Wall of Flame (a hot sauce guide)
Here is a comprehensive hot sauce guide for those willing to embrace some fire. All these sauces have been personally tried, tasted, experienced, and now reviewed. Please read the following before browsing through the Wall of Flame...
The number of Scoville Heat Units (SHU) indicates the amount of capsaicin present. Capsaicin is a chemical compound that stimulates chemoreceptor nerve endings in the skin, so basically, it is the heat you feel in a hot sauce/hot pepper. The SHU scale ranges from 0 (no capsaicin present) to 16 million (pure capsaicin crystals, yikes!). Disclaimer: Scoville ratings can vary significantly because within each pepper they can vary so it can be hard to measure accurately, and because of that, I have also included my own heat ratings which are based on 1-10 scale (1 = weak sauce, 10 = HOT! CAUTION! AVOID SKIN CONTACT!). Taste ratings are also based on a 1-10 scale (1 = blahh, yucky, boring, meh… 10 = marvelous, delectable, and superb). Overall ratings are based on 1-10 scale (1 = don’t buy, ever… 10 = highly recommended!)
Prices are based on the average price paid at the time of purchase (2010-2013). Inflation shouldn’t affect hot sauce much, let’s hope. This guide starts with the weakest of sauces escalating to the point of absolute insanity - where the sauces get so hot, health insurance is recommended, disclaimers are offered, pranks should not even be considered, the military should be notified, and any and all skin contact should be avoided! Seriously though! Haha :p
The number of Scoville Heat Units (SHU) indicates the amount of capsaicin present. Capsaicin is a chemical compound that stimulates chemoreceptor nerve endings in the skin, so basically, it is the heat you feel in a hot sauce/hot pepper. The SHU scale ranges from 0 (no capsaicin present) to 16 million (pure capsaicin crystals, yikes!). Disclaimer: Scoville ratings can vary significantly because within each pepper they can vary so it can be hard to measure accurately, and because of that, I have also included my own heat ratings which are based on 1-10 scale (1 = weak sauce, 10 = HOT! CAUTION! AVOID SKIN CONTACT!). Taste ratings are also based on a 1-10 scale (1 = blahh, yucky, boring, meh… 10 = marvelous, delectable, and superb). Overall ratings are based on 1-10 scale (1 = don’t buy, ever… 10 = highly recommended!)
Prices are based on the average price paid at the time of purchase (2010-2013). Inflation shouldn’t affect hot sauce much, let’s hope. This guide starts with the weakest of sauces escalating to the point of absolute insanity - where the sauces get so hot, health insurance is recommended, disclaimers are offered, pranks should not even be considered, the military should be notified, and any and all skin contact should be avoided! Seriously though! Haha :p