Some people love pickles. They relish life by opening those jars of joy. Dill with it.
But while cracking open a jar and munching on those crunchy green gherkins isn’t particularly unusual, drinking the juice they come in is not such a common practice.
Whether it’s because they’ve finished the jar and thought, well, I might as well drink the juice now (waste not want not, after all), or whether it’s because they enjoy the refined taste of a pickleback – a shot a whiskey followed by a shot of pickle juice – some people just dig that dill flavour.
Taking the pickle juice craze a step further, one company is now selling pickle-flavoured ice lollies because, y’know, why should sweet flavours get all the attention in summer…
Van Holten’s Pickle-Ice is not just a ‘refreshing treat on a hot day’, but can also be enjoyed as ‘an athletic supplement that helps rehydrate and prevent cramps’.
Really? That salty/sour brine water is actually good for you? Well, turns out it does have its benefits. Something to do with those elusive electrolytes…
As the company, Van Holten’s, says:
Pickle juice is known to be loaded with essential minerals and electrolytes like sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium that your body needs to perform at its peak. Van Holten’s Pickle Ice Freeze Pops can help you stay hydrated on a hot day.
Turns out, plenty of people are really on board with these perplexing pickle popsicles.
From more than 400 reviews on Amazon, they’ve received a solid four-star rating, with people praising the new treat not just for its flavour but health benefits, refreshing quality and – if you’re that way inclined – comedy value.
As one person wrote:
My son bought these in a convenience store in South Florida. I was too scared to try one then, so I bought a few and brought them home to RI.
I absolutely loved them!
I found them here on Amazon, ordered a box of them and always keep them in my freezer. I for one, love the taste of pickle juice. I also get leg cramps after exercise, and this helps both the cramps and also to help me feel refreshed! Hard to explain, but they are absolutely refreshing!
Another said:
My friend sent me a youtube video about these popsicles, and i was intrigued. I was at a bar drinking later that evening and decided after a few drinks that i needed to purchase them, lol. BEST DRUNK PURCHASE EVER!! They arrived yesterday and i can not even begin to tell you how much i love them. Cold, crisp and sour. The only thing that could possibly make these better is if they had a “SPICY” version. They taste just like pickles.
While another found they help with certain cravings, too:
My dear friend going through chemo thinks these are the best thing ever made. She’s diabetic and craves sour things right now so it’s the perfect combination for her. I’m so happy I ordered these!
Another, however, found the taste a bit strong, but still uses them to great comedic effect:
These are so concentrated. Like, seriously – one lick is equal to eating a whole pickle. I didn’t even make a dent in my first one before I decided I had had enough pickles for one night and I just let it melt in the sink.
They’re SUPER fun to offer to people who are over at my house though. Sometimes they’ll say that they love pickles so they’ll TOTALLY eat the whole thing… seeing their face after the first lick is hilarious.
Come on, don’t tell me you’re not intrigued.
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Charlie Cocksedge is a journalist and sub-editor at UNILAD. He graduated from the University of Manchester with an MA in Creative Writing, where he learnt how to write in the third person, before getting his NCTJ. His work has also appeared in such places as The Guardian, PN Review and the bin.