The Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival Winners 2021

After a virtual year in 2020 the Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival returned to an in-person event. The Far Out Lounge hosted a myriad of sauces, live music, and masochistic folks looking to toast their tongues.

Restaurants and commercial bottlers submitted their finest creations to be judged, and the official results are in.

Special thanks to event sponsors Cap Metro and to Big Swig & Hard Swig for supplying some beverages to keep mouths just a bit cooler.

Red

Restaurant
1st: Sazón – Salsa Colorada de Mesa
2nd: Eldorado Cafe – Salsa X
3rd: Tacodeli – Salsa Roja

Commercial
1st: Yellowbird – Red Jalapeño
2nd: Hill Country Hot Peppers – Cry’n Cowboy Hot Sauce
3rd: Boerne Brand – The Smokin' Red

Green

Restaurant
1st: Cisco's – Toxica Green Salsa
2nd: Tacodeli – Salsa Verde
3rd: Eldorado Cafe – Mocajete Verde

Commercial
1st: Fantastic Fuego – The Green Inferno Salsa
2nd: Yellowbird Serrano Tomatillo Salsa
3rd: 3Sons – Diablo Verde Creamy Cilantro

Special Variety

Restaurant
1st: Tacodeli – Salsa Doña™
2nd: Eldorado Cafe – El Scorpio
3rd: Sazón – La Macha

Commercial
1st: Fantastic Fuego – Machete Salsa
2nd: ATX Hot Sauce – The Juice
3rd: Ghost Scream Chili Garlic Jam

Pepper Sauce

Restaurant
1st: Tacodeli – Salsa Habanero
2nd: Eldorado Cafe – El Scorpio
3rd: Vamonos Habanero Sauce

Commercial
1st: Texas Texas Salsa – Ghost Pepper Fury Salsa
2nd: Yellowbird – Plum Reaper Hot Sauce
3rd: Wicked Provisions – Flaming Cock

People's Choice

Red
1st: ATX Hot Sauce – Big Red
2nd: Ghost Scream – Ghost Truffle
3rd (tie): Boerne Brand – Smokin' Red
3rd (tie): Yellowbird – Super Serronic

Green
1st: Teardrop – Supreme Cilantro
2nd (tie): ATX Hot Sauce – Big Green
2nd (tie): 3Sons – Diablo Verde Creamy Cilantro

Pepper
1st: ATX Hot Sauce – Honey Bee Hot
2nd: Kesters – Aunt May's Bajan
3rd: Yellowbird – Garlic Reaper

Special Variety
1st: Salsa Maya – Habanero Aioli
2nd (tie): Castaway – Mango Chipotle
2nd (tie): Texas Texas – Mango Madness