As we see the last of the summer days and autumn slowly approaches, why not kick off the season with this homemade bramble gin cocktail recipe.  

Alas, we think we’ve seen the back of summer now – the leaves are starting to turn and there’s a definite nip in the air now.  At Cottingley Gin we’re not to be deterred from the lack of warm summer sun on us as we sit in the gardens with a glass of something from our latest subscription box.

Blackberries signify the end of summer and are now in abundance around the countryside.  Most of us probably use them in a good old fashioned apple and blackberry crumble with lashing of custard for pud on a Sunday after a well-deserved roast. Here at Cottingley Gin we’ve taken a slightly different approach and used our little shiny berries to create our latest gin concoction – introducing the Bramble Gin & Tonic.

Ingredients for 2 cocktails:

• 6 blackberries
• 10 mint leaves (extra for garnish)
• Juice of 1 lemon (plus some extra slices for garnish)
• 1/4 cups syrup (simple*)
• 50ml of your chosen gin. We recommend Cottingley Gnome Rhubarb Gin because the sweet rhubarb notes pair beautifully with the blackberries. (25ml per cocktail)
• Tonic water
• Ice

 

Method:

• In your chosen drinking vessel, add 5 mint leaves, 3 blackberries, plus the juice from 1/2 of lemon and 1 tablespoon of simple syrup.*
• If you’re feeling fancy, use your cocktail muddler to smash the ingredients together – if not the back of a spoon will work equally well.
• Fill each glass with ice.
• Add a measure (or 2) of gin depending on how strong you like your cocktail.
• Top with tonic water.
• If you have the patience, make it look pretty with a slice of lemon, blackberry and some mint leaves.
• Enjoy!
  

*to make a simple syrup, it really couldn’t be easier…it’s a 2:1 ratio and a batch can last a good 6 months in a sealed bottle.  Try 2 cups of sugar with 1 cup of water to start with – add it to a saucepan and gently heat until the sugar dissolves. Easy.