Stories

Red sun over green Red River Valley fields under a bold blue summer sky, with the Off The Deck Hot Sauce logo.
From the Valley: Why Where a Pepper Grows Ends Up in the Bottle
Peppers have terroir, just like wine grapes. See how the Red River Valley's lakebed soil, long summer light, and short season land in every bottle we ferment. Read more...
We Added Peaches to Make It Milder. It Got Hotter.
We Added Peaches to Make It Milder. It Got Hotter.
We added peaches to soften the heat. We got our hottest sauce instead. The surprising science of why fruit made #CrazyAsAPeachOrchardBoar fiercer, not friendlier. Read more...
The Finishing Move
The Finishing Move
Don't just top it off. Layer fermented heat over the fire. Read more...
#KojiHachi koji-fermented umami hot sauce — eight-month-minimum ferment, Off the Deck Hot Sauce
Why We Still Wait At Least Eight Months for #KojiHachi
Hachi means eight — and eight months is the floor. Here's what a slow koji ferment builds in #KojiHachi, and why we refuse to hurry it. Read more...
Ten Years of Fermenting: What a Decade Taught Us About Patience
Ten Years of Fermenting: What a Decade Taught Us About Patience
Ten years ago, we were making hot sauce in two-quart batches on a kitchen counter. This is what a decade of fermenting taught us — the batches we lost, the... Read more...
Lacto vs. Koji: Two Fermentations, Two Completely Different Hot Sauces
Lacto vs. Koji: Two Fermentations, Two Completely Different Hot Sauces
Most hot sauce gets its tang from a bottle of vinegar. Ours gets it from time. We run two completely different fermentations under one roof — lacto for bright, clean... Read more...
Fermented Hot Sauce, Explained: The Four Questions We Hear Most
Fermented Hot Sauce, Explained: The Four Questions We Hear Most
You can't cheat time — and you can't fake transparency. We answered the four questions we get asked most: what makes fermented hot sauce different, whether it's healthy, how to... Read more...
What's Actually Different About Small Batch Hot Sauce?
What's Actually Different About Small Batch Hot Sauce?
What's Actually Different About Small Batch Hot Sauce? The Bottle Doesn't Tell the Whole Story Pick up two bottles of hot sauce. One from a supermarket shelf. One from a... Read more...
Koji Fermentation in Hot Sauce: What It Is, Why We Did It, and What It Tastes Like
Koji Fermentation in Hot Sauce: What It Is, Why We Did It, and What It Tastes Like
It started with a documentary about sake brewers in Japan — and a question we couldn't shake: what would koji do to a pepper? In this post, we break down... Read more...
What Is Lacto-Fermented Hot Sauce? (And Why We Only Make It One Way)
What Is Lacto-Fermented Hot Sauce? (And Why We Only Make It One Way)
What Is Lacto-Fermented Hot Sauce? (And Why We Only Make It One Way) Most hot sauce is made with vinegar. Ours is made with time. Lacto-fermented hot sauce starts with... Read more...
Bowl of chilis in the fore ground with fermentation jars on a counter in the background
We Started Off the Deck in 2016. Here's What We Actually Learned About Fermented Hot Sauce.
A couple pounds of rare Peach Habaneros. A 21-day ferment. One bite that changed everything. This is how Off the Deck started — and what we learned along the way. Read more...
A Taco Seasoning Worth Being Excited About
A Taco Seasoning Worth Being Excited About
Taco seasoning is a staple in spice racks for a reason. It is essential for making Taco Tuesdays delicious and kicks up almost any dish you add it to. However,... Read more...