London, England · 1984

Bramble

Also known as Bramble Cocktail

A bright, berry-forward gin sour topped with crushed ice and drizzled with dark blackberry liqueur.

blackberrytartcitrusginrefreshingfruityicysour

ABV

Difficulty

Overview

What this drink is like

The first sip hits you with sharp citrus and gin botanicals cutting through sweet dark fruit. The middle softens as the blackberry liqueur mixes into the icy drink, leaving a jammy, slightly tart berry flavor. It finishes cold and refreshing with a lingering fruity sweetness.

Who will like it

For people who like tart, fruity drinks where the gin still shows through the sweetness.

When to drink

This is a warm-weather afternoon drink, perfect for when you want something cold and bright.

Ordering tip

Ask for it with a specific London Dry gin if you want more juniper punch, or a softer gin if you prefer the berries to take the lead.

Ice: CrushedTemp: ColdCost: $2–$4Glass: Old FashionedBatch-friendlyHome bar friendly

Flavor

Taste profile

This is a tart, icy, berry-stained gin drink that goes down way too easily on a hot day. The lemon and gin hit first with a sharp, bright slap, followed by the sweet, jammy blackberry creeping in as you sip. It's not a subtle or spirit-forward drink; it's loud, fruity, and refreshing, with the crushed ice melting slowly to keep it cold.

Finish: The finish is medium-long, leaving a sticky-sweet blackberry and citrus tang on your tongue.

Primary tastes

soursweetfruity

Secondary

herbalfloral

Aroma

BlackberryJuniperCitrus zest

Bitternesslow bitterness
A slight bitter edge from the blackberry liqueur and gin, but it stays in the background.
Sweetnessmoderately sweet
The sugar syrup and crème de mûre give it a noticeable sweetness that balances the sharp lemon.
Sournesstart
Fresh lemon juice provides a sharp, mouth-watering tartness that hits right away.
Strengthmoderate strength
The crushed ice dilutes it a bit, keeping the alcohol at a moderate, easy-drinking level.
Refreshingvery refreshing
Crushed ice and sharp citrus make this one of the most cooling gin drinks you can have.
Complexitymoderate complexity
The layering of the liqueur adds a fun visual and flavor shift as you drink, but the core is a simple sour.

Recipe

Make it at home

Shaken · Old Fashioned · equal parts on Gin. London Dry recommended for a crisp, juniper-forward backbone

Before you start

Make sure your crushed ice is ready—you'll need a lot of it. Chill your rocks glass in the freezer for a few minutes if you have time.

Ingredients

GinBase SpiritLondon Dry recommended40ml
Lemon JuiceJuiceFreshly squeezed20ml
Sugar SyrupSyrup1:1 ratio of sugar to water15ml
Crème de MûreLiqueurBlackberry liqueur15ml
Lemon SliceGarnish1 slice
Fresh BlackberriesGarnish2-3 pieces

Garnish: Lemon slice, Fresh blackberries

Tools

Cocktail Shaker · Shaking
To shake and chill the gin, citrus, and syrup together.
At home: A large mason jar with a tight lid
Hawthorne Strainer · Straining
To catch the ice when pouring the shaken mix into the glass.
At home: A slotted spoon held over the shaker opening
Fine Mesh Strainer · Straining
To double strain the drink and keep out small ice shards or citrus pulp.
At home: A small kitchen sieve
Jigger · Measuring
To measure the gin, citrus, syrup, and liqueur accurately.
At home: A measuring shot glass or measuring spoons
Barspoon · Mixing
To slowly drizzle the crème de mûre over the back of the spoon into the finished drink.
At home: A long iced tea spoon
Old Fashioned Glass · Serving
To hold the crushed ice and the cocktail.
At home: Any short, wide glass

Steps

1
Add 40ml of gin, 20ml of fresh lemon juice, and 15ml of sugar syrup to your cocktail shaker. Leave out the crème de mûre for now; that gets added later.
2
Fill the shaker about halfway with regular ice cubes, seal it tight, and shake hard for about 10 seconds until the outside of the shaker feels icy cold. This chills and dilutes the sour base properly.
~10s
!Shaking too softly leaves the drink warm and doesn't integrate the citrus.
3
Pack your rocks glass to the top with crushed ice. Double strain the shaken mixture over the crushed ice by pouring through the Hawthorne strainer and the fine mesh strainer to catch any ice shards or pulp.
!Pouring directly over the ice without fine straining drops small ice shards into the glass, watering it down too fast.
4
Pour 15ml of crème de mûre over the back of a barspoon so it drizzles down into the drink slowly. This creates that signature dark red bleed through the white ice instead of mixing it all together.
!Pouring the liqueur too fast mixes it all in immediately instead of letting it bleed down slowly.
5
Top up the glass with a little more crushed ice if needed, then rest a lemon slice and a couple of fresh blackberries on top. Serve it right away while it's frosty.

Serve

Serve it in a rocks glass mounded with crushed ice. The drink is meant to be sipped as the ice melts and mixes with the blackberry liqueur.

Variations

Ingredient substitutions

Each row shows what you can swap in place of an original ingredient, and how the drink changes.

Swap options for Crème de Mûre

Crème de MûreBlackberry Syrup
Match
Common availability
Crème de Mûre → Blackberry Syrup: Adds sweet blackberry flavor without the extra alcohol, making the drink slightly sweeter and less complex.
Crème de MûreCrème de Cassis
Match
Common availability
Crème de Mûre → Crème de Cassis: Swaps blackberry for blackcurrant, making the drink slightly more tart and tannic.

Swap options for Sugar Syrup

Sugar SyrupAgave Nectar
Match
Common availability
Sugar Syrup → Agave Nectar: Provides a similar sweetness with a slightly earthy, rounded flavor.

Similar cocktails

Cousin drinks that share DNA with this one — each profile stands on its own.

Similar cocktail

Clover Club

Clover Club uses raspberry syrup and egg white for a frothy texture, while the Bramble uses blackberry liqueur and no egg.

Match

Both are tart gin sours, but the Clover Club is softer and creamier from the egg white, while the Bramble is sharper, icier, and tastes of darker berries.

In common: Gin sour base, Fruit-forward, Shaken

Ingredients

Both share

Gin, Lemon Juice, Sugar Syrup

Only in Bramble

Crème de Mûre

Only in Clover Club

Raspberry Syrup, Egg White

The Bramble uses a blackberry liqueur float for a deep fruit flavor and color bleed, whereas the Clover Club uses raspberry syrup shaken in and egg white for a pink, velvety foam.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Bright gin and citrus foundation, Sweet and sour balance

How Clover Club differs

Bramble is icier and has a darker, slightly tannic berry note, Clover Club is silkier and softer with a lighter red fruit profile

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Gin Sour

The Gin Sour is a bare-bones sour without the fruit liqueur, served up or on a single cube, while the Bramble is a crushed ice drink with blackberry liqueur.

Match

The Gin Sour is a dry, straightforward showcase of gin and citrus, while the Bramble is a sweeter, fruitier, and more refreshing variation.

In common: Gin sour base, Shaken, Citrus-forward

Ingredients

Both share

Gin, Lemon Juice, Sugar Syrup

Only in Bramble

Crème de Mûre

The Bramble is essentially a Gin Sour modified with the addition of crème de mûre and served over crushed ice.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Tart citrus and gin botanicals dominate the first sip

How Gin Sour differs

Bramble is sweeter and fruitier with a dark berry finish, Gin Sour is drier and more spirit-focused

View recipe & details →

History

Origin

Dick Bradsell created the Bramble in 1984 at Fred's Club in London. He wanted a British answer to the American Gin Gin Mule, inspired by picking blackberries on the Isle of Wight as a kid.

Creator: Dick Bradsell
Era: 1980s
IBA: Contemporary Classics
Data version: IBA Contemporary Classics
Confidence

The IBA spec calls for 40ml gin, 20ml lemon juice, 15ml sugar syrup, and 15ml crème de mûre.

Practical

Tips & pitfalls

What works at home and what to skip when making this drink.

Tips

Worth knowing before you pour

Use fresh lemon juice; the bottled stuff tastes flat and metallic.
If you can't find crème de mûre, a good blackberry syrup works in a pinch.
Don't shake the crème de mûre; pour it over the top for the classic bleed effect.

Avoid

Common mistakes

Don't skip the crushed ice; cubes won't give the right texture or dilution.
Don't shake the blackberry liqueur with the rest, or you lose the signature look.