Chili Babbles #5: The Scoville Scale

Did you know…. The Scoville Scale is the official measurement scale for the heat (or piquancy) of a pepper. It has been used since 1912, though the process for determining a pepper’s Scoville units has evolved significantly with technological advances. 

Here’s the original process for determining the scoville units of a pepper:

1)    The dried pepper is soaked in alcohol and then diluted in sugar water.

2)    The solution is diluted more and more until a panel of five trained testers can no longer detect the pepper.

3)    The more dilution needed, the more units of heat the pepper has.

Nowadays, though, Scoville units are calculated with high-performance liquid chromatography.

Be on the lookout for more Chili Babbles as the 2017 Hashbrown Chili Cook-Off & Carnival approaches on Saturday, February 25. In the meantime, reserve your ticket for unlimited chili and print-themed carnival games!

2017 Hashbrown Chili Cook-Off & Carnival
Saturday, February 25, 2017
6:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Reserve Your Tickets