Item: Ujjo
Rating: 1
Author: Damien T

Ujjo makes hot sauce for coffee using no vinegar and a subtle sweetener base to create a hint of spice for light and dark roasts.

Ujjo is the first hot sauce for coffee. 

Yep, you read that right. Hot sauce. For your coffee.

If you're thinking, "that sounds pretty gross," you're not alone - and honestly, I thought the same thing when a friend dared me to throw hot sauce in my coffee back in Summer 2020. 

Surprise surprise, it *was* pretty gross, but it got the gears turning. Growing up with an Indian dad, a hallmark of my childhood was going to my grandma's and enjoying her authentic spiced chai. I started to wonder - is there a way to replicate that same sensation for coffee?

So I began experimenting to see if I could create a vinegar-free hot sauce that would bring out the flavors of coffee instead of competing against them. After 10 months and a *lot* of false starts, Ujjo was born. 

And even though it started as a joke, it quickly took on a life of its own: since we launched in April 2021, Ujjo has made its way to 48 states and 16 countries around the world. Some of the biggest foodies have jumped on our spicy bandwagon, including Sprudge, The Pioneer Woman, and Morgan Drinks Coffee.

But the most exciting part of this journey is the community that has brought it to life: and that's where you come in. I'm seriously so thankful and honored that you've taken the time to read about Ujjo, and maybe I've even convinced you that hot sauce in coffee *isn't* so weird after all. Either way, thanks for all you're doing to fan the flames on my crazy little idea.

- Lauren

Lauren D'Souza

Food

Ujjo

Pantry

Coffee

Drink

Hi Damien,

I'm sorry that Ujjo didn't do it for you. Based on your review, it sounds like a smaller dose might have worked out better for you––just like with "regular" hot sauce, there definitely is such a thing as overdosing and the reaction you're describing sounds like that. (For reference, on our label we recommend dosing 1/4 tsp at a time to prevent this from happening.) I'd also encourage you to try to Ujjo in different types of coffee (ie. with milk, in a mocha) as well as in teas, hot chocolates, even desserts because those might be more your style. Thanks for the time and happy taste testing!

Maybe not for me, but think my coffee and hot sauce connoisseur brother would love it. 

The only sauce I'm a regular with is sriracha, so I might not be the target audience. BUT the hot sauce was definitely really hot and had a nice hint of sweetness and other spices. If you drink coffee first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, you'll feel the spiciness in the body pretty quickly. 
I usually drink black coffee, so it wasn't super delicious with Ujjo, but I think it'd be a lot more enjoyable in a spiced chai or sweetened latte. 

I wanted to test Ujjo because it sounds crazy. I thought to myself “who the hell would want to put hot sauce in coffee?!”

Now I’ve tried it, and can honestly say the thought remains.

I love hot sauce and I love weird food mashups when they work, but this doesn’t. It adds a weird tang to the coffee and a spice which sits more on your throat than tongue.

Fun to try though, and I’m sure I’ll pull it out when friends come over for dinner but I couldn’t see ever using this regularly because it’s actually nice 🤷‍♂️

This is like an extra kick anywhere you'd expect cinnamon or cloves. It's especially good in pumpkin spice lattes or chai tea. My favorite is the dark roast because of the deeper flavor (think dark honey or molasses) but the light roast is also good if you like brighter drinks. 

It's not too spicy, just enough to make your mouth tingle. Looking forward to the colder seasons to try it in fall and winter cocktails.

I thought it was interesting and delicious! Really tasty spice blend. I am a big fan of spicy margaritas and spicy chai drinks so I was really excited to try Ujjo. I will say - it can get pretty hot! Use less than you think you need and build up to your right amount. Super fun brand and I can see this making a great gift.

My roommate turned me on to dark roast Ujjo and I put it on my burgers and steak. 

I bought this as a gag gift for my Dad. He likes hot food and he drinks a lot of coffee, so why not combine the two? After the initial shock and awe of the gift we gave it a try.

Now, I don’t drink coffee, but that’s where we started (mind you, after a few drinks)… it definitely gave the coffee a pop but wasn’t enough to change my distaste for coffee. But then I threw some in my rum and coke and I gotta say it gave it a nice kick and mixed well with the flavors. Then we got weird, put some in my mom’s tea, surprisingly good. Then a beer… not so much. Then a margarita, oh yes! 

Definitely an interesting product and worth playing around with.

Just not for me. I was intrigued by the concept as both a coffee and hot sauce aficionado, and once I understood the inspiration for the product I thought it was really cool. My biggest issue is the inclusion of erythritol among the ingredients. I don't usually like my coffee or my hot sauce with any added sweetness, and I especially don't like the taste of sugar alternatives. I'm disappointed for myself but respect the concept!