No. 45Whiskey, Bourbon & Shots
Classic Pickleback
Whiskey first, brine second. The shot that started it all.
A Classic Pickleback is a shot of Irish whiskey followed straight away by a shot of chilled dill pickle brine. The salty, sour brine wipes out the whiskey burn and leaves a clean, savory finish. Two glasses, no mixing, no fuss.
21+Updated
- Glass
- shot glass
- Method
- Poured as shots
- Time
- 1 min
- Makes
- 1 shot + chaser
Ingredients
Amounts for 1, in ounces.
- 1½ oz Irish whiskey (such as Jameson)
- 1½ oz dill pickle brine (chilled, from the jar)
- Glass
- shot glass
- On the side
- brine chaser
How to make it
- Pour the whiskey into a shot glass.
- Pour the chilled brine into a second shot glass.
- Drink the whiskey, then follow right away with the brine.
Bar tips
- Use brine from refrigerated, garlicky deli-style dills; shelf-stable brine can taste flat and harsh.
- Keep a jar of brine in the fridge so the chaser is always ice-cold.
- Strain out seeds and garlic bits so the chaser pours clean.
Make it your own
- Use bourbon for a sweeter, vanilla-leaning shot, the way the original Brooklyn bar poured it.
- Save the brine from your last jar of dills: any good dill brine works.
Bar lore
The pickleback is usually traced to the Bushwick Country Club, a Brooklyn dive bar, where around 2006 bartender Reggie Cunningham popularized chasing shots of Old Crow with McClure's pickle brine. Brine chasers were likely poured before that, especially in the South.
Drink responsibly. This one is for adults of legal drinking age. Want it without the booze? The zero-proof drinks are just as briny.
Full recipe: dillin.org/recipes/classic-pickleback
