Capsicum chinense

Carolina Reaper - Scoville, Taste & Uses

Carolina Reaper is the reigning monarch of heat. Each pod looks like a twisted heart with a sharp tail. The first seconds bring a hint of cherry and cinnamon. Then a tidal wave of fire seizes every nerve. The burn can last twenty minutes, which thrill seekers call a badge of honor. Created by grower Ed Currie, the Reaper fuels challenge wings, extract sauces, and limited edition condiments. Makers use it sparingly in mash ferments and pepper flakes. The official range clocks in at 1,400,000 to 2,200,000 SHU. Few peppers rival its raw intensity - sworn in by the Ministry of Scorching Affairs. Carolina Reaper typically measures 1,400,000-2,200,000 SHU (Extreme). Shows up across United States, South Carolina in condiments, pickles, and marinades. Use Carolina Reapers in micro quantities for sauces, chili pastes, and infused oils. Blend with sweet fruit like mango or peach to tame the heat while keeping aroma. Add tiny slivers to chili, barbecue glazes, or chocolate truffles for adventurous citizens. Dehydrate pods for powders that blast spice blends. Ferment them with salt for mash, then mix with vinegar for droppers or gift-size bottles. Always dilute thoroughly, and warn diners before serving. See sauces using Carolina Reaper

Also known as: HP22B, Reaper Pepper

Capsicum chinenseSauce Index | 7
Carolina Reaper hero image

Species

Capsicum chinense

Heat

1,400,000-2,200,000 SHUExtreme

Flavour

instant-heat, Fruity, Sweet, floral, lingering

Origin / Regions

United States, South Carolina

Colour / Shape

Vibrant red with pointed tail

Pod size

4-5 cm long, 2-3 cm wide

Try it in the wild

Get sauces featuring Carolina Reaper

3 European small-batch sauces - flavour, fire and occasionally a bit of chaos, in a box.

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Sauces Using Carolina Reaper

Explore how makers use Carolina Reaper across styles and regions.

Arigato Gozaimisu hot sauce bottle

Arigato Gozaimisu

extremeFreestyle

by Chicos Farm

That umami flavour bomb packed with serious heat you never knew you needed. The savoury beast from the East, Arigato Gozaimiso, pays homage to the rich, complex flavours of South and East Asian cuisine. It’s a deep dive into umami, blending tangy, savoury, sweet, salty, citric, and earthy notes, all brought together with serious heat in one unforgettable bottle. Fermented with hoisin, fish sauce, lime, lemongrass, and powered by our signature Naga Vipers, Brazilian Ghost Peppers, and a finish of Red Carolina Reapers, it delivers both full flavour and full fire. Expect an umami-rich flavour journey with smoky, deep earthy tones, and crisp savoury bursts, balanced by zesty citrus and a touch of sweetness.

Arigatou Gozaimiso hot sauce bottle

Arigatou Gozaimiso

extremeFreestyle

by Chicos Farm

That umami flavour bomb packed with serious heat you never knew you needed. The savoury beast from the East, Arigato Gozaimiso, pays homage to the rich, complex flavours of South and East Asian cuisine. It’s a deep dive into umami, blending tangy, savoury, sweet, salty, citric, and earthy notes, all brought together with serious heat in one unforgettable bottle. Fermented with hoisin, fish sauce, lime, lemongrass, and powered by our signature Naga Vipers, Brazilian Ghost Peppers, and a finish of Red Carolina Reapers, it delivers both full flavour and full fire. Expect an umami-rich flavour journey with smoky, deep earthy tones, and crisp savoury bursts, balanced by zesty citrus and a touch of sweetness. We’ve been caught “smuggling” bottles into our favourite ramen spot, but at home it’s a go-to for stir-fried rice, noodle bowls, or as a dipping sauce (mix it with soy!) for gyozas or summer rolls. Rumour has it, it’s also great on schnitzel... hey, we don’t judge.

Not Your Abuela's Sauce hot sauce bottle

Not Your Abuela's Sauce

hotBBQ Chili Sauce

by Chicos Farm

A bold, smoky, citrusy and slightly earthy goodness, packed with some lingering fuego! Ever thought about learning the trumpet? This sauce might just give you your first lesson, one fiery blow at a time. Fermented con mucho amor y fuego, with sweet peppers, tomatoes, smoked dried chillies, orange, toasted cumin and coriander seeds, cinnamon, and our very own homegrown mix of Red, Purple and Chocolate Carolina Reapers, plus the mighty Chocolate Bhutlah. Be warned, the heat on this one is sneaky. It starts warm and friendly, gently dancing on your tongue, but before you know it, you're spitting fire. After you’ve tried it on tacos or chilli, save some to liven up grilled meats, roasted veggies, potatoes, or just drizzle it on toast with cheese. We won't judge.

Not Your Abuela's Sauce hot sauce bottle

Not Your Abuela's Sauce

mediumBBQ Chili Sauce

by Chicos Farm

Suave, zesty, smoky hot sauce with just the right amount of fuego. Cue up the music, because your mouth is about to sing. Inspired by a recipe from a real Mexican abuela, this is our signature Mexican-based sauce. Fermented con mucho amor, sweet peppers, tomatoes, smoked dried chillies, orange, dried cumin and coriander seeds, cinnamon, and our very own homegrown Red Big Mama, Yellow Scorpion Butch-T, and just a touch of Red Carolina Reaper, just enough to keep things interesting without overwhelming. Not Your Abuela’s brings your food to life with a deep citrusy-smoky flavour and a crisp, slightly sweet edge. Please try not to use it all on your tacos or chilli. Save some to liven up your grilled meat, roasted veggies, potatoes, or even just a piece of bread (no judgment).

TriniTang hot sauce bottle

TriniTang

mediumFreestyle

by Chicos Farm

Freshly citric! Lime meets fresh mint and parsley, in a tangy hot mess. Get ready for some sunshine in a bottle. TriniTang is our bright, summer-feel sauce that warms you up in the winter. Fermented with fruity sweet peppers, fresh lime, parsley and mint, and blessed with Yellow Scorpion Butch-T, White Jolokia, and just a dash of Red Carolina Reaper to get things going. It brings a zesty warmth and a fresh herbal breeze to your table, with just the right amount of tang to liven up anything you're cooking. We love it as a salad dressing, drizzled over grilled fish, seafood, oven-baked vegetables, or any lean meat like chicken or turkey.

Flavour & Aroma

Carolina Reaper is the reigning monarch of heat. Each pod looks like a twisted heart with a sharp tail. The first seconds bring a hint of cherry and cinnamon. Then a tidal wave of fire seizes every nerve. The burn can last twenty minutes, which thrill seekers call a badge of honor. Created by grower Ed Currie, the Reaper fuels challenge wings, extract sauces, and limited edition condiments. Makers use it sparingly in mash ferments and pepper flakes. The official range clocks in at 1,400,000 to 2,200,000 SHU. Few peppers rival its raw intensity - sworn in by the Ministry of Scorching Affairs.
Use Carolina Reapers in micro quantities for sauces, chili pastes, and infused oils. Blend with sweet fruit like mango or peach to tame the heat while keeping aroma. Add tiny slivers to chili, barbecue glazes, or chocolate truffles for adventurous citizens. Dehydrate pods for powders that blast spice blends. Ferment them with salt for mash, then mix with vinegar for droppers or gift-size bottles. Always dilute thoroughly, and warn diners before serving.

Heat Profile

Scoville range

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

Heat label

Extreme

Harvest window

Late summer to early autumn

Sauce Index count

7

History & Culture

The Carolina Reaper was bred by Ed Currie of PuckerButt Pepper Company in South Carolina. He crossed a Pakistani Naga with a Caribbean La SoufriĂšre Red Habanero to create the cultivar. In 2013, Guinness World Records certified the Reaper as the world's hottest pepper, a title it still holds in many competitions. Seeds spread globally through specialty vendors, fueling an extreme chili culture. The pepper helped popularize pepper eating contests, challenge chips, and superhot mash fermentations among sauce makers.

Botany & Growing Notes

▌
Reapers require high heat, long seasons, and patient growers. Start seeds indoors 12 weeks before the last frost using heat mats at 30°C. Transplant outdoors only when soil stays above 18°C. Plants reach 90 cm to 1.2 m tall, with heavy branching that benefits from pruning and staking. They need full sun, high humidity, and calcium rich feeding to support dense pod sets. Expect 120 to 150 days from transplant to ripe fruit. In cooler climates, greenhouses or indoor grow tents are essential.

Trial Box visual placeholder

  • 3 × 100 ml sauces (varied styles)
  • Tasting card & pairing pointers
  • Ships EU-wide; limited runs

Trial Box

One-off box to explore heat and flavour across different sauce styles. No commitment; just taste and take notes.

Buy Trial Box

FAQ

Carolina Reaper typically measures 1,400,000-2,200,000 SHU (Extreme). Ranges shift with cultivar and growing conditions.

Sources

  • Republic of Heat tasting lab field notes
  • Producer dossiers submitted through Directus
  • Open cultivar registries & academic pepper research

We cross-reference seed banks, peer-reviewed literature, and reputable producer data for SHU and origin claims.

Reviewed by Republic of Heat - last updated 2025-11-08