The Bramble

Name: The Bramble
Ingredients: 2 ounces gin; 1 ounce fresh lemon juice; 1/2 ounce simple syrup (see note); 1/2 ounce crème de mûre.

By Toby Cecchini

Rating: 4(208)
Comments: Read comments

The bramble, invented in 1984 by Dick Bradsell, the patriarch of England’s cocktail uptick, at Fred’s Club in London’s SoHo, is essentially a short gin sour with a drizzle of crème de mûre, a French blackberry liqueur, over the top. Served on crushed ice, it gets a quick garnish of a lemon slice and, to be true to Bradsell’s original, two blackberries. In the winter there’s nothing to this, and the drink is great as is. But something as elemental as the bramble invites toying, and with summer’s berries arriving, you can up the ante in one of many.

Featured in: Case Study | The Bramble

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Ingredients

2ounces gin
1ounce fresh lemon juice
½ounce simple syrup (see note)
½ounce crème de mûre.

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake together the first three ingredients and strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice (see below), mounded high. Drizzle crème de mûre over the top and garnish with a slice of lemon, two blackberries and a short straw.
Step 2
And, to make simple syrup, stir together equal measures of hot water and sugar, cool to room temperature and store in refrigerator until ready to use.

Tip

Crushed ice is important in this drink for the dilution. At home, you can either smash your cubes in a clean dish towel or make cracked ice by whacking each cube with the back of a heavy spoon.

Ratings

4 out of 5

208 user ratings

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Comments

CSW6 years ago

Just had this in Salisbury, UK, at the Chapter House restaurant. They did it as layers of dry gin, lime juice, and cassis (on the bottom) over crushed ice with a lime garnish. Very good.

JP7 years ago

An awesome drink. Only thing is that it is too sour. The lemon needs to be cut to .75 oz to achieve perfection.

Jan6 years ago

Made my own creme de mure from late harvest black and boysenberries. Used in this Bramble with just your dad’s Beefeater gin. Raves by everyone I’ve served to.

Al2 years ago

Awesome little cocktail that reminds of summer

Barb2 years ago

We made a mocktail version of this with a quick cook down of a couple of blackberries and sugar, lemon, lots of ice and topped off with club soda.

Barb2 years ago

We loved this drink! No need to change a thing. (Crushed ice might have been crucial but we used cubes and it was just fine)

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