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    Home » All Cocktails

    Blackberry Empress Gin Sour

    Published: Apr 8, 2021 · Modified: Sep 12, 2021 by Kimberly · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · Leave a Comment

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    photo of reddish-purple colored cocktail with the text "Blackberry Empress Gin Sour Cocktail" on top

    Blackberries and gin are a perfect pair, in my opinion. I tend to like more floral gins, rather than the juniper-you-in-the-face London Drys, and they go really well with berries. This Blackberry Empress Gin Sour puts together the delicate florals of Empress Gin and the juiciness of fresh blackberries for an amazing cocktail.

    Blackberry Empress Gin Sour on the rocks with blackberry garnish, with Empress Gin bottle in the background

    Muddling the Blackberries

    Of all of the fruits to muddle, I think blackberries are probably the most fun. It's kind of like popping bubble wrap. So satisfying!

    When you muddle fruit, it will naturally leave some pulp behind. I happen to be a huge fan of fruit pulp, but I know a lot of people don't love it as much as me. I actually added more pulp back in to the drink after pouring! If you are on the no-pulp side, when you are straining your cocktail over the ice, you can pour it through a second strainer at the same time (see this video for the double straining technique).

    • muddling blackberries in a cocktail glass with Empress gin in the background
    • muddling blackberries with a gold muddler
    muddled blackberries and Empress gin

    Why is Empress Gin Purple?

    Empress Gin is a pretty popular gin over on Instagram (side note: you can follow me on Insta here!). Besides its smooth and floral flavor, it has a gorgeous dark purple color. The color comes from infusing butterfly pea blooms after the spirit is distilled.

    The magic comes in when you bring an acid to the party. When the butterfly pea infusion is mixed with an acidic ingredient, it changes to a pinkish color. Remember those pH strips from science class? This is the same kind of reaction.

    straining the gin and blackberries into the acidic lime juice

    Shake, Garnish & Serve

    Since this drink is a sour, it's probably best if you shake all the ingredients together with ice, then strain it back out onto fresh ice. In the recipe video on my YouTube, I actually just shook the berries, gin and syrup and then poured them on top of the lime juice, because I wanted to see the color change. It's just cool!

    Blackberry Empress Gin Sour completed drink with blackberry garnish

    Garnish with some more fresh blackberries and serve. It's the perfect summertime drink!

    Blackberry Empress Gin Sour on the rocks with blackberry garnish

    Blackberry Empress Gin Sour

    Kimberly Salem
    Juicy, sweet, sour, and floral, this is a wonderfully summery gin sour cocktail. It has fresh blackberries paired with Empress Gin.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Total Time 10 mins
    Course Drinks
    Cuisine American
    Servings 1 drink
    Calories 262 kcal

    Equipment

    • Cocktail shaker and strainer
    • Second strainer (optional)
    • Old Fashioned glass
    • Cocktail pick

    Ingredients

    • 2 oz Empress Gin
    • 1 oz fresh lime juice
    • 1 oz simple syrup
    • 7 ripe blackberries (5 for muddling, 2 for garnish)

    Instructions
     

    • Muddle the blackberries in the bottom of a cocktail shaker.
    • Add in the gin, simple syrup and ice. If you don't care about seeing the color change in the glass, feel free to add the lime juice in during this step.
    • Add the lime juice (unless you already shook it up) and fresh ice to an old fashioned cocktail glass.
    • Strain the cocktail onto the ice. If you didn't shake with the lime juice, give it a few stirs with a cocktail spoon.
    • Place two blackberries on a cocktail pick for garnish, and serve.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 262kcal
    Keyword alcohol, berries, blackberries, cocktail, floral, fruit, muddle
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    I'm Kim, a cocktail enthusiast (and cold brew coffee lover). Here you'll find recipes, tips and tricks to make delicious cocktails at home! More about me →

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