Food News

Feelin’ Hot! (But Not Too Hot)

SourceFire Sauce isn’t in the business of melting your face off


For some, hot sauce makes absolutely no sense. Who would actively subject themselves to pain during mealtime, arguably one of the most enjoyable times of day? For others, dabbing hot sauce on whatever they’re eating is almost necessary to devour the food in front of them. Hot sauce fanatics crave the hum of heat in their mouths. They relish that fiery sensation, tastefully cut with the tang of vinegar and subtle sweetness of ingredients like mango or sweet potato. The creators of SourceFire Sauce are such fanatics. They believe that hot sauces enhance the eating experience, and they’re not here to blow your head off with heat.

Jon DiBiaso had been making hot sauce for about 10 years before a college friend introduced him to his soon-to-be business partner Todd Garrison. According to Jon, Todd was a willing taste tester for his small batch creations. Then one night, over what Jon refers to as “a few...dozen beers,” they decided to start a company together. Some time later, SourceFire Sauce was born.

All of the hot sauce company’s recipes are concoctions inspired by Jon and Todd’s travels. The duo glean flavor profiles for their sauces from Asia, the American South, the Carribean, and parts of Europe. If either one of them has an idea about a flavor that might work, they go with it and adjust accordingly. Their most successful recipes come to life with a bit of persistence and pain. “After a few tubs of ice cream and crying over a sink, we land on which peppers we want to use and start to finalize the sauce” says Jon.

Perhaps what makes this company so intriguing is how unique their sauces are. The company’s JA’Mun Jamaican mustard and Master Tater sweet potato hot sauce provide big, balanced flavor that expands the inexperienced palate and surprises the seasoned hot sauce connoisseur. Part of their appeal is that they are flavorful and don’t overwhelm your mouth with heat. This, says John, is all part of their plan.

“If we want to be successful our customers have to like what they’re adding to their food, so we aim to be that condiment you keep going after to add a little extra to your dishes...We aim to be a versatile option that enhances your meal, not numb your tongue.” SourceFire Sauce is available via the Hope & Main App.