Some of us love pickles more than others. Some of us even drink pickle juice straight from the jar! In fact, some restaurants even serve pickle shots just for fun now. But, when combined with lemon the flavors of dill and citrus make a super tasty combo. This Pickle Lemonade might sound like a novelty, but it’s got refreshment in every single drop. And it’s so easy to make.

A History of Tangy Drinks

At first glance pickle juice might not seem like the first choice for a sweet drink. But, vinegar adds a refreshing dimension to many drinks and humans have a long history with this as a beverage ingredient.

Drinking vinegar is a popular drink around the world. Mix it with some juice or seltzer water and you have a tangy, yet very tasty drink. Shrubs are old fashioned fruit and vinegar syrups that have been making a comeback in trendy bars lately as cocktail mixers. And, pioneers in the 1800s used to drink switchel, a mix of vinegar and water flavored with honey and ginger. The tart and tangy zing of vinegar is thirst-quenching in a way that purely sweet drinks are not.

How to Make This Tangy Lemonade

For this recipe you’ll need 2 cups of pickle juice. I got this by straining some dill pickle spears. In some areas you can buy pickle juice by the jar or the jug, but I didn’t find it in my local stores.

This amount is most of the liquid from two 24 ounce jars. It might sound like a lot, but when you mix it with the lemonade it’s not as strong as you’d think. In fact, I recommend holding back the rest of the pickle liquid – just in case you want to add even more delicious pickle flavor to your lemonade!

For the lemonade you can use bottled, frozen, or homemade. The choice is up to you!

I held back 2 of the spears and chopped them to throw into the pitcher with the some lemon slices. This is a fun garnish, but is by no means a requirement.

Now for the rest of the leftover pickle spears: a pickle without brine is like a fish out of water. So I tossed the extra pickles into the food processor and pulsed until I had some dill relish. If you’re making this lemonade for a cookout then you’ll probably need some relish anyways, so it works out.

This Pickle Lemonade is surprisingly refreshing, with just the right balance of sweet to tart. The dill flavor pairs well with the lemon and the pickle juice cuts the sweetness of the lemonade in a delightful way. This is one for all the pickle lovers out there!