Say “beer and pickles,” and we might think of a great burger at a barbecue or maybe a fun pub lunch. To Chef Chip English, the phrase “beer and pickles” gets his creative juices flowing. A chef for 30 years, he was once asked by the Food Network to create some dishes for a pilot television show in Atlanta. To accompany his barbecue dish, he made beer-infused pickles.
“We made them with an IPA, and people went crazy,” says English. “They begged us to sell them some of the pickles.”
The idea of creating pickled items infused with beer stayed on the back burner until seven years ago, when English returned to his native Florida. COVID’s impact on the restaurant industry moved his idea to the front burner. After extensive research and development, taste testing, and experimentation, Spiked Pickles was born. English packs a lot of flavor into his products but no additives, preservatives, or chemicals. They also have less salt and sugar than grocery-store pickled items.
A longtime proponent of “live local, eat local, buy local,” English wants his product to use Florida’s freshest seasonal produce, combined with the best local beers.
“I want to celebrate Florida’s ingredients and regional flavors,” he says. “The alcohol gets cooked out, but the nuances of the beers remain.” A true flavor hack, this new taste cuts through vinegar’s acidity by adding to it a malty, toasty sweetness. Umami in a jar!
Spiked Pickles’ product line is ever-expanding. If a local farmer is growing a new fruit or vegetable, it might just wind up in English’s pickling pot.
His best seller is the Traditional Garlic Dill, with subtle flavors of clementine and orange peel from Cigar City’s Jai Alai IPA. His Spicy Banana Peppers have a hint of wildflower honey. Pickled Red Onions are smoky, and just a little spicy.
Spiked Pickles can enhance sandwiches, tacos, pizza, and more. Florida Beets, with flavors of key lime and vanilla, add zing to a salad of arugula and feta cheese. English likes his Giardiniera on the side of a charcuterie board. The Pickled Dilly Beans add more flavor to a Bloody Mary. One local newsman even adds one of the pickles to his Martini!
When asked if, as a chef, he ever uses his products as ingredients, not just condiments, English describes a delicious-sounding steak sauce, sautéing his Garlic & Herb Cherry Tomatoes to top the beef.
Spiked Pickles can be found at farm markets, breweries, and retail locations.
To learn more about Spiked Pickles and where you can find them, go to spikedpickles.com. You might even discover who puts a spiked pickle in his Martini.
