Appalachian Alchemist is dedicated to creating exceptional hot sauces that embody the rich culinary traditions of the Appalachian region. Our sauces are crafted with locally sourced, organic ingredients and meticulously tested to ensure each bottle delivers unparalleled flavor and quality. From smoky and sweet to fiery and bold, our diverse range of sauces offers something for every palate, bringing a taste of the mountains to your table.
We pride ourselves on delivering hot sauces that capture the true essence of Appalachian cuisine. Our commitment to using fresh, organic, and locally sourced ingredients ensures a premium product that stands out in taste and quality. Each sauce is a testament to our passion for authenticity and innovation, providing a flavorful experience that elevates any dish. Join us on a culinary journey through the flavors of Appalachia.
Authentic Appalachian Flavor
An Alchemist's Tale:
a story of kung-fu, chicken wings, and nuclear physics
The Tale
It all started on one fateful trip when I was 13 to Columbia, SC, with my sister and her then-boyfriend. My sister and I were going down there to get the famed fried chicken, but her boyfriend was going there for what he called buffalo wings, which is something I had never heard of up to that point. I fell in love with chicken wings and off we went!
I spent years trying and trying all of these different sauces to find a favorite and see how hot I could handle. The sauces I tried produced an amazing night of chicken wings for my friends and myself whenever we cooked them. Over the years I also began to learn the art of kung-fu, from which came the discipline principles that allow me to continue working hard every single day.
My goal when I was starting to make sauce was not to sell it, but instead to make the best hot sauce I had ever tasted for my friends and myself. While I was in grad-school in San Diego, CA, I lived at a house that had a habanero plant in the backyard. This singular plant started my sauce making journey when I attempted to re-create a sauce I had eaten at one point... and I couldn't get anywhere close to the sauce I had before (and it tasted terrible)
Fast-forward 3 years and it's 2020. I am working in a family-style restaurant in Asheville, NC, and the world shut down. Locked in for what felt like an eternity, I went to the local grocery and found fresh habanero peppers right there in front of me again. So I decided to make another go at making the sauce. We were allowed to come back to work for a short time per week and our family-style meal time before shifts gave me a perfect testing ground for my new hot sauce venture.
After bringing my sauce to that same family restaurant and letting my co-workers try the sauce along with weighing into the flavor and taste profiles, I began to perfect and hone the first flavor of my sauce. Then after a few attempts I had managed to satisfy the requirements of all of my co-workers and sent some jars home with a few of them.
One day, a co-worker I had sent a jar home to came back and said I need more, we ran out! So I quickly replicated the batch I had given them and returned to work with a brand new glowing bottle of hot sauce. My co-worker refused to let me go unpaid for this sauce, though. That experience made me realize, I could make money from this! And so sparked a business idea to sell the best hot sauce anyone could ever taste, and turn their food into pure gold!
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Thanks to our friends at firehouse bottling, we are able to fulfill orders as long as the shelves are stocked, which normally isn't for long, so grab yours while supplies last!
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