This refreshing blackberry bourbon bramble recipe is full of deep and jammy blackberry flavor thanks to a homemade blackberry simple syrup! It’s perfect for summertime or early autumn, when blackberries are in peak season!
With over 20 years of recipe development under my belt, I’ve gotten the hang of crafting unique and delicious drinks at home. One of my favorite ways to stay inspired when it comes to cocktail recipes is to swap out classic ingredients, like with this bourbon bramble recipe!
A bramble is a classic cocktail usually made with gin, but by using bourbon we are able to give a timeless drink a whole new twist! A homemade blackberry simple syrup and créme de mure also help to level-up the blackberry flavor of this drink, making it perfect for berry season and bourbon lovers!
💕 why this whiskey bramble recipe works…
🍓 berry balanced. Other recipes have you muddle fresh blackberries, like with a whiskey smash, but that can cause your drink to be too tart or sour. Using a blackberry simple syrup means you get deep and jammy blackberry flavor!
🍹 updated classic. Bourbon gives new life to this typically gin-based drink, imparting a deep, rich, and oaky flavor!
☀️ summer-ready. Blackberry season runs from late spring through early fall, making brambles a prime summer cocktail!
🛒 ingredients
- blackberry simple syrup – using a homemade blackberry syrup in place of plain simple syrup levels up the berry flavor in this cocktail. Take the time to whip up a batch, I promise it’s worth it!
- bourbon – bourbon is a type of whiskey made in America from over 51% corn. Because of the sugar content of corn, bourbon tends to be a bit more sweet than other types of whiskey. This sweetness plays nicely with the tart flavor of blackberries!
- lemon – fresh lemon juice is an essential ingredient in a bramble, and you’ll want to have an extra lemon to use for the garnish, too.
- crème de mure – Popular brands of this blackberry liqueur include Giffard, Drillaud, and Lejay. Chambord and créme de cassis are not the same; créme de mure is made from only blackberries. It can be difficult to find, so you can make your own blackberry liqueur if you’re unable to track it down!
- blackberries – you’ll need a few fresh berries for the garnish on this drink.
- ice – if you’re new here, we take ice pretty seriously, so yes, it’s an ingredient in cocktails! 😅 Brambles are made with pebble ice, or crushed ice if you don’t have access to the greatest ice on the planet. You’ll also need regular ice cubes for shaking and mixing the cocktail.
See the recipe card for the exact quantities.
🍳 instructions
1: Wash, dry and slice your lemon, then juice it.
2: Add ice to your cocktail shaker and pour in the bourbon.
3: Add the lemon juice to the cocktail shaker.
4: Add the blackberry simple syrup to the cocktail shaker.
5: Shake the ingredients to mix them well.
6: Fill a cocktail glass with ice, then strain the cocktail into the glass.
7: Garnish each drink with a slice of lemon and a fresh berry.
8: Pour the crème de mure over top of the cocktail, as a floater, and serve immediately.
Hint: Add a bit more ice before adding the floater of creme de mure to give your drinks the classic frosty and full look of a bramble!
💡tips & tricks for getting it right
🍽️ serving tips
Choose your glass
- rocks glass – choose a glass that has at least a 8-9 ounce capacity. The ice will take up a lot of room in the glass, even though the cocktail is only about 4 ounces in volume.
- mason jar – for a super rustic presentation, you can use mason jars. Nothin’ says America like drinkin’ whiskey out of a mason jar. 🤠
Garnish
- blackberries & lemon – garnish your drinks with a few fresh juicy blackberries and a slice of lemon.
- lemon twist – you can also garnish with a lemon twist.
ℹ️ troubleshooting tips
can things go wrong? how?
- too tart – if your drink is too sour or tart, you can add a bit more simple syrup to balance out the level of sweetness or add a few drops of a homemade saline solution.
♻️ substitutions & variations
Missing an ingredient? No problem. Check out these tried-and-true substitutions, or comment below with your question. I’m here to help you troubleshoot!
- skip the créme de mure – if you can’t find créme de mure and don’t have the time to make your own homemade blackberry liqueur, you can skip this liqueur and add a full ounce of blackberry syrup instead.
- classic bramble – use gin for a classic bramble recipe instead of bourbon.
- regular simple syrup – if you don’t have blackberry simple syrup at the ready, you can substitute classic simple syrup in it’s place.
- lime – out of lemons? You can swap in some fresh lime juice with little impact to flavor.
🧰 equipment needed
- cocktail shaker – a sturdy cocktail shaker is the perfect mixing tool for this cocktail! I like using an insulated shaker, like this one from Elevated Craft. It’s less photogenic, but it is the most functional shaker I’ve ever used!
- measuring beaker or cocktail jigger – I’m a big fan of the OXO nesting measuring beakers. Of course, you can use a traditional jigger if you’re wanting to channel the a bespoke bartender vibe!
- cocktail glass – opt for a glass that has at least an 8-ounce capacity for this cocktail. The ice takes up a lot of room in the drink, so the 4-ounces of liquid will need some more room to dilute among the ice.
- cutting board and pairing knife – you’ll need a small cutting board and pairing knife to cut your lemons.
- citrus press or juicer – a handheld citrus press or electric juicer will come in handy for juicing your lemons, especially if you’re making a large batch of this cocktail.
💬 q+a
Where can I find créme de mure?
You might have to call around to a few liquor stores, or head to your local store with the largest selection of alcohol. Alternatively, you can make your own blackberry liqueur! It will take a couple of weeks, but it’s worth it to have your own high-quality liqueur!
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Blackberry Bourbon Bramble (Whiskey Bramble)
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I’ll email this recipe post to you so you can have it for later!
Equipment
- 1 cocktail glass such as a rocks glass or double old fashioned glass, 8 ounce capacity
- 1 measuring beaker or jigger
- 1 pairing knife
- 1 small cutting board
- 1 citrus juicer
Ingredients
- 2 ounces bourbon whiskey such as Woodford Reserve
- 1 ounce lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ½ ounce blackberry simple syrup
- ½ ounce cremé de mure or homemade blackberry liqueur
Instructions
- Wash, dry, and slice your lemon, then juice it to get 1 ounce of lemon juice.
- Add ice to your cocktail shaker and pour in the 1 ounce of lemon juice.
- Add the 1/2 ounce of blackberry simple syrup to the cocktail shaker.
- Pour in 2 ounces of bourbon.
- Shake the ingredients to mix them well.
- Fill a cocktail glass with ice, then strain the cocktail into the glass.
- Garnish each drink with a slice of lemon and a fresh berry.
- Pour the cremé de mure over top of the cocktail as a floater, and serve immediately.
Notes
Substitutions:
- skip the créme de mure – if you can’t find créme de mure and don’t have the time to make your own homemade blackberry liqueur, you can skip this liqueur and add an ounce of blackberry syrup instead.
- classic bramble – use gin for a classic bramble recipe instead of bourbon.
- regular simple syrup – if you don’t have blackberry simple syrup at the ready, you can substitute classic simple syrup in it’s place.
Nutrition Information
The information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition facts calculator and actual nutrition facts may vary.
🧯food safety & other information
Food safety is an important ingredient in any recipe for success! Here are some tips to keep you safe in the kitchen!
- Always enjoy alcohol responsibly, and never give alcohol to anyone under 21 years of age. For more information about responsible alcohol consumption, click here.
