Blackberry Lime Gin Margarita

This Blackberry Lime Gin Margarita is an easy, delicious twist on the classic cocktail- with gin, fresh blackberries, lime, and a lime-sugar rim.

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Is necessity the mother of invention, or is lack of proper booze?

The year was 2020, and the day was May 4th- the day before Cinco de Mayo. Crestfallen by the fact that (during the time of Covid-19, quarantine and sheltering in place) I had not a drop of tequila in the house- I set out to make myself a margarita with what I had, so I could celebrate proper (even if it was going to be alone in my pajamas).

I recently acquired some delicious Bluebird Distilling gin, which has already made me quite a few tasty quarantine cocktails. so I thought it would be a great star of my margarita. And damn if I wasn't right- it was sooo good!

Making the Blackberry Lime Gin Margarita

To make this not-so-classic marg, you will need:

• GIN! But I bet this is just as tasty with some good tequila, if you prefer 
• Fresh Blackberries
• A few limes, and all their juice and zest
• Some simple syrup- make it yourself, it is SIMPLE
• Lime seltzer water (I used LaCroix Key Lime, but lime or lemon would be good too)
• Granulated sugar

To make the lime sugar for the rim, just stir together the sugar and lime zest with a fork until well combined. Then you're ready to dip the glass(es) before filling with ice, and delicious booze. The recipe for the lime sugar makes enough for about 4-6 drinks; because let's be honest- you're not drinking just one.

Get your muddle on, and then your drink on

To make this drink, you need to muddle the blackberries and lime wedges together to release their juices ( and in the case of the blackberries, their beautiful color).

This can be done is a sturdy, thick glass, such as a pint glass or mason jar, or (even better) in a metal cocktail shaker with a strainer. If you are doing this in a glass or jar- keep in mind you'll still need a little strainer to pour the drink through so you're leaving behind those seedy bits of blackberry and pulverized limes.

When muddling, layer the blackberries in first, then the limes (cut into 4 equal wedges). Why? The limes can take more of a beating, and will act as a protective layer for the blackberries, making sure they are pressed not pulverized, and that you don't end up covered in red goo.

Once the limes and blackberries are muddled, all that's left to do is add the simple syrup and gin, and shake.

Before pouring that deliciousness into your glass, run a lime wedge around the edge of the glass, dip the glass into the lime sugar, and fill the glass all the way up with ice.

Then simply strain the booze over the ice, and top with the seltzer. At this point, you can either go to town on the drink- or garnish it real pretty with a few blackberries and a lime wedge. And that's that. Cheers!

A side note about simple syrup and why you should never buy it at the store

Simple syrup can be made with 2 ingredients nearly everyone has- sugar and water. Don't like sugar? Use honey!

It's a very complicated process- are you ready? Add equal parts sugar and water to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and cook until the sugar dissolves and the liquid is clear. Turn the heat off, let it cool, and store in an airtight container for about 2 weeks in the fridge. See, it's called SIMPLE for a reason guys!

I love to make my own simple syrup, whether this simple, standard version, or infused versions (like the one in my Honey and Thyme Paloma or my Pomegranate Mezcal Margarita). You can make as much or as little as you like, and it's SO DAMN EASY.

If you make my Blackberry Lime Gin Margarita, please be sure to leave me a comment! I would love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Lastly, if you make the recipe and love it, please tag me on Instagram! I love to see your photos!

Love a good margarita?

Try my Cucumber Watermelon Margarita, Cranberry Fennel Margaritas, Anejo Apple Cider Margaritas, Mango Mint Margaritas, Kiwi Jalapeno Margaritas, Five Alive Citrus Margaritas, Blood Orange Jalapeno Margaritas or Pomegranate Mezcal Margaritas!

*Notes/Substitutions:

See notes above on making your own simple syrup!

I used LaCroix Key Lime seltzer to top my marg, but you can use an seltzer you like (i recommend a lime or lemon flavored).

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