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What are Moonshine Pickles made of?
Georgia grown cucumbers are sliced and placed in a moonshine pickling broth to produce these tasty Moonshine Pickles. You won’t forget that authentic Appalachian taste that comes in every jar. These make a great gift or are perfect for tailgating, snacking or a compliment to any sandwich.
What is a moonshine pickle?
There’s not a Bloody Mary in the world that can’t be improved by a little bit of dill pickle. That’s why we created our Moonshine Pickles, a perfect dill pickle, pickled in our moonshine. Firm, crunchy and dill-icious, you can munch on it and then have a dill pickle shot to follow.
Can pickles turn alcoholic?
What stops my pickles from turning into alcohol? So, fermentation is complicated, and the answer to this question really depends on multiple factors. You’re particularly interested in the role of sugar vs. salt, not lactobacillus vs. yeast. The simple answer to that question is that lactobacilli are salt-tolerant, while yeast is much less so.
- So adding salt gives the lactobacilli a headstart in converting the sugar present in your pre-pickles into lactic acid, and causes any yeast not killed by the salt to starve, and thus not produce much alcohol.
- If you add more sugar on top of the salt, it won’t cause alcohol production because the yeast will still be retarded by the salt, while the lactobacilli are not.
You will just get really, REALLY sour pickles because the lactobacilli will convert all that extra sugar into acid as well. That said, you can still get alcohol in your ferment. If you initially bite into a pickle and it’s fizzy, that’s a sign of alcohol.
- The yeast, while slowed down, is still going to grab some sugar for itself at the beginning and produce both alcohol and carbon dioxide.
- So carbonation itself is a sign that there is alcohol in your ferment.
- That doesn’t mean it’s strong enough to make you feel anything, but it’s important to remember if anyone consuming the ferment is on probation, or young, or pregnant, or a tee-totaler, or anything else you can think of.
I’ve heard stories of children going to the hospital with high blood alcohol from drinking too much water kefir – which is NOT a salty lacto-ferment, but still makes a point worth considering. I also know someone who failed a mandatory blood test because she drank kombucha, characterized by acetic acid and friends, not realizing that it could contain trace amounts of alcohol (luckily she managed to explain things and get out of trouble).
So, if you wanted to have an alcoholic pickle, you’d want to 1) leave out the salt, 2) inoculate with yeast to ensure that lactobacillus (or assorted nightmare bugs) don’t manage to outcompete the naturally present yeasts, and 3) control the oxygen present. Adding sugar should be optional, but would be recommended I think.
I should also point out I don’t make explicitly alcoholic ferments, so I’m not a practiced expert. But, the general rule is that you should initially use an aerobic ferment before introducing an airlock and creating an anaerobic environment. That’s for two reasons.
The first is that yeast can use both oxygen and sugar to produce alcohol, but only require sugar. So, Initially, to get the best of both worlds, you allow the yeast both. However, after a short period of time, if continually exposed to oxygen, the newly produced alcohol will start being converted into acetic acid by other bacteria.
That means vinegar. If you take away the oxygen, vinegar doesn’t happen. That’s why kombucha and kefir, for example don’t become strongly alcoholic since they ferment entirely in an aerobic environment. Alcohol IS produced by the yeast, but is then in turn converted into various acids by the various strains of bacteria present.
This is also why many people choose to perform a secondary ferment with kombucha and beer (although I only know kombucha thoroughly), where they add more sugar, in the form of fruit or flavorings, then cut off the oxygen supply and let the yeast work for a few days while many of the acid-producing bacteria take a backseat.
This produces a fizzier drink, which indicates increased alcohol production. Kombucha is still very mild compared to other drinks that are intended to be alcoholic, but it’s still worth remembering. : What stops my pickles from turning into alcohol?
Do moonshine pickles taste good?
Moonshine Pickles – Rate Recipe Prep Time 5 minutes Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes Moonshine pickles might sound crazy, but these high-octane pickles and their brine make cocktail time infinitely more exciting. Crunchy, delicious, and ever-so delicious, you can snack on the pickles then take a shot of the brine! Where are my pickle loving party people? Because not only are these dill-icious, but they’re about as easy as 1-2-3.
1 pint dill pickles 16 ounce jar Up to 1 cup unflavoured moonshine ¼ teaspoon Tabasco or Cholula hot sauce ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Strain the brine from your jar of pickles and reserve it. Pour the Moonshine into the jar to within 1-1/2 inches of the top of the jar. Add the Tabasco or Cholula to the jar along with the crushed red pepper flakes. Add reserved pickle juice to the level of the top of the jar. Tightly cap the jar, shake vigorously once or twice, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before eating. These pickles will be good for up to a year in the refrigerator.
Calories: 51 kcal Carbohydrates: 1 g Protein: 0.2 g Fat: 0.2 g Saturated Fat: 0.03 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1 g Monounsaturated Fat: 0.003 g Sodium: 322 mg Potassium: 45 mg Fiber: 0.4 g Sugar: 1 g Vitamin A: 85 IU Vitamin C: 1 mg Calcium: 21 mg Iron: 0.1 mg Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy.
Why do I crave pickles when drunk?
Craving Pickles? Here’s What It Really Means 6 possible reasons you can’t stop eating pickles (and why it’s not necessarily a bad thing) Pickles: they’re crunchy, tangy, salty, and just plain delightful. But what does it mean if you’re craving dills all the time? Are you hoarding bread-and-butter chips at lunch? Are you having trouble just saying “no” to an extra gherkin? Sounds like you’re in a bit of a pickle, but don’t worry: it’s no big dill ! There are loads of reasons you might be inexplicably craving this salty snack.
- You might crave pickles if you’re low in sodium, dehydrated, or just feeling a little snacky! Pickles are a great way to satisfy the midnight munchies.
- Eating pickles all the time could be a symptom of extreme stress. Pickles may be your comfort food. (There are worse options!)
- Pickle cravings are often nothing to worry about, but go easy on your snacking: a single dill pickle contains about 15% of your daily recommended sodium intake.
- Talk to your doctor if your pickle craving persists. It may be a symptom of something more serious, like adrenal fatigue.
- 1 You might be dehydrated. If you haven’t drunk a sufficient amount of water, it’s common to crave pickle juice, both because it will hydrate you and because it contains a hefty amount of electrolytes in the form of sodium, magnesium, and potassium.
- You might be dehydrated after intense exercise or after a night of heavy drinking. Pickles—and specifically pickle juice—will replenish your electrolytes and help you feel energized again.
- To, make sure to by drinking plenty of water throughout the day.
- 2 Your body may be low on sodium. If you’re not getting enough salt in your diet, or if you’ve depleted your sodium levels, you might experience intense cravings for pickles and other high-sodium foods. But don’t go overboard: on average, 1 dill pickle contains about 15% of your recommended daily sodium intake!
- You might experience a sodium deficiency if you’re sick, especially if you vomit—which is one reason you might crave pickles if you’re pregnant and have morning sickness.
- Pickle cravings have also been identified as a common experience among transfeminine women undergoing hormone replacement therapy using the drug Spironolactone. Spiro, a diuretic commonly used to lower blood pressure by reducing aldosterone, may cause sodium deficiency as well.
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- 3 Adrenal insufficiency might give you a hankering for pickles. Also known as Addison’s disease, your adrenal glands—located just above the kidneys—don’t produce enough cortisol or aldosterone. Aldosterone is a hormone that allows you to absorb sodium, thus regulating your salt and water intake. If you’re not getting enough of it, your body won’t properly absorb sodium, making you crave more of it—commonly in the form of, you guessed it, pickles.
- Other symptoms of adrenal fatigue include muscle aches, extreme tiredness, nausea and stomach pain, weight loss, low blood pressure, and darkening of the skin.
- While craving salt is often nothing to worry about, adrenal fatigue is potentially serious. If you suspect you have adrenal fatigue, contact your doctor to perform an evaluation.
- 4 Stress can make you crave certain foods, especially salty foods like pickles. If you’re day in and day out or sneaking down to the kitchen every night for a vinegary midnight snack-a-thon, ask yourself if you’re more stressed out than usual lately. High stress can cause our bodies to release extra cortisol and other hormones, which cause us to crave certain foods—usually salt. And there are few snacks saltier than a pickle!
- Your stress may also affect your sleep, and lack of sleep can also release extra cortisol, as well as decrease serotonin, the hormone that makes you feel good. On low serotonin, it’s common to try to elevate your mood by snacking.
- Pickles also contain probiotics that can elevate your mood.
- 5 Hormonal fluctuations can make you crave pickles before your period. Some people crave chocolate, some people crave pickles, and some people crave both, God help them. Food cravings due to premenstrual syndrome are not 100% understood, but researchers believe that shifts in hormones during PMS cause you to crave certain foods, such as carbs, sweets, and salty snacks—for instance, pickles.
- Hormonal imbalance is another reason you might experience strong pickle cravings during pregnancy.
- 6 You may need to improve your gut health with probiotics. Our bodies tend to crave things they need, even when we’re not aware of it! Naturally fermented cucumbers contain tiny microorganisms known as probiotics, and these tiny, living bacteria and yeasts are beneficial for your metabolism and digestion and aid your body in fighting off diseases. Your gut already contains a heaping amount of good bacteria, and probiotics help keep that bacteria in balance.
- If you ever get tired of pickles but still want some of that probiotic goodness, you can also find probiotics in kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt, and miso. What a menu!
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- 1 Pickles can bolster your immune system. The humble pickle contains a heaping amount of vitamins A and K, important antioxidants that keep your body nice and strong. Whether you’re craving pickles or not, supplement your lunch with a gherkin or 2. A pickle a day keeps the doctor away. (That’s the saying, right?)
- Free radicals, molecules that are linked to cancer and other diseases, may be kept at bay by regular pickle consumption.
- Make sure you eat the whole pickle to get the full dose of antioxidants and vitamins, and not just the juice!
- 2 Pickles are a good snack for weight loss. Coming in at only about 7 calories, pickles make a great crunchy snack for people trying to watch their weight. Not only this, but pickle juice can stabilize your blood sugar, effectively lessening your appetite so that you’re less likely to keep snacking after your pickle.
- The probiotics in pickles can improve your digestion and metabolism, which can also help you lose weight.
- 3 Drinking pickle juice is a great way to stay hydrated. Pickle juice is the new Gatorade! If you usually empty your pickle jars before recycling the jars, why not try drinking that sweet, sweet gherkin water instead? Because it boasts both electrolytes and potassium, pickle juice has become popular with athletes in recent years as a great way to hydrate after an intense workout.
- You can drink pickle juice straight from the jar, or for an icy treat.
- 4 Pickle juice relieves muscle aches. This is another reason pickle juice has become popular with athletes: after an intense workout, if your muscles are sore, pickle juice could help relax them. Pickle juice is also popular with PMS sufferers experiencing menstrual cramps.
- 5 Pickle juice is delicious in alcoholic beverages. There’s something about the combo of pickle juice and alcohol that’s irresistible. Make a classic pickle back by mixing whiskey and pickle juice, or try something new and add pickle juice ice cubes to your favorite Bloody Mary recipe.
- And because pickle juice is loaded with potassium and electrolytes, pickle juice may help stave off a hangover better than water. (But that doesn’t mean you can throw back pickle backs with immunity!)
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- 1 It’s easy to get too much sodium from eating pickles. They’re a great snack, but eating too many in one sitting can cause your sodium levels to skyrocket. Remember, each pickle has about 15% of your daily recommended sodium intake, so you should probably only eat 1 or 2 pickles a day.
- Too much sodium can raise your blood pressure, which can put you at risk for heart disease or stroke.
- 2 Too many pickles can give you digestive issues. Ironic, isn’t it, when pickles can also help your digestion? But while 1 or 2 pickles can be a boon to your tummy, 3 or 4 can throw your digestive track.well, off track, giving you stomach pain, discomfort, and flatulence.
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- 1 You might crave salt at night if you haven’t eaten enough during the day. If you tend to skip meals, or you don’t eat enough at mealtimes, your body may respond with intense nighttime cravings for super sweet or salty food, including pickles. An occasional late night pickle isn’t anything to worry about, but if you’re sneaking down every night at the devil’s hour for some crunchy goodness, try getting more to eat during the day and see if your nightly appetite subsides.
- 2 Stress might also cause you to develop late-night snacking habits. Stress and anxiety can keep you awake at night, and when you’re tired, it’s easy to go straight for strong-flavored foods, like sweets or salty snacks. It’s also easy to turn to food for comfort or a distraction when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
- It can be hard to break such habits, but if you eat nutritious, filling meals during regular mealtimes, you’ll be more likely to fall asleep full and not sneak down later for a snack.
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Question Pickles are gross but I can’t stop eating them, why is that? Maybe you enjoy the texture of pickles or the taste. Regular cucumbers are a great alternative to pickles, try eating those instead.
Ask a Question Advertisement Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about nutrition, check out our in-depth with, This article was co-authored by and by wikiHow staff writer,, Nimisha Gandhi is a Certified Nutritionist based in San Francisco, California.
With over 15 years of research and clinical experience, she specializes in functional and ayurvedic reproductive and gut health. She is a certified Ayurvedic counselor from the Ayurvedic Institute of America and received her certification in nutrition from the Bauman College of Holistic Nutrition and Culinary Arts while also getting certified as a Yoga Nidra teacher from the California College of Ayurveda.
Homemade Pickled Moonshine
She is also a certified Well Woman Yoga Practitioner and Conscious Parenting Coach. She earned her B.S. in Psychobiology from the University of California at Los Angeles. This article has been viewed 22,709 times.
- Co-authors: 8
- Updated: July 13, 2023
- Views: 22,709
Categories: Medical Disclaimer The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 22,709 times. : Craving Pickles? Here’s What It Really Means
Are fermented pickles safe?
Controlling acidity – Fermented pickles require sufficient acidity to prevent the growth of Clostridium botulinum (the bacteria that causes botulism) and possible toxin production. Refer to the food acidity and processing methods section of our canning basics series for a more detailed explanation. The following safety tips are critical when preparing fermented pickle products:
Don’t alter the salt, produce, or water proportions in your recipe. Salt is a critical ingredient for fermented products. It helps to prevent undesirable bacteria from growing so desirable bacteria can produce lactic acid needed for preservation. Use only methods with tested proportions of ingredients that are recommended by the USDA, Minnesota or other state Extension resources, home canning equipment manufacturers, or other reputable sources. Ensure a uniform and adequate level of acid throughout the product using accurate measuring and thorough mixing of ingredients. Follow recommended temperatures, time, and weight usage during fermentation. Keeping the correct temperature during fermentation is critical to producing the needed acid and flavor compounds.
Are fermented pickles OK to eat?
Great for You and Your Gut Health – Fermented + Probiotic Pickles – Fermented dill pickles are made with salt and not vinegar, so by comparison they are milder than vinegar pickles which contain acetic acid. These are the gut healthy, microbiome-boosting superfood pickles that you should be consuming everyday, three times a day.
- The fermented pickle is the probiotic packed pickle you should be eating and brine you should be drinking, both for its electrolytes and its probiotic load (more on that in our ).
- These raw, live and probiotic pickles actively serve your health.
- Fermented foods are more popular than ever, but people are still confused about how to spot real ones.
So where can I find these wonderful fermented pickles, you ask? Real fermented pickles are hard to find – that’s where we come in. Here at Olive My Pickle, we ferment over 40 varieties of pickles, olives, kraut, kimchi, veggies, and LiveBrine and ship them right to your door. 📦🥒
Do moonshine pickles taste good?
Moonshine Pickles – Rate Recipe Prep Time 5 minutes Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes Moonshine pickles might sound crazy, but these high-octane pickles and their brine make cocktail time infinitely more exciting. Crunchy, delicious, and ever-so delicious, you can snack on the pickles then take a shot of the brine! Where are my pickle loving party people? Because not only are these dill-icious, but they’re about as easy as 1-2-3.
1 pint dill pickles 16 ounce jar Up to 1 cup unflavoured moonshine ¼ teaspoon Tabasco or Cholula hot sauce ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Strain the brine from your jar of pickles and reserve it. Pour the Moonshine into the jar to within 1-1/2 inches of the top of the jar. Add the Tabasco or Cholula to the jar along with the crushed red pepper flakes. Add reserved pickle juice to the level of the top of the jar. Tightly cap the jar, shake vigorously once or twice, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before eating. These pickles will be good for up to a year in the refrigerator.
Calories: 51 kcal Carbohydrates: 1 g Protein: 0.2 g Fat: 0.2 g Saturated Fat: 0.03 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1 g Monounsaturated Fat: 0.003 g Sodium: 322 mg Potassium: 45 mg Fiber: 0.4 g Sugar: 1 g Vitamin A: 85 IU Vitamin C: 1 mg Calcium: 21 mg Iron: 0.1 mg Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy.