Life is getting hot in Thunder Bay folks. Heartbeat Hot Sauce is taking off and The Honest Heart Collective is on fire. Plus the two have teamed up creating a firestorm. On shelves right now, Limited Edition bottles of the Habanero hot sauce with a North American Dream inspired label. Supporting local at its very finest.
Heartbeat Hot Sauce
Heartbeat Hot Sauce Co. was founded in 2015. Nancy and Al, have no problem letting you that after years of hot sauce obsession,they decided to stop purchasing and start cooking! With a history and experience in the restaurant industry they had made a few connections and were not afraid to use them.
Immediately after leaving the restaurant field they started working on their own hot sauce. Consequently,the next few months saw a lot of experimenting followed by even more tasting. It was through this testing that they discovered their “North American Dream” wrapped up in an habanero. Nancy and Al had created the perfect recipe using their favourite pepper: the Red Habanero.
Following that, came the hard task of getting the sauce out. Through all of their connections, friends and family the sauce started catching on. Natural next steps of course, real digs on May Street.
The Process for the Hot Sauce
The peppers are actually fermented using traditional methods before being cooked with a few simple, high quality ingredients. With no water, thickening agents or chemical preservatives of any kind making the sauce is natural as it gets. The result as they accurately describe on their site is an incredibly bright, balanced and slightly sweet sauce that truly goes well with anything that needs some heat.
I can speak from experience when I tell you it is a hands on operation. Ryan may have walked us through the process from the hand cutting of the peppers through the operation of the blending. This small hands on operation has created a product they can be proud of. Plus their sense of community comes through all their messaging.
The Heart of the Hot Sauce
A local business staying local and working on the revitalization of downtown. Selecting a perfect location next door to the Fudge Shop. Honestly who doesn’t love a little sweet with their spice right? I am honestly imagining a homemade chocolate fudge with a hint of Habanero, are you feeling it?
Walking through the front door, one is greeted with a sense of home and often with the smell of peppers. A welcoming small lobby proudly proclaiming the heart of the business.
and then look who we found in the lobby? who wouldn’t want a snap with two of The Honest Heart Collective?
A Tour of Heartbeat Hot Sauce
It is a true small business. The peppers are sliced and diced by hand. It is amazing how technology can assist but the real value is still in the personal touch.
Each bottle is filled individual and a label affixed. The latest label, well The Honest Heart Collective of course. A joint venture of two local icons. The perfect pairing Heartbeat Hot Sauce and The Honest Heart Collective.
Hot Ones First We Feast
Have you heard of Hot Ones? Well check it out on YouTube but first check this clip. Season Six featured Heartbeat Hot Sauce and really put this little gem on the road to “BIG”. I am not saying on the road to great because they were already their on their own.
The Honest Heart Collection
Well repeating myself slightly let’s talk about the pairing again because Heartbeat has had a few pairings in the past. Cancer Bats to name but one. Now these two Thunder Bay notables are working together. Every time you purchase a bottle of Heartbeat Hot Sauce with the North American Dream label you are supporting both. Honest Heart Collective and Heartbeat working together to show the value of support local.
Its a natural pairing. The boys in the band have a deep love of hot sauce and the owners of Heartbeat have a deep love of music. Does a pairing get any better?
