Spicetistics is the world’s first set of hot sauce classification standards
The Project Mission
Have you ever purchased a hot sauce that listed heat levels in peppers, fire logos, etc? Did you ever find a sauce that was either too loose or too thick for what you wanted to use it for? Spicetistics was started as a way for hot sauce shoppers to know what type of sauce they are buying. Our goal is to provide data on hot sauces and give some tasting notes for each one. The project aims to create a standard for the industry to help makers describe their products to potential consumers with ease. Our mission is to provide empirical information to help converge the hot sauce industry to standards and descriptions already present in other consumables such as coffee.
Our Hot Sauce Classification Criteria
Scoville Heat Units (SHU)
The most well known unit of heat known throughout the world. We use our ZPot Scoville reader with a sample of each sauce to gauge the approximate Scoville value. For a basis, a jalapeno can range between 2,500-8,000 SHU.
Pricing ($/oz)
Hot sauces can range from your everyday drivers to the more recent premium sauces with a plethora of new ingredients. We measure the rough cost per ounce to help consumers find their everyday go-to hot sauces while exploring more expensive sauces for brand new flavor experiences.
Viscosity (mPa)
We measure the viscosity of the sauce in terms of mPa. Lower mPa sauces act more vinegar based while higher mPa sauces pour slowly. For a basis, water is at 1.00 mPa while honey typically reads 2.00 mPa.
Tasting Notes
The only criteria not measured empirically, we want to introduce tasting notes to help describe the flavor profile of the sauce. As we progress with the project, we wish to gain more opinions from different palettes to determine the flavors present in each sauce. All notes are done from our team’s tasting to help paint a picture of each sauce.
pH Value (pH)
Using a pH meter, the acidity of each sauce can be measured and recorded. Lower pH sauces will taste more acidic while higher ones may have more savory or sweet notes present. For a basis, vinegar is about 2.4 pH.
Recipe Suggestions
We will also be providing suggestions on recipes and usage that our team finds for sauces we profile. Hot sauces are more than just a condiment and can bring a new spectrum of flavor as a component of your next meal.