ORLANDO -- Standing at the counter of the Brew-Wing Lab at the Odyssey in Disney World's Epcot, I found myself in a pickle. Should I order the much talked about Pickle Milkshake?
Yes, you read that correctly. Pickle. Milkshake.
At the Brew-Wing Lab, Muppet scientists Beaker and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew are testing a variety of flavors with festival attendees. As its name implies, there are a number of beers and ciders as well as chicken wings. The location is one of many that are part of the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival.
Joining the alcoholic beverages are two without booze. The Frozen Fusion blends Twinings pomegranate/raspberry tea with orange ice cream. And then there's the Pickle Milkshake.
It's exactly what it sounds like -- a pickle-flavored shake complete with a fresh sprig of dill atop the whipped cream. It's served in a plastic souvenir jar and costs $5.75.
The drink has certainly caused the most buzz of any festival food item this year. I particularly liked Disney Food Blog's take, summarized in a headline: "Disney's pickle shake is the best worst thing they've ever made."
The Pickle Milkshake paired with the Impossible Buffalo Chicken Tenders. Photo Credit: Jamie Biesiada
The buzz alone piqued my interest, but the flavors sound off-putting. I like pickles and I like milkshakes, but it doesn't seem like the two belong together.
Still, I had to try it.
My verdict is that it was better than I expected, but I probably wouldn't order it again.
The drink itself looks appealing enough. It's a minty-green color, topped with whipped cream, dill and sprinkles mimicking pickling spice. It's served with a color-coordinated, extra-wide straw.
The first flavor that hit me was pickle brine. But that quickly mellows out to a simple, sweet taste.
The shake is nice and cold, as it should be; the coldness and milky sweetness help offset the spice from the accompanying wings. I ordered the Impossible Buffalo Chicken Tenders, which had a mild heat. I imagine the pickle shake would be even more helpful with the Unnecessarily Spicy, Yet Extremely Tasty Scotch Bonnet Pepper Curry Wings (wing menu items are $7.50).
One of the things I like most about the Food and Wine Festival is ordering dishes to share with family and friends. This shake is the perfect candidate. Drinking an entire shake alone would be daunting -- you really get a lot of shake for $5.75! -- but it's perfect for a group that's up for a fun culinary adventure.
Correction: We have corrected the name of Brew-Wing Lab's wings made with scotch bonnet peppers.