Elevate Your Dirty Martini With Sauerkraut This Oktoberfest

Another Oktoberfest is upon us. Each year, around the end of September, people around the world (but especially in Munich, Germany) don their lederhosen, grab a stein of beer, and liberally top their sausages with sauerkraut. While the briny, fermented cabbage is enjoyed year-round, the dish is especially popular during the German-based holiday. So, why not get creative with your sauerkraut use? And you don't have to stop with food, either. Making a sauerkraut martini might just be the perfect twist to spice up the traditionally beer-based holiday.

To make a sauerkraut martini, you won't need any actual sauerkraut, just the brine. Simply add 2 parts brine, 1 part vodka (ice-cold works best), and a large ice cube to a shaker, then shake the drink until the shaker is icy cold and starts forming condensation on the outside. Then, pour the drink into the glass of your choosing. And there you have it! A perfectly salty and savory sauerkraut martini. Feel free to garnish with an equally briny olive — a blue cheese-stuffed olive would also work wonders in this drink.

Though adding sauerkraut to a martini may seem like an unusual move, it actually makes total sense considering the martini's naturally briny flavor. After all, making a good dirty martini calls for a hefty pour of olive brine. The pickle brine martini has also become a cult favorite among pickle (and martini) lovers. So, what unique aspect does sauerkraut add to your martini that pickles and olives simply can't replicate? Well, sauerkraut tends to have a sharper, more acidic taste than pickles or olives. Sauerkraut does share a lot of similarities with pickles, but it also has fewer aromatic ingredients, which tend to include flavorings like the herbaceous and delicious dill. A sauerkraut martini will be more straightforward in its briny taste, with a bright tang that cuts through the alcoholic taste of vodka.

To better align your sauerkraut martini with an Oktoberfest theme, you can always adorn it with themed garnishes, like a mustard pickle, a slice of kielbasa sausage, or both! The combination of mustard olive and sliced sausage placed in a toothpick over (or in) your martini will turn the cocktail into the perfect beer alternative for the German holiday (giant pretzel and beer cheese dip not included).