Craic Sauce — Hot Sauce in Greater Boston, MA
The home page says Craic Sauce makes its sauces in small batches at a community kitchen in Lowell, MA. The our story page names Brian Ruhlmann as founder. The company produces around 2,000 bottles weekly. Mill City Red is a Louisiana-style sauce with the added zing of fermentation.
- Brian Ruhlmann established Craic Sauce in Lowell, MA after returning from Ireland.
- 2014.
- The first sauce was inspired by growing ghost peppers with his dad.
- His time in Ireland shaped the company and he launched the Craft Hot Sauce podcast.
- The company partners with organizations including UTEC and Mill City Grows.
- The company grows over 1,500 pepper plants.
- The company has a dedicated team of 12.
- Since 2017 the company has sourced 100% of its peppers from farms that prioritize organic and regenerative practices.
- The partnership with Mill City Grows gives the company its own farm plot.
- The team explores fermentation, vinegar making, black garlic and local ingredients like kelp.
- The company vends at over 300 events each year.
- The company partners with 100+ independent local retailers.
- Local Grown: the company grows its own plants and sources peppers from other farms.
- The team spends three days a week on each step, from preparation to bottling.
- Fermentation brings out the rich flavors of the sauces.
- The Single Source Series turns one farm surplus harvest into small-batch hot sauces and vinegars.
- Single Source sauces are long fermented for 6+ months.
- Each Single Source batch is made once and never replicated.
- The company returns finished bottles to the farm, which sells them through CSA and farm stands.
- Strawberry Dog Farm grows on a half-acre plot through the New Entry Farm program.
- Skinny Dip Farm grows on a four-acre farm on the South Coast.
- Farmer Dave’s grows across 90 acres.
- Clark Farm grows across 64 acres.
- Hutchins Farm was the first farm partner.
- The core four returned alongside five new small-batch sauces, each made with its own handcrafted vinegar.
- Mill City Red lists a regular price of $10.00 USD.
- Mill City Red lists a size of 5oz Bottle.
- Mill City Red is a Louisiana-style sauce with the added zing of fermentation.
- The Mill City Red page lists cayenne, Fresno and red habanero.
- Mill City Red: originally made to pair with oysters, also eggs, tacos, stir-fry or marinade.
- Whiskey Barrel Aged Mill City Red lists a regular price of $18.00 USD.
- Whiskey Barrel Aged Mill City Red is aged for 11 months in a former Bully Boy Distillers bourbon barrel.
- Whiskey Barrel Aged Mill City Red has a total fermentation time of over two years.
- The Golden Pumpkin lists a regular price of $10.00 USD.
- The Golden Pumpkin marries the warmth of pumpkin and pineapple with the fire of the golden ghost pepper.
- The The Golden Pumpkin page lists habanero and ghost pepper.
- The Golden Pumpkin is the original and first hot sauce made by Craic Sauce.
- The Golden Pumpkin: chicken wings, chili and eggs.
- Brian Boru’s Curry is a turmeric enriched curry hot sauce made from fermenting local farm sourced produce.
- The Brian Boru’s Curry page lists Hungarian Wax and Scotch Bonnet.
- Brian Boru’s Curry has fermented for just over six months.
- 40 Shades of Green Chilli lists a regular price of $10.00 USD.
- The same sauce blends four types of green chilli peppers with roasted tomatillos, green apples, peaches and cilantro.
- Holy Fiddlehead lists a regular price of $12.00 USD.
- Holy Fiddlehead responsibly forages and ferments local ingredients with citrusy peppers, micro greens and a handcrafted scallion celery vinegar.
- The Holy Fiddlehead page lists shishito, cubanelle, Hungarian hot wax and datil.
- Kelpie lists a regular price of $12.00 USD.
- Kelpie incorporates Chatham Kelp from Cape Cod.
- Kelpie: shrimp, oysters, salad or tartar sauce.
- Aji Punch lists a regular price of $12.00 USD.
- Aji Punch is a medley of Aji peppers with local peaches, cherries and plums.
- Burnin’ Bog lists a regular price of $12.00 USD.
- Burnin’ Bog pairs Carolina Reaper and other peppers with fresh cranberries from Cape Cod and roasted sweet potatoes.
- Burnin’ Bog is the first super-hot hot sauce in the line.
- Ready Steady Pepper Sauce lists a regular price of $12.00 USD.
- Ready Steady Pepper Sauce was built with the company’s own Scotch Bonnet and Scorpion peppers, husk cherry vinegar and handmade mustard.
- Chef Marsay of Sandwich Boy Co came to Craic Sauce in 2024 with the idea for Ready Steady Pepper Sauce.
- Merrimack Black uses a hand-crafted vinegar made from Navigation Brewery’s Black Pepper Porter.
- Clark Farm Hot Sauce is built from tomatoes, jalapeños and hot wax peppers with a spicy jalapeño-tomato vinegar.
- Hutchins Farm Hot Sauce is the most pepper-forward batch yet and highlights the floral side of the peppers.
- Farmer Dave’s Hot Sauce lists a regular price of $10.00 USD.
- Mead Barrel Aged Brian Boru’s Curry lists a regular price of $18.00 USD.
- Mead Barrel Aged Brian Boru’s Curry is aged in a former mead barrel from Blisspoint Meadery.
- Everything We Got Bundle lists a regular price of $89.99 USD.
FAQ
Where can I buy Craic Sauce?
The home page says Craic Sauce makes its sauces in small batches at a community kitchen in Lowell, MA. The sauce finder page says the company partners with 100+ independent local retailers. The company vends at over 300 events each year.
What should I order at Craic Sauce?
The documented signature sauce is Mill City Red.
What peppers does Craic Sauce use?
The Mill City Red page lists cayenne, Fresno and red habanero. The The Golden Pumpkin page lists habanero and ghost pepper. The Holy Fiddlehead page lists shishito, cubanelle, Hungarian hot wax and datil.