Hot Ones Challenge Meets Craft Beer: A Hot Sauce & Beer Pairing
Have you ever watched Hot Ones? Maybe? No! Or, of course you have—anyone glued to their doom scroll at night more than likely has. If not, let me explain. Hot Ones is a show where celebrities eat progressively spicier hot wings until they're sweating through their eyeballs. Think Jennifer Lawrence crying and asking, “What do you mean?” Over and over. There are memes galore of this snapshot into brutal hot sauce pain.
There is a stark reality to doing a hot sauce challenge. You’re literally standing up and saying that you can handle the heat and the kitchen. You’re sacrificing your taste buds and your guts for probably the next 24 hours to prove that you can handle the heat. I get those feelings of butterflies before we start the challenge, like going on a first date. I get super nervous, but usually, everything works out just fine.
Well, because I'm nothing if not a glutton for punishment (and because beer pairings are my literal jam), Chelsea and I decided to tackle our own version: the infamous Hot Ones challenge paired with craft beer. Ready, Fire, Aim!
Now, back to the pairing, you might be thinking, does beer help or hurt when things get spicy? Did we have a cooler of ice cream on standby? Read on to find out more.
Round 1: Señor Lechuga (1,200 Scoville heat units. From here on out to be known as SHU)
Heat Level: 1/10
Ingredients: Garlic, Avocado Oil, Vinegar, Lemon Juice, Habanero Peppers, Salt
Beer Pairing: ¡Venga! Mexican Lager by Cerveceria Colorado
SRM (Color): 2–6 SRM (very pale straw to gold in color)
IBU (Bitterness): 10–20 IBUs (low bitterness, subtle hop character)
ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 4.9% ABV (light, crisp, easy-drinking)
Why This Pairing: Starting off easy, I wanted something light and crisp to match the mild garlic kick of the sauce. A Mexican lager felt like the perfect companion. Indeed, it was.
Tasting Notes: The sauce was a garlicky delight—savory with a hint of lemon. Just a hint. The ¡Venga! Lager, with its light and refreshing profile, complemented the garlic without overpowering it. An excellent start that had me feeling quite confident. I mean, I often eat hot sauce with my eggs for breakfast. Maybe I’m too confident…
Round 2: Lift Off by Karma Sauce (5,600 SHU)
Heat Level: 2/10
Ingredients: Green Chiles, Vinegar (Infused with Galangal aka ginger, Lemongrass, Kaffir Lime Leaf), Lime Juice, Coconut Water, Coconut Sugar, Garlic, Salt, Toasted Onion, Green Chile Flake, Thai Basil, Cilantro, Spices
Beer Pairing: La Chouffe Blonde by Brasserie d'Achouffe
SRM: 4–7 SRM (pale golden to light amber color)
IBU: 20 (mild bitterness, balanced hop character)
ABV: 8% (medium strength with noticeable alcohol warmth)
Why This Pairing: The sauce's Thai-inspired flavors called for a beer with some complexity. Enter the Belgian Blond Ale, known for its citrus and spicy notes.
Tasting Notes: The sauce brought a funky, herbal heat with the galangal and lemongrass shining. La Chouffe's citrus notes and spicy finish performed what is known as a Khon dance across my palate. Belgian blonds are my new IPA, making the beer the true hero of this round. Two hot sauces in, and I'm geeking out about the flavor explosions. Best day ever!
Round 3: Pickled Garlic Sriracha by Hot Ones (18,000 SHU)
Heat Level: 3/10
Ingredients: Jalapeño Pepper Mash, Distilled Vinegar, Pure Cane Sugar, Key Lime Juice, Garlic, Arrowroot Powder, Water, Salt, Dill
Beer Pairing: Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen
ABV: 5.1% (Märzen style beer, which is a medium-strong lager)
IBU: 28 (smoky, and slightly sweet taste)
SRM: 17-30 (amber to dark brown)
Why This Pairing: The smoky yummy bacon profile of a Rauchbier seemed like the best chance we had in producing a smoked pickle beer. A gamble? Perhaps. A tastebud revolution. You bet!
Tasting Notes: Imagine a smoky pickle—sounds odd, tastes amazing. The sauce's dill and garlic met the beer's bacon-smoked malt head-on, creating a savory, BBQ-like experience. Unexpected? Not at all. Confidence level: Explosive!
Round 4: Elotes Loco Fire Edition by Savir Foods (26,500 SHU)
Heat Level: 4/10
Ingredients: Vinegar, Kosher Salt, Avocado Oil, Nutritional Yeast, Sweet Corn, Chile de Arbol, Ghost Pepper, Cilantro, Garlic, Onions, Spices
Beer Pairing: Irish Red by Lone Tree Brewing Company
ABV: 6% (moderate strength, smooth drinkability)
IBU: 23 (mild bitterness, balancing malt sweetness)
SRM: 9–14 SRM (reddish amber to medium copper-red color
Why This Pairing: Sweet corn and malt? Yes, please. An Irish Red's caramel notes seemed like they'd play ultra nice with the elote-inspired sauce. They did.
Tasting Notes: The sauce's sweet corn and subtle heat found a friend in the malty, slightly sweet Irish Red. The beer's rich and malty backbone elevated the corn's sweetness. Four sauces down, feeling good. Can’t wait for more delicious drinks of beer to pair with these sauces!
Round 5: Los Calientes Rojo by Hot Ones (49,000 SHU)
Heat Level: 5/10
Ingredients: Smoked Red Jalapeño, Habanero, Apricot, Apple Cider Vinegar, Agave Nectar, Lemon Juice, Tomatillo, Water, Garlic, Salt, Toasted Onion, Cumin, Cilantro, Black Pepper, Thyme, Celery Seed
Beer Pairing: Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier
ABV: 5.4% (light to moderate alcohol content, refreshing and easy-drinking)
IBU: 14 (very low bitterness, hops are subtle)
SRM: 8 (pale straw to golden, hazy/cloudy due to yeast and wheat proteins)
Why This Pairing: The fruity and spicy elements of the sauce seemed like they'd mesh well with the banana and clove notes of a classic Hefeweizen.
Tasting Notes: The sauce's smoky heat and sweet undertones were beautifully complemented by the Hefe's fruity esters. The apple cider vinegar in the sauce popped alongside the beer's effervescence. Halfway through, and I'm thinking, "When does the hot sauce challenge begin?" Read on, because it’s coming.
Round 6: Volkano by Piko Peppers (76,000 SHU)
Heat Level: 6/10
Ingredients: Distilled Vinegar, Roasted Onions, Red Bell Peppers, Habanero Mash, Roasted Habanero Peppers, Lemon Juice, Water, Garlic, Cane Sugar, Sea Salt, Ground Habanero Peppers
Beer Pairing: Black Butte Porter by Deschutes Brewery
ABV: 5.5% (medium strength, robust and smooth)
IBU: 30 (moderate to high bitterness, noticeable hop character)
SRM: 22–40 SRM (very dark brown to black, opaque)
Why This Pairing: Roasted flavors in the sauce called for a beer with depth. A porter with chocolate and coffee notes seemed like a solid choice. And it was!
Tasting Notes: This is where things started to get real. Did you read the ingredient list? Habanero mash and habanero peppers. Did we need both? Yes, for heat purposes we did. The sauce's roasted onion and habanero heat were intense, but the porter's creamy mouthfeel and roasted malt backbone provided a much needed soothing counterbalance. The heat was now building, but the beer seemed to be keeping it in check. I’m fine. You’re fine. We’re all going to be fine.
Round 7: Hot House Hot Sauce by Butterfly Bakery (131,000 SHU)
Heat Level: 7/10
Ingredients: Serranos, Habaneros, Reapers, Ghosts, Carmens, Distilled Vinegar, Tomatoes, Water, Cilantro, Salt, Olive Oil, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Dill, Black Pepper
Beer Pairing: Colette Farmhouse Ale by Great Divide Brewing Company
ABV: 6.5% (Dry, crisp finish, noticeable alcohol warmth)
IBU: 35 (Moderate bitterness, earthy, herbal hops)
SRM: 5–14 (Gold to amber, hazy or clear)
Why This Pairing: A complex sauce with multiple chili peppers needed a beer that could match the dueling personalities of hard working peppers. A farmhouse ale's fruity and slightly tart profile seemed to fit the bill. And with four different yeast strains, the Colette was the lady to get it done.
Tasting Notes: Sadly, or maybe my palette was nearing expiration at this point, the sauce was a bit underwhelming in flavor but definitely packed a punch in heat. The beer, the woman of the hour, stepped up, enhancing the tomato notes and added a refreshing, funky twist. The farmhouse ale was the MVP here, making the experience enjoyable despite the heat. I can confidently reflect and say that I was feeling a bit on the cocky side here. The heat I was tolerating, and I knew I was crushing these pairings.
Round 8: Evolution Hot Sauce by Da Bomb (135,000 SHU)
Heat Level: 8/10
Ingredients: Red hot chili peppers (not the band), water, vinegar, salt, spices (including paprika and turmeric), minced garlic, cane sugar, garlic powder, extra virgin olive oil, onion powder, lemon juice concentrate, cilantro, mint
Beer Pairing: Deadhead IPA (West Coast-Style) by DESTIHL Brewery
ABV: 7% Moderate to higher strength)
IBU: 60 (Very high bitterness, strong hop aroma)
SRM: 5–8 (Golden to copper, clear)
Why This Pairing: Facing the notorious Da Bomb, I shopped tirelessly (Ha! Not for IPAs) for a beer bursting with hoppiness and balanced bitterness to stand up to the impending inferno. This one was going to hurt and I knew it was going to hurt. This hot sauce and I had met in a life I’d lived not a decade before this previous life. A West Coast-Style American IPA, known for its psychedelic hoppiness, fruity aromas and citrusy notes, seemed like the perfect comrade.
Tasting Notes: Da Bomb lived up to its memorable reputation—thick, fiery, delicious and relentless, it felt like a flamethrower to the tongue. Swallow lightly because it’s literally a choking hazard. The Deadhead IPA, with its tangerine and grapefruit aromas from Citra and Mosaic hops, offered a fleeting tropical respite before the heat surged back. The beer's piney finish from Chinook hops tried to douse the flames, but Da Bomb's heat was unyielding. This pairing was less about balance and more about survival. I am officially spiraling into a heat panic. Note: I remember wanting this to be a terrible idea. Why?
Round 9: Sicilian Scorpion by Queen Majesty (816,000 SHU)
Heat Level: 9/10
Ingredients: White Vinegar, Scorpion Peppers, Tomato Puree, Lemon Juice, Olive Oil, Garlic, Peppercorn, Kosher Salt, Toasted Onion, Oregano, Basil
Beer Pairing: Hazy Beer Hug by Goose Island Beer Co.
ABV: 6.8% (Smooth mouthfeel, moderate strength)
IBU: 20 (Moderate bitterness, juicy/fruity hops dominate)
SRM: 3 - 7 (Very pale gold to straw, opaque/hazy)
Why This Pairing: With the Scorpion pepper's intense heat and the sauce's Italian-inspired flavors, I opted for a hazy IPA. Its juicy, fruity notes could potentially complement the tomato and herbs while offering a soothing contrast to the heat. To be fair, my mouth doesn’t scream IPA when I eat Italian, it screams Sangiovase. Same thing right? Not even close but the intrigue had my curiosity peaking. The gamble was about to pay off.
Tasting Notes: The Sicilian Scorpion sauce was a fiery marinara on steroids—rich tomato flavor with a scorpion pepper kick that didn't quit. Hazy Beer Hug stepped up with notes of peaches, white grapes, and guava, creating a tropical oasis amidst the heat. The beer's lower bitterness allowed the fruitiness to shine, offering a brief, blissful distraction from the mouth-numbing spice. Basically the heat kicked the italian and tropical romance out of my taste bud bed right away. At this point I’m just waiting to get the tenth sauce done and out of the way.
Round 10: The Last Dab: Xperience by Hot Ones (2,693,000 SHU)
Heat Level: 11/10 Ingredients: Pepper X pepper, distilled vinegar, Pepper X pepper powder, Pepper X pepper distillate
Beer Pairing: Guinness Draught
ABV: 4.2% (Lower alcohol, smooth, creamy body)
IBU: 45 (Moderate bitterness, balanced roastiness)
SRM: 40 (Black to deep opaque brown)
Why This Pairing: Facing the final boss of heat, I sought solace in the classic, creamy embrace of Guinness. This is where it’s important to recognize being kind to yourself. The smooth, roasted malt character and lower carbonation was the perfect antidote to the fire-nado.
Tasting Notes: Yes, that’s a lot of zeroes. The Last Dab was pure, unadulterated heat—Pepper X in all its glory, delivering a knockout punch to my senses. Amidst this chaos, Guinness was a comforting presence. A pillow on a cement bench. Its velvety mouthfeel and subtle notes of coffee and chocolate provided a soothing balm, tempering the x-factor heat. The true hero of the day. Forget what I said earlier. Guinness, not only good for you, in moderation, but a true first responder to the palette when it comes to a hot sauce pairing. So good at saving lives that even granted additional courage. I went back to the sauces, dabbing again for more flavor, and drinking the fire extinguisher Guinness to fulfill my gluttonous afternoon.
What about the ice cream? Yeah, never had it. Not even the cottage cheese and it wasn’t until I stopped my shenanigans that I sampled the milk for additional relief. By that time it was warm and gross. I’m not a milk drinker to start with, so warm milk was a total turn off.
Chelsea and the Non-alcoholic’s.
Okay, that totally sounds like the perfect name for Chelsea's next band. A band of pregnant women—but seriously, here's the chicken feet on Chelsea's side of this fiery inferno of an adventure. My interpretation of it anyway. While I was hyper-focused on how my beers stacked up against these blazing hot sauces, Chelsea was quietly navigating her own non-alcoholic beer journey. It seemed to me, based on her commentary, that NA beers don’t quite cut it when it comes to standing up against intense vinegar and heat. Almost every delicate flavor note she was hoping to pick up in her non-alcoholic beers got completely washed away by the sauces. Yet, if you watch the videos, and you totally should, you’ll also notice her palette is queuing right on point for some unique flavors.
That said, Chelsea handled the heat itself like an absolute champ. Honestly, during the challenge she seemed totally unfazed, at least until sauce number ten hit. Pepper X was her demise. Watching her casually breeze through the sauces had me thinking she was immune, but she’s always been able to ‘out heat’ me. I wasn’t surprised. Watching her edit our footage later painted a different picture. Today she laughed, shaking her head and saying, “I must have blacked out during the last four sauces.” Ha! Guess heat-induced amnesia is real when you’re staring down 2.6 million Scoville units.
It’s also worth mentioning she took noticeably smaller dabs of sauce during the challenge (clever girl). But here’s the twist: In the days that followed, Chelsea was still casually dabbing and pouring hot sauces on her snacks while I was begging to keep them far, far away. Turns out she’s not just tougher with the heat—she's more consistent too. These are my surprised words.
When we first started shopping the idea of doing the Hot Ones challenge paired with beer, I questioned whether beer would be a friend or foe. Full transparency, I thought it was a terrible idea. The carbonation and hops in certain beers did amplify the heat, particularly with the West Coast IPA alongside Da Bomb—it was like throwing a match into a tiny gas tank. Boom. Boom. Yet, in other instances, beer was a savior. A path to a fresh start at life and my taste buds. The creamy stout and juicy hazy IPA provided much-needed relief and complemented the complex flavors of the sauces. We are winning no matter how I try to tell this story.
At the end of the day, a beer and hot sauce Hot Ones challenge proved to be a thrilling romantic comedy that I’d do again. Next time, I'll put full sauce on the wings. Oh, that is a bold statement, isn’t it?
Whether you're a vegetarian or a meat-lover, a lover of alcoholic beers or non-alcoholic ones like Chels, there's a hot sauce pairing out there for you. Note to self: the style of beer matters: lagers refresh, IPAs intensify, and maltier, darker beers soothe. Choose your adventure character wisely. These tips could save your palette's life.
Would I embark on this journey again? Ask me after my taste buds recover.
Cheers!
