Ah, Malört, the Midwestern liqueur everybody loves to hate. And if you thought it couldn’t get any worse, it just did: a brewpub in Chicago suburb Lombard is now serving up cicada-infused shots of the stuff.
2024 marks one of the rare years when 17-year-old and 13-year-old cicada broods emerge from U.S. soil simultaneously. With the swarm in full swing, Noon Whistle Brewing decided to freeze, sterilize, and cook locally-sourced cicadas before submerging them in bottles of Malört, according to Timeout.
“Believe it or not, the 17-year old virgin cicadas bring a flavor reminiscent of succulent lobster to this insanely delicious concoction,” the brewery wrote in an Instagram post. “It’s a taste you won’t find anywhere else, and it’s only available once every 17 years!”
Don’t worry, it gets worse. The brewery is also encouraging patrons to bring in their own saved cicada husks to add to their shots for “even more of that unique flavor.” Shots are available for $5 each, though the promo will likely be short-lived as the cicadas will only be active until mid-to-late June.
While Malört isn’t exactly wellness-adjacent, science suggests cicadas do offer some nutritional value. According to the University of Georgia’s Food Science and Technology division, cicadas contain less fat and more protein than pork. On that note, the insects contain tropomyosin (the same muscle protein found in shellfish) so the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that anyone with a shellfish allergy should abstain from indulging in any cicada-centric gastronomy.
Who knows? Perhaps the insect infusion could be the missing link to making Jeppson’s Malört palatable, but we’re certainly not getting on the next flight to Chicago to find out.
