Olive Brine

Olive brine and olive juice are basically the same thing — the salty, savory liquid olives sit in. It’s what makes a Dirty Martini dirty. The quality of your olives directly affects the quality of your brine, so skip the canned stuff and use jarred Castelvetrano or Cerignola olives. Brands like Dirty Sue sell brine specifically filtered for cocktail use, removing the cloudiness while keeping the flavor. A filthy Martini might use a full ounce; a slightly dirty one just a barspoon. Some people also sneak it into Bloody Marys for extra salinity.

Last modified on October 15, 2026