Bárbaro Mojo Wins 4 Awards at Jungle Jim's Weekend of Fire 2026
Mario Cruz
Bárbaro Mojo spent the weekend at Jungle Jim's International Market's 15th Annual Weekend of Fire in Fairfield, Ohio, one of the largest hot sauce festivals in the Midwest, with roughly 400 hot sauces on the table across three tasting sessions. We came home with four awards.
The Awards
The 2026 Weekend of Fire winners are judged two ways: a panel for the flavor categories, and a People's Choice vote from everyone who walked the floor. Here's what Bárbaro Mojo took home, per the official results posted by Jungle Jim's:
- 🏆 People's Choice, 1st Place: Piñazo, our sweet-heat pineapple sauce with Fresno chiles, voted the crowd favorite of the entire show.
- 🥈 Best Hot Sauce, 2nd Place: Matanza, our hottest sauce, a Carolina Reaper and habanero blend built on the same Cuban mojo base as the rest of the line.
- 🥈 Best Hot Specialty Sauce, 2nd Place: Best Day Ever, mango and habanero with a Reaper kick underneath the sweetness.
- 🥉 Best Booth, 3rd Place: for the setup itself, banner, ribbons, and all.
Piñazo taking People's Choice means more than a judged category. That ribbon comes from hundreds of strangers tasting their way down a row of 400 sauces and choosing to vote for ours. Miami citrus and garlic against the field, and Piñazo came out on top.
We Also Presented the Inferno Taco Challenge
Bárbaro Mojo did not just show up with a booth this year. We presented one of the Arena of Fire eating contests, the Inferno Taco Challenge. Congrats to Jason Fivush (1st), Ashley Schnetzer (2nd), and Krista Bozacki (3rd) for taking on the heat. Read the full Inferno Taco Challenge recap for the rules, winner photos, and more.
Fiery Friends
Part of what makes Weekend of Fire worth the trip is the other makers in the room. Congrats to Pandemic Heat! for a huge weekend (1st Best Hot Sauce, 1st Best Booth, 2nd People's Choice), to Stanky Sauce for 1st Best BBQ Sauce, and to Bindu Bites for placing across three separate categories. Good company to be in, and good sauce all around.
Shop the Award-Winning Sauces
- Crowd favorite: Piñazo, sweet-heat pineapple, 2026 People's Choice winner.
- Hottest in the lineup: Matanza, 2nd Place Best Hot Sauce.
- Sweet and fiery: Best Day Ever, 2nd Place Best Hot Specialty Sauce.
- Try all three: Cuban Hot Sauce Gift Pack, ships free.
See the complete trophy case, past and present, on our awards page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What awards did Barbaro Mojo win at Weekend of Fire 2026?
Barbaro Mojo won 1st Place People's Choice for Piñazo, 2nd Place Best Hot Sauce for Matanza, 2nd Place Best Hot Specialty Sauce for Best Day Ever, and 3rd Place Best Booth, at Jungle Jim's 15th Annual Weekend of Fire in Fairfield, Ohio.
What is Jungle Jim's Weekend of Fire?
Weekend of Fire is an annual hot sauce and specialty food festival hosted by Jungle Jim's International Market in Fairfield, Ohio, featuring around 400 hot sauces from makers across the country, judged competitions, and a People's Choice vote.
Where can I buy the award-winning sauces?
Piñazo, Matanza, and Best Day Ever are all available at barbaromojo.com, individually or in the Cuban Hot Sauce Gift Pack.
Is Matanza or Best Day Ever made with ghost pepper?
No. Both are built on Carolina Reaper and habanero, not ghost pepper, layered over our Cuban mojo base of garlic and citrus.