Blackberry-Thyme “Tom Collins” Mocktail Recipe
To the traditional Tom Collins cocktail ingredients, we add blackberry and thyme - and swap the gin for a white tea infusion - resulting in a nuanced herbal mocktail infused with protective powers.
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Servings:
Equipment
Ingredients
Drink Base
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 bags white tea (cleansing, new beginnings)
- 5 juniper berries (protection, purification, healing)
Mixers
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme (protection, peace)
- 2 tbsp honey (purification, sweetness, prosperity)
- 8-12 blackberries, (protection, abundance), muddled
- 2 tbsp lemon juice from approx 1 lemon (purification)
- ice
- seltzer to top (I used unsweetened blackberry flavor)
Garnish
- 2-3 blackberries on cocktail picks
- 2 sprigs thyme
- lemon wheel
Instructions
- Add thyme sprigs, gently muddled juniper berries and the tea bags to a mug or tea pot and pour ¾ cup boiling water over it. Steep for five minutes, then remove and squeeze out bags. Continue to let thyme sprigs and juniper steep for 5 more minutes. Strain aromatics, stir in honey and place in fridge until chilled (approx 30 minutes).
- Muddle 6 blackberries and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice gently in each of two Collins glasses, softening but not pulverizing the berries.
- Fill glasses to the top with ice, then add half the honey-white tea mixture. Top with blackberry seltzer water.
- Forgo the traditional cherry, and garnish with blackberries, skewered and threaded with thyme.
Video
Notes
Substitutions
Don’t have juniper berries? This recipe is still delicious without the addition of juniper berries, but the juniper really goes that extra step to mimic the flavor and bite of gin. That’s why I use them in every mocktail inspired by a gin-based cocktail. I say don’t skip it, but you do you, boo. Want to use a NA gin? I haven’t found a great one yet, but if you have, write to me and let me know about it! Replace the ingredients in the drink base with an equal amount of NA gin, and infuse the aromatics into either the honey, heated over low heat, or into ¾ cup of gin base for 24 hours in the fridge. Prefer a different sweetener? See The Ultimate Guide to Mocktail (and Cocktail) Substitutions. Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!