Our Story
Our Story
Captain Mowatt's was founded in 1997, but the story starts in the late 1970s on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico.
Dan Stevens was the captain of a crew boat servicing the rig. Every meal came with a heavy dose of hot sauce, thanks to the rig's Louisiana-born chef who never served food without it. In that small galley, surrounded by the sea, Dan developed a lasting love for fiery flavors.
Back home in Maine, he searched for a hot sauce that captured the punchy Southern heat he'd come to love. Nothing quite hit the mark. So he started making his own, bottling it in baby food jars. Friends and family couldn't get enough.
The turning point came when a friend asked Dan to make a batch for her restaurant, Becky's Diner in Portland. The sauce was an instant hit. Customers loved it so much they started sneaking bottles off the tables.
To keep up with demand, Dan enlisted his family and transformed their kitchen into a full-blown hot sauce factory. His three kids wore swimming goggles and bandanas while chopping chile peppers. Dan filled each bottle by hand with a ladle and funnel. Friday nights were spent in the living room, labeling bottles and sharing entrepreneurial lessons along the way.
As word spread, so did the sauce. Captain Mowatt's began winning first-place trophies at hot sauce competitions across the country.
Today, our headquarters sit on Portland's Eastern Promenade, overlooking the same waters once sailed by the man who inspired our name.
Why Captain Mowatt?
Captain Mowatt's is named after Captain Henry Mowatt, a British naval officer whose story is deeply tied to Portland.
In 1775, during the early days of the American Revolution, Mowatt led a naval bombardment on the town, then called Falmouth Neck, leaving much of it in ruins. Whether seen as an enemy or a captain bound by orders, his name became permanently etched into the city's history.
We're not celebrating destruction — we're reclaiming the fire.
The Burning of Falmouth was a turning point in America's fight for independence. It shocked the colonies, fueled the push for liberty, and led directly to the creation of the Continental Navy. It's a part of Maine's maritime story that speaks to resilience, rebuilding, and the spirit of a community shaped by the sea.
Our original sauces — Canceaux, Spitfire, and Halifax Jerk — are named after the ships in Mowatt's fiery fleet. Once instruments of war, their names now bring flavor instead of firepower.
What once came by cannon now comes by bottle. Still fiery. Still unforgettable. Still burning Portland since 1775.
What We Make
We make hot sauce inspired by Portland's fiery past. History tells the story. Flavor keeps you coming back for more.
Every bottle is made in small batches using ingredients like Maine seaweed, maple syrup, blueberries, and chile peppers from the finest growing regions. Family owned and operated, and still burning the planet one tongue at a time.