Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/142283
The Sours! Pickle Me This A Healthful Brew "The industry has elevated its game with craft spirits, and it was definitely time to do so with garnishes!," says Eric Tecosky, founder of Dirty Sue Premium Olive Juice, who is also a longtime bartender who knows what this industry was missing. "Dirty Sue offers the high-end mixologists everything they need to complete the perfect well-crafted cocktail." With a line that ranges from cocktail onions to stuffed olives and straight-up-brine, Dirty Sue's in it to sweeten up sour. PHOTO: ERICA BARTEL With a lineup of products ranging from pickle-flavored potato chips to relishes and straight-up brine (hello, Pickleback), McClure's Pickles offers a sour product that's perfect for any occasion. We love the brand's spicy Bloody Mary mixes, which, by the way, just beg to have a McClure's dill thrown in there for a perfect garnish. The entire lineup of products is gourmet and all-natural and comes from an original family recipe—talk about sweet and sour! By the Bartender, for the Bartender California Meets Korea While vinegars have a variety of proposes on-premise, from salad dressings to cocktail components, it's not every day you see a medicinal purpose thrown into the mix. Meet Fire Cider, an organic apple vinegar– and raw wildflower honey–based concoction that's packed full of holistic healing ingredients like organic citrus and spices. Designed to shine in everything from cocktails to tea, Fire Cider is an interesting, enticing product that's sure to grab your customers' attention—and, oh yeah: It tastes good too! Los Angeles has plenty of local artisan producers rolling out interesting new concoctions every day, but one raw, all-natural artisan shop has really grabbed our attention with a lineup that includes everything from kombucha to kimchi and sauerkraut. Made using "nutrient dense living foods" and ancient fermentation techniques, Brassica and Brine offers a truly sustainable, artisan approach to these pickled classics, and although the California company offers a true community focus, nationwide wholesale shipping is available. Hot and Sour If there's any flavor combo that gives sweet and sour a run for its money, it's the glorious trifecta that is sweet-meets-sour-meetsspice. Satisfying all of your flavor needs in one delicious lineup is The Real Dill, a lineup of artisanal pickles that come in a variety of flavors designed to activate all of your taste buds. With real herbs, chiles and spices in each jar, The Real Dill offers a veritable vegetal experience in each bite. Simply put, these are pickles perfected. july 2013 / the tasting panel / 115 TP0713_100-148.indd 115 6/25/13 6:00 PM