Bramble Cocktail Recipe - Feed Your Sole

Name: Bramble Cocktail
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 5-6 fresh blackberries OR 1 tbsp creme de mure; 50ml gin; 2 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tbsp simple syrup (see notes for how to make); 2-3 handfuls crushed ice; 1-2 fresh blackberries; slice of lemon

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The bramble cocktail is a quintessentially British drink. A glorious mixture of sweet and sour and served ice cold it’s a beautifully refreshing drink for a summers day or warm evening.

What is it?

The bramble is a British cocktail which was invented in 1984 in London (home to another favourite British cocktail, the Porn Star Martini). The idea behind the bramble was to make a cocktail that was reflective of Britain. This is where the use of blackberries comes in, as they are a fruit found growing in abundance in the UK. Bramble is actually the name of the bush that blackberries grow on.

The cocktail is traditionally made with gin and blackberry liquor such as creme de mure. Simple syrup is added for a little extra sweetness and also lemon juice to add an extra sour depth to the flavour.

Can you make a bramble without creme de mure?

Bramble cocktails from above on a counter

Creme de mure is a blackberry liquor that is traditional in this recipe. However, you can easily substitute creme de mure in a bramble for some fresh blackberries with a dash of gin, muddled together until you have a lumpy liquid puree.

I actually make this without creme de mure as standard as it is difficult to find where I am. Plus a lot of people might find that they buy it for this recipe and it goes unused the rest of the time. I also actually prefer the look of the mashed berries and the extra fruit taste.

How do you make the crushed ice?

Crushed ice is a must for this recipe. It helps to dilute the drink (which is quite strong). You can use shaved ice, if you have an ice shaver, but if not you can make crushed ice relatively easily.

Place cubes of ice in a (clean) kitchen towel and wrap it up so you have a handle with the edges. Hit the towel repeatedly against a hard worksurface until the ice has smashed up into smaller pieces.

What equipment do I need?

To make a bramble cocktail you need very little equipment, making it perfect to mix at home. You’ll need:

Cocktail shaker – if you don’t have one you can get creative with a coffee flask, mason jar (with lid) or even a sports bottle.
Drink muddler – you can use the end of a rolling pin or the back of a wooden spoon instead
Small tumblers – traditionally an old fashioned glass is used, but you can use any small drink glass you have

Ingredients

For the printable ingredient list and quantities for this bramble cocktail recipe, see the recipe card below.

Gin
Lemon juice, plus an extra sliced lemon wheel to serve
Simple syrup (1 part water to 1 part sugar, heated gently until the sugar is melted, and then cooled)
5-6 fresh blackberries OR creme de mure
Crushed ice (see instructions above)
1-2 fresh blackberries to serve

How to make it

If you are using creme de mure then pour this into the bottom of the glass. Alternatively, muddle the blackberries with a small splash of the gin until you have a rough liquid to pour into the glass.
Top the glass with a couple of handfuls of crushed ice
Next add the gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and a few ice cubes to a cocktail shaker. Shake for around 20 seconds until the outside is ice cold.
Pour the gin mixture over the ice and then top the glass up with more crushed ice until full.
Serve with a fresh blackberry on top and a slice of lemon over the edge of the glass

If you are looking for more great cocktail recipes then try this simple mango daiquiri, this easiest ever mojito recipe or this porn star martini (another British classic!)

Products that work great for this recipe: