. Erica DJs under the name Queen Majesty and never says no to a gig. For Queen Majesty, it’s been all about the focus on the artists and learning more about Jamaican music, culture and of course Caribbean cuisine. Queen Majesty was making her first batches of hot sauce at the same time. She didn’t look for a hot sauce recipe to begin, just adjusted recipes with the basics; salt, vinegar, and fresh peppers. Her first sauce, Scotch Bonnet & Ginger, (also her favorite to make) was honed in to go with Caribbean cuisine. Queen Majesty Hot Sauce uses all fresh ingredients for all their hot sauces. The second recipe came from the spicy margaritas that Erica was fixing up at the time. Jalapeno, Lime & Tequila, a refreshing verde hot sauce was born. Her Red Habanero & Black Coffee Sauce focuses on the habanero, but it’s balanced out with coffee infused white vinegar and sweet onions making a truly unique and wholesome flavor. Queen Majesty Hot Sauce started selling their hot sauce attending farmers markets and going door to door, meeting buyers. By being so connected to every phase of her product and receiving feedback directly from customers, she knew there are people that would appreciate a higher quality hot sauce that is fresh, healthy, and all natural. She sought out those good fits with market grocery shops, health stores, and other partnerships and friendships like with Noah at the Heatonist. Queen Majesty Hot Sauce now has their own facility with their office and kitchen and the hot sauces are still as delicious as I first tried them in 2016! As they continue to meet the high demand for their hot sauce, Queen Majesty Hot Sauce continues to think how they can grow in a sustainable and positive way. You can try their hot sauce in the Craft Hot Sauce Shop on CraftHotSauce.com. Music on the podcast by JohhnyGo Figure with “Thing Like That”. Podcast editing by Mike Turnwall - miketurnwall.com