The Ultimate Guide to Pickleback Cocktails: A Creative Twist on Tradition
Before you diss the idea, let us tell you that this match is an interesting crossover! There’s a reason why the pickleback has fans! But how was pickleback invented and how far has it come after its evolution? This article provides a peek into its fascinating history and current status in drinking culture.
Who Invented Pickleback?
No one. No one actually 'invented' pickleback. Pairing something salty and tangy or fermented with a strong drink has been an unsaid custom across the world. In Russia, vodka is often paired with salted pickles. In many other cultures, hard liquors are consumed with relish which have salty, pungent, and at times, slightly sweet tastes. This combination became a natural part of almost every local cuisine across the globe because salt and acid or anything with intense flavourings temper or cut the bite of spirit.
First Recorded Creation Of Pickleback
This custom was formally made into a cocktail in the 2000s. On March 12, 2006, a female patron of Brooklyn's Bushwick Country Club walked into the bar and saw the bartender Reggie Cunningham eat pickles straight from the jar. The patron asked Reggie if she would have pickle brine with a shot of whiskey. The barkeep served it to her and a new cocktail was born. This kind of pairing was often consumed by restaurant industry people who spread it among the patrons.
Bushwick Country Club Pickleback Recipe
Ingredients
45 ml Irish Whiskey
45ml Pickle Brine
Method
Take a shot glass, add whiskey in it. Take another shot glass and pour pickle brine into it. Ask the drinker to shoot the whiskey and follow it with the pickle brine.
Pickleback Cocktail Recipes
Since the rise of pickleback cocktails, several pickle brine and spirit pairings have been created. Check out a few widely liked cocktail recipes below.
1. The New Pickleback
This cocktail is a standard dill pickle and whisky combo that works amazingly well. You could also create your own combinations.
Ingredients
30 ml Royal Challenge Whisky
30 ml Dill Pickle Brine
Method
Take two shot glasses and pour each of the ingredients in each of the glasses. Instruct the drinker to shoot the whisky and follow it with the pickle brine.
2. Pickle-Infused Vodka
This simple pairing requires you to combine three parts vodka with one part pickle juice. You can add a pickle and a sprig of fresh dill into the bottle to get a pleasing aesthetic and delicious flavours. Pour it over ice after a few days to get a one-ingredient cocktail!
Ingredients
750 ml Smirnoff Vodka
250 ml Dill Pickle Juice
Reserved Pickle Spears And Vegetables
Instructions
Add vodka to dill pickle juice in a mixing glass. Add a pickle spear and some of the reserved vegetables in a glass juice jar with a lid or a mason jar. Seal the jar with the lid and store it in a cool, dark place or in the fridge for about three days.
3. Fisherman's Folly
This funky cocktail involves fish sauce and pickle juice. a mix of ingredients which stands apart from the fruity drinks commonly served. The matcha powder in the recipe lends a slight creaminess and the grapefruit juice provides a citrus tang that combines well with sake-and-gin base.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon Kosher Salt
1 2-inch-wide strip of Grapefruit Peel
1 teaspoon Fish Sauce
1 teaspoon Water
Ice
45 ml Sake
30 ml Tanqueray Gin
15 ml Pickle Juice
15 ml Fresh Grapefruit Juice
¼ teaspoon Matcha Tea Powder
Method
Take a small plate and add a little salt to it. Rub the grapefruit peel around the rim of a rock glass. Rim the glass with salt. Take a small spritz bottle and add fish sauce and water. Shake gently to combine. Spritz the bottom of the serving glass with the fish sauce solution and fill it with ice.
Now take a cocktail shaker, and add sake, gin, pickle juice, grapefruit juice and matcha powder. Fill the shaker with ice and shake well. Pour the content into the prepared rocks glass and serve.
While it's great to learn about alcoholic beverages and alcohol-infused foods, it is important to also consume alcohol moderately. Remember to serve and drink responsibly to ensure you and your guests are healthy and out of harm's way. If you know anyone who has trouble controlling their alcohol intake, please refer them to a professional immediately.
