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.

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.

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!

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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!

More Easy Appetizers

• Pickle Wrap Dip
• Pickled Red Onions
• Pickle Roll Ups
• Dried Beef Dip

This recipe is adapted from here.

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