Opt for Pickle Juice in Your Next Cocktail/Mocktail with this Briny Beverage
Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and many other festive holidays are just about here…(in case you’ve just been too busy to notice, it’s those red numbers on the calendar).
While we know that all of our devoted “pickle heads”, will have their favorite Great Lakes Pickling Company’s pickled vegetables somewhere in their fridge and likely, on their dinner table, we would certainly be remiss if we didn’t spend a moment to share with you some of our recipes and ideas for that 2nd best thing in your pouches.
The brine.
With that said, and because it’s the holidays, we’re going to talk about cocktails and mocktails.
Yea!
As it turns out, many drinks with alcohol (or without), pair quite well with pickle juice.
It’s a unique combo.
A kind of “yin & yang” of saltiness, some occasional sweetness, the alcohol and garnishes used make it a surprisingly good pairing.
That, plus some of the health benefits of pickles, can offset some of the “effects” of having a few “adult” beverages.
This isn’t our first “cocktail” rodeo here at the Great Lakes Pickling Company.
Bloody Mary
In fact, we published a very interesting piece on the history of one of THE most popular uses for pickles and pickle juice in cocktails, and that would be, you guessed it, the Bloody Mary.
This cocktail is somewhat similar to a VERY Dirty Martini with the caveat that it uses a dill pickle juice instead of olive juice, AND, that the ratio of juice to vodka is much greater.
But vodka isn’t the only alcohol that is paired with pickles.
Pickleback
The Pickleback pairs a shot of Jameson Irish Whiskey, followed with a shot of pickle juice.
It’s been especially popular in the bars of many of the large cities on the North East Coast and is said to have its origin in Brooklyn’s Bushwick Country Club in 2006.
It was then made with Bourbon.
Apparently Irish Whiskey, which is made from 100% barley grain, suited the pickle juice better than Bourbon, which is distilled primarily from corn.
Bourbon and Pickle Sour
But, if Bourbon IS your “thing” a Bourbon & Pickle Sour might just hit the spot.
- 3 oz Bourbon
- 1 oz GLPC Polish Dill Pickle Juice
- ½ tsp Sugar
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- For rim: Old Bay seasoning
- For garnish: Pickle Chunks
- For garnish: Lemon Slices
Combine bourbon, pickle juice, lemon juice and sugar in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until the outside of the cocktail shaker feels cold.
Run a lemon slice around the rims of two cocktail glasses, then dip the rims in the Old Bay seasoning.
Pour the bourbon mixture into glasses and garnish each with a pickles and a lemon slice.
Pickle Margarita
What about Tequila? We haven’t left out that popular liquor from “south of the border”. Tequila goes quite nicely with pickle juice as this recipe for a Pickle Margarita will prove.
- ½ Cup Ice
- ¼ Cup Tequila of Choice
- 3 Tablespoons Triple Sec
- 2 Tablespoons Lime Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Dill Pickle Juice
- 1 Spear Dill Pickle
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and pickle juice and shake to combine.
Strain into a glass filled with more ice and garnish with a pickle slice.
And Rum?
Rum or Rhum, isn’t often paired with pickle juice for whatever reason but you WILL find that white rum IS occasionally used in a Pickleback.
More Pickling Juice Beverage Tips
As an aside, we encourage you to consider freezing your pickle juice into ice cubes to use in most all of these delicious drinks.
Using pickle ice cubes instead of “regular” ice cubes will ensure your drink maintains its delicious flavor without being watered down over time.
So, there you have it, we’ve covered the usual liquor “suspects” yet there is STILL plenty of room for you to explore the many unique and delicious cocktail concoctions that can be made with pickle juice.
What is your favorite? Do you have a pickle juice cocktail recipe you’d like to share with your pickling friends?
Send us a line.
Cheers
