I've seen the guy interviewed on the news back when the neighbors were complaining about the new factory (I haven't heard definitively whether there was an actual problem with their air scrubbers, or whether it was a kind of mass hysteria or blaming the peppers for a different environmental issue). It was the one guy who came from that area who thought he could make some money making the sauce he liked, but since he named it after the place, he couldn't trademark it. Therefore, following his success all kinds of other people jumped in to make their own versions and ride the coattails of the name he popularized.

I'd had other kinds of Sriracha before, and was not blown away. Raspy and sweet. So I figured I should try the original, even though it has weird ingredients (non-whole foods-ish). I get it why it's so popular: mild heat and very sweet, and the bottle is perfect for squeezing out just the right amount in the right place. It doesn't stick to the sides of the bottle, and comes out easily even when the bottle is running low. It's much better than the whole foods-y knock offs I've tasted, but sure has a lot of sugar! Heat is heat, so I think the sweet, consistency and the bottle are the keys to its success. :)

I've tried a couple of made-in-Thailand srirachas, and I keep coming back to the Huy Fong brand (you know, the bottle with the rooster on it). That link has an amusing tongue-in-cheek made-in-America anthem extolling it. -- I was watching Iron Chef once, and saw Mario Batalli squirt some into something he was making.

Huy Fong is hot, yes, but it has a really clean flavor. If I had to limit myself to just one hot sauce, Huy Fong sriracha would be it. Pure capsicum hot-osity. If you're interested in a chili paste, Huy Fong also makes a great chili paste as well, sambal oolek. I keep both in my arsenal. I notice when I go to my local Indian grocery, they always have loads of both items, and I would trust that Indians know a bit about spicy food.

We have been using both the sauce and the chili paste for years, way before the craze here. I first tried the paste at a chili house in maine in the early 80s. I use the sauce in soups and a lot of different dishes , the paste we use in a lot of cooking( I even put it in my meatloaf). We have tried other brands but came back to the rooster. The wife is Thai so we always have the sauce and paste in the fridge

The documentary was about the maker of Huy Fong, a real down-to-earth, unassuming oriental man. He has never advertised and makes tens of thousands of bottles a day, and it keeps on growing. He's amazed at the popularity.

Karl_tn, you answered something I've wondered......if it should be refrigerated. I keep it in the frig. I also have the hot chili sauce, and I use it very sparingly! LOL

I do like the hot sauce, at least it has flavour; unlike Tabasco which is just heat.

Yes, I like heat, but Tabasco is odd as a condiment. Kind of raw. Thinking on, maybe it actually is?

Yes, Huy Fong is the real deal that I was talking about. It's the potassium bisulfate that I couldn't remember earlier.