Over the past year, quite a few of my good friends have gotten engaged. Four of us are getting married this summer (!), so we have plenty to celebrate and discuss when we meet up.
We all love a good cocktail to make our time together festive and have made a few fun ones in the past. This time around, I decided to make us a gin-based drink that just screams spring.
Gimlets are traditionally made with gin (or vodka) and lime juice, but I wanted to create a new, fun cocktail with a few choice ingredients. This Sparkling Blackberry Gimlet is made with Blackberry Ginger Ale. To further enhance the blackberry flavor, I made a quick blackberry-mint simple syrup to go with it. You can substitute in traditional simple syrup if you’d prefer.
Ingredients: serves 4
Blackberry Mint Simple Syrup
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1/4 cup blackberries
Sparkling Blackberry Gimlet
- handful of blackberries for muddling and mint
- 8 oz Gin
- 1/2 cup lime juice
- 1/4 cup blackberry mint simple syrup
- 1/2 cup Blackberry Ginger Ale
- blackberries and mint for garnish
To make the simple syrup, add the sugar, water, mint, and blackberries to a small pot over high heat.
Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved.
Remove from heat and let cool (during this time, it will begin to turn a pretty pinkish-purple color). Strain and discard the blackberries and mint leaves.
To make the cocktail, in a mixing glass, muddle the blackberries and mint by pressing down on them to release their juices/oils.
Add in the gin, lime juice, and blackberry mint simple syrup. Add ice and shake until fully combined.
Strain evenly into 4 cocktail or rocks glasses (if using a rocks glass, add ice to the rocks glass). Fill with Blackberry Ginger Ale. Garnish with blackberries and mint and serve.
I love the color of this drink! Isn’t it so festive?
The lime juice adds a nice citrus-y element and balances out the sweetness of the drink.
I wish I had thought to make these for my bridal shower, they would have been perfect!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1/4 cup blackberries
- handful of blackberries for muddling and mint
- 8 oz Gin
- 1/2 cup lime juice
- 1/4 cup blackberry mint simple syrup
- 1/2 cup Blackberry Ginger Ale
- blackberries and mint for garnish
Instructions
- To make the simple syrup, add the sugar, water, mint, and blackberries to a small pot over high heat.
- Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved.
- Remove from heat and let cool (during this time, it will begin to turn a pretty pinkish-purple color). Strain and discard the blackberries and mint leaves.
- To make the cocktail, in a mixing glass, muddle the blackberries and mint by pressing down on them to release their juices/oils.
- Add in the gin, lime juice, and blackberry mint simple syrup. Add ice and shake until fully combined.
- Strain evenly into 4 cocktail or rocks glasses (if using a rocks glass, add ice to the rocks glass). Fill with Blackberry Ginger Ale. Garnish with blackberries and mint and serve.
YES! There is nothing quite like a good gimlet, especially when it has an added element of surprise like blackberries! (client)