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A: A Scoville Heat Unit measures the amount of capsaicin—the chemical compound that creates spicy heat—in a chili pepper or hot sauce.

The Origin
Created by chemist Wilbur Scoville in 1912, the original test relied on human panels tasting pepper extracts diluted with sugar water until they could no longer detect any heat.

What the Number Means
The higher the rating, the more times the extract must be diluted to make the heat undetectable. A score of 5,000 SHU means the sample required 5,000 dilutions before the burn disappeared.

Modern Testing
Modern labs use High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) to measure exact capsaicin concentrations scientifically and convert that data directly into Scoville Heat Units.

A: They are close estimations, not exact numbers.

Dried peppers give precise lab results. Testing dried, powdered peppers measures pure capsaicin in a stable, uniform state.

Sauce ingredients dilute and shift the heat. Liquids like vinegar and water, along with fruits, vegetables, and sugars, naturally dilute capsaicin and make lab samples vary from batch to batch.

Ratings reflect the peppers, not the final liquid. Most hot sauce ratings are calculated from the Scoville value of the raw or dried peppers in the recipe rather than a lab test of every blended bottle.

Think of hot sauce SHU ratings as a dependable heat guide rather than an exact, scientific guarantee.

A: Most hot sauces do not strictly require refrigeration, but chilling them offers clear benefits:

Peak Freshness and Color
Refrigeration helps preserve vibrant color, robust flavor, and maximum heat over a longer period of time.

Preventing Contamination
If the bottle spout touches food while pouring, bacteria can enter the bottle. Storing your sauce in the fridge slows bacterial growth and keeps the bottle safe.

Active Fermentation
Certain raw or fermented hot sauces must stay cold. Leaving them at room temperature can cause ongoing fermentation, building pressure that may force sauce out of the top when opened.

Check the Label
The best rule of thumb is to always follow the specific storage instructions printed on each bottle.

A: An active component of chili peppers, the burn you get in your mouth from peppers is from the capsaicin (pronounced like CAP SAY SIN), which is a chemical compound found within the pepper.  It activates pain receptors in your mouth called TRVP1, that are triggered by heat, which sends signals to the brain that you are experiencing a painful, hot sensation, even though there's no actual damage being done.  Even though it burns, there are possible medical advantages of it, like helping with pain, supporting heart health and pain loss.  See, it's not ALL bad!

A: Hot sauce colors are determined by the peppers and any other colors from other ingredients such as flavoring, different colored peppers, vinegar, spices, fruits, and the aging and fermentation process (the longer they sit in an oak barrel, the darker they can get).  Although many sauces that are dark ARE hot, it's not the case with all darker hot sauces.

A: That's a common misconception that isn't true.  The actual seeds aren't hot, it's what is surrounding them that's hot.  The white, fleshy part of the inside of the pepper is where the oils are. The capsaicin, that is where the heat is, and the seeds are touching it all the time, which makes them seem like they are hot.

A: Sauces come and sauces go. Yours may not have been a good seller, but e mail us at cs@hottimesauces.com to ask if we are getting it back in.

A: Ingredients tend to separate as the bottle is still.  Peppers and spices, which are the heavier ingredients, will sink to the bottom as any vinegar stays at the top.  Shaking the bottle gets the ingredients back together for optimum freshness, consistency and taste. Separation of ingredients is 100 percent normal for any condiment, and shaking the bottle is always recommended before consuming your product.

A: Most likely, yes.  You can e mail us at cs@hottimesauces.com and inquire about special ordering.  Keep in mind that special orders often require a minimum amount of sauces to be ordered, along with shipping costs.

A: Not at all.  The "best by" date is just telling you that the hot sauce is at its freshest before the date comes along.  Hot sauce will last well over a year after the best by date has gone by.  You can tell when a hot sauce has officially expired by smell, consistency differences and of course, mold.  If you have not refrigerated your sauce(s) before the best by date has approached, it is probably best to do so afterwards to preserve the sauce(s) for a longer amount of time.  

A: Bundling your sauces is the smartest way to shop because it allows you to maximize our flat-rate shipping structure. Since we charge a capped rate for your shipment, the cost to deliver one bottle is the same as the cost to deliver a bundle of several bottles. When you order just one, you are effectively paying the "full price" of that shipping cap for a single item; by filling the box to its capacity, you utilize that pre-paid shipping fee to its maximum potential. Put simply, the more bottles you add to your bundle, the lower your shipping cost per bottle becomes, making your favorite hot sauces much more affordable to stock up on.

A: Think of it this way: would you want to buy a bottle of hot sauce if you knew someone else had already opened it, touched it with their finger to try it, or poured some of it out of the bottle? We didn’t think so! For the safety of all our "chili-head" community, we cannot accept returns on any bottle once the seal is broken. We’re all about spreading the heat, not the germs.

A: We’ve all been there—sometimes the "Reaper" wins. While we can’t take
back a sauce just because it brought you to tears (that’s actually what some people pay us for!), don't throw it out! Most "too hot" sauces make incredible additions to a big pot of chili or a marinade where they can be diluted. Check out our Sauce Blog for tips on how to tame the flame.

A: Taste is subjective—one person's "liquid gold" is another person's "not for me." Because we are a food-based business, we can't offer refunds for personal taste preferences. We highly recommend reading the flavor profiles in our descriptions before you commit to a full bottle.

A: When you place a pre-order, you are securing a product before it officially arrives at our location or before its official release date. Because we often feature limited-edition, small-batch, or highly sought-after craft hot sauces, pre-ordering is the best way to guarantee that you don't miss out on a specific drop. When you complete a pre-order, you are reserving your items from our incoming shipment; as soon as the inventory arrives and passes our quality inspection, your order is prioritized and shipped directly to your door. In short, it is your "front-of-the-line" pass for our newest and most exclusive releases. It could take days, weeks or even months to receive a pre-order item. We have no control over it as it's in the hands of the manufacturer.

A: If you don't see a specific item on our site, we would love to try and source it for you! Please note that custom orders require a minimum purchase quantity and become completely non-refundable once placed, since we are procuring these special items exclusively for you. You will be responsible for the final cost of the items as well as all associated shipping fees. To get started and check availability, please email us at cs@hottimesauces.com to place your custom request.

A: Email cs@hottimesauces.com for more information.