Recipe: Sauerkraut Martini

This cocktail is polarizing. Either you’re going to be with me and love every briny sip, or you will not. And don’t for a second think you only have to drink it during Oktoberfest — it’s just that people are far more affectionate toward pickled cabbage during this time of year. To be quite honest, I need no special occasion to shake one of these up. A Wednesday evening is just as good of a reason as any.

Says who? Says me and my desperate attempt to mix up a cocktail on one particularly needy night. There was nothing in my house except for mini bottles of vodka and the last of a jar of Bubbies Sauerkraut. I was in a pickle and also out of pickles, so sauerkraut juice came to my rescue.

Make your own: How To Make Homemade Sauerkraut in a Mason Jar

By now, you’ve probably guessed correctly that I’ll make a cocktail with vodka and pickle juice without batting an eye. The concept isn’t so odd. In fact, you may have seen it offered at restaurants as a dill pickle martini from time to time. I’m the person who orders that cocktail, so moving on to sauerkraut juice isn’t such a wild notion for me. I am glad I made the leap because this cocktail is far better than those made with pickle juice. It’s tart and briny and very clean-tasting.

This cocktail is only good when it’s ice cold, so get your Bond on and shake it with lots of ice until your hands get cold and your arms are tired. Then serve it over more ice. Those giant king cubes are 100 percent the way to go since they melt slowly and feel ceremonious. I like to drink this cocktail in a glass far prettier than it deserves. It’s like eating boxed pudding out of a crystal bowl or sardines on a gold plate.

Read more: 5 Types of Ice and When to Use them