Below is a list of the winners of the inaugural World Hot Sauce Awards. The awards ceremony was held at the Lafayette, La Acadian Center, and the site of the Louisiana Hot Sauce Expo. The winners were selected by approximately 30 judges from across the country, including executive chefs, restaurant owners, elected officials, beauty queens, hot sauce industry experts, and enthusiasts! The judges tasted 582 separate samples and each category had multiple judges. Everyone had a “hot” time and sweating foreheads, red faces, and sniffly noses were prevalent in the judge’s ranks! The awards are listed by division and category. My apologies if there are misspellings along the way, but there was limited time to proofread the list in an effort to get it out to everyone in a timely manner!!! Congratulations are in order for everyone who submitted an entry and especially to the winners across very crowded fields of excellent spicy sauces, spices, confections, etc etc etc!!! So without further ado, here are the lucky winners:

Late Note: The show producers omitted some categories when announcing the winners during the Awards ceremony, so I am adding them here, with the late entry noted in parentheses by the category. Divisional Winners, with the exception of Marketing, were announced in the week or so after the show. I’ve noted them in bold below, as well.

BBQ -Mustard

1. Aunty Lilikoi Passion Fruit ​Aunty Lilikoi Passion Fruit Kiawe BBQ Sauce
2. Firebud Brands​ – Slap Sauce
3. Backwoods Premium Sauces​ -Mustard Based

BBQ – Asian

1. Sweet & Spicy, LLC​ – Alaskan Umami Sauce “Hot”
2. High Octane Sauce Company​ – 1500 RPM Asian BBQ Sauce
3. CaJohns Fiery Foods​ – Awesome sauce

BBQ – Bourbon

1. Sloppy 2nds BBQ​Sloppy 2nds Peach Bourbon BBQ
2. CaJohns Fiery Foods​AmberFyre Manhattan Black Cherry Bourbon
3. CaJohns Fiery Foods​ – CaJohns Bourbon Street Spicy

BBQ –Specialty

1. Smoky Jon’s #1 BBQ​ – Smoky Jon’s Fiery Gourmet Supreme BBQ Sauce
2. Me-Me K’s BBQ Sauce – ​Me-Me K’s BBQ Sauce
3. SADIE B FOODS​ – SADIE B FOODS JERK BBQ SAUCE

BBQ – Mild

1. Fat Ferg’s Backyard BBQ Sauce​ – Fat Ferg’s Backyard BBQ Sauce, Sweet & Mild
2. Minorcan Datil Pepper Products, LLC​ – Minorcan Datil Pepper Barbecue Sauce
3. Cerniglia Enterprises LLC – ​Russ & Frank’s Mild

BBQ- Fruit

1. Butch’s Smack Your Lips BBQ​ – Butch’s Smack Your Lips – Happy Apple (Also Divisional Winner)
2. Southern Belles BBQ​ – Pineapple Twang
3. Southern Belles BBQ​ – Ms. Mango

BBQ- Alcohol Infused

1. Sensational Sauces​ – Toasted Vanilla Cognac
2. CaJohns Fiery Foods – ​Apple Smoked Spiced Rum Ancho
3. Me-Me K’s BBQ Sauce – ​Me-Me K’s BBQ Sauce

BBQ – Chipotle

1. CattleBoyz Foods LTD​ – CattleBoyz Chipotle Maple Bacon BBQ Sauce
2. Sloppy 2nds BBQ​ – Sloppy 2nds Chipotle BBQ
3. Hammer & Tongs BBQ Sauce​ – Smoked Chipotle

BBQ Hot

1. Buddy’s BBQ Sauce LLC​ – Buddy’s BBQ Sauce
2. Butch’s Smack Your Lips BBQ​ – Butch’s Smack Your Lips – Pyro
3. CaJohns Fiery Foods – ​HDH Grillin Sauce

BBQ – Medium

1. New Venue LLC​ – Mango Peach
2. FrogBone​ – Bayou Barbeque
3. Grill Side Barbeque​ – Grill Side Downtown Heat

BBQ – Tomato

1. Uncle Kenny’s BBQ ​- Uncle Kenny’s BBQ Original
2. Butcher BBQ – ​Butcher BBQ
3. Smoky Jon’s #1 BBQ​ – Smoky Jon’s Fiery Gourmet Supreme BBQ Sauce

BBQ – Vinegar Based

1. SuckleBusters​ – SuckleBusters Original
2. Meat Mitch​ – Naked BBQ Sauce
3. Whiteford Gourmet Foods, Inc.​ – Whiteford’s Olde 70

BBQ – X Hot

1. Butch’s Smack Your Lips BBQ​ – Butch’s Smack Your Lips – super pyro
2. Sweet & Spicy, LLC – ​Alaskan Umami Sauce “Extra Hot”
3. CaJohns Fiery Foods – ​CaJohns BBQ Sauce 10 (Jolokia)

Hot Sauce Asian

1. CaJohns Fiery Foods -​Al Buddah Hot
2. Race City Sauce Works​ – 7 Pepper Sriracha
3. CaJohns Fiery Foods – ​Al Buddah Mild

Hot Sauce – Indian

1. Rick’s Test Kitchen​ – Ami (TM)
2. Race City Sauce Works​ – Pure Genius
3. Mr. Vikkis​ – King Naga

Hot Sauce – Caribbean

1. Pirate Jonny’s Carribean BBQ Rubs, Seasonings, & Sauces​ – Syrena’s Seduction
2. Cayman Islands Sauce Company​ – Citrus Heat
3. Ken’s Pepper Works​Island Sunshine

Hot Sauce – Latin

1. CaJohns Fiery Foods​ – Caracara (Also Divisional Winner and “Best Hot Sauce in the World”)
2. CaJohns Fiery Foods – ​Oaxacan Chipotle
3. Culley’s Limited​ – Culley’s Green Chile

Hot Sauce – Chipotle

1. NW Elixirs Hot Sauce Co.​ – #3 Hott Smoke​
2. CaJohns Fiery Foods – ​Happy Beaver​
3. Cili Pipp – ​Chipotle BBQ​

Hot Sauce – Pepper Blend:

1. DAVEZ FOODZ – ​Just Chil’n
2. CaJohns Fiery Foods – ​AmberFyre Livingston Parish
3. CaJohns Fiery Foods​ – Bourbon Infused Chipotle Habanero

Hot Sauce – Fruit

1. Hot Mama’s Belize – ​Manganero
2. Jungle Heat​ – Mango Heat
3. VooDoo Chile Sauces – ​Psycho Tropic

Hot Sauce – Medium

1. High Octane Sauce Company​ – Anubis’ Chariot
2. Red Canyon Spice​ – Raptor Original
3. CaJohns Fiery Foods – ​Bumblefoot’s Normal

Hot Sauce – Mild

1. Race City Sauce Works – ​Roasted Aleppo & Cayenne Shiatta
2. Davez Foodz​ – Sweet Spicy Girl
3. NW Elixirs Hot Sauce Co.​ – #2 Verde Hot

Hot Sauce Hot

1. NW Elixirs – #5 Hot Jolkia
2. Humbolt – Habanero Hot
3. Feisty Parrot – Ouch

Hot Sauce – Xhot

1. Fire Dragon Chillies​ – Deadly
2. PuckerButt Pepper Company – ​Reaper
3. Scotty O’Hotty Hot Sauce​ – The Ghost Sauce

Hot Sauce Ultra Hot

1. CaJohns Fiery Foods – ​Sling Blade Reaper Hot Sauce
2. Race City Sauce Works – ​7 Pepper Sriracha
3. Hellfire Hot Sauce Inc​ – Fear This! (Carolina Reaper Sauce)

Hot Sauce Louisiana Style (Award Winners Announced Late – July 29, 2014)

1. Culley’s – Culley’s Habanero

2. Capsup – Paprika und Chiliprodukte – Habanero Blend

3. Gindo’s Spice of Life – “Original Fresh and Spicy” Pepper Sauce

Condiment – Jam/Jelly

1. Rasta Bros.​ – Jamaican Pepper Jelly
2. Bayou Born BBQ​ – Bayou Born – Fiesta Pepper Jam
3. Frog Bone​ – Apple Strawberry Ghost Pepper Preserves

Snacks

1. Madison Chocolatiers West​ – Gateway to Hell (Also Divisional Winner)
2. Madison Chocolatiers West​ – Cayenne Caramels
3. Madison Chocolatiers West​ – Sweet Burn Butter Toffee

Snacks – Pickles

1. CHEEK Flavored Pickles – ​Sweet then Spicy Pickles
2. KA-Ranch​ – Smokey Hot Pickles
3. Texas Creek Products – ​Texas Creek Pickled Pepper Medley

Bloody Mary Mix

1. Whiteford Gourmet Foods, Inc. – ​Whiteford’s Spicy BMM
2. Aunt Whiskey Enterprises​ – Aunt Whiskey’s Smokin-Hot Bloody Mary Mix
3. Backyard Mary​ – Backyard Mary Bloody Mary Mix

Wing – Medium

1. Sean’s booYah! – ​Bali
2. Sean’s booYah!​ – Maple Habo Wabo
3. Sparky’s Wing & Dippin Sauce – ​Sparky’s Wing & Dippin Sauce
​
Wing – Specialty

1. Rasta Bros. – ​Carribean Heat Dipping Sauce & Glaze​
2. Sean’s booYah! – ​Maple Habo Wabo​
3. SADIE B FOODS​ – SADIE B FOODS JAMAICAN MANGO JERK SAUCE​

Wings – Hot

1. Sean’s booYah! – ​Creeper
2. Sean’s booYah!​ – Sorta Hot
3. Sean’s booYah!​ – Stinky Bee

Wing – Mild

1. Sean’s booYah! – ​Bali (Also Divisional Winner)
2. Sean’s booYah!​ – Buffayaki
3. Gourmet Conveniences, Ltd. – ​Sweet Sunshine “Warm”

Salsa– Fruit

1. CaJohns Fiery Foods​ – Mangonero
2. Sweet Slap’n Salsa Co. – ​Sweet Slap’n Salsa Strawberry
3. CaJohns Fiery Foods​ – Jalapino

Salsa – Verde/Tomatillo

1. Deception Salsa – ​Jealous
2. SilverLeaf International – ​Ghost Pepper Salsa Verde
3. Stagecoach Salsa Company – ​Green Extreme

Salsa – Chipotle

1. CaJohns Fiery Foods​ -Raspberry chipotle
2. Gunther’s Gourmet Groceries​ – Spicy Chipotle Pepper & Smoked Corn Salsa
3. TRAIL RIDER SALSA COMPANY​ – Chipotle Heat

Salsa – Bean and Corn

1. Sweet Slap’n Salsa Co. – ​Sweet Slap’n Salsa Black Bean & Corn
2. CaJohns Fiery Foods​ – BBC Ghost Chile
3. Gunther’s Gourmet Groceries – ​Black & White Bean Salsa

Salsa – Extra Hot (Winners Announced Late – July 29th)

1. Silverleaf International – Scorpion Salsa 
2. Cajohn’s Fiery Foods – Reaper​
3. Stick Figure Salsa – Ghost Chile Salsa Verde

Salsa – Hot

1. Mr. Saucy – ​Flirting Flame
2. Uncle Bunk’s – ​Rustic Pepper Sauce – hot
3. CaJohns Fiery Foods – ​Italian Hot

Salsa – Medium

1. CaJohns Fiery Foods – ​BBC Medium
2. Gunther’s Gourmet Groceries – ​Jalapeno Salsa Fresca
3. Rooster’s Salsa​Rooster’s Salsa- Medium Blend

Salsa – Mild

1. Gunther’s Gourmet Groceries – Salsa Fresca (Divisional Winner)
2. Mr. Saucy – Laid Back Jack
3. TRAIL RIDER SALSA COMPANY – Yankee Mild

Condiment Relish

1. Uncle Bunk’s​ Mustard Relish – Hot (Also Divisional Winner)
2. Minorcan Datil Pepper Products, LLC – ​Minorcan Datil Pepper Relish
3. Posh Pickles and Preserves​ – Sa’ Va’ Tu’o’ng ‘o’t

Condiments – Salad Dressing

1. Stagecoach Salsa Company​ – Sheriff Mike’s Spicy Salsa Ranch
2. Uncle Roy’s Comestible Creations – ​”One & Only” Dressing
3. Poca’s Hottest​ – Shak Nasti Cajun Honey Mustard

Condiments – Specialty/Unique

1. Uncle Roy’s Comestible Creations – ​Super Horseradish Sauce
2. Frog Bone – ​Bayou Cocktail
3. Gourmet Conveniences, Ltd. – ​Sweet Sunshine “Roasted Shallot & Garlic”

Condiments – Mustard

1. Uncle Roy’s Comestible Creations​ – Rabbie’s Burnie Mustard
2. Backwoods Mustard Company – ​Sweet Jalapeno
3. Texas Creek Products​ – MVG Chipotle Mustard

Marketing Other

1. Frankie V’s – Wasabi Green Thai CHili
2. Zombie – Cajun
3. Trail Rider Salsa CO. – Yankee Mild Salsa

Marketing Hot Sauce

1. Lucky Dog – Dia Del Perro (Also Divisional Winner)
2. Cullys’s – Fire Water
3. Pirate Jonnys – Syrena’s Seduction

Marketing – BBQ Sauce

1. Smokey Moon BBQ Sauce
2. Jenk’s Specialty Foods Sugar Britches
3. Me-Me K’s BBQ Sauce