The blackberry smash bourbon cocktail is as pretty as it is delicious. You’ll mix homemade blackberry brandy and smooth bourbon with muddled fresh blackberries, fresh mint, simple syrup and tart lemon juice. Serve over crushed ice for a fresh take on a vintage “smash” cocktail!
Blackberry Smash Bourbon Cocktail:
I recently discovered how easy it is to make homemade blackberry brandy. Next, I needed an equally delicious cocktail to use it in – enter the smash! A “smash” is a style of cocktail and it’s been around for over a century. You’ve probably enjoyed a smash cocktail in it’s most popular rendition, the mint julep. While there are no hard and fast rules as to what makes a smash a smash, they’re usually made with bourbon or whisky, some kind of muddled, seasonal fruit and fresh mint. They’re also served over crushed ice instead of ice cubes.
The Ingredients:
Besides the blackberry brandy, you’ll also need some bourbon for your smash. Bourbon is a type of American whiskey that’s usually made from corn. It adds a smoothness and depth of flavor to the drink that you’re going to love. Even if you don’t like regular whiskey, you’ll be surprised at how much you like the bourbon in this drink.
To balance the liquors in the blackberry smash bourbon cocktail you’ll also add simple syrup for sweetness, fresh lemon juice for tartness and fresh mint for “mintyness”.
Here’s that beautiful homemade blackberry brandy…..
The Preparation:
You can buy simple syrup or make your own. If you’ve never made it before, give it a try! It’s really easy and lasts forever. It’s just equal parts sugar and water simmered until the sugar melts. Simple syrup is awesome because it’s a liquid, so it blends into drinks immediately. No pesky sugar granules at the bottom of your glass. Make sure to cool the simple syrup before you use it in your drink.
To make your blackberry smash, you start by doing some smashing – makes sense, right? Put the blackberries and fresh mint in your cocktail shaker, then get out some aggression by muddling them together. I used a wooden spoon, but if you have a legit muddler, you can use that too.
Next you’ll add the blackberry brandy, bourbon, lemon juice and simple syrup to the shaker. Looks good already, doesn’t it?
Now give it a few good shakes, and strain into two lowball glasses filled with crushed ice.
The Payoff:
The blackberry smash bourbon cocktail is a fun craft cocktail that you’ll love making at home. Shake up a few for your next happy hour!
Disclaimer: any links to products in this post may be affiliate links. This means I would get a small commission if the product was purchased. I only link to products I like and use myself, or are similar to what I use. Thanks for your support!
Print
Blackberry Smash Bourbon Cocktail
Description
The blackberry smash bourbon cocktail is as pretty as it is delicious. Homemade blackberry brandy and smooth bourbon are paired perfectly with muddled fresh blackberries, fresh mint, simple syrup and tart lemon juice. Serve over crushed ice for a fresh take on a vintage “smash” cocktail!
Ingredients
- 2 shots blackberry brandy
- 2 shots bourbon
- 2 shots simple syrup
- 2 shots fresh lemon juice
- handful of fresh blackberries
- 10 or so fresh mint leaves
Instructions
- Put the fresh blackberries and mint into your cocktail shaker. Using a wooden spoon or a muddler, smash/muddle the berries and mint together.
- Pour the remaining ingredients into the shaker. Put the cover on and shake vigorously.
- Pour over crushed ice into two lowball glasses. Garnish with a blackberry and mint leave if desired. Enjoy and sip slowly!
Notes
To make simple syrup, place 1 cup of white granulated sugar and 1 cup of water into a saucepan. Turn the heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Once the sugar melts, turn the heat off. Pour the syrup into a jar, cover and store in the refrigerator.
