Golden Pepper Awards

Honoring the year’s best sauces and brands — voted by members, picked by HQ and judged by the Pepper Pros in a blind tasting.

People's Choice

Members nominate and vote.

Chosen by the Hot Sauce Headquarters team.

Decided by industry judges at an in-person blind tasting.

Pepper Pros' Sauce of the Year
Champions tasting of the hot sauce category winners
Pepper Pros' Artisan Sauce of the Year
Hot sauce only · Artisan brands only
Pepper Pros' Specialty Product of the Year
Any type except Hot sauce and Extract
Pepper Pros' Best Classic Hot Sauce
Hot sauce only
Pepper Pros' Best Super Hot Sauce
Hot sauce only · Scoville at least 100,000
Pepper Pros' Best Fruity Hot Sauce
Hot sauce only · Fruity
Pepper Pros' Best Louisiana-Style Hot Sauce
Hot sauce only · Louisiana-Style
Pepper Pros' Best Mexican-Style Hot Sauce
Hot sauce only · Mexican-Style
Pepper Pros' Best Verde (Green) Hot Sauce
Hot sauce only · Verde (Green)
Pepper Pros' Best Southwestern / New Mexico Hot Sauce
Hot sauce only · Southwestern / New Mexico
Pepper Pros' Best Caribbean / Jerk Hot Sauce
Hot sauce only · Caribbean / Jerk
Pepper Pros' Best Asian-Style Hot Sauce
Hot sauce only · Asian-Style
Pepper Pros' Best Peri-Peri Hot Sauce
Hot sauce only · Peri-Peri
Pepper Pros' Best Middle Eastern / North African Hot Sauce
Hot sauce only · Middle Eastern / North African
Pepper Pros' Best South American (Ají) Hot Sauce
Hot sauce only · South American (Ají)