Credit: Photo by John Anderson

It was a typical Texas scorcher, but the crowds came out to pay homage to the gods of spice at the 29th Annual Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival. Live music was enjoyed, beers were consumed, and attendees ingested chips and sauce until their insides matched the heat outside. Thanks to everyone who helped us benefit the Central Texas Food Bank!

Credit: Photo by John Anderson

Restaurants, commercial bottlers, and individuals submitted their finest creations to be judged by more than 50 judges, and the official results are in.

Red

Individual
1st: Dan Montville
2nd: Anders Dowd
3rd: Josh & Jon Smetana

Restaurant
1st: Eric Wilkerson – TacoDeli
2nd: Joel Fried – El Dorado
3rd: Sarah Cook – Posse East

Commercial
1st: Aunt May’s Bajan Red Pepper Sauce
2nd: Mikey V’s Restaurant Red Salsa
3rd: Mom’s Family Kitchen – Spicy Salsa

Green

Individual
1st: Bud Spaar
2nd: Peach Williamson
3rd: Leslie Oakeson

Restaurant
1st: Tanya Camacho – Serranos
2nd: Margarito Aranda – Sazón
3rd: Eric Wilkerson – TacoDeli

Commercial
1st: Restaurant Style Green – Mikey V’s Foods
2nd: Cry’n Cowboy Hot Sauce – Hill Country Hot Peppers
3rd: Loco Avocado Training Wheels – Loco Avocado

Special Variety

Individual
1st: Tony Nunez
2nd: Sofia Sada
3rd: Matt Hudson

Restaurant
1st: Eric Wilkerson – TacoDeli
2nd: Joel Fried – El Dorado
3rd: Grant Irving – UT Golf Club

Commercial
1st: Picklesmash Hot – Mashup Foods LLC
2nd: Hot Lavacado – Loco Avocado
3rd: Ghost Scream Vindaloo Curry – Ghost Scream Hot Sauce

Pepper Sauce

Commercial
1st: Shonky Purple – Shonky Sauce Co.
2nd: Ghost Scream Chili Garlic Paste – Ghost Scream Hot Sauce
3rd: Alvin’s Red Pepper Hot Sauce – Caribbean Treasure LLC

People’s Choice

Red
1st: Mom’s Family Kitchen – Spicy
2nd: Mikey V’s Foods – Smoked Bacon
3rd: Bravado – Serrano & Basil

Green
1st: Shonky Sauce Co. – Black
2nd: Boerne Brand – Texas Style
3rd: Loco Avocado – Mouth Tinglin’ Medium

Pepper
1st: Aztexan – Habanero Supreme
2nd: Perry’s – Experiment #3
3rd: Teardrop – Golden Habanero

Special Variety
1st: Perry’s – Habanero
2nd: Mashup Foods LLC – Picklesmash
3rd: Teardrop – Golden Habanero

This article appears in 2019 Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival.

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James graduated from Columbia University in 2000 and moved to Austin a year later. Ever since, he has followed the arts and video game scene in ATX, editing and writing stories for the Chronicle along the way. Over his more than 20 years with the paper he has climbed the "corporate" ladder from lowly intern to managing editor.