Becherovka Bramble (Becherovka Cocktail)
This refreshing Becherovka Cocktail is a delicious take on the classic blackberry bramble, but with my all time favorite liqueur!
Created in Czechia, Becherovka is an herbal bitters with notes of cinnamon and cloves — the perfect complement to this delicious drink!
What is Becherovka?
I came across Becherovka while I was living in Prague (where you can find it at any and every corner shop) and it was love at first sip. The Czech herbal bitters is made with a secret blend of spices and herbs, with the most dominant flavors being cinnamon, ginger and cloves.
Though it’s most common to sip an ice cold glass of Becherovka straight from the fridge or even freezer, it also makes a great base for cocktails, especially those traditionally made with gin.
Becherovka might be a little tricky to find if you’re in the US. Not every store has it, but a few of our local supermarkets sometimes will stock it. Luckily, you can easily find the botanical liqueur online for order.
Key ingredients
For this Becherovka cocktail, you only need a handful of ingredients:
- 5-6 fresh blackberries (muddled)
- Honey (mixed with hot water to create a simple syrup, then cooled to room temperature)
- Becherovka
- Lemon juice
- Tonic water or ginger ale
Recipe variations
Use blackberry liqueur. I opted for fresh blackberries as they are currently in season. But, traditionally, the bramble was made using Crème de Mûre, a sweet blackberry liqueur.
Add simple syrup. Instead of honey, you can use simple syrup to sweeten your cocktail.
Use an herb for garnish. Add a sprig of fresh thyme or rosemary to enhance the herbal notes of the Becherovka.
Expert tips and tricks
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice. This will give the cocktail a brighter flavor.
- Taste and balance your Becherovka cocktail. Needs a bit more sweetness? Add simple syrup. Could do with some brightening up? A dash more of lemon juice.
- Chill your glassware. Pre-chilling your glasses will keep the cocktails colder for longer.
FAQs
Becherovka is an herbal bitters with hints of warming spices, such as cinnamon and cloves.
Gin, which is traditionally used in a bramble cocktail, makes the best substitute here.
Fresh blackberries work best, but frozen will work in a pinch. Make sure to thaw them and drain them first.
Becherovka Bramble Recipe
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Drinks
- Method: Cocktail
- Cuisine: Czech
Ingredients
For One Cocktail
- 5–6 blackberries
- 1.5 ounces (50 ml) Becherovka
- 1 ounce (30 ml) honey simple syrup (recipe below)
- 1/2 ounce (15 ml) lemon juice
- soda water or ginger ale to top
Honey Simple Syrup*
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) honey
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) hot water
Instructions
Honey Simple Syrup
- Mix equal parts honey and hot water and stir until honey dissolves.
- Cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Becherovka Bramble
- Muddle the blackberries in the bottom of a glass until they release their juices. Top with ice.
- In a cocktail shaker, add Becherovka, honey simple syrup and lemon juice. Shake well.
- Pour the Becherovka mixture over the muddled blackberries and ice.
- Top with soda water or ginger ale.
Notes
Honey simple syrup: You can make as much or as little simple syrup as you want – just make sure to use equal parts honey and water!
For more cocktail inspiration, make sure to check out these recipes!
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