Our Limelight Ingredient Right Now is the Pickle!

In the limelight right now are pickles — and it couldn’t be more perfect timing as National Pickle Day is coming up on November 14th!

Savory cocktails are having a moment, especially those including pickles! Often used for picklebacks (a whiskey shot followed by a pickle juice chaser), the ingredient is no longer a niche one in the spirits industry, as it is taking the center stage on TikTok in various libations. Think pickle margaritas, pickle martinis, and wayyy more! Below are three cocktails using the salty brine, mix them up for yourself and you’ll find out why they’re in the spotlight!

Whiskey

Pickled Whiskey Sour

by Quinton Bennett

Ingredients

• 2 oz. Mythology Hell Bear American Whiskey
• 1 oz. Lemon Juice
• .5 oz. Thyme Syrup
• .25 oz. Bread and Butter Pickle Brine

Preparation

1. Salt rim of glass with salt, thyme, lemon pepper, crushed coriander, black pepper.
2. Combine all ingredients into a shaker tin and shake.
3. Pour into a rocks glass and garnish with two pickles.

Additional Notes

Courtesy of Mythology Distillery (Steamboat Springs, CO)

Gin

Dirty Talk

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz. Four Pillars Olive Leaf Gin
• 1 oz. Malfy Limone Gin
• .66 oz. Cap Corse Blanc
• .66 oz. Dolin Blanc
• .66 oz. Barbadillo Fino Sherry
• .125 oz. Pickling Brine
• 2 dashes of Regan’s Orange Bitters

Preparation

1. Stir and strain into a child martini glass.
2. Garnish with pickled okra and pear onion.

Additional Notes

Courtesy of The Jones Assembly (Oklahoma City, OK)

Gin

Bodega Pickle Martini

Ingredients

• Spray of Vermouth (1/4 fluid oz.)
• 2.5 fluid oz. Tanqueray Gin
• 3 drops Celery Bitters
• 2.5 fluid oz. Pickle Juice
• 3 Cornichon Pickles, for garnish

Preparation

1. Shake all ingredients (except for garnish) with ample ice until very cold.
2. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into your favorite martini glass and garnish with three cornichon pickles on a toothpick.

Additional Notes

Courtesy of Bodega (Charleston, SC)