Looking for a refreshing summer drink with a sweet berry twist? The Blackberry Bramble cocktail brings together fresh blackberries, gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup for this really nice balance of sweet and tart flavors.

This classic cocktail takes just five minutes to make and calls for only basic ingredients you might already have at home.

The Blackberry Bramble first showed up in London back in the 1980s. Since then, it’s become a favorite in bars around the world.

Its gorgeous purple color makes it a real showstopper at parties, or just a lovely treat for yourself after a long day.

This recipe shines with fresh blackberries when they’re in season. But you can totally use frozen berries if that’s what you’ve got.

Want to go alcohol-free? Just swap the gin for club soda or lemonade and you’ve got a family-friendly version.

Blackberry Bramble Cocktail Recipe

The Blackberry Bramble is a gin-based cocktail featuring blackberries, lemon juice, and blackberry liqueur. It’s a go-to for summer gatherings or any time you want a fruity, balanced drink.

John

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Serving Size

Equipment

Cocktail shaker – for mixing everything with ice
Strainer – holds back the ice as you pour

Jigger or measuring tool – so you don’t overdo it
Muddler – to squash those blackberries
Old-fashioned glass (rocks glass, if you prefer)

Bar spoon – for a gentle stir
Ice crusher or Lewis bag (optional) – if you want crushed ice

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need for one Blackberry Bramble cocktail:

2 oz 60ml gin (London Dry gin is ideal)

1 oz 30ml fresh lemon juice
½ oz 15ml simple syrup
½ oz 15ml crème de mûre (blackberry liqueur) or Chambord

4-6 fresh blackberries plus a few extra for garnish
Crushed ice
Lemon slice or twist for garnish optional

Mint sprig for garnish optional

Instructions

Muddle the blackberries – Drop 4-6 blackberries into your cocktail shaker and gently crush them with a muddler to get the juices flowing.
Add the base ingredients – Pour in the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup right on top of those muddled berries.

Shake well – Toss in some ice, close up the shaker, and give it a good shake for about 15 seconds until it’s nice and cold.
Prepare the glass – Fill your old-fashioned glass with crushed ice, piling it up just a bit above the rim.
Strain and pour – Strain the mixture over the crushed ice in your glass.

Add blackberry liqueur – Slowly pour the crème de mûre or Chambord over the top so it trickles down through the drink. It looks pretty cool.
Garnish – Top it off with a fresh blackberry, maybe a lemon slice, and a mint sprig if you want to get fancy.

Notes

The Blackberry Bramble was invented in London in the 1980s by bartender Dick Bradsell. The name comes from those wild blackberry bushes—brambles—common in British hedgerows.

For a non-alcoholic twist, just swap the gin for club soda or tonic water and use blackberry syrup instead of liqueur. It’s honestly a great mocktail.

If you’re making these for a crowd, you can mix the gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and muddled blackberries ahead of time (just skip the ice). Keep it chilled and add the blackberry liqueur to each glass as you serve.

Traditionally, crème de mûre is the go-to, but Chambord (a raspberry liqueur) works if you can’t find the original stuff.

Must Have Ingredients

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Tasting Notes

The Blackberry Bramble cocktail hits a lovely balance of sweet and tart. It starts off with that bright, juniper-forward gin—honestly, that’s the backbone here.

Fresh blackberries bring a natural sweetness and a bit of tartness. Their flavor comes through, but it doesn’t take over.

Lemon juice adds a sharp citrus kick that slices through the sweetness, giving the drink a refreshing acidity. That tartness keeps things in check, so it never gets syrupy.

When you mix it right, the flavors kind of unfold as you sip. First the gin, then the berries, and finally that citrusy finish.

Flavor Profile:

Primary: Blackberry, gin

Secondary: Lemon, a gentle sweetness
Finish: Clean, a little tart

The texture is smooth, with just a bit of thickness from the blackberry juice or liqueur. As the ice melts, it softens the gin’s bite but keeps those botanical notes alive.

Honestly, this cocktail is best served really cold. The chill brings out the refreshing side and mellows any harshness from the alcohol.

It pairs well with cheese plates, light desserts, or just stands on its own as an evening drink. The color is gorgeous—purple-red—and it tastes fresh enough to enjoy any time of year.

Substitutes

Don’t have crème de mûre for your Blackberry Bramble cocktail? No problem!

You can make this drink with other ingredients. Fresh blackberries work surprisingly well as a substitute for crème de mûre.

Muddle 4-5 blackberries with 1/2 ounce simple syrup. That’ll get you pretty close to the original flavor, honestly.

Blackberry jam is another option if that’s what you’ve got. Just mix 1 tablespoon of jam with about 1/2 teaspoon of water to thin it out before tossing it in your cocktail.

If gin’s not your thing, swap it for vodka for a milder taste. Or go with dark rum if you’re feeling adventurous—it’s got a deeper, richer vibe.

Craving a different berry twist? Raspberry liqueur (crème de framboise) or blueberry liqueur both work instead of blackberry.

When fresh berries are out of season, frozen blackberries thawed and muddled come pretty close. Not quite the same, but honestly, they do the trick.

Blackberry Bramble Cocktail Recipe