It looks real to me! When I drove a big truck over the road, I used to deliver wome pretty weird flavored waters, mostly to Canada! But pickle flavor! Wow!!
At least I'm not alone, I first did it at my wifes parents house in Gomel. Her father was drinking it and I tried it, he has drank it almost everyday and he started the habit in the Red Army. They would get jars of pickles and other things (even meats) from a collective farm and carry it around with them on manuevers. He was a mechanic/driver on an ISU-152. They used glass jars with wicker casings to protect them and they never broke if stowed properly. As for the rats if you stop and think about it in South America they eat guinea pigs and capybarras, rodents. I wonder if its all about what you feed them.
Piclke juices? I didn't even know there was such a thing, dounds gross though. Some strange things Australians do is put plain tomato sauce on plain white bread and feast on that, or baked beans sandwiches. YUM
A bottle-cap (or two) of white vinegar is the only way to eat Ham & Great Northern beans. I hear "blazers" drink vinegar to be able to pass "pee" tests? I'm told it cleans you out. I wouldn't know, I like it just for the taste. Must be hereditary? I wouldn't call it weird, or an addiction since so many do it regularly, but not incessantly. You know, not because they "Have to".