Photo: iStock/vladimirsoldatov
This August, celebrate the end of summer with this Minnesota State Fair-inspired cocktail. This briny twist on a Tom Collins will remind you of deep fried pickles, pickles on-a-stick, delicious pickle pizza or any of your favorite pickle-based fair bites. It incorporates Minnesotan roots with the Scandinavian spirit aquavit, which is a neutral grain or potato-based spirit that is redistilled with herbs and botanicals, most popularly caraway or dill—sometimes both!
Nordic Dill-light
- 1 ½ oz. dill aquavit (like Gamle Ode)
- ½ oz. simple syrup
- ½ oz. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- ¾ oz. pickle juice or brine
- 1 dash orange bitters
- club soda, to top (approximately 2.5 oz.)
- dill pickle, to garnish
- lemon wheel, to garnish
In a tall glass (12 oz.) with ice, combine ingredients. Gently stir. Garnish with dill pickle and lemon wheel. Enjoy!
Mark Lange of Woodbury is the owner of the Minnesota School of Bartending. Sip more at mnschoolofbartending.com.
