Republic of Heat Knowledge Hub

The Chili Codex

A living atlas of chilies - flavour, fire, and fact in one place. Built for cooks, fermenters, and the mildly obsessed.

Browse the A-Z directory Read heat safety guides

Peppers indexed

8 featured peppers

Guides live

6 expert guides

Scoville range

1,000–2,200,000 SHU

Featured peppers

Every pepper has a file - origin, flavour, heat, and a few secrets

Clear cards for quick learning - heat, taste, origin, and real sauces they inspire.

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Capsicum annuum

Jalapeño

2,500-8,000 SHU

Medium

MediumgrassyBright

Mexico, Veracruz

Capsicum chinense

Habanero

100,000-350,000 SHU

Very Hot

HotFruityCitrusy

Mexico, Yucatán Peninsula

Capsicum chinense

Ghost Pepper

800,000-1,041,427 SHU

Extreme

slow-burnSmokyFruity

India, Assam and Nagaland

Capsicum chinense

Carolina Reaper

1,400,000-2,200,000 SHU

Extreme

instant-heatFruitySweet

United States, South Carolina

Capsicum chinense

Scotch Bonnet

100,000-350,000 SHU

Very Hot

HotFruityTangy

Caribbean, Jamaica

Capsicum annuum

Thai Chili

50,000-100,000 SHU

Very Hot

HotFruitysharp

Thailand and Southeast Asia

Capsicum annuum

Serrano

10,000-25,000 SHU

Medium

MediumBrightgrassy

Mexico, Puebla and Hidalgo mountains

Capsicum annuum

Poblano

1,000-2,000 SHU

Mild

MildEarthyRich

Mexico, Puebla

What-is primers

Plain-language guides to Scoville, capsaicin, and the science of heat - minus the jargon.

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What-Is

What are Heat Levels?

Heat levels categorize peppers from Mild to Extreme based on Scoville Heat Units. Learn the five tiers and how to choose peppers that match your tolerance.

Nov 8, 2025

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What-Is

What is Capsaicin?

Capsaicin is the chemical compound that makes peppers hot. Learn how it works, where it lives in the pepper, and why it triggers that fiery sensation.

Nov 8, 2025

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What-Is

What is the Scoville Scale?

Learn how the Scoville Scale measures chili pepper heat, from mild bell peppers at 0 SHU to extreme Carolina Reapers at 2,000,000+ SHU.

Nov 8, 2025

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How-to playbooks

Hands-on guides for fermenting, tasting, and staying safe - linked straight to the chilies themselves.

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How-To

How to Ferment Chilies (Beginner-Safe)

Learn how to ferment chilies at home with this beginner-friendly guide. Transform fresh peppers into tangy, complex hot sauce mash in 7-14 days.

Nov 8, 2025

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How-To

How to Handle Hot Peppers Safely

Learn how to handle hot peppers safely with gloves, ventilation, and proper cleaning techniques. Avoid capsaicin burns and know what to do if you touch your eyes.

Nov 8, 2025

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How-To

How to Make Hot Sauce Safely

Make hot sauce safely at home with proper pH control, sterilization, and bottling techniques. Learn the 60-30-10 formula for shelf-stable sauces.

Nov 8, 2025

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Scoville Atlas

Climb the heat ladder

Explore chilies by strength - an interactive scale for the brave and the curious.

Spotlight pepper

Jalapeño

Medium2,500–8,000 SHU

Scoville spread

2,500–8,000 SHU

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Latest guides

Keep the lab notes handy

Fresh drops from the Ministry of Heat cover science, safety, and comparisons.

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