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    You are here: Home » Meal Type » Cocktails » Bramble Cocktail (Gin and Raspberry)

    Bramble Cocktail (Gin and Raspberry)

    May 14, 2020 By Danielle Esposti 18 Comments

    May contain affiliate links.See our Privacy Policy and disclosure.

    Go to Recipe
    Pinterest image for a bramble cocktail recipe.
    Pinterest collage for the bramble - a gin sour with black raspberry liqueur.
    Pinterest image for the bramble - a gin sour with black raspberry liqueur.
    Pinterest collage for a bramble cocktail recipe.

    The Bramble Cocktail is the perfect summer sipper. This gin based cocktail is flavored with lemon and black raspberry – it’s wonderfully refreshing and an easy drinker. It might look fancy, but it’s incredibly easy to make this classic cocktail at home. 

    Three gin and blackberry cocktails on a cement surface with small bowls of fresh blackberries and lemon wedges.
    Jump to:
    • Watch the Recipe Video
    • What is a Bramble Cocktail?
    • How to Make a Bramble Cocktail
    • What’s the Best Gin to Use?
    • How to Make Crushed Ice
    • Can You Make This Without a Cocktail Shaker?
    • How Long Do You Shake a Cocktail?
    • More Refreshing Summer Cocktails
    • Recipe


    With a little extra free time on his hands, my husband has been crafting and photographing a slew of classic cocktails (you can check them all out here). When he presented me with a stunning Bramble Cocktail one evening I nearly fell out of my desk chair. I’d never even heard of this simple delight. One sip and I was hooked – and the fact that the name is utterly charming helped too.

    Even though it looks like an incredibly fancy drink you’d pay a premium for at a high-end bar, this is a very simple cocktail to make at home with just a few easy-to-source ingredients.

    Watch the Recipe Video

    What is a Bramble Cocktail?

    The bramble cocktail is a fairly modern creation. It was created in London in the 1980s by Dick Bradsell, who was the bar manager at Fred’s Club – a private members club that attracted a host of celebrities from Boy George to Naomi Campbell. Fancy!

    Dick wanted to create a truly British cocktail. It’s name, bramble, is the name of the bush on which blackberries grow. It’s a very simple drink – it’s most basic form is a gin sour with blackberry, or, in this case black raspberry.

    The bramble is traditionally made with Creme de mure, a blackberry liqueur, but it’s really, really hard to find in liquor stores in the US (trust us, we tried!). It’s acceptable to use Creme de cassis or Chambord  (black raspberry liqueurs); they’re much more widely available, and very suitable substitutes.

    A gin and blackberry cocktail garnished with a lemon wedge and fresh blackberries.

    How to Make a Bramble Cocktail

    This simple bramble cocktail is made in a cocktail shaker, then poured over crushed ice for a cool and refreshing sip. The layering looks complicated, but it’s so simple it’s almost criminal. You’ll pour black raspberry liqueur over the gin sour; since it’s heavier than gin, it will naturally sink to the bottom, creating a ridiculously fancy looking cocktail with almost zero effort.

    Need a different visual? This recipe is also available as a story!

    A collage showing how to make a bramble cocktail with gin and blackberry liqueur.
    • Combine the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with several ice cubes. Shake until the shaker frosts.
    • Fill a rocks glass with crushed ice and pour the gin mixture (a gin sour) over the ice.
    • Slowly pour in the creme de cassis or chambord. It will settle to the bottom.
    • Garnish with a lemon wheel and fresh blackberries.

    What’s the Best Gin to Use?

    This cocktail is only as good as its ingredients, so a high quality gin is needed here for the best flavor. It’s a personal preference, but I find that a dry gin with hints of citrus works the best (aka, London style). Widely available commercial brands like Tanqueray, Beefeater, and Aviation are great. If you’re discerning, avoid more floral gins like Hendrick’s and The Botanist.

    A trio of bramble cocktails with a small bowl of fresh blackberries.

    How to Make Crushed Ice

    The bramble is best experienced with crushed iced, which helps soften the edges of the spirits and keeps your drink ice-cold as you sip in the summer sun. There are two ways I like to make crushed ice at home:

    • Place a handful of ice cubes into a food processor, then use the pulse feature to gently crush the ice. This doesn’t work well with larger quantities and is more suitable for making enough ice for one or two drinks.
    • Place ice cubes into a gallon-sized ziplock bag. Lay the bag onto a counter, cover with a kitchen town, then pound the ice with a rolling pin until crushed. This method works well for larger quantities of ice.

    Can You Make This Without a Cocktail Shaker?

    Don’t fret if you don’t have a cocktail shaker, you can still enjoy this bramble cocktail! Shake the gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and ice in a mason jar or any lidded jar (just make sure to seal tightly). It’s important to shake the ingredients so that the flavors meld together, but you don’t want a gin explosion on your hands (literally).

    How Long Do You Shake a Cocktail?

    Shake at least least 30 seconds. In addition to mixing the ingredients, this helps to aerate the spirits and meld the flavors. The outside of the shaker should be icy cold to the touch.

    More Refreshing Summer Cocktails

    • Paloma Cocktail
    • Cherry Gin Rickey
    • Strawberry Basil Margarita
    • Blueberry Mint Julep
    • Stone Fruit Sangria
    Three bramble cocktails on a cement surface.

    Did you make this Bramble Cocktail? I’d love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.

    While you’re at it, let’s be friends – follow me on Pinterest and Instagram for the latest and greatest.

    Recipe

    Three gin and blackberry cocktails on a cement surface with small bowls of fresh blackberries and lemon wedges.

    Bramble Cocktail (Gin and Raspberry)

    5 from 7 votes
    Author: Danielle Esposti
    Print Recipe Rate this Recipe Pin Recipe
    This simple bramble cocktail is made in a cocktail shaker, then poured over crushed ice for a cool and refreshing sip. The layering looks complicated, but it's so simple it's almost criminal. You'll pour black raspberry liqueur over the gin sour; since it's heavier than gin, it will naturally sink to the bottom, creating a ridiculously fancy looking cocktail with almost zero effort.
    Prep Time: 5 mins
    Total Time: 5 mins
    Servings : 1 cocktail
    Calories: 260

    Ingredients

    • 2 oz gin
    • 1 oz lemon juice
    • ½ oz simple syrup
    • ½ oz creme de cassis, or chambord
    • lemon wheel, for garnish
    • fresh blackberries, for garnish

    Instructions

    • Combine gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with several ice cubes. Shake until the shaker frosts.
    • Fill a rocks glass with crushed ice. Pour gin mixture over the ice.
    • Slowly pour in the creme de cassis or chambord. It will settle to the bottom.
    • Garnish with a lemon wheel and fresh blackberries.

    Notes

    • The Bramble is traditionally made with Creme de mure, a blackberry liqueur. It can be very difficult to source. Chambord and Creme de cassis are black raspberry liqueurs, and both are terrific substitutes. 
    • If you don’t own a cocktail shaker, use any lidded glass jar like a mason jar. Be sure to properly secure the lid. 
    • This cocktail is best enjoyed over crushed ice, which is easy to make at home:
      • Place a handful of ice cubes into a food processor and use the pulse feature to gently crush the ice. For best results, do not crush more than 1 cup of ice at a time. 
      • Place ice cubes into a gallon-sized ziplock bag. Lay the bag onto a counter, cover with a kitchen town, then pound the ice with a rolling pin until crushed. This method works well for larger quantities of ice, up to 3 cups. 

    Nutrition Information

    Serving: 1cocktail, Calories: 260kcal (13%), Carbohydrates: 19g (6%), Protein: 0g, Fat: 0g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 23mg (1%), Potassium: 0mg, Fiber: 3g (12%), Sugar: 14g (16%), Vitamin A: 0%, Vitamin C: 0%, Calcium: 0%, Iron: 0%
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @oursaltykitchen or tag #oursaltykitchen!
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    18 Comments
    Filed Under: Cocktails

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kathleen

      May 14, 2020 at 2:29 pm

      Our favorite place to get unusual spirits. https://www.bittersandbottles.com/products/merlet-creme-de-mure-blackberry-liqueur?_pos=1&_sid=7f30b8457&_ss=r

      Reply
      • Anna

        April 10, 2021 at 7:00 pm

        As a young person my husband and I were able to enjoy many gin based or drinks and even gin straight up. But in time the gin would give me a crushing headache. Forgive me but can I make this with vodka as well? It looks awesome. Many thanks.

        Reply
    2. Annie

      May 15, 2020 at 10:54 am

      5 stars
      Easy to make and ultra-refreshing! We will be making this again!

      Reply
    3. Sophie

      September 09, 2020 at 1:51 pm

      Except crème de cassis should be black currant liqueur 😉 Looks amazing—can’t wait to try it!

      Reply
    4. Chloe

      February 19, 2022 at 10:43 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious and refreshing! I used black currant liqueur instead of creme de cassis. I also topped it up with soda water so I wouldn’t drink it so quickly! That also cut through the sweetness nicely. Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
    5. Beck

      March 01, 2022 at 8:21 pm

      5 stars
      I made this cocktail with a couple of substitutions: I used key lime juice for the lemon, and agave syrup for the simple syrup. Delicious, but a bit sweet for my taste. After reading Cloe’s comment, I topped it with seltzer… perfect! Can’t wait for summer so I can make it in batches to serve at brunch!

      Reply
    6. Caden

      November 06, 2022 at 7:12 pm

      5 stars
      Genuinely delicious, really recommend giving this a try – as it sits it does start to mesh together a bit, I found, but appearances are irrelevant with how tasty this drink is.

      Reply

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