Because it never occurred to me to refrigerate hot sauce; the idea surprised me.
I checked the three in my pantry.
Crystal - no “refrigerate after opening” or similar on the label.
Frank’s - ditto.
Cholula - ditto.
And, except for an almost-empty bottle of Cholula that got lost in the back of the pantry for a year or more, I’ve never had a hot sauce discolor or lose flavor. Obviously, YMMV.
My Cholula says to refrigerate after opening?!?
Where on the label, Eric? I looked closely, but perhaps I missed it…
Mine is the Cholula Chipotle (not as good as the original IMNSHO) and has the refrigerate after opening on the side/back near where it says www.cholula.com.
My Crystal does not mention refrigeration. Go figure.
My Dave’s Insanity mentions “No preservatives” and has “Refrigerate after opening” in the fine print. I would like to leave that infernal stuff in a warm cupboard so it will spoil and I have an excuse to throw it away. I’m not man enough to own it…
After seeing too many muddy brown bottles of Tabasco at friend’s houses and at restaurants I just automatically refrigerate any without even looking.
FWIW I love Sriracha and have used it for years.
It just seems to create its own category.
If I have a “wimpy” salsa, I give it a jolt of Sriracha. Ahh!!
I have nine or ten hot sauces in the fridge for various uses. My most used are sambal oelek, sriracha, and Cholula.