Skip to main content

Red Clay Hot Sauce: A Southern Twist on a Flavor Favorite

Geoff Rhyne was working as a chef at the Ordinary in Charleston, S.C., when he developed a mouth-watering hot sauce to complement the oysters and other dishes served out of his kitchen. He got a glimpse of how much customers loved it when he noticed bottles of his Red Clay Hot Sauce disappearing from the tables.

The Ordinary is a high-end caliber restaurant. Customers would spend $200 on dinner and then steal the hot sauce off the table,” said Rhyne.

Recommended Videos

He tried many different peppers as he was creating a hot sauce, but finally honed in on Fresno chili peppers. He ferments them in bourbon barrels from High Wire Distilling in Charleston and Green Briar Distillery in Nashville.

“I’m a Southern guy and love all things Southern. Hot sauce is a very Southern thing and I’m really proud of what we have done here. Once people taste it, they say, “Holy cow, this is delicious,” he said.

“There’s a hot sauce boom, but a lot are trying to be a shocker and set your mouth on fire. I just want to give people something they will enjoy. Instead of overpowering foods, my hot sauce accentuates it.”

Related: The 5 Hottest Peppers Known to Man 

A customer approached him about taking it to market and that became a reality in the fall of 2014. They rolled out the product in August at Leon’s Oyster Shop in Charleston, and then unveiled a website for online sales in October.

“We’re in close to 20 locations in Charleston,” Rhyne said, “And 40 nationwide—from Charleston to New York to Chicago to Colorado. We’re probably in six or seven restaurants, and the rest are gourmet grocers or stores of that nature. We’ll have a big roll out in Williams & Sonoma this summer.”

Creating a popular food product came just at the right time in Rhyne’s life. After working as a chef for 15 years, he now devotes his attention to building his brand while spending as much time as possible with his 9-month-old son, Jackson.

“No matter where I am in life, my number one objective is to be a great father,” he added. “Chefs sacrifice a lot in the way of family.”

He’s currently working on some new products including a hotter variety of hot sauce and a green chili sauce. They are also drying for pepper powder.

“We only purchase peppers grown in the South. Seeds from our first batch are sprouting now and a local farm is cultivating for us. We love showing off the South.”

Shown in picture at top: The Flask (12.7 oz) retails for $24; The Gentleman’s 5 oz. sells for $7.99.

Marla Milling
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Marla Hardee Milling is a full-time freelance writer living in a place often called the Paris of the South, Sante Fe of the…
Pineapple cocktails are this summer’s hottest trend — these recipes are must-try
Tropical is the way to go for summer cocktails
A glass of pineapple Tiki style cocktail.

Over the last few years, the cocktail world has seen a number of massive trends. From espresso Martini recipes galore to the return of fun flavors like banana, there's been a lot of action behind the bar. After chatting with some industry folks, we're convinced one of the big cocktail flavors of summer 2025 is going to be pineapple.

Call it escapism or that long-standing love for all things tropical, whatever it may be, pineapple seems to be coming back yet again. Recently, it's shown up not just in the form of intriguing cocktail recipes but infused into liqueurs and even injected into beer. Looks like pineapple might just find a way into your favorite glass this summer.

Read more
Flashy Independence Day cocktails from Deep Eddy Vodka
Red, white, blue, and refreshing
Festive Deep Eddy shot.

The Fourth of July is tomorrow and if you don't have a signature cocktail in order yet, fear not. We've got two festive recipes from a vodka brand worth trying out at home. They're cold, colorful, and refreshing, meaning they're more than welcome on a long summer weekend.

Deep Eddy set us up with pair of cocktails befitting of the weekend, each with a trio of colors and flavors. In the end, you're set up with a beverage that can handle even the hottest afternoon as you try out some easy grilling recipes. And you can dress them up any way you like, adding cool straws or garnishes.
Declaration on Ice

Read more
The ultimate holiday weekend drink: Good Guys’ Frozen Fernet & Coke
Bitter, sweet, cold, and cola-driven
Amaro

Fernet is amazing stuff. The iconic Italian amaro adds a smack of bitterness and herbaceous goodness to your favorite cocktails, balancing out the drink at large and making it oh so tasty. And the liquid goes especially well with Coke, preferably frozen.

In the spirit of summer, we reached out to Good Guys in NYC for an optimal hot-weather cocktail. You know, the one that's the equivalent of playing in front of a gushing fire hydrant in New York City on a sweltering day. And I believe we have the drink.

Read more