Blackberries are the easiest fruit liqueur you can make. No pricking, no stoning, no waiting until Christmas. Crush them in a jar, add sugar and vodka, and in about six weeks you have something that tastes like late summer. This blackberry vodka recipe is built around one ratio you can remember without looking it up.
The Ratio to Remember
500 g fruit, 175 g sugar, 700 ml vodka. That is roughly a small punnet or two, a mug of sugar and one standard bottle. Scale it up or down however you like, and adjust the sugar to taste once it is strained.
Blackberry Vodka
Ingredients
- 500 g blackberries fresh or frozen
- 175 g granulated sugar up to 250 g for a sweeter liqueur
- 700 ml vodka
- 1 strip lemon peel optional, no white pith
Method
- Sort through the blackberries and remove any stalks, leaves or mouldy berries. If using wild berries, soak them in cold salted water for 10 minutes to shake out any bugs, then rinse and drain.
- Put the berries in a large clean jar and lightly crush them with the end of a rolling pin.
- Add the sugar, lemon peel if using, and the vodka. Seal and shake well.
- Shake daily for a week, then weekly. Keep the jar in a cool, dark place.
- After 4 to 6 weeks, strain through a sieve lined with muslin. Don’t press the fruit too hard or it will cloud.
- Bottle, label and store somewhere cool and dark.
Notes
Private Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Wild or Shop-Bought?
Wild hedgerow blackberries are smaller and sharper, and they make the most interesting vodka. Pick them in late August and September, before the first frosts; old folklore says not to pick after early October, and in practice the late berries are often watery and mouldy anyway. Shop-bought or frozen blackberries work perfectly well and give a sweeter, rounder result. Frozen berries even release their juice faster.
Getting It Right
- Crush, don’t mash. A light crush opens the berries. Pulping them fills the vodka with seeds and sediment.
- Taste at 4 weeks. If it already tastes good, strain it. Blackberries don’t need months.
- Go easy on the sugar at first. You can stir in a little syrup later.
- Use a clear jar, so you can watch the colour turn from pink to deep purple.
How to Serve It
| Drink | How |
|---|---|
| Blackberry spritz | 50 ml blackberry vodka, top with soda water, squeeze of lime |
| Bramble-style | Over crushed ice with a little lemon juice |
| Fizz | A splash in a glass of Prosecco |
| Hot | Stirred into hot apple juice with a cinnamon stick |
It also makes a lovely gift in small bottles. If you like foraged drinks, try our sloe vodka or damson gin next.
Short Answers to Common Questions
Can I use gin instead?
Yes. Blackberry gin is excellent; just use a plain London dry gin.
How long does blackberry vodka last?
Strained and bottled, at least a year. The colour may fade slightly over time, but it stays good to drink.
What can I do with the leftover berries?
Blend them into a boozy sauce for ice cream, or stir into a crumble. They contain alcohol, so keep them for adults.
Please enjoy responsibly.
