Searching for Something Spicy? Hit Up the 2018 NYC Hot Sauce Expo

By Steven John Published December 17, 2019

nyc hot sauce expo trophy — NYC Hot Sauce Expo/Facebook

I’m a man who loves his hot sauce. I spice up my eggs and hash browns in the morning, I add a dash or 10 to soups and sandwiches at lunch, and whether dinnertime involves Thai, Mexican, Americana, or just about any cuisine around, you can bet I’ll be topping it off with something spicy. (Need a recipe with hot sauce? Check out these amazing deviled eggs). Do I frequently overdo it and sweat my way through the meal? Hell yes I do. And I’ll never learn, either.

If you’re like me, then there’s a place for us, friend, a place called the 6th Annual NYC Hot Sauce Expo, which takes place in Brooklyn on the April 21-22, 2018. Dozens of different hot sauce makers will descend on the venue, having traveled to New York City from across America and around the world. There are hot sauce brands coming in from the UK, Mexico, New Zealand, and more. And as you would probably expect to find at any good food-based expo in the year 2018, there will also be plentiful craft beers, cocktails, food vendors, demonstrations, music, and eating competitions, including The Ring of Fire Challenge.

nyc hot sauce expo milk — NYC Hot Sauce Expo/Facebook

(On the challenge, I recommend you spectate rather than participate if you want to taste anything other than burning for the rest of April. But since it’s your mouth and the rest of your body, it’s your call.)

Recommended Videos

Tickets to the NYC Hot Sauce Expo range from $10 to $100. The cheapest ticket still allowing for hot sauce taste tests from every vendor on site. A mid-level $50 ticket will also net you a few beers and a generous Texas barbecue platter lunch. The $100 ticket comes with plenty of drinks, eats, VIP area access, and a swag bag full of goodies. (My advice? Go with the $100 ticket. You’ll probably spend almost that much on beer to cool your tongue down anyway, so you might as well prepay and get your money’s worth.)

You can get tickets to the 6th Annual NYC Hot Sauce at the gate, but buying ahead of time is a lot easier. The extravaganza runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days, and takes place at the Brooklyn Expo Center at 79 Franklin Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11222.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Steven John is a writer and journalist living just outside New York City, by way of 12 years in Los Angeles, by way of…

Food & Drink

Myths busted: Why rinsing your beer glass matters more than you think

Beer glass rinsing 101

beer

Myths run riot in the land of drinks and we're on a mission to dispel them. Just ask the chill-able red wine or age-worthy beer. There are rules in beer, cocktail, and wine culture, sure, but there are also misconceptions and unknowns very much worth figuring out.

You know the sayings: Rum is only for tiki drinks, mezcal is just a smoky version of tequila, or you can't make a good non-alcoholic beer. We know these things to be untrue as we've tasted the evidence.

Food & Drink

What is Gibraltar coffee? The trendy espresso drink you need to try

Where and how this tiny espresso drink began

gibraltar coffee

Found only at select coffee shops is the Gibraltar coffee -- a coffee menu item that will leave you saying, "What is that?" based on its name alone. This specialty coffee originated in San Francisco at Blue Bottle Coffee but has since spread to small coffee shops worldwide. I'd describe this coffee as similar to a Cortado, yet these two drinks have unique differences.

When I first saw a Gibraltar coffee at a coffee shop, I knew I needed to learn more about what this coffee was all about. I chatted with Gibraltar coffee expert Vadym Granovskiy, an expert in coffee Artistry, expertise and mentorship, and TEDx Kyiv Speaker, to learn everything about the Gibraltar coffee -- from how it's made to how it was invented. Granovskiy is especially inspired by the story behind the accidental invention of Gibraltar coffee, drawing inspiration as a coffee lover himself. In his free time, he loves to experiment with new coffee and espresso beverages.

Food & Drink

World Whiskey Society is launching a bourbon that’s finished in a rare, Japanese cask

World Whiskey Society's newest bourbon was dubbed "Samurai Edition"

Whiskey in a glass

Fans of exceptional, unique whiskey know all about the World Whiskey Society's prowess. Founded in 2020, this brand strives to bring rare, ultra-premium expressions to whiskey drinkers' home bars and liquor cabinets. Its newest whiskey combines America's "native spirit" with the aging techniques popularized in Japan.
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished In Japanese Mizunara Shochu Barrels

To say this whiskey is unique is an understatement. This 108-proof Kentucky straight bourbon dubbed the "Samurai Edition" begins with a mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley. Originating at the renowned Bardstown Bourbon Company, it's first matured in charred white American oak barrels before being finished in rare Japanese Mizunara oak casks previously used to age Shochu.