Merrimack Black: A Collaboration Rooted in Community

Merrimack Black was our first-ever limited edition hot sauce, first released in 2022. At its core, this sauce is a tribute to the creative spirit of Lowell—a city of makers and passionate craftspeople. One of our earliest supporters was Navigation Brewing Co., whose co-owner, PJ, immediately welcomed the idea of a locally made hot sauce. “Let’s get that in here!” he said. 

It felt like destiny—Craic Sauce sold its first bottle on St. Patrick’s Day 2018, and Navigation Brewing poured its first beer on St. Patrick’s Day 2014. In a way, we share a business birthday.

Black is Not One-Dimensional

When you think about black in food, there's usually a depth of flavor. We celebrate the range of those deep flavors with smoky, fermented, caramelized and roasted elements. Merrimack Black is a sauce that takes an entire year to make, starting from a single seed.

The journey begins with chocolate scorpion peppers, grown in partnership with Mill City Grows. These were absolute behemoths, taking seven months from seed to harvest. The chocolate scorpion delivers that signature top-mouth sting but also surprises with nutty and subtly chocolatey undertones.

Then, there’s the beer. Navigation Brewing Co. brews a Black Pepper Porter at the start of winter. It's a rare style that’s rich, roasty, and tingling with black pepper heat. It’s one of the few beers like it, and every year I look forward to that first sip, appreciating its deep, malty base and the little bursts of spice from the black pepper.

The Craft Behind the Flavor

Emily from F-Word Farm has traditionally made the vinegar using the Black Pepper Porter beer from Navigation Brewing Co. We crafted it ourselves this year, but her influence on this collaboration is deeply appreciated.

Then comes a three-day process of fire-roasting and smoking a medley of ingredients:
🔥 Japanese sweet potatoes and ginger from North of Boston Farm
🔥 Jalapeños and poblanos, fire-roasted to bring out their depth
🔥 Onions and carrots, caramelized to create a smoky-sweet base

The result? A flavor that reminds me of cowboy chili—smoky, rich, and deeply satisfying.

And finally, the black garlic. This ingredient takes patience—two months of daily monitoring in a dehydrator until the garlic transforms into something magical. It becomes raisiny, sweet, and deeply umami, while still holding onto its garlicky essence.

A Labor of Love

Merrimack Black isn’t just a sauce—it’s a journey, a collaboration, and a celebration of craft. It’s something I love sharing on St. Patrick’s Day, sometimes even dropping a bit into a pint of stout!