Here’s a great recipe for summer sipping. The Bramble was created by legendary bartender Dick Bradsell at Fred’s Club in London in the 1980s. As with many cocktails, it’s exceptionally simple but the better the ingredients, the better the drink (including the crushed ice). Use a dry gin to complement the blackberry, not something overly floral or citrus heavy. And if you prefer brown water in your cocktails, the gin can easily be substituted for a rye or high-rye bourbon. Oh, and you get to use a cocktail shaker, so that should impress your friends.

Bramble
2 oz. gin
1 oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice
.5 oz. simple syrup
.5 oz crème de mûre

Shake the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup with ice and strain into a glass filled with crushed ice. Add additional crushed ice, making a mound on top of the glass, and drizzle the liqueur over the top. Garnish with a blackberry and lemon wedge.