AleFire is headed by a consortium that includes Sam Kelly, owner of Portland's Show Hot Sauce Co. (formerly Smoke Show Hot Sauce), and beertender and hot sauce aficionado Drew Salmi. Salmi was one of the first bartenders at Tin Bucket and has a résumé that includes stints at a number of notable Oregon beer-geek havens. As a fan of both fermented malt sugar and fermented chiles, Salmi felt Portland was overdue for a shop dedicated entirely to hot sauce. And combining it with beer just made sense: Both are foods in which the pH plays an important role, and the overcarbonation of the beer spreads out the flavor of the sauce while providing a naturally refreshing element. Salmi also has plans to release regular brewery and hot sauce maker collaborations, starting with a new hot sauce from Culmination Brewing and the Show using black garlic and sour beer.