Homemade Spicy Pickles (Refrigerator Pickles)
These spicy beer pickles take only 5 minutes prep time and a little nap in the fridge and they will be the star of your burger. Light, hoppy, and flavorful, you will rethink buying pickles from the store!
Homemade Refrigerator Pickles
If you like to eat pickles while you are drinking beer, then you are in luck because these homemade dill pickles are made with beer in the brine!
I made some of these easy pickles before just without this new “hoppy” new addition.
But I am glad that I added it because it brings out the floral flavors of the dill and the tanginess of the mustard.
The Serrano peppers add just a little of heat toward the end which makes these Spicy Beer Pickles the perfect storm of flavors. The taste is the best parts of sour dill and Bread and Butter pickles all rolled into one!
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Ingredients Needed
- whole peppercorns
- yellow mustard seeds
- brown mustard seeds
- garlic
- dill seed
- crushed red pepper flakes
- dill
- beer
- water
- red wine vinegar
- sugar
- salt
- mini cucumbers (sliced)
- Serrano peppers (sliced thin)
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How to Make Homemade Refrigerator Pickles
First: Slice the cucumbers and the Serrano peppers. Prepare the pickling spice by mixing all the ingredients for the spice mix in a bowl. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the pickling spice into the bottom of your two jars.
Second: Prepare the pickling liquid. Combine the vinegar, salt, and sugar in a pot and bring to a simmer to dissolve the sugar. Remove the pot from the heat and add the water and the beer.
Third: Layer the sliced cucumbers and peppers in the jars, alternating and adding another teaspoon of spice in between the layers until it is all used. Carefully pour the pickling liquid into the jars filling them up but leaving a 1/4 inch head space at the top.
Fourth: Jiggle the jars slightly to dislodge any trapped air bubbles. Cover loosely until the jars are completely cool. Screw the tops on tight and invert the jars a few times to mix everything up. Store in the refrigerator, inverting the jars every 24 hours until you eat them all.
Enjoy with hamburgers, hot dogs, or anything you eat pickles on!
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
How long do they last?
If you keep them in the refrigerator, they will last for up to two weeks.
How to make them less spicy
I would suggest taking the ribs and seeds out of the Serrano peppers before slicing it, or I would cut down on the amount of Serrano slices you put in each jar.
Can I serve these like regular pickles?
Yes, you can and you can even chop them up and make a killer relish to go in your tuna salad or egg salad. I like to use them in these dill pickle wraps, this fried pickle dip, and this dill pickle dip with ham.
Tapas Tips & Tricks
- I like to press down on the slices to “pack” them in a little tighter. This allows me to add more cucumbers and use fewer jars.
- After a few layers, sprinkle in a little more of the spice mixture and another layer of cucumbers and peppers. Continue on this way until the jars are full and start the brine.
- Bring the vinegar, salt, and sugar to a simmer and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the pot from the heat and add the water and beer. This will cool the brine down and make it easier to pour into the jars.
- Fill the jars with brine leaving a 1/4 inch of headspace at the top.
- Gently tap or jiggle the jars to release any trapped air bubbles.
- Place the lids on the jars but don’t screw them down.
- Once the jars cool completely, screw the lid on all the way, invert the jars a few times, and store in the refrigerator.
- Every day flip the jars and continue for 7 days or until they are eaten.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below (or on Pinterest with the “tried it” button – you can now add pictures into reviews, too!), and be sure to help me share on facebook!
These quick and easy spicy beer pickles are perfect for making fried pickles, just snacking, adding to your pickle tray, or on top of your burgers and hot dogs. They even make excellent Fried Pickles!
Refrigerator Spicy Beer Pickles
Equipment
Ingredients
Pickling Spice
- 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
- 1/4 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic fresh or dried
- 1 teaspoon dill seed
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dill
Pickling Liquid
- 12 ounces beer
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 cups red wine vinegar
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
Beer Pickles
- 1 pound mini cucumbers sliced
- 2 Serrano peppers sliced thin
Instructions
- slice the cucumbers and the Serrano peppers
- prepare the pickling spice by mixing all the ingredients for the spice mix in a bowl.
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the pickling spice into the bottom of your two jars.
- Prepare the pickling liquid.
- Combine the vinegar, salt, and sugar in a pot and bring to a simmer to dissolve the sugar.
- Remove the pot from the heat and add the water and the beer.
- Layer the sliced cucumbers and peppers in the jars, alternating and adding another teaspoon of spice in between the layers until it is all used.
- Carefully pour the pickling liquid into the jars filling them up but leaving a 1/4 inch head space at the top.
- Jiggle the jars slightly to dislodge any trapped air bubbles.
- Cover loosely until the jars are completely cool.
- Screw the tops on tight and invert the jars a few times to mix everything up.
- Store in the refrigerator, inverting the jars every 24 hours until you eat them all.
- Enjoy with hamburgers, hot dogs, or anything you eat pickles on!
Video
Notes
- If you like this recipe, please leave me a comment, rate it with some stars, and share it far and wide! Thank you!
Nutrition
This recipe is adapted from here.
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can i make these pickles with the beer and sell along with my other pickles
I would think so as long as you disclose that they have alcohol in them
I made these last year, and I’ve very much enjoyed them. I just ate a couple I had left from my home grown cucumbers and was like yum! I’m gonna leave a review lol , They are my favorite pickle recipe! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. 10/10 amazing pickles. I just used yuengling as my beer and was super yummy. Crunchy sweet and spicy beer pickles. The Serrano peppers give a nice touch. Great job.
So glad you like them!! Thanks for the review!
What size mason jars should be used for this recipe ? Cukes filled 1 quart but have 2 quarts of brine. I am puzzled….
Not sure how that happened. The pickling liquid should make a total of just over 4 cups which is 1 quart. I. the pictures I use a 16 ounce hexagon “sharing” jar from Ball. Once I layered the jars I poured the brine over and I did have a little leftover. You can use a larger jar. Since these are a refrigerator or quick pickle it’s ok to use a larger volume jar and have extra space. Hope this helps!
Does it make a difference what kind of beer you use? Can the beer be gluten free?
Just use your favorite. I like a light IPA. And the beer can be gluten free:)
What can I use in place of red wine vinegar?
Feel free to use plain distilled vinegar or white wine vinegar if you have it.
Thanks for sharing this recipe, I made them last week for a party last night. Everyone enjoyed them til they were gone! I made them with Stone Delicious IPA (to keep them gluten-reduced). I’ll definitely make on a regular basis. Thanks again 🙂
This recipe sounds fantastic! I love using beer for soup stocks, sauces, bread etc but never thought about using it for pickles. Definitely looking forward to trying it! I plan on experimenting with the peppers – I like the serranos but for some insane reason I have to see what a habanero will do since it has that sweet note before the burn I love.