New Year's Resolutions lists are everywhere this time of year, and people are trying to find a few things to work on for next year. However, the problem with most New Year's Resolutions is that they are boring! Why don't you make sure you spice up the next 365 days and commit to a few of these New Year's Resolutions for Hot Sauce lovers.

1. Introduce someone new to craft hot sauce

Exploring new hot sauces is so much fun to do with friends. Whether it's a taco Tuesday ritual where you bring over different hot sauces to try or fishing trip where everyone brings a hot sauce, it's a fun way to explore new flavors.

Are your friends hot sauce haters or wimps? Good thing we already wrote a blog post on How to Turn a Hot Sauce Hater into a Chilehead!

2. Go to a hot sauce festival

Hot Sauce festivals are a blast. It's a great opportunity to try so many different types of hot sauces, meet the makers behind the sauces, listen to some music, and definitely bring some sauces back for your fridge. Take a look at our calendar to see if there is a hot sauce event near you!

3. Try a new hot sauce each month

You already might have a favorite type of hot sauce, but it is important to try new sauces and new flavors. Look at our Craft Hot Sauce Stories and make sure you try a new one each month. We also have a Craft Hot Sauce Box where you get three new small batch hot sauces each month delivered with the story behind the sauces and company. 

4. Make your own homemade hot sauce

There are many good resources online to give you step by step instructions on how to make your own sauce. If you are interested in a high-level overview before you dig into the specific steps, read this post "Tips for coming up with your first hot sauce recipe" or check out our recipe section.

5. Give hot sauce as a present to a friend or work colleague

I was recently talking to a hobbyist hot sauce maker who made 80 bottles of a bhut jolokia/habanero sauce with about a dozen other ingredients. He gave about 20 bottles away to work colleagues over the holidays. When deciding who to give them too and who would appreciate the special gift, he guessed with 100% accuracy who would want it and who wouldn't based on their personality. According to his experience, people that are friendly, outgoing, adventurous and like good food are way more likely to like hot sauce.

6. Look up your nearest small-batch hot sauce company and find them at the local farmers market

It's important to support local artisans, and small batch hot sauce makers want to meet their local supporters. Simply do a Google search of your location + hot sauce company, and you are bound to find a company close to you. Many of these companies go to local farmer markets, and they are always grateful to talk to you and teach you about their sauces.

7. Advocate for Craft Hot Sauce

 Hot Sauce is now a billion dollar industry, and each year small-batch hot sauce companies are taking a share away from the larger companies. Craft Hot Sauce companies are taking away market share because they taste better and are healthier. Talk about craft hot sauce to your friends and support small batch companies to accelerate the hot sauce revolution.

8. Host a hot sauce tasting

Hot Sauce tastings are a fun way to gather with some friends and chileheads, and expand your hot sauce pallet. There are a few ways you can organize a hot sauce tasting, but Serious Eats has a good article on how to throw a hot sauce tasting.

9. Bring craft hot sauce to a dinner party

Often when I bring a specialty craft hot sauce to a dinner party they say it's the best hot sauce they've ever had. It can also add a little more to the meal if the person cooking is a bit bland.  Inevitably a conversation will help accelerate the craft house sauce movement!

Hope you can pick a few hot sauce resolutions for this year. If you have any additional Chilihead New Year's Resolutions, comment below and we can add them!