Dutch Bros. Coffee’s new Pickle back Seasonal Rebel, a drink which debuted on April 1, 2025. Photo taken by Connor Stewart, ’26.
Is the Pickleback a Joke? Or a new Mainstay?
Who would think that humanity would evolve to the point that companies are turning pungent fridge-bound ingredients into marketable energy drinks? Oftentimes, caffeinated drinks have flavoring via syrups and extracts, which embody fruity and floral flavors. And to add, very few of these beverages ever smell or taste sour. However, as of April 1, 2025, Dutch Bros. Coffee is actively defying this normality, as they rolled out their Pickleback drink. While the drink came off as an April Fool’s prank, rapidly circulating social media, consumers soon realized that the Pickleback was real.
The Pickleback, which strikingly resembles the coloration of a Vlasic pickle, is a seasonal energy drink (Rebel) that has a twist of dill pickle flavoring. Packaged with the Pickleback is a limited edition sticker, a scratch and sniff sticker which when scratched, releases the acidic aroma of the classic pickle. Furthermore, it is only fitting that the sticker resembles a pickle, an energetic character who is scuba diving in a pickle jar.
Now, as the avid pickle and social media enthusiast I am, obviously, I had to try this dubious drink. And, to be frank, I equally love and hate it.
Problematic Pickleback
Firstly, diving into the negatives, the glaring and inescapable problem is the name. Seriously, who names a drink Pickleback? With nary any exaggeration, the only thing I can envision while drinking this concoction is the Canadian rock band, Nickelback. I am not a fan of Nickelback, just as most music enjoyers are not. Furthermore, Pickleback sounds like a drink that only the Bubble Bass from “Spongebob Squarepants” would be brave enough to order, which speaks volumes. So, while it not only hurts my imagination, I am sure it hurts the branding and promotion of the drink as well. However, I could not care less about how the beverage is profiting, as I am too concerned about understanding this drink’s scent and flavor profiles.
Quite the Stench
Starting off with the scent, it reeks of only one thing, that being a vinegar-based brine. This beverage is nothing further from aromatic, as after two minutes of inhaling its stench, I felt like I could have a grand mal seizure. In short, I find it baffling that someone can replicate the scent of a pickle so perfectly, especially in an energy drink.
What is so dumbfounding about the Pickleback is that it is so off base from any other classic Rebel that Dutch Bros offers, at least scent-wise. All other menu items are not nasally assaulting and tend to have a smell tolerable enough that consumers are not terrified to consume them. Regardless of its off-putting presence, the Pickleback does closely portray a pickle and therefore, gets kudos for that.
It’s Actually… Decent?
While the landfill scent of the Pickleback is its worst quality, surprisingly, I rather enjoy the taste. Resembling a Sour Patch Kids’ candy, the Pickleback starts sweet and soon after, turns sour, living up to its dill pickle description. And, while this may be a factor of only my environment, my Pickleback did not stay as cold as usual. Not to say that it was warm, which I am thankful it was not, but after I left the Dutch Bros., it warmed faster than a usual drink. All of this led to the culmination of a lukewarm and brine-flavored drink, which I must say, made me gag. However, after letting it recuperate in my freezer, the Pickleback tasted far better and was normal once again.
Its sugar base combines well with the acidic notes of the dill pickle syrup, gracing my taste buds with the sweet and savory flavor profile, a taste as old as time. Besides pickle, the beverage holds a hint of a taste of green table grapes, which follows with the swamp-green aesthetic of the Pickleback. Not to mention, a bowl of green table grapes is my preferred snack, so, tasting it within an energy drink was a joyous surprise.
The only problem I have with the Pickleback when consuming it is its texture. While it is not anything concerning the Pickleback itself, it is the fact that this is a soft and icy pickle replica, which for me is a mental rollercoaster. As I often eat pickles, the wet yet crunchy feel of the pickle is habitual for me. As for this beverage, it feels like a brined sludge on my tongue, which throws me into a never-ending loop.
The Fate of the Pickleback
All in all, the Pickleback is a humorous way for Dutch Bros to get in on the April Fool’s fun. While I am a fan of it, I can only ever envision myself getting this as a joke or for something fun to try with friends. Other than that, I will not be caught dead consuming this drink in my free time. But, since the beverage is seasonal, I would recommend all Dutch Bros customers try it before it is gone, as nothing consumable is ever bad enough to not try once. Nonetheless, while the pickle connoisseur in me is eternally grateful for this drink, the rest of me is ready to return to my tried and true Dutch Bros order, the Palm Beach Rebel.
