Steel City Sauce Co. “The Banshee” Hot Sauce Review

Holy Hannah, The Banshee from Steel City Sauce Co. is hot! This one really had me sweating at lunch, I was not expecting this to pack the punch it did. Made with ghost peppers, you can be sure to experience some sweating when enjoying this hot sauce.

Even when opening the bottle it smells spicy, just not THAT spicy!

A bottle of The Banshee hot sauce made by Steel City Sauce Co.

Introducing: The Banshee by Steel City Sauce Co.

Much like my parents, this hot sauce is made in Hamilton, Ontario. Not far from where my grandmother lives actually. The Banshee is made with Ghost peppers and a bunch of other savoury ingredients. The ingredients used in Steel City Sauce Co.’s hot sauces are fresh so each of their sauces packs rich flavour as well as heat.

You can find The Banshee for sale at various places on the internet for around $10-$13. This hot sauce, like many others, comes in a 148mL woozy bottle.

The peppers used in this hot sauce are actually White Ghost Peppers. These peppers have the same flavour as regular Ghost Peppers but with a bit of a fruitier taste, and apparently, the sting is less sharp. To me the sting was just as sharp as a regular ghost pepper variety.

The nutritional label on The Banshee by Steel City Sauce Co.

Manufacturer: Steel City Sauce Co.
Made In: Ontario
Heat Rating: 8/10
Size: 148mL
Price Range: $10-$13
Buy from Steel City Sauce Co
Buy from Chilly Chiles

Ingredients: Ghost Peppers, Vinegar, Olic Oil, Onion, Carrot, Soybean Oil/Canola Oil, Apple Butter, Salt, Garlic, Xanthan Gum

Hot Sauce Made In Canada

Appearance

The label has a pretty hilarious graphic that resembles my facial expression the first time I tried The Banshee. That label is attached to a 148mL woozy bottle with a black lid and black shrink wrap.

The mustard yellow sauce inside the bottle is thin and easily pourable. Inside the sauce, you can see bits of ingredients floating around, but the ingredients are finely blended. The sauce is pretty homogenous in texture and doesn’t have a chunky feel to it.

The Banshee hot sauce on a spoon to show texture made by Steel City Sauce Co

Smell

Here is where things get spicy.

Once you open the bottle, you can tell there is something hot inside. Then after reading the label you realize it’s Ghost peppers and begin to mentally prepare yourself for the journey ahead.

The two standouts in the scent of The Banshee are the heat from the peppers and the earthiness of the carrot.

In the background is just a tiny hint of the sweetness from the onions and carrots. Onions and Carrots seem to be a theme in hot sauces these days.

Taste

Alright, I had to taste test this one in small bits because it is so potent. A little hard to taste the flavour behind the heat but it is there.

You can definitely taste the onions and carrots right after you move past the initial shock of the Ghost Peppers. After the savoury comes more heat, and then a bit of the Ghost Pepper flavour. Once all of those flavours are out of the way you get the sweetness of the onions and carrots. They really help relax the tastebuds after that capsaicin overload.

Heat Level

The Banshee is up there on the heat level, no wonder since it’s made with Ghost Peppers. I’m sitting here typing this with some on a spoon for taste-testing and I’m pretty sure I’m sweating just from the smell alone.

Now after taste-testing the spoonful I’m sitting here pacing and tapping my foot from the sharp heat on the tip of my tongue.

This hot sauce by Steel City Sauce Co. is incredibly hot, I’m sweating all over my head and my nose is running. I’m pretty close to hyperventilating and my lips hurt a bit.

All of that being said, The Banshee is not incredibly overwhelming. The heat goes away in less than 5 minutes but it is pretty intense.

Flavour

It is pretty hard to gauge the flavour of The Banshee. I can sense there is definitely a mustard vibe, even though there is no mustard. This, in my opinion, makes The Banshee a great hot sauce for sausages.

The heat is sharp and strong but manageable in small doses. The Banshee goes great with sandwiches, especially those of the smoked meat variety.

Conclusion: Overall Thoughts

I really enjoyed The Banshee by Steel City Sauce Co. The bottle will sit on my desk until it is gone.

I’ve tried it on the two staples of my diet, Chicken Wings and Sandwiches. I can vouch that The Banshee goes great with both of those.

This is a very hot sauce and is not for the faint of heart.

Give it a shot, but start low and go slow. Damn The Banshee is hot.

The Banshee by Steel City Sauce Co.

This hot sauce will have you screaming like a banshee from the sharp and lingering heat of the ghost peppers. Not to fear though, The Banshee also has incredible flavour to make the heat worthwhile.

The Hot Sauce Guy

Summary

A high heat level with a great flavour is what earned The Banshee 4.5 Stars. It is rare to find a super-hot sauce that is also no stranger to flavour.

4.5

Please remember that taste is subjective and everyone will experience hot sauce uniquely. These reviews contain my own thoughts and opinions. If you think you’ll enjoy a hot sauce then you should definitely try it out.

Mike P

Welcome to The Hot Sauce Guy! I’m Mike, your guide to the spicy world of hot sauces and the creator of Spicy Riffs Hot Sauce. From Canada, I share the hottest reviews, pepper-growing tips, and sauce recipes with a touch of rock and roll.

My passion? Crafting the perfect blend of heat and flavor. Whether you’re here for the fire or the flair, get ready for a journey into the world of spicy delights.

Let’s turn up the heat together!
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