BERLIN HOMEMADE HOT SAUCE COMPETITION 2025
Part of the Berlin Chili Festival September 5th-7th, 2025 https://www.berlinchilifest.com/
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BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!
Enter your own homemade hot sauce in Berlin’s Best Homemade Hot Sauce Competition at the September Berlin Chili Festival. Our panel of hot sauce enthusiasts, makers, and chefs will judge all entries, with the top 10 participants winning fantastic prizes!
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HOW TO ENTER
When:
- Saturday, September 6th: 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- Sunday, September 7th: 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Where: Competition table at the festival (ask any staff member for directions)
What to bring:
- Your hot sauce in a clean container with your sauce name clearly written on it
- Ingredient list on separate paper (also with sauce name written on it), listing ingredients by weight percentage:
- Highest percentage ingredient first
- Lowest percentage ingredient last
- Please specify chili types and percentages used (if possible)
No pre-registration required – just show up and enter!
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JUDGING CRITERIA
Our expert panel will score each sauce out of 10 points in five categories:
- Aroma/Nose – First impressions matter
- Use of Chilis/Heat Profile* – Balance and technique (hotter doesn’t mean a better score)
- Flavor/Palate – Overall taste experience
- Creativity/Individuality/Memorability – What makes your sauce unique
- Finish/Aftertaste/Afterburn – The lasting impression
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WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT
Sunday, September 7th, 2025 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM Main Stage
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COMPETITION RULES
- You must have made the hot sauce yourself (family recipes welcome!)
- Non-commercial entries only – homemade sauces exclusively
- Food safety is paramount:
- Prepare sauces hygienically
- Research proper hot filling/canning processes
- Mark fermented sauces clearly on ingredient list
- Unsafe-looking or smelling sauces will be disqualified
- Judges’ decisions are final
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PRIZES
Winners receive:
- Trophy
- Ultimate bragging rights
- Chance to defend your title next year
- Berlin Chili Festival hamper packed with festival goodies
- Entry onto the homemade hot sauce winners leader board
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QUESTIONS?
Email: chilipunkberlin@gmail.com Website: https://www.berlinchilifest.com/
Good luck, and may the best sauce win!
Need Chilis? we recommend Westland Peppers : Westlandpeppers | chilipepers & paprika’s Please mention “Berlin Chili Festival” if you order from them.