A restaurant first
Red State BBQ opened in Lexington, Kentucky, in 2010. When I took ownership on April 1, 2013, I wasn’t trying to build a national condiment brand. I wanted to build a barbecue restaurant people could count on: good smoked meat, regional flavors, and a place where people felt welcome. That is still the foundation of everything we do.
The sauces had to earn their place
The bottles came later. In the restaurant, guests could experience different approaches to American barbecue instead of being handed one standard sauce. Some loved the sweet, familiar flavor of Memphis. Others wanted the bite of Carolina vinegar, the tang of South Carolina mustard, or a little more heat. The sauces weren’t designed to chase a trend. They were developed and refined around the food we actually serve.
From our kitchen to your kitchen
When customers wanted to take those flavors home, bottling became the natural next step. We develop and test recipes in our restaurant and work with professional producers to make the bottled versions consistent. That distinction matters: the recipes come from real barbecue service, even though we don’t hand-bottle every order in the restaurant kitchen.
A bigger table
Today, Red State sauces reach customers well beyond Lexington. The online store gives somebody who has never walked through our doors a way to discover the same regional styles our restaurant guests enjoy. Whether you are glazing ribs, building a sandwich, or sending a few bottles as a gift, we want the sauce to make the meal better—not just add another label to your pantry.
What comes next
We will keep introducing new flavors and telling the stories behind them. But the idea remains simple: respect the traditions, cook good food, and make sauces we are proud to put on our own tables. If you are new here, start with a bottle that fits what you love to cook. We are glad you found us.
Explore the sauce collection and find a style that fits your next cookout.
