Does Sweet = Hot when referring to Sausage??

[Levi]

I have seen several references to sweet Italian sausage but haven't had much luck finding any.    When wifey asked the butcher at Kroger he told her that Sweet Italian Sausage is the same as Hot Italian Sausage.  I find it sort of odd that books and such would refer to three types (sweet, mild and hot) if there were really only two types.  What gives

thanks

[Buffalo]

Levi;
Your hot italian sausage has a variety of special spices, etc to give it a "kick" we recognize on the tongue as hot.  Sweet italian sausage (Actually mild italian sausage) is not "sweet" in taste, but lacks the "hot" taste.
Buffalo

[Harv]

Levi,

Not sure where you are from but, here in the Northeast, you typically see two kinds (hot, sweet).  I agree with Buffalo that mild and sweet seemed to be used interchangeably but I've never seen hot called anything but hot.  Primary seasoning in sweet sausage is comprised of fennel seed and black pepper.  Hot Italian has fennel, black pepper, crushed red pepper and paprika.  Usually the extra spices in the hot variety give it a reddish color as compared to the usual gray of the sweet variety.
If you can not find it, I would suggest making your own.  It's very easy to do and you can control what goes into it.

[RSMBob]

I'll concur with previous replies that I have always viewed mild=sweet. Hot has the primary addition of dried crushed red peppers.

[lilbuddypizza]

There are a few places in Chicago that have "sweet". I actually have never heard that term until about 5 years ago! It just means mild, from what I was told. Or, if there are 3 categories, mild, sweet, and hot, it means a little more flavor than mild, but no heat.