The Pickle 25 · No. 11 of 25

1. No.11Good Food Award winner, 2026Photo: The Tipsy Pickle

   Dill and sour

   Vermont Malt Whiskey Spears

   From The Tipsy Pickle · Essex Junction, Vermont

   Vinegar●○○A little heat$13 a jar

   A Vermont maker that pickles with spirits. The whiskey pickles won a 2026 Good Food Award, alongside their Demon Seed pickles.

   Whiskey in the brine gives a rounder, almost caramel edge to a garlicky spear. A pickleback without the shot.

   Eat it withA burgerA Manhattan or an Old FashionedCheddar and apples

   Order from The Tipsy Pickle ↗More from The Tipsy Pickle ↗

   Chef's quick version

   Bourbon-maple spears

   15 min, then 2 days · makes 1 quart · A splash of whiskey and a little maple in a dill brine. The alcohol mostly boils off; the flavor stays.

   Save to my recipes

   You need

   • 5 Kirby cucumbers, cut into spears
   • ¾ cup (180 ml) apple cider vinegar
   • ¾ cup (180 ml) water
   • ¼ cup (60 ml) bourbon or other whiskey
   • 1 tbsp kosher salt
   • 1 tbsp maple syrup
   • 4 garlic cloves, smashed
   • 1 tsp black peppercorns
   • ½ tsp red pepper flakes
   • A handful of dill

   How to make it

   1. Pack the spears into a jar with the garlic, peppercorns, pepper flakes and dill.
   2. Boil the vinegar, water, whiskey, salt and maple for 1 minute.
   3. Pour over the spears to cover.
   4. Cool, close and refrigerate. Best after 2 days; keeps 3 weeks.

   Chef's own quick version, in our words. It isn't The Tipsy Pickle's recipe: for the real thing, order the jar.

Next on the list

More lists like this

The Tipsy Pickle didn't pay to be here. Order goes straight to their shop. The quick version is Chef's own, in our words.