Street corn hot sauce?! Yeah, we had to talk about this one.

In this episode of Fire & Flavor, I sit down with Adrian Hughes, founder of Danger Berry Spice Co., a small-batch hot sauce maker taking some seriously unconventional flavors and turning them into sauces that somehow make sense.

We get into how Danger Berry started, Adrian’s approach to building sauces around actual flavor instead of making everything taste like peppers and vinegar, the ideas behind his wild branding, and what goes into creating sauces that sound completely ridiculous on paper.

And of course, we taste some of them.

🌽 Maizzacre - Street Corn Hot Sauce

🫐 Blucifer - Blueberry Hot Sauce

🥝 Killer Kiwi - Kiwi Hot Sauce

🧄 Ghoulish Garlic - Black Garlic Hot Sauce

Adrian originally started Danger Berry after trying a blueberry hot sauce that disappointed him and deciding he could make something that actually tasted like blueberries. That experiment became Blucifer and eventually grew into an entire lineup of fruit-forward and savory sauces.

If you like craft hot sauce, weird flavor combinations, or hearing how independent sauce makers actually build their brands, this one is for you.

Would you try a STREET CORN hot sauce? Let me know below

IG 📸: dangerberry_spice_co

Web 🌐: https://dangerberryspiceco.etsy.com

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🌶️ FIND YOUR PERFECT HOT SAUCE: https://fireandflavor.nert

📸 Instagram: @fire.and.flavor

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#hotsauce #spicy #foodie #hotsaucelover

On this episode of Fire and Flavor, I’m sitting down with Drew Davis, the founder and mastermind behind Stacked Sauces.

Born with cerebral palsy, Drew launched his company after a high school teacher dismissed his hot sauce business plan as "unrealistic." Fast forward to today, Drew has sold over 100,000 bottles, navigated a full company rebrand (formerly Crippling Hot Sauce), and channeled his success into founding the Limitless Foundation.

The Limitless Foundation goes beyond inspiration, providing real, hands-on support for disabled innovators and creators. Through $1,000 to $10,000 microgrants, expert business mentorship, educational scholarships, and digital storytelling, the foundation helps disabled creators overcome startup barriers and amplify their voices when the odds are stacked against them.

We dive into Drew's incredible journey, his shift into stand-up comedy, and of course, a tasting session where we crack open three of his signature flask bottles: Original Jalapeño, Sweet & Spicy Teriyaki, and the standout Bacon Spicy BBQ.

IG 📸: stackedsauces

Web 🌐: https://stackedsauces.com

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🌶️ FIND YOUR PERFECT HOT SAUCE: https://fireandflavor.nert

📸 Instagram: @fire.and.flavor

🔥 Love the heat? Hit Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode!

🎧 Fire & Flavor is also available on all major podcast/streaming platforms.

#hotsauce #spicy #foodie #hotsaucelover

Building the Brand and Feeling the Burn with Swindle Sauce 🔥

Welcome to another episode of the Fire & Flavor podcast! Today we are sitting down with the mastermind behind Swindle Sauce for an exclusive behind the scenes look at the brand.

We dive deep into the company history and discuss exactly what it takes to build a standout online personality in the hot sauce community. Plus, we could not let the creator get away without doing a live tasting. Join us as we run through a full flavor flight, starting with the island vibes of Tropical Smoke, moving into the sweet heat of Coastal Datil, and ending with a brutal finish on the notorious Phantom Fire.

🔥 DOUBLE FEATURE DROP! 🔥

Curious just how hot Phantom Fire really is? I dropped a full review video at the exact same time as this podcast where I drowned 12 wings in a nearly full bottle to see if I could survive the heat. Head over to the channel to watch the aftermath!

Check out our sauce finder database, quizzes, and comparison tools at: https://fireandflavor.net

IG 📸: swindlesauce

Web 🌐: https://swindlesauce.com

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🌶️ FIND YOUR PERFECT HOT SAUCE: https://fireandflavor.nert

📸 Instagram: @fire.and.flavor

🔥 Love the heat? Hit Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode!

🎧 Fire & Flavor is also available on all major podcast/streaming platforms.

#hotsauce #spicy #foodie #hotsaucelover

What makes Peruvian peppers so different from the chiles most of us know?

In this episode of Fire & Flavor, I sit down with the team behind Aji Pepper Sauce to explore the family history, culture, and incredible Peruvian ingredients behind their growing sauce lineup.

We dive into the story of the original Amarillo sauce, based on a family recipe from Valerie’s mother, Isabel, and learn why recreating the authentic flavors of Peru proved nearly impossible in the United States. We also discuss their decision to source their peppers and produce the sauces in Lima, Peru, preserving the flavors that inspired the company from the very beginning.

During the interview, I taste all three sauces:

🟡 Amarillo, a bright and fruity sauce built around the iconic ají amarillo pepper

🟢 Verde, a fresh and aromatic sauce featuring Aji Limo, cilantro, garlic, and herbs

🔴 Rojo, a smoky and fiery sauce made with the bold Rocoto pepper

We also talk about Peruvian food culture, family recipes, clean ingredients, the challenges of importing authentic peppers, building a nationally distributed sauce brand, and what may be coming next from Aji Pepper Sauce.

Be sure to use "Flavor15" at checkout for 15% off of your order at Aji Pepper Sauce!

If you enjoy discovering artisan hot sauces and hearing the stories behind the people who make them, please like the video, subscribe to Fire & Flavor, and let us know which of these three sauces you would try first.

IG 📸: ajipeppersauce

Web 🌐: https://ajipeppersauce.com

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🔥 If you love hot sauce then subscribe & turn up the heat! 🔥 Available on all major streaming platforms! 🎧

#hotsauce #spicy #foodie #hotsaucelover

How does an independent, small-batch spice company from Maryland break into the biggest hot sauce stage on the planet?

In this episode of the Fire & Flavor Podcast, we sit down with one of the founders of Black Eyed Susan Spice Co. to find out exactly how they cracked the Hot Ones lineup for both Season 24 (with Red Flag) and Season 30 (with Chickpotle).

We pull back the curtain on their "flavor first, no gimmicks" philosophy, look at how they balance intense creativity with brutal heat, and dig into what it takes to scale a brand while keeping it completely handmade. Plus, we do a live tasting of their extreme, 11+/10 heat monster: Edward Peach.

If you are a hot sauce fanatic, an aspiring maker, or a fan of the show, this behind-the-scenes masterclass is for you.

IG 📸: blackeyedspices

Web 🌐: https://www.blackeyedspices.com/

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🔥 If you love hot sauce then subscribe & turn up the heat! 🔥 Available on all major streaming platforms! 🎧

#hotsauce #spicy #foodie #hotsaucelover

In this episode of the Fire & Flavor Podcast, we hang out with Jeffrey, the founder of Jimmy Jive Hot Sauce! From a bizarre 30-year-old Halloween costume that became a brand's secret alter ego to navigating dense FDA regulations, Jeff shares what it *actually* takes to build an artisan hot sauce business from scratch.

We sit down for a side-by-side guided tasting of his music-inspired, small-batch lineup—starting with the cookout-ready Pickle Rain, moving to the bright, fiery kick of his flagship Cherry Bomb, and finishing with "Groove is in the Heat," the thick, mole-like Scorpion pepper, cranberry, and cocoa sauce infused with actual edible glitter that won 1st Place at the New York Hot Sauce Expo on the exact day it launched.

IG 📸: jimejivehotsauce

Web 🌐: https://jimejive.com

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🔥 If you love hot sauce then subscribe & turn up the heat! 🔥

Available on all major streaming platforms! 🎧

#hotsauce #spicy #foodie #hotsaucelover

What happens when you chug a bottle of intense hot sauce on your lunch break at your remote 9-to-5 job? For content creator Spice Jesus, it meant puking, accidentally blinding himself for 15 minutes, and trying to navigate his corporate Slack channels completely blind.

In this episode of the Fire & Flavor podcast, we sit down with the "Spicy MrBeast" himself to pull back the curtain on the extreme pepper community. We dive deep into his transition from a slow-growing cooking channel into a viral powerhouse, the grueling mental anxiety that happens before the camera rolls, and why he prefers pure pepper powders over commercial hot sauces.

Spice Jesus also drops some massive insider secrets on social media growth, revealing the exact algorithmic strategy behind his viral "no reaction" videos and why he uses them as calculated engagement bait to drive millions of views.

From live tastings of custom ghost pepper tequila and Trinidad Scorpion black garlic chili oil to hot takes on overhyped spicy trends, this is a masterclass in the psychology of heat.

If you love the craft of chili peppers, hot sauce culture, and honest creator-to-creator talk, hit that subscribe button and join the community!

Instagram: @spicejesus_

Facebook: Spice Jesus

TikTok: @spicejesus

YouTube: @spice_jesus

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🔥 If you love hot sauce then subscribe & turn up the heat! 🔥 Available on all major streaming platforms! 🎧

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A legendary fermented lineup, an inside look at small-batch flavor building, and an exclusive taste of a secret, unreleased bottle sent straight to the studio.

In this episode of Fire & Flavor, we are sitting down with the creator behind Spanky’s Sauces (Covington, KY) to break down how they craft their exceptional, flavor-first fermented hot sauces. If you want to know what separates a slow-fermented masterpiece from a basic, vinegar-forward supermarket sauce, this interview is a complete masterclass.

We put their lineup to the test; Including the bright, citrusy warmth of Freya, the stealthy green heat of Jolene, and the complex, savory depth of Big Nick. Plus, we get a first look at NOVA—a highly anticipated test batch that hasn’t even hit the market yet.

🌶️ THE TASTING LINEUP:

🍊 Freya: Fermented Fresno chiles, Mandarin orange, garlic, ginger, green onion, and honey.

🟢 Jolene: A unique green profile blending tomatillo, jalapeño, lime, cilantro, and a kick of 7 Pot Primo.

🥥 Big Nick: A multi-pepper blend balanced with coconut milk, ginger, and turmeric.

🧪 Nova: The top-secret, unreleased test batch!

IG 📸: spankys_sauces

Web 🌐: https://spankyshotsauce.com

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🔥 If you love hot sauce then subscribe & turn up the heat! 🔥 Available on all major streaming platforms! 🎧

#hotsauce #spicy #foodie #hotsaucelover

In this episode of Fire & Flavor, I sit down with Anti Spice, the creator of a buttermint made to help cool the burn after eating spicy foods.

We talk about how a love for spicy food, baking, and chemistry turned into a real product after more than 16 variations and seven months of testing. Anti Spice was created as a way to potentially help with the oral discomfort, or stomach cramps that come from consuming capsaicin, the compound that gives spicy food its heat. We get into the story behind the invention, the testing process, the patent and trademark journey, and how different types of spicy food lovers are using these mints.

Of course, I had to put them to the test. Before trying the mints, I ate Pepper X Taco Sauce from High River Sauces to bring the heat and see how well Anti Spice worked afterward.

IG 📸: anti_spice

Web 🌐: Anti Spice can be purchased off of Amazon / Etsy

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🔥 If you love hot sauce then subscribe & turn up the heat! 🔥

Available on all major streaming platforms! 🎧

#hotsauce #spicy #foodie #hotsaucelover

Manchester, New Hampshire is home to some incredible artisan creators, and this week we are diving deep into the lineup from Retro Burn Hot Sauce. Known for their 70s and 80s throwback aesthetic and commitment to small-batch quality, the makers sit down with Fire and Flavor to talk about their culinary philosophy, local roots, and how they balance intense heat with complex flavor profiles.

Instead of chasing extreme shock value, this interview focuses entirely on the craft. We put three of their standout creations to the test, exploring how unique ingredients come together to create a true flavor bomb.

Sauces Tasted in This Episode:

🍹 Sunday Bloody Mary (00:20:50): A savory, brunch-inspired profile that redefines what a breakfast sauce can be.

🌿 It Takes 2 (00:43:27): A beautiful combination of Thai chili and Thai basil that delivers a sharp, aromatic punch.

🍍 Smoke on the Pineapple (1:00:43): A masterful balance of sweet fruit heat and deep, smoky undertones.

Whether you are a Queen City local looking to support small businesses or a craft sauce enthusiast who appreciates flavor over pure brutality, this conversation delivers an inside look at the New England specialty food scene.Subscribe to Fire & Flavor for more deep dives into the artisan hot sauce community.

Find Retro Burn Hot Sauce:

IG 📸: retroburnhotsauce

Web 🌐: https://retro-burn.com

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🔥 If you love hot sauce then subscribe & turn up the heat! 🔥

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#hotsauce #spicy #foodie #hotsaucelover #ManchesterNH #CraftHotSauce #ArtisanMade #SmallBatch #HotSauceReview #SupportLocal #QueenCity