Ostwürttemberg's food register runs from Härtsfeld-Most pressed in the orchards above Aalen to Schwäbische Vesper put together with Bauernbrot and Schinken on country tables across the Ostalb. Kamenica Reaper, a craft hot sauce maker in Aalen run by Ulrich Hepperle, has taken two Bronze Medals in Hot Chili Sauce at the European Hot Sauce Awards 2026 (heatawards.eu), Europe's flagship hot sauce competition, with Schwarzwald Roiber and Bucanero.
Kamenica Reaper is run as Team KR out of Aalen by Ulrich Hepperle and Ljubica, with a range that pairs regional German tradition with Caribbean register. Both EHSA placements came in Hot Chili Sauce.
Nathan Austin on Schwarzwald Roiber and Bucanero:
"Both sauces landed Bronze in the same Hot Chili Sauce bracket. The heat is well handled across both." – Nathan Austin, Tasting Editor, Republic of Heat
Both Bronzes landed in Hot Chili Sauce, two contrasting takes on the same bracket:
Schwarzwald Roiber: built on a Black Forest fruit register, sweetness carrying alongside the heat. Pitched for BBQ, or on a board with cheese and Schinken.
Bucanero: a Caribbean-spice profile built for the stew pot, heat layered with warming register from Caribbean cooking.
"Bucanero is the perfect addition to any stew. The heat and the Caribbean spice make you the pirate at the dinner table." – Ljubica, Team KR, Kamenica Reaper
"The secret of the Black Forest isn't spoken about. It's experienced. It's tasted. The calm and patience of the people show through in the sweetness and the spirit of the fruits. Perfect as a hot sauce for your BBQ, or with cheese and cured ham." – Ulrich Hepperle, Team KR, Kamenica Reaper
The European Hot Sauce Awards 2026 ran over 200 sauces from across the continent through blind tasting this year, scored on five criteria by a deliberately mixed panel of chefs, sommeliers, critics and chilli specialists. Hot Chili Sauce drew 64 entrants in the 2026 edition.
"Two Bronzes in the same Hot Chili Sauce bracket from one producer, judged blind by a mixed European panel, is a result we don't see every year. EHSA exists to surface exactly that kind of range. We're watching what Kamenica Reaper brings next year." – Neil Numb, Founder, European Hot Sauce Awards
Schwarzwald Roiber and Bucanero are available through Kamenica Reaper at kamenica-reaper.com. Full EHSA 2026 results across all 16 categories: heatawards.eu/results/2026?utm_source=press_release&utm_medium=press&utm_campaign=ehsa2026&utm_content=kamenica-reaper.
PRESS RESOURCES Reveal video on YouTube, embeddable: - Hot Chili Sauce: https://youtu.be/wJSbcurxAlk Press kit (photos, logos, AI lifestyle composites credited Republic of Heat / European Hot Sauce Awards 2026): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lTTUR68d5bzaczkv8ncQejfQtjB1gqGx?usp=drive_link
ABOUT KAMENICA REAPER Kamenica Reaper is a craft hot sauce maker in Aalen, Baden-Württemberg, run as Team KR by Ulrich Hepperle and Ljubica. The range pairs sauce names drawn from regional German tradition with Caribbean register, hand-made in small batches. The range, including Schwarzwald Roiber and Bucanero, is available at kamenica-reaper.com.
ABOUT THE EUROPEAN HOT SAUCE AWARDS The European Hot Sauce Awards (EHSA) is the professional competition for commercially produced hot sauces in Europe, run annually since 2024 from heatawards.eu. EHSA was born out of the Berlin Chili Festival, which has run since 2019, and became an independent competition in 2024. Over 200 sauces from producers across the continent were entered in 2026. Entries are judged blind across five criteria: aroma, heat profile, flavour, creativity and finish. The 2026 edition covers 16 categories, with Gold, Silver and Bronze medals awarded across multiple positions in each. Each category also names a Best in Category, the top Gold. EHSA is run independently of any single producer or retailer.
ABOUT REPUBLIC OF HEAT Republic of Heat is a European hot sauce subscription designed to show off the flavours coming out of Europe and help solve the distribution problem independent makers face. Founded June 2025 in Berlin by Nathan "Naga" Austin and Simon "Scoville" Gardner. The Discovery subscription delivers three handpicked craft sauces plus a spicy extra to subscribers across the EU each month. Press partner of the European Hot Sauce Awards 2026. republicofheat.com.
PRESS CONTACT Press: Republic of Heat, on behalf of European Hot Sauce Awards press@republicofheat.com +49 176 41601284
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