Bramble co*cktail Recipe | co*cktail Society (2024)

By Timo Torner/ Last updated on April 15, 2023

The Bramble is a delicious and beautiful co*cktail containing gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and Crème de Mûre. It is an elegant modern classic quickly rising in popularity.

When looking at the Bramble co*cktail, it seems like one of the early-age co*cktail recipes. The blackberry-flavored drink is restrained, with a limited amount of ingredients, and tastewise right on point.

Quick Facts Bramble co*cktail

• Method:shaken
• Flavor profile:well-balanced, notes of berries
• How to serve it:over crushed ice
• Glassware:Old Fashioned Glass
• Alcohol content:~ 17.5% ABV, 22.5 grams of alcohol per serving

The name "Bramble" also does sound like one of the vintage co*cktails. However, the recipe really is a creation of the 1980s.

Ingredients for the perfect Bramble co*cktail

The Bramble recipe calls for four ingredients. Mainly, it is about picking a suitabletype of gin, squeezing fresh lemon juice, and getting a quality Crème de Mûre:

• Gin:A classic Dry or London Dry Gin works well for the Bramble co*cktail because you don't want to take away from the beautiful blackberry notes of the Crème de Mûre. I recommend a Rutte Dry and the Sipsmith or one of another of our favorite gins for the Bramble.
• Crème de Mûre:When it comes to the sweet and fruity blackberry liqueur, you can't go wrong with Giffard or Merlet. Both work beautifully in a Bramble co*cktail.
• Lemon juice:it's all about freshness here. For your drink to turn out perfect, you definitely need fresh lemon juice. Don't take a shortcut and use store-bought juice.
• Simple syrup:the sugar syrup with one part sugar and one part water is easily made at home. However, cutting corners is perfectly fine here, and you can also go with a bottle from the supermarket.
• Crushed ice

Tips for Mixing

Making a great Bramble co*cktail isn't too difficult. Still, there are a few things to consider before you start mixing:

• You serve the drink over crushed ice but shake it with ice cubes. If you put crushed ice into your shaker, it will water your co*cktail down too much.
• Instead of adding the blackberry liqueur to your shaker, you pour it over the crushed ice in a circular motion in the last step. That creates the perfect visual you want for your Bramble co*cktail.
• Use a glass that keeps the drink cool as long as possible because crushed ice melts faster than cubes.

What glass for the Bramble?

The best option regarding the glassware is an Old Fashioned glass or a Tumbler. Their designs keep the contents chilled longer than, for instance, a coupe glass would. And that's what you want for a co*cktail recipe that calls for crushed ice.

Variations of the Bramble recipe

One of the most popular variations is to bring in fresh blackberries. Not only as a garnish, but you replace the Crème de Mûre with fresh berries anda dashofsimple syrup.

Another way to alter the recipe is to opt for another base spirit. Trypiscoor Rhum Agricole and keep the measurements from the recipe above - 2oz (60ml).

If you prefer to keep the gin in the co*cktail but want to make it more refreshing, you can also make a Bramble Fizz. The basic way for that would be to add soda water. Should you feel a little fancy, you can take this fizz to the next level. Use champagne instead of soda water for aRoyal Bramble.

History of the Bramble co*cktail

British bartender Dick Bradsell invented the Bramble co*cktail during his time at Fred's Club in London. He created the recipe in 1984 when he experimented with a new blackberry liqueur the bar had received shortly before that went under the name Crème de Mûre.

The result was nothing short of extraordinary. With only a few ingredients, he produced something that was similar to a blend of a traditionalGin Sourand aSingapore Sling. It was a perfect balance between sweet, sour, and fruity flavors.

The recipe Bradsell created for the Bramble is simple yet elegant. It is easy to make and delicious.

By the way, the Bramble isn't his only famous creation. He also invented the world-famousEspresso Martini. With his creative approach to co*cktails, he revived London's bar scene and got credit for why coffee liqueurs likeKahlúaare so successful today.

What does Bramble mean?

The term Bramble in old American English refers to "a thorny" shrub. In the UK, it's a common synonym for blackberries.

When Bradsell was sent this new blackberry liqueur - the Crème de Mûre - he was instantly hooked on the taste. It reminded him of thebrambleshe ate as a child. Hence, he decided to go with this self-explanatory name. That's how the "Bramble co*cktail" got its name.