The Pickleback: Is it the best drink in the world?

In a decade or so as a drinker, many are the beverages that have tempted the author with their siren song. Quite a few have dashed an unsuspecting sailor against their sharp rocks. From the earliest beginnings with vodka and peach juice, through the white russian, the gin and tonic, the bloody mary, the dirty vodka martini, the rye and ginger, and then back to the G&T, the effort to answer the question of which is the best drink has been approached through a process of broad experimentation at establishments of varying geography and salubriousness.

In the same week that we celebrate the observation of the Higgs boson, Opinion.is can bring you a discovery of similar importance: the greatest alcoholic concoction of all time, New York City’s very own Pickleback.

What is a Pickleback?

It’s the simplest of drinks. A shot of whiskey paired with a shot of choice pickle brine. Whiskey, the inspiration for some of humanity’s greatest inventions, and pickles, which are delicious.

The whiskey shot goes down as it should, coating the gullet and producing agreeable sensations of warmth in the belly. The pickle juice delights the nose and shocks the palate, bringing the imbiber almost exactly to where he or she began, craving another pickleback.

The pickleback is a drink for all skill levels. The hardened drinker chooses it for its ability to prevent scurvy. The weekend tippler selects it for its anti-hangover properties. And the novice boozer favors it because it comes with a built-in chaser. Indeed, Opinion.is once saw a beginner drink five picklebacks in a row. The life-giving results were a testament to the magnificence of the potion.

The pickleback is a modern drink, allegedly invented in 2007 at the Bushwick Country Club in Brooklyn. It is now poised to sweep the world like a new outbreak of encephalitis lethargica. Some might ask, “Can such a simple drink even be considered a cocktail?” Opinion.is replies, “Yes. And it’s the best in the world.”