Say "cheers!" to berry season with a Blackberry Bourbon Smash! Made with fresh berries, spicy bourbon, vibrant lime, and fresh mint, this deep magenta-colored, refreshing cocktail is a delicious way to celebrate summer. Mocktail variations available!
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Let's unwind and enjoy a Blackberry Bourbon Smash, shall we? They're fruity, minty, refreshing, and the perfect amount boozy — one of my favorite ways to feature the summer fruit and a fantastic cocktail for al fresco happy hours, BBQs, entertaining, and post-work apéritifs.
Bourbon is one of my hard alcohols of choice. It's sweet, spicy, dimensional, woody, smooth, and sometimes oaky. Though I generally try to limit my alcohol consumption during marathon training, bourbon is one that I will occasionally enjoy. It dehydrates me less than wine and doesn't leave me bloated like beer.
There are also many ways to enjoy bourbon, whether on the rocks, mixed with lime and ginger beer for a Kentucky Mule, or smashed with fruit, mint, and lime, as in this Blackberry Smash! When poured over ice, it's refreshing, fun, and a tasty way to unplug from the day, if even for a few moments.
And for those times that I'm training (or life-ing) and want to go no-ABV? It's super simple to make alcohol-free, and it's still incredibly delicious. Let's get shaking!
Why You'll Love This Bourbon Smash Recipe
Take your happy hour from okay to yay with this incredibly easy, delicious, and refreshing sipper! It is...
- Fresh — In addition to making blackberry muffins, this cocktail recipe is one of my go-tos when fresh berries are in season.
- Easy and Quick — With less than 5 minutes from start to finish, it's easy to enjoy this drink even on the busiest of days.
- Perfectly Balanced — Ripe berries, fresh mint, zesty lime juice, a hint of cane sugar, and sweet and spicy bourbon combine to make this blackberry smash cocktail a treat for the senses.
Love blackberries? Me too! Check out my other blackberry recipes: Blackberry Muffins and Gluten-Free Blackberry Cobbler.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Blackberries - Choose fresh, ripe blackberries that have a deep purple color and are heavy for their size. Though defrosted frozen berries can work, fresh ones are best. Wash and drain them well before muddling.
Lime Slices - Although you can use lime juice, fresh lime wedges or slices are my preferred because the rind offers additional fresh, citrusy flavor. You will need 3 slices plus more to garnish per drink. For a flavor twist, try lemons!
Sugar - For a touch of sweetness! I prefer cane sugar because it has molasses notes, similar to those of brown sugar. However, you can also use white sugar or ½ ounce of simple syrup if needed.
Mint - Fresh mint leaves are a staple of smash recipes! They add a fresh sweetness to the drink, making it something special.
Ginger Beer - For a kick of zesty spiciness and effervescence! Most traditional smashes use soda water or sparkling water, but I prefer ginger beer because it adds a bit of extra intrigue (though you can certainly use soda/sparkling if preferred!).
Bourbon - A feature ingredient, this drink is not complete without it. For the best flavor, use a high-quality bourbon whiskey, such as Maker's Mark (my favorite), Woodford Reserve, Knob Creek, or Bulleit.
Ice - Crushed or cubed ice keeps the sipper cool and helps to further open the flavors of the bourbon. If you have them, you can also use ice pellets.
How to Make A Blackberry Bourbon Smash
For the complete recipe and measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: Add the blackberries, lime slices, sugar, and mint leaves to a cocktail shaker.
Step 2: Muddle the mixture until the blackberry and lime juices are released and the mint is fragrant.
Step 3: Add the bourbon and a large handful of ice to the blackberry mixture.
Step 4: Top with the shaker lid and shake for 20-30 minutes or until the outside of the shaker is frosty.
Step 5: Strain into a highball glass filled with fresh ice. Top with a splash of ginger beer.
Step 6: Garnish with blackberries, lime slices, or a sprig of mint and enjoy!
Recipe Pro-Tips
- Don't over-muddle. Press the berries, lime, and mint until juicy and fragrant. Any further and you risk overworking or bruising the mint, causing it to taste bitter.
- Straining. Although a few bits of blackberry are fine, you want to strain the cocktail after shaking to keep it from being chunky and hard to drink.
- A note on glassware. A highball glass is best to accommodate the cocktail mixture with ice, but you can use a large rocks glass if needed or if you prefer less ice.
- Cool the glass. Chill the glass in the freezer for 15-30 minutes before assembling to help keep the whiskey smash cool, preventing the ice from melting and diluting it.
Make It a Mocktail
It's easy to make this blackberry smash low-ABV style, whether going N/A, cutting back on alcohol, or avoiding morning fogginess. Swap 2 ounces of non-alcoholic bourbon alternative for the traditional and follow the recipe as written.
To make this drink for the under-21 crowd, substitute 2 ounces of orange juice for the bourbon.
Make a Pitcher
Entertain in style by making a large batch that serves eight, whether hosting happy hour, entertaining colleagues or friends, or serving with a summer barbecue spread:
- Combine: Add 1 cup blackberries, 1 ½ sliced limes, 2 ½ tablespoons of cane sugar, and ½ cup mint leaves to a deep bowl or saucepan.
- Muddle: Press and work the mixture with a cocktail muddler until the berry juice has released and the mixture smells minty.
- Strain: Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a pitcher filled with ice.
- Stir: Add 1 cup of bourbon and stir well until combined.
- Serve: Pour individual servings into glasses with fresh ice and garnish with mint leaves and berries. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
Want some ideas for how to make this cocktail your own? Try...
- Berries — Blackberries are only in season for a short time. Enjoy this drink all summer long by making it with ¼ cup of fresh blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, or a mix of all three.
- Lemon — Swap lemon slices or 1 tablespoon of lemon juice for the lime for a more traditional whiskey smash flavor.
- Sweetener — Play around with sweeteners by using ½ ounce of maple syrup, agave nectar, or honey instead of sugar.
- Herbs — Add intrigue and a touch of elegance by experimenting with different herbs. Fresh basil, rosemary, and thyme are all great options!
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More Summer Cocktail Recipes
If you liked and made this Blackberry Bourbon Smash Recipe, don't forget to rate it and let me know how you liked it in the comments. I always love hearing from you!
Recipe Card
Blackberry Bourbon Smash
Ingredients
- 4-6 blackberries plus additional to garnish
- 3 lime slices plus additional to garnish
- 2 teaspoons cane or white sugar
- 4 fresh mint leaves plus additional to garnish
- 2 ounces bourbon
- Ice
- 1-2 ounces ginger beer
Instructions
- Add the blackberries, lime slices, sugar, and mint leaves to a cocktail shaker. Muddle the mixture until the blackberry and lime juices are released and the mint is fragrant.
- Add the bourbon and a large handful of ice to the blackberry mixture.
- Top with the shaker lid and shake for 20-30 minutes or until the outside of the shaker is frosty.
- Strain into a highball glass filled with fresh ice. Top with a splash of ginger beer.
- Garnish with blackberries, lime slices, or mint and enjoy!
Notes
- Don't over-muddle. Press the berries, lime, and mint until juicy and fragrant. Any further and you risk overworking or bruising the mint, causing it to taste bitter.
- Strain. Although a few bits of blackberry are fine, you want to strain the cocktail after shaking to keep it from being chunky and hard to drink.
- A note on glassware. A highball glass is best to accommodate the cocktail mixture with ice, but you can use a large rocks glass if needed or if you prefer less ice.
- Cool the glass. Chill the glass in the freezer for 15-30 minutes before assembling to help keep the smash cool, preventing the ice from melting and diluting it.
