Denver hot sauce maker secures coveted spot on Hot Ones Season 29 with Sichuan tangerine sauce born from backyard pepper experiments
DENVER – Sauce Leopard, the Denver-based craft hot sauce company, announces its return to the Hot Ones lineup, claiming the #6 position with Homegrown Hell, a Sichuan peppercorn and tangerine sauce born from an annual Sauce Leopard tradition.
"Each summer we grow a rotating variety of chili peppers in our home gardens for an annual, ultra-small batch sauce that we dubbed 'Homegrown Hell,'" says owner Shaun Goodwin. "The flavor and choice of peppers change each year, as does the quantity of bottles, which depends on the pepper yield in our small gardens."
Released in the spring of 2025, the fourth edition of the sauce—like all previous Homegrown Hell releases—sold out in minutes. When the Hot Ones team expressed interest in the flavor, Sauce Leopard refined the recipe for commercial production while retaining the original artwork from their good friend and collaborator, Earl Snyder.
“Homegrown Hell helps keep us connected to the process that hooked us initially: growing all sorts of peppers at home, experimenting with different ingredients, and turning right around to share these creations with our friends,” says Michael Goodwin, Shaun’s brother and business partner. “It’s an incredible opportunity to take it to the big stage with Hot Ones.”
The appearance marks Sauce Leopard's second feature on the popular YouTube series, following its Season 18 debut with The Seventh Reaper, a red chimichurri-style sauce.
Hot Ones Season 29 kicks off Thursday Jan 22, 2026with special guest Jason Segel. New episodes air every Thursday, and all can be viewed on the First We Feast YouTube channel.
About Sauce Leopard: Founded in 2020 by Shaun Goodwin, Sauce Leopard is a Denver-based hot sauce company that has gained global recognition for its versatile sauces and bold branding.
Media Contact: [email protected].