Mezcal Blackberry Shrub Cocktail

Get the Recipe: Mezcal Blackberry Shrub Cocktail

This cocktail combines mezcal, a homemade blackberry shrub syrup, Yellow Chartreuse, and lemon juice for a fruity, smokey, and slightly acidic cocktail. Topped with a slapped sage leaf for earthy, vegetal aromas while drinking, you'll keep coming back for all the nuanced layers.

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Yield1 cocktail

Prep10

Cook2

Rest1

Total1 12

Ingredients

Blackberry Shrub Syrup

⅓ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup fresh blackberries
2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar, see FAQs for subs
zest of 1/2 lemon

Mezcal Blackberry Shrub Cocktail

2 oz Del Maguey Vida Clásico mezcal, See FAQs for subs
1½ oz blackberry shrub syrup
1 oz Yellow Chartreuse liqueur
½ oz fresh lemon juice
1 dash Scrappy's aromatic bitters
2 dashes Scrappy's creole bitters
1 large sage leaf

Equipment

2 containers with lids
measuring Cups
1 kitchen scale (optional)
1 microplane or fine mesh grater
1 Fine Mesh Strainer
1 cutting board
1 paring knife
1 citrus juicer or reamer (optional)
1 cocktail shaker
1 blender (very optional)
1 coupe glass

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Instructions

Blackberry Shrub Syrup

In a medium container, with a lid, add the blackberries, sugar, and lemon zest. Toss to coat, cover, and let it sit out on the countertop for 24 hours, mixing every few hours or so. By the next morning most of the berries should be broken down and the bowl should contain a dark purple liquid. Mash the last bits of berry up with the back of a spoon and strain into a separate glass or plastic container with a lid.
Next, add the vinegar to the syrup and whisk well to incorporate the ingredients. Little-by-little, add additional vinegar up 3 tablespoons (45ml), to taste. This shrub syrup should be quite tart but still have a very present sweetness. This a strong lemonade.

Mezcal Blackberry Shrub Cocktail

Place a coupe glass in the freezer 15-30 minutes before making the cocktail. (see notes)
Measure out and add all the ingredients, pouring each one into a cocktail shaker as you go. Drop in a large piece of ice, close, and shake for 30-45 seconds. Double strain into a chilled glass, sans ice.
For garnish, lay a sage leaf on the heel of one hand and clap down on top of it with the other. It will release the oils of the leaf. Then, float the leaf right in the middle of the cocktail.

Notes

Ripeness of the berries and how much you like acidity affects the amount of vinegar needed in the shrub syrup. I typically end up around (1 tbsp) 15ml of vinegar for berries that are not very ripe and increase to 2 tbsp (30ml) when they are sweeter.
Don't have distilled white vinegar? You can also use apple cider vinegar or champagne vinegar in a 1:1 substitution. (see FAQS for how each will affect flavor).
Want to get more juice and a deeper color in your later cocktail? Blitz the sugar/berry mixture in the blender on low for about 30 seconds and then strain.
If you're happy with your final cocktail but whomever you are drinking with thinks it's a little too tart, add a dash of falernum syrup or agave to their cocktail. This will sweeten it up a bit without diluting the flavor or adding extra alcohol.
Leftover shrub? Use it with olive oil as a salad dressing, in smoothies to add a zing of acidity, or even over ice cream or breakfast foods. Even better, it lasts a really long time in the fridge. We're talking like 6-8 weeks!
If you forget to freeze your glass in advance, don't panic. Simply add ice cubes to the glass, when you remember, and let them chill the glass while you make your cocktail. Dump the ice before you strain into your glass.
If you use crushed ice in this cocktail it will water the whole thing down. The larger the ice cube(s) you use when shaking, the less surface area there is to melt and dilute your drink. Typically only very alcohol forward cocktails, like mint juleps use crushed ice.

Nutrition