Blackberry Sage Summer Cooler (Print version)

A vibrant blend of blackberries, sage, and citrus served over crushed ice for a refreshing summer cooler.

# What You Need:

→ Fruit & Herbs

01 - 1 cup fresh blackberries
02 - 4 fresh sage leaves, plus extra for garnish
03 - 1/2 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:

01 - In a cocktail shaker or sturdy glass, muddle the blackberries and sage leaves together until the berries are well crushed and the sage is fragrant.
02 - Add the lemon juice and honey or agave syrup. Stir or shake until the sweetener is fully 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 under ten minutes, which means you can make it while someone's already sitting at your kitchen counter.
  • The blackberries and sage create this earthy-sweet moment that tastes infinitely more interesting than it has any right to be.
  • It's naturally vegan and gluten-free, so you're not explaining dietary restrictions to anyone—it just works for everybody.
02 -
  • Don't skip the straining step—I learned this the hard way by biting into blackberry seeds when I thought I'd muddle them fine enough, and that's not the texture you want interrupting the sip.
  • Crushed ice makes all the difference because it keeps the drink cold longer without diluting it as fast as regular cubes would; if you don't have a way to crush ice, put some in a bag, wrap it in a towel, and hit it with a rolling pin.
03 -
  • If your sage or blackberries aren't at peak freshness, lean a little heavier on the honey or agave and the lemon juice to compensate—sour and sweet can mask disappointment in the main ingredients.
  • Chill your glasses for five minutes before pouring if you have the forethought; it keeps everything colder longer and somehow makes the drink taste more intentional.
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