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.
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.