Burned by the sriracha shortage? Try these 5 Colorado hot sauces instead.

The disappearance of the familiar Huy Fong sriracha hot sauce from store shelves over the past two years is a direct result, producers say, of bad weather and an ingredient-sourcing crisis. As a result, people have been paying exorbitant prices for bottles of the market-leading, green-capped Vietnamese condiment online, according to an article in the New York Times from last week.

That’s a tragedy, but not for people who know where to look for other srirachas (hint: they’re not that hard to find). Sriracha hot sauce makers abound in Colorado, selling their wares online, at farmers markets and in specialty stores. But even the grocery chains, such as King Soopers and Safeway have lately carried more legit brands of Colorado-produced hot sauce.

How is that possible? Because Sriracha’s a blend, not a chile pepper or a brand, so its flavor and spice are not mutually exclusive. Between the popular “Hot Ones” series (YouTube, Hulu), which invites celebrities such as Jennifer Lawrence and Florence Pugh to eat hot wings doused in increasingly blistering sauces, and the niche food entrepreneurs, quality hot sauces are much more common these days (even if the sauces themselves can be unmerciful to your palate).

Here are five Colorado-made hot sauces that will help you forget about the sriracha shortage, or at least convince you that it’s not the end of your delicious, fiery world. They’re made with all-natural ingredients and no preservatives, and most are kosher, gluten-free and vegan. (Many can also be purchased in half-gallons, if you’re a committed masochist.)

Merfs Jamberry, Peach and Hand Grenade Srirachas

Denver-based producer Merfs Condiments offers three sriracha varieties worth tracking down: Jamberry Sriracha (with berry and arbol peppers), Pandemic Peach Sriracha (peach and red jalapeno), and Hand Grenade (pineapple and arbol).

Merfs signature fruitiness marries with the spice to create an adrenalized push-and-pull that’s familiar to lovers of Korean and Vietnamese food. Sold as “great alternatives” to traditional sriracha, these sauces spring to life in barbecue, pho and ramen, and as marinades for chicken.

Heat scale: 6-8 out of 10. $3.50-$8.50. merfscondiments.com

The Assgasher

This savory blend of Fresno, habanero and bell peppers doesn’t skimp on the garlic. It’s less concentrated than traditional sriracha — more liquid than paste — but the flavor bonds strongly with pizza, hairs-of-the-dog (Bloody Marys, micheladas) and “the seared flesh of your enemies,” according to the website. There’s a tart strike of vinegar, which is a proud hot-sauce tradition and foundation of favorites like Tabasco.

When a name this funny, dumb and heavy-metal (a common theme in the hot sauce world) obscures or enhances such a product, it makes other food categories seem tame. No surprise: it’s a collaboration between Colorado’s Sauce Leopard company and Denver band Axeslasher, which explains the bottle art. We’ll let you Google that for yourself.

Heat: 6 out of 10. $10 per bottle. sauceleopard.com

Jojo’s Green Chile Sriracha

Pueblo-based Jojo’s Sriracha is a proud peddler of the small-batch stuff — chili sauce, as they call theirs — and the prices match their “wild fermented” flavors. It’s fully worth it. They’ve got barrel-aged red (a collaboration with Breckenridge Distillery), Pueblo-source green chile siracha (!!) and “unicorn” varieties, which join Björns sriracha honey (made with extra-hot Jojo’s sriracha) to create a focused line of 8- and 16-ounce bottles.

Green chile sriracha is the most Colo-Mex thing I can think of, even if the competition is fierce out there when it comes to fresh green-chile stews and toppings. Jojo’s didn’t invent this sriracha variation, but they may have perfected it.

Heat: 5-8/10. $17-$18 per bottle. jojossriracha.com

The Seventh Reaper

It was hard not to compile this list exclusively from Sauce Leopard products, given their general excellence; I also like their bright, punchy Sky Rider and tropical Colfax Killer. To my taste, the Carolina Reaper-based Seventh Reaper towers above all. A veteran of Season 18 of “Hot Ones,” this tomato-y wonder is inspired by Argentine red chimichurri sauce and smothers the palate with a complex richness.

This was the crowd favorite when I held a recent, “Hot Ones”-style endurance party in my backyard. As one of the thicker sauces out there, it finds extra purchase on the pebbly surfaces of chicken wings and fried cauliflower bites. To paraphrase “Seinfeld,” there’s nowhere for the flavor to hide.

Heat: 8 out of 10. $11 per bottle. sauceleopard.com

RMC Roasted Reaper Salsa

This Colorado-based producer makes all kinds of crazy stuff in-house, packing jars with Habanero Ghost Pickle Slims and Applekraut and Hatch Baby Corn and Bacon Bourbon BBQ Sauce.

The last time I bought RMC’s Carolina Reaper-based salsa, it only lasted a couple weeks, despite its scorching Scoville level. As a salsa, it loves meeting up with chips, tamales and tacos. But it doubles as a general hot sauce thanks not only to its considerable heat but its versatility. The freshness is real.

Heat: 8 out of 10. $8.60 per bottle. rmcannery.com

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