Introduction to the Pickleback Cocktail
This Pickleback is a unique drink with a super interesting flavor! If you love whiskey and pickles, you will absolutely love this surprising cocktail. It’s going to be everyone’s favorite new tailgate drink this season!
What is a Pickleback?
Smoky bourbon, vinegary pickle juice, and tangy lime juice are all evened out with a homemade sugar-free simple syrup. It’s a well-balanced cocktail that is great to serve with a lot of bar food, grilled dishes, and meaty meals. It’s a great option for those who normally don’t like overly sweet or fruity drinks!
Customizing Your Pickleback
While I used dill pickle juice, you could easily use the juice from bread and butter pickles, spicy pickles, or whatever type you prefer. When you finish a jar of pickles, it’s easy to freeze the juice in ice cube trays, then you can thaw just enough for cocktails whenever you’d like!
Making the Pickleback Ahead of Time
Because this isn’t a frozen drink and doesn’t include soda water, you can mix it up ahead of time, then serve on the rocks whenever you’re ready. Make a big jug of it and take for parties, camping, potlucks, tailgating, and more!
Keto Pickleback Ingredients
Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need.
- 2 ounces bourbon
- 1 ½ ounces pickle juice
- ¾ ounce lime juice
- ½ ounce keto simple syrup
- Optional: pickle garnish
How to Make a Pickleback Sugar-Free
This drink is very straightforward! Simply put the whiskey, pickle juice, lime juice, and sugar-free simple syrup into a shaker with ice. Shake for about 30 seconds before straining over ice with a pickle garnish.
Pickleback Cocktail Glassware
This drink is most often served in an old-fashioned glass on the rocks.
How to Make Sugar-Free Simple Syrup
Keto Simple Syrup is incredibly easy to make! I’ve had success using two different ways — One using liquid monk fruit sweetener and one using allulose sweetener!
Simple Syrup with Allulose
Bring 1 1/4 cup of allulose and 1 cup of water to a boil and stir until allulose has dissolved. Let cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge up to a month.
Simple Syrup with Liquid Monk Fruit
Pour about 1 tablespoon of liquid monk fruit sweetener into 1 cup of water. Adjust a few drops at a time until you’ve reached your taste preference.
Carbohydrates in Whiskey
There are zero carbs in bourbon. The danger of a whiskey cocktail usually resides in the mixers often tossed in the glass with it.
Benefits of Drinking Pickle Juice on Keto
Often, people on the keto diet will recommend drinking pickle juice and eating pickles. It’s a great source of potassium and sodium, and those electrolytes are important to healthy body functions.
What to Serve with a Pickleback Drink
This is the ideal drink for juicy cookout food! For the ultimate keto tailgate, enjoy the briny drink with a Keto Bacon Cheeseburger, this Chicken Bacon Ranch Chaffle Sandwich, or these Keto Steak Wraps.
Can I Make This Drink Ahead of Time?
You could mix your bourbon, juices, and simple syrup ahead of time, just store them in the fridge without ice. Within a day or two, serve on the rocks!
Nutrition Information
- Serving: 1 cocktail
- Calories: 153 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 2.9 g
- Protein: 0.1 g
- Sodium: 329.4 mg
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Sugar: 0.3 g
Instructions
- Fill an old-fashioned glass with ice.
- In a shaker, combine all ingredients. Shake about 30 seconds, then strain and pour into the glass. Serve with a pickle garnish.
