Bramble
- Glass
- Rocks
- Difficulty
- Easy
- ABV
- ~17%
Ingredients
- 2 ozgin60 ml
- ¾ ozfresh lemon juice22 ml
- ½ ozsimple syrup15 ml
- ½ ozcrème de mûre15 ml
Instructions
Combine the gin, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup in a shaker with ice. Shake hard for 12 seconds. Fill a rocks glass with crushed ice — pack it in tightly. Strain the shaken mixture over the crushed ice. Now drizzle the crème de mûre slowly over the top of the drink, letting it bleed down through the ice in a dramatic purple cascade. Do not stir. Garnish with two fresh blackberries and a lemon slice on the rim. The visual effect — the dark berry liqueur bleeding through the white ice — is part of the drink's appeal.
Sips & Tips
Technique
The crème de mûre goes on last, drizzled over the top — never shaken in. As you drink, the blackberry liqueur bleeds down through the crushed ice, changing the flavor profile with each sip. The crushed ice is essential; cubed ice won't give you the same visual effect or the same gradual dilution.
Balance
Crème de mûre (blackberry liqueur) varies in sweetness — taste yours before mixing and adjust the simple syrup accordingly. Giffard Crème de Mûre is the benchmark. Use a bold London Dry gin; the blackberry can overwhelm a delicate gin. The lemon must be fresh and the ratio should lean slightly tart.
History
The Bramble was created by Dick Bradsell at Fred's Club in London in 1984 — one of the defining cocktails of the modern British bar scene. Bradsell wanted to create a cocktail that evoked the English countryside, specifically the blackberry brambles he remembered picking as a child on the Isle of Wight. It's now considered a modern classic.
The Bramble is one of the most visually striking cocktails you can make — that purple bleed through the crushed ice is genuinely beautiful. It's also delicious. Cheers.
Variations
Raspberry Bramble
Replace the crème de mûre with Chambord or a quality raspberry liqueur. The raspberry version is slightly sweeter and more floral than the blackberry original. Add a few fresh raspberries to the garnish.
Sloe Bramble
Use sloe gin in place of regular gin and keep the crème de mûre. The result is a deeper, more berry-forward drink with a beautiful ruby color. Reduce the simple syrup to ¼ oz as the sloe gin adds its own sweetness.
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Bramble
Glass: Rocks | Difficulty: Easy | ABV: ~17%
Ingredients
- 2 oz gin
- ¾ oz fresh lemon juice
- ½ oz simple syrup
- ½ oz crème de mûre
Instructions
Combine the gin, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup in a shaker with ice. Shake hard for 12 seconds. Fill a rocks glass with crushed ice — pack it in tightly. Strain the shaken mixture over the crushed ice. Now drizzle the crème de mûre slowly over the top of the drink, letting it bleed down through the ice in a dramatic purple cascade. Do not stir. Garnish with two fresh blackberries and a lemon slice on the rim. The visual effect — the dark berry liqueur bleeding through the white ice — is part of the drink's appeal.