Blackberry Bogie Cocktail (Arnold Palmer)
Aug 26, 2021, Updated Sep 14, 2021
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A Blackberry Bogie is the perfect drink to enjoy on your back patio!
My Belgian friend, Ken, recently visited the United States along with a very specific must eat and drink list. He is a huge NBA fan, so Taco Bell (they have KFC in Belgium) was at the top of the list, alongside authentic Mexican food, Shake Shack, and, of all things, a big, icy Arnold Palmer. In America, we are so accustomed to restaurants having iced tea on tap, freely flowing with unlimited refills. America also equates sweetened, diluted lemon juice with lemonade. In many parts of Europe, however, lemonade is a fizzy soda, usually Sprite or 7-Up. Needless to say, not many Arnie Ps are served up across the pond.
The Arnold Palmer – named after the legendary golfer – is a drink of half iced tea, half lemonade. Palmer loved the drink, and ordered it often; whether or not he invented the cocktail is unknown. It is also an excellent drink to keep up your strength while playing a round: caffeine from the tea to keep you up, and sugar from the lemonade to keep up your strength.
The end of summer is almost here, but the heat is far from gone. Enter the Blackberry Bogie: the perfect drink to enjoy the end of the season on a patio, back porch, or back nine. This fruity, herbal cousin of the Arnold Palmer – that I dub the Blackberry Bogie – is sure to stave off the late summer heat. If you want to make it a Boozy Bogie, add in a little bourbon or vodka to make a delicious, refreshing, low proof drink.
Related: Blackberry Bourbon Lemonade
Blackberry Bogie
Equipment
- Cocktail shaker
Ingredients
- 5 oz Black tea
- 2 oz Lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 oz Rich simple syrup*
- 8 Blackberries fresh
- 5 sprigs Mint fresh
- 1/4 oz Vanilla extract
- 2 oz bourbon or vodka (optional)
Instructions
- Pour ingredients into shaker. Pour over ice and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
BATCH IT UP
One of the most common questions I am asked during a cocktail class is “can I make a pitcher of this?” This is a surprisingly complicated question, as batching a cocktail can be a tricky process. More often than not, the answer to that question is “yes” but frequently the more precise answer is “yes but”. Let’s go over some guidance to follow when batching a cocktail:
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- Dilution: A cocktail shaker generally yields only a few servings, making it very labor intensive to individually shake a few servings then dump into a pitcher. Thankfully, you don’t need to! One of the key reactions that occurs when shaking a cocktail is that the ice melts, slightly diluting your cocktail and this can easily be replicated just by adding water directly to your mix. For each serving, start by adding in ½ ounce of fresh water to the batch and adjust to taste.
- Mass Muddle: Have something to muddle into your cocktail? Use your blender! Pop those Raspberry Mojitos (or this Blackberry Bogie!) into a blender, strain using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, and you’re ready to go!
- Ice: If you choose to include ice in your batched cocktail, it is best to do so at time of service. Adding ice to a pitcher of drink can dilute it very quickly (especially if you pre-diluted and it’s a hot day), yielding an unpleasantly watery cocktail. Keeping the batched cocktail in the fridge to chill and using ice in the serving glass is your best bet.
- Choose Wisely: Not all cocktails can be easily translated into a batch. Cocktails that contain juice, spirits, and liqueurs are perfect for batching, as they are simple and the ingredients are more resilient. My favorite batched cocktails include a flavorful homemade syrup (whether it be cherry lime, strawberry rhubarb, or turmeric lemon), a little citrus, and spirit. While you certainly can batch cocktails with more volatile ingredients like egg whites, it takes much more care, attention, and work.
- Bitters Be Careful: Batched cocktails with bitters (or other aromatic ingredients) are a tricky business, as using one-for-one measurements can compound the bitter flavor and throw the drink out of balance. If you do want to add bitters to a batched cocktail, add in half of the amount called for in the recipe and adjust to taste. For best results, stir in bitters at time of service.
- Stirred Drinks: Say you want to batch up Martinis, Negronis, or Manhattans. Stir up all ingredients (except the bitters), add water for dilution, place in a freezer safe container, and pop them right into the freezer. This will allow you to serve a delightful chilled cocktail over ice or up straight from the freezer. As a friend says, “there’s nothing like a freezer Negroni!”
- Bubbles: Whether your cocktail calls for soda water or a sparkling wine, bubbles are fleeting and should not be added to a batch cocktail, unless it will be served immediately. Batching bubbles in a cocktail is a race against the clock, so it’s best to batch the non-effervescent portion of the drink, and let your guests top off with a fresh bottle of bubbles. This will ensure the bubbles are still popping, and the cocktail portion is preserved.
- Garnish Bar: No cocktail is complete without a garnish, so don’t forget to garnish your batched drinks! You can pre-garnish glasses for guests to quickly grab or set out a garnish bar. A garnish bar can be a tray with multiple options to choose from to let your guests flex their creativity. For example: for Mojitos, put out a jar of mint sprigs, bowl of lime wedges and lime wheels, and fresh cut sugar cane straws. Want to add a bit more color? Provide guests with cocktail picks (metal ones are the best!) and an array of berries and fruits to create little cocktail fruit kebabs to adorn their drinks.
They all sound brilliant and very easy too drink and hard choices to make!
They all sound brilliant and very easy too drink!