After being featured on First We Feast‘s popular Youtube show, Hot Ones, Heartbeat Hot Sauce Company has gained some attention amongst hot sauce aficionados around the world. The show (known for curating a lineup of twelve increasingly spicy hot sauces every season) placed Heartbeat’s Pineapple Habanero third in their Season ten hot sauce lineup. Being a huge fan of the show and of hot sauce, I decided to look into their sauces and see what else they had to offer.
After finding their website online and reading about the company, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that they develop, cook, bottle, package, and distribute all from their facility in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Being Canadian myself, I like the idea of supporting a local business whose emphasis on small-batch production tells me that they must value their products. I purchased their 4 pack of hot sauces containing the following flavours: Red Habanero, Jalapeño, Blueberry Habanero, and Pineapple Habanero. It was a lot of hot sauce to purchase, but I can truly say, I was not disappointed. It’s delicious. It’s so delicious that I found myself constantly finding creative ways to incorporate it into my meals and find excuses to eat more of it.
RED HABANERO
The Red Habanero is your classic hot sauce. It’s the one you reach for when you have your eggs in the morning. Not too spicy but has enough heat to kick up any dish. The habanero adds finishing notes of sweetness, making this a very pleasant sauce on the tongue. The sauce is smooth and creamy in texture and the flavours are bold yet balanced, making it incredibly versatile. A timeless kitchen staple, it is perfect to use on just about anything.
JALAPENO
The least spicy of the group, Heartbeat’s Jalapeno hot sauce is still delicious but a little less complex than the other flavours. It is a subdued version of the Red Habanero sauce in its versatility but the flavour streamlines on notes of onion and jalapeno. This could be the perfect hot sauce for those in your household who can’t handle too much heat but like to spice it up once in a while. I think it’d be wonderful on a plain bagel with cream cheese or to add just a touch of heat to a bowl of chilli.
BLUEBERRY HABANERO
Heartbeat’s Blueberry Habanero is a perfect balance between sweet and heat, and pairs wonderfully with both savoury and sweet foods. It opens up with a bold tingling spice that hits you at the back of the throat and finishes with smooth sweet notes of blueberry. It is decadent and complex in flavour and has a beautifully rich deep plum colour. I went a little overboard experimenting with this sauce. It was especially delicious paired with sauteed greens/mushrooms, red meats, dark chocolate and drizzled over vanilla ice cream. It is a must-try if you’re looking to venture into adventurous food pairings.
PINEAPPLE HABANERO
The hottest of the group, Pineapple Habanero was my ultimate favourite. With ingredients like pineapple, yellow peppers, lime, ale, garlic, and onion it is an equally bright, fruity, and tangy sauce. The heat dances at the back of your throat but mellows out to give your mouth an even warming effect. It is a perfect pairing with summertime favourites like BBQ grilled shrimp or summery cocktails, and works amazingly well as a meat-tenderizing marinade or added to spice up a salad dressing. I also found that the acidic quality of the pineapple cuts through the greasiness of foods like chicken wings and pizza amazingly well, making them somehow more delicious. Of the fruity hot sauce combinations I’ve tried, this has to be one of the best.
CONCLUSION
Heartbeat Hot Sauce Company produces quality products crafted with attention, love, and care. They are a customer-oriented business, providing healthy high-quality hot sauces whilst remaining ever thankful for the support they receive. Their humble attitude and dedication to small-batch production have made their sauces special, unique, and a must-eat for any hot sauce lover out there. Give them a try!