Maybe some DETAILS about the recipe and process? Bubbie sounds like 'Kosher'grand mother. Without knowing what goes onto beyond cukes and and water, we can't help much. I suspect they are fermented, and that creates LACTIC acid. Beyond that, its a guess.

Breasley, I will make the sacrifice and buy a jar of these to try so I can give you my opinion. ;-) More later.

Melissa

They are in fact a salt brine fermented kosher dill but that's all I know. It states on the jar that no vinegar is used. I'm guessing they are similar to Ken's half sour but with an extended fermentation. At what point does a half sour become a sour? Maybe it's a three quarter sour. It's not real sour but does have a slight twang. I can't eat those that are so sour my neck muscles have spasms and make me salivate uncontrollably. LOL

The ones I make do have vinegar added but a very tiny amount that is meant only for the slowing and halting of the fermenting completely. The last pickle I ate was a year old, and I dare anyone to say it was in a vinegar brine. The tiny amount of vinegar had been lost by the lactic acid. They do seem to hold up a bit crisper in the long run, far beyond a fully fermented one. Just 2-3 days of fermenting, compared to a possible several weeks for a full ferment. My pickled pepperoncini is such, that people thought I was putting in sugar, when they were all made with full strength vinegar and pickling salt only. That many years of brine testing/tasting has paid off well. Sour like vinegar pickles, are tough on me too, and I usually add the dreaded alum, but in a tiny amount to give them a bit of extra pucker. I can choke on them if I accidentially bite down on too much vinegar brine. They also use a bit of tumeric to boost yellow color.

Breasley, I think you're right, these Bubbie's Pure Kosher Dills are something like a three-quarter sour. They are definitely beyond half sour, with an olive green color rather than bright green. But it's hard to tell whether they're fully soured because of the hot pepper flakes in the jar. I find the amount of spice pleasant, but I'd rather it be toned down to let more of the fermented flavor through.

This reminds me of an old article, linked below, about the "pickle wars" on the lower east side of Manhattan. One guy trained the other and now they both have shops. The trainer said of the trainee, "Alan doesn't even know how to make a sour pickle! I never taught Alan that. Sure, he's made three-quarter sours, but he can't make a full sour."

I always thought that was funny.

Verdict: Bubbie's are good, but too spicy to hit the spot the way NY pickles do. One great place to get pickles without driving into Manhattan is Harold's NY Deli in Edison, NJ. If you eat in, the pickles are all you can eat, but if you get takeout you have to buy them.

Melissa

Here is a link that might be useful: sure, he's made three-quarter sours

Only pepper I use here for a dill I make, is maybe 2-3 whole black peppercorns. Even that tiny amount in a half gallon of half sours, is a bit much if they are a bold flavored peppercorn and you want to taste the dill and cukes.

Thanks for that info Melissa. I'm new to making pickles and don't know what a New York Pickle is supposed to taste like. I'm in Oklahoma and Bubbie's is the only fermented commercial pickle I've ever seen ecxept for the Clausens. The Clausens are available in most grocery stores. Ken has mentioned Clausen half sours but the ones I see here do not say half sour on them. They are in a clear salt water brine with only garlic and peppercorns. Good pickles though.

The link below might be helpful, breasley. It is quite well explained.

Also, recipes for a Klausen style pickle are available on the web. Try a Google search.

Jim

Here is a link that might be useful: Fermented Garlic Dill Pickles