Black(berry) Christmas

Let’s Get Blitzen: Cocktail Advent Calendar – Day 6 – Black(berry) Christmas. For the first time ever, I’m introducing Sober Sundays to the cocktail advent calendar and on this first Sunday of the month I’m delighted to shake up this zero-proof version of the classic gin bramble with Søbrii 0-Gin from Stratford, Ontario.

Today’s post is sponsored by Søbrii 0-Gin.

By all accounts, alcohol sales have seen a serious spike in 2020. While I love the art of crafting a beautiful cocktail, I’ve never encouraged drinking to excess. I began hosting my virtual happy hour series on Instagram when we first went into lockdown in mid-March to teach people about classic cocktails, help them master technique, and create a delineation between the work day and personal life. You can achieve the same ends by mixing with top-quality zero-proof spirits, like Søbrii 0-Gin.

Crafting a cocktail is a combination of both art and science. Mixing a drink should be undertaken with care and consideration – precisely proportioned ingredients, chilled, diluted, and shaken or stirred to pitch perfect harmony. Composed in just the right glassware with the right ice.

Responsible drinking is critical to actually enjoying the experience of cocktailing and also important for your mental and physical health. That’s why I felt it was so important to introduce Sober Sundays in this year’s cocktail advent calendar.

Luckily, there are brilliant homegrown makers like Søbrii who are enabling a premium cocktail experience at zero proof. Søbrii 0-Gin is Canada’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirit. It bears the characteristic botanicals of gin – juniper, coriander, allspice, star anise, with the citrusy astringency of Ontario ginseng.

This is truly a top-notch ingredient and is the perfect non-alcoholic stand-in for gin in any of your favourite classic cocktails. I’m using it in this zero-proof spin on the classic gin bramble. Aside from being zero-proof, Søbrii 0-Gin also has zero sugar, zero calories, and zero artificial flavours.

I’ve replaced crème de mure (blackberry liqueur) with fresh blackberries muddled in spruce syrup and topped it with Søbrii 0-Gin, garnished with a bouquet of mint for a refreshing finish.

You might be thinking, “Shouldn’t this have citrus?” The answer is, “No.” Thanks to the ginseng in the botanical blend of Søbrii 0-Gin, adding lemon would be overkill. Don’t overthink it, often three premium ingredients is all you need for a masterful cocktail!

Pick up a bottle of Søbrii 0-Gin from their website or use their handy product locator tool to find a retailer near you!

Black(berry) Christmas

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Black(berry) Christmas

Prep Time

3 mins

Total Time

3 mins

 

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Canadian

Keyword: Blackberry, Mocktail, Sobrii 0-Gin, Zero-Proof

Servings: 1 drink

Author: Yvonne Langen

Ingredients

• 2 oz Sobrii 0-Gin
• ¾ oz spruce syrup
• 3 blackberries
• Garnish: bouquet of mint
• Garnish: 2 blackberries

Spruce Syrup

• 2 cups spruce tips (young or mature)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water

Instructions

1. Muddle blackberries with spruce syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add remaining ingredients and short shake over ice.
2. Strain into a double rocks glass over crushed ice.
3. Garnish with a bouquet of mint and two blackberries skewered on a cocktail pick.

Spruce Syrup

1. Combine sugar, water, and spruce tips in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let sit at room temperature overnight.

2. Remove spruce tips and strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Store syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three weeks.