Blackberry Sage Mocktail (Printable Version)

A fresh mix of blackberries, sage, citrus, and sparkling water served over crushed ice for a bright cooler.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fruit & Herbs

01 - 1 cup fresh blackberries
02 - 4 fresh sage leaves, plus extra for garnish
03 - 0.5 lemon, juiced

→ Sweetener

04 - 1 to 2 tablespoons honey or agave syrup, to taste

→ Liquids

05 - 1 cup sparkling water or club soda

→ Ice

06 - 2 cups crushed ice

# How to Make It:

01 - In a cocktail shaker or sturdy glass, muddle the blackberries and sage leaves together until the berries are well crushed and the sage releases its fragrance.
02 - Add the lemon juice and honey or agave syrup. Stir or shake until the sweetener is completely dissolved.
03 - Fill two glasses with crushed ice.
04 - Strain the blackberry-sage mixture evenly over the ice in each glass, pressing to extract as much juice as possible.
05 - Top each glass with sparkling water and stir gently to combine.
06 - Garnish with extra sage leaves and a few whole blackberries. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in 10 minutes, yet tastes like you've been thinking about it all week.
  • The blackberries and sage create a flavor that's somehow sophisticated but never pretentious.
  • It's naturally vegan and gluten-free without feeling like a compromise.
02 -
  • Don't muddle too aggressively or you'll crush the sage into tiny pieces that feel gritty; gentle pressure releases the flavor without breaking it apart.
  • If you wait more than a few minutes after straining to pour the sparkling water, the drink starts to lose its vigor, so pour and serve right away.
03 -
  • If fresh blackberries aren't available, frozen ones work beautifully and are often sweeter than the pale ones sitting in the supermarket in winter.
  • The secret to restaurant-quality drinks at home is understanding that temperature and texture matter as much as taste, so invest in a muddler and actually crush that ice instead of just throwing it in a glass.
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