Bramble — Blackberry Love
When Dick Bradsell invented the Bramble gin cocktail in 1984, he apparently wanted to create a thoroughly British cocktail. Gin was surely essential, but blackberries were an important part of it for him, too.
Ingredients
-
50 ml
Gin
-
25 ml
Lemon juice
-
13 ml
Simple syrup
-
15 ml
Crème de mûre (blackberry liqueur)
-
1 handful
Crushed ice
-
1 to garnish
Lemon wheel or zest
Steps to make the drink
- Fill a glass with crushed ice and let it chill thoroughly. After a moment, it's best to pour away the meltwater.
- Now pour the lemon juice, gin and simple syrup over the ice. Pour in a circular motion to spread everything evenly.
- Stir gently once to mix.
- Now pour the crème de mûre over the drink so the liqueur slowly seeps into the ice.
- Finish with a lemon wheel or lemon zest and serve.
They grow in Britain's unruly bramble hedges and, so the story goes, reminded him of his childhood. A fitting mix for a cocktail with a sense of home.
The classic Bramble recipe
50 ml gin
25 ml lemon juice
12.5 ml simple syrup
15 ml crème de mûre (blackberry liqueur)
Crushed ice
Lemon to garnish
How to make a Bramble gin cocktail
Fill a glass with crushed ice and let it chill thoroughly. After a moment, it's best to pour away the meltwater.
Now pour lemon juice, gin and simple syrup over the ice. Pour in a circular motion to spread everything evenly.
Stir gently once to mix.
Now pour the crème de mûre over the drink so the liqueur slowly seeps into the ice.
Finish with a lemon wheel or lemon zest and serve.
What a Bramble tastes like
What makes this cocktail exciting is the interplay between blackberries, fruitiness and the gin's juniper. It's wonderfully easy to drink, and the crushed ice soon dilutes it nicely. A gin cocktail that's less strong if you take your time. To me, it's a lovely cocktail for summer days, and that's when it makes the most sense: you can garnish it with fresh blackberries that make a lovely little dessert once you've finished the drink.
An easy Bramble variation
If you haven't got blackberry liqueur or crème de mûre, simply use more simple syrup and a few fresh blackberries, or thawed frozen ones in winter. For example, muddle the berries in the glass, then stir them into the drink. It's another delicious variation, and every bit as fruity as the liqueur version.