Last Updated on August 3, 2020 by The 'Noms.

A Lavender Berry shrub with brandy makes for a great cocktail!

Summer is the season for shrub based cocktails, and we have definitely been in a mood for tart fruity cocktails, and our Brandy and Blackberry Lavender Shrub cocktail certainly fits the bill! We love using shrubs to add a rich tart flavor to cocktails. We also like to use shrubs for their original purpose of preserving fresh fruit for later, especially the wonderful fresh blackberries that are in season during the spring for cocktails!

This post contains affiliate links for products that we think you as readers might find useful, and we make commission off of these! For more details about our affiliates, click our Disclosure and Contacts Page.

Lavender Berry Shrub

We have made Blackberry shrubs in the past and loved the way the sour of the apple cider vinegar and the tart of the blackberries made a sweet tangy base for our cocktails. For this recipe we were inspired by some beautiful lavender plants growing in our herb garden. Lavender adds a delicious floral note to the blackberry shrub, which adds a real nice complexity to the shrub.

We chose to use fresh lavender leaves as the flavor will be gentler than using the dried flower petals and helps avoid one of the major pitfalls of making the dish to much like perfume which can commonly can happen when cooking with lavender.

Shrubs can’t be rushed, and letting the the flavors meld together over time can make the whole mixture richer and more nuanced. We allowed our berry shrub to meld for around 2 days before checking the flavors.

Checking the flavors at this point allows you to adjust the flavors to be a bit more to your liking by adjusting the sugar or vinegar.

Mason Jars / Coupe (ours is vintage) / Shaker

What Ingredients are Needed for the Blackberry Lavender Shrub Cocktail?

Blackberry Lavender Shrub Sugar Blackberries Apple Cider Vinegar Water Lavender

Cocktail Apple Brandy Lemon Juice Dry Vermouth Blackberry Lavender Shrub Simple Syrup



For the Brandy and Blackberry Lavender Shrub, we used a great apple brandy as our base spirit which really worked with the apple cider base of the shrub. A splash of dry vermouth brings additional herbal qualities and adds a hint of sweetness that helps bring the sour bite of the shrub under control.

A squeeze of fresh lemon juice adds a brightness and a nice lemon perfume that pulls a little more of the lavender flavor out and pairs well with the blackberry flavors. This drink was tart and fruity and perfect for sipping on a warm summer day by the pool!

Like this recipe? Try these below, too!

Lavender Lemon Gin & Tonic

Lavender Bee’s Knees

Other Fruit Shrub Cocktails

Other Brandy Cocktails

Also, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and tag #gastronomcocktails so we can see all the wonderful recipes YOU recreate from this site!

You can also subscribe to our weekly newsletter so you never miss a delicious recipe again!

Yield: 1 Brandy and Blackberry Lavender Shrub - A Brandy Cocktail Prep Time: 20 minutes Set Time: 2 days Total Time: 2 days 20 minutes A delightful sweet and sour cocktail made with a shrub and brandy. Print Ingredients Blackberry Lavender Shrub 1 Tbsp water

1 Tbsp lavender leaves

.75 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup blackberries, cut in half

1 cup sugar For the Cocktail 4 oz blackberry lavender shrub

1/2 oz simple syrup

1/4 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 oz dry vermouth

2 oz apple brandy Instructions For the Cocktail Add ingredients to a shaker. Fill shaker with ice. Shake until chilled. Strain into cocktail coupe. Cheers!

For the Shrub In an airtight container or jar, add berries, sugar and lavender leaves. Mash until berries are fully broken down and sugar is a thick paste. Add water and apple cider vinegar and stir until sugar is dissolved. Seal container and place in fridge for 2 days. Taste after 2 days to see if it is to your liking, adjust vinegar and sugar to tailor the flavor to your preference. Using a mesh strainer, strain berries and lavender leaves and discard, retaining liquid. Pour remaining liquid into a clean sealed container. Store in fridge up to 3 weeks. Recommended Products As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. Premium Quality Hammered 100% Pure Copper Cocktail Shaker With Built-In Strainer - A Great Bar Tool For Your Favorite Bartender- by Alchemade

Luminarc Barcraft Coupe Cocktail (Set of 4), 5.5 oz, Clear

Ball Pint Mason Jar, Regular Mouth, 16 oz (2 Count) Nutrition Information: Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 160 Total Fat: 0.1g Saturated Fat: 0.1g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 0g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 14mg Carbohydrates: 26.6g Fiber: 0g Sugar: 13.1g Protein: 0.1g Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

PIN THIS BRAND AND BLACKBERRY LAVENDER SHRUB COCKTAIL RECIPE FOR LATER!

Interested in stocking your own home bar? Make sure to see our favorites at our Amazon Store!

If you liked this recipe, don’t forget to subscribe for new (and of course free) recipes by entering your email address on the side bar (and get all the recipes delivered to your inbox when we post), so you don’t miss out on a thing. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter!

Gastronomblog is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com