Elevated Pickleback Sour
A proper lemon-forward whiskey sour built on the classic Pickleback combination of bourbon and pickle brine, finished with an Old Bay-and-salt rim and no egg white.
- 2 ozbourbon
- 1 ozlemon juice
- ¾ ozrich simple syrup
- ¾ ozpickle brine
- 1 pinchold bay seasoning(for rim, mixed with sea salt)
- 1 pinchflaky sea salt(for rim, mixed with old bay)
- 1 dashangostura bitters
- 1Rim a rocks glass or coupe with a mix of Old Bay seasoning and flaky sea salt, coating only the outside edge.
- 2Add the bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup, and pickle brine to a shaker with ice.
- 3Shake hard for 12 to 15 seconds, until the shaker is ice cold to the touch.
- 4Double-strain into the prepared glass.
- 5Add a dash of Angostura bitters on top and finish with a sprig of fresh dill.
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The Pickleback started as a shot-and-chaser combo, created by bartender Reggie Cunningham at the Bushwick Country Club in Brooklyn in March 2006 after a customer talked him into trying a shot of Old Crow bourbon alongside a shot of pickle brine, borrowed from bar-neighbor Bob McClure's stash of McClure's Pickles stored in the basement. It has since become one of the most recognized bar orders in the country. This version builds the same combination into a proper whiskey sour, with the pickle brine mixed directly into the shake instead of served as a separate chaser, and skips the egg white found in some sour variations.
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Everything you need to make a great Elevated Pickleback Sour at home.
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