Hi there,

It finally feels like spring is here in Boston, and I hope it's getting warm where you are too. The super-hot peppers I've germinated the past couple months are going into the garden, and I'm dreaming up new hot sauces for Craic Sauce.

Pepper growers are ramping up their spring schedule, and one of them joined us on the Craft Hot Sauce podcast in April. Smokin’ Ed Currie from Puckerbutt Pepper Company holds the Guinness World Record for the hottest pepper in the world (the Carolina Reaper at 1.6 million SHUs), but he has far hotter peppers in his back pocket. Ed Currie is a humble guy, packed with knowledge about growing peppers, and he has been a mentor and help to so many aspiring hot sauce entrepreneurs over the past twenty years. It was an honor speaking with him and I hope you enjoy listening tomy conversation with Smokin Ed on the CHS podcast! 

A couple weekends ago I was at the NYC Hot Sauce Expo, which is always a blast. Shoutout to Steve Seabury from High River Sauces who puts on the amazing event, and Char Man Brand who won the best Verde Hot Sauce! If you missed the podcasts episodes withSteve Seabury orChar Man Brand, click the links to check them out, but I'm pumped that both Char Man Brand and a Puckerputt Pepper Company hot sauce will be in this month's Craft Hot Sauce club. 

I met a lot of hot sauce makers at the Expo, and I loved hearing their stories and passion as well as tasting their sauces. I try to makeCraftHotSauce.com for people to share and learn, and we had Pulp Hot Sauce write a greatCraft Hot Sauce profile that I wanted to share with you here.

May will bring many more hot sauce cooks, a hot sauce tasting and taco pop-up on Cinco de Mayo, and more interviews, but I hope you're doing well there!

Til next time,

Brian