Calling all craft spirits enthusiasts and home bartenders! Are you ready to dive into the vibrant world of raspberry cocktails? When it comes to crafting cocktails that are equal parts tart, sweet, and undeniably refreshing, few fruits rival the mighty raspberry. These ruby-red gems bring vibrant color, natural acidity, and a whisper of summer to every sip.
Whether muddled, pureed, or infused into syrups, raspberries are a home bartender’s dream ingredient. They bring a bright, zesty tartness that cuts through richer spirits, while simultaneously offering a subtle sweetness and an intoxicating aroma that no artificial flavoring can replicate.
Below, we’re diving into some of the most mouthwatering raspberry-forward cocktail recipes—each one designed to showcase your favorite New Deal spirits and elevate your mixing game. So, grab your shaker, your best coupe glass, and a pint of ripe raspberries—we’re about to go full berry mode.
What makes raspberries such a star in the cocktail arena? It's their unique duality. Whether muddled fresh, transformed into a silky syrup, or used as a stunning garnish, raspberries add a touch of elegance and a burst of flavor that's simply irresistible. Whether you’re a die-hard gin fan, a vodka devotee, or just someone who’s ready to turn up the fruit factor, raspberry cocktails offer vibrant, approachable options for every palate. These recipes are crowd-pleasers with enough flavor complexity to keep things interesting—and they all shine brightest with high-quality craft spirits at their core.
Cool Down with a Collins
When the temperatures rise, it’s not a secret that sipping a tall, fizzy Tom Collins is an excellent way to cool down. But let us ask you this— have you tried a Raspberry Tom Collins? The addition of raspberries elevates this timeless classic to new heights. This variation truly highlights the gin botanicals with a bright berry lift. It’s tart, it's fruity, and it’s very refreshing. In fact, you might just end up liking the pink, fruit-forward version more than the original.
If you happen to prefer vodka to gin, you’ll want to pick up a bottle of our crisp, clean Portland 90 Vodka and try out this Raspberry Sage Vodka Collins. The traditional Tom Collins gets a garden-party makeover that's tart, fruity, and herbaceous. Here we combine tart lemon and raspberry with savory, earthy sage. The sage plays beautifully off the raspberry’s brightness, while soda water keeps things effervescent and light. Top it all off with a splash of our zippy Ginger Liqueur and you’ll have it made in the shade.
Serve a Smash Hit
While this next drink may be inspired by Wimbledon, you don’t need to be at a tennis match to enjoy a Courtside cocktail. In fact, anyone who fancies a blend of both floral and fruit flavors can enjoy this summer drink that offers a delicate and elegant raspberry experience with the addition of elderflower. Muddled strawberry and raspberry team up with vodka, apple juice, and our fabulous Elder Flower cocktail syrup. Serve when you're looking for something that's easy-drinking but also elegant and just a tad bougie.
A Note about Barware
One of the easiest and most flavorful ways to incorporate raspberries into your drinks is by muddling them. Muddling releases all the natural sugars and juices, giving your cocktail a vibrant, fresh raspberry flavor. Simply mash a few ripe raspberries at the bottom of your shaker or glass, add your other ingredients, and shake or stir to perfection.
The best part? You don’t need to be a professional bartender to achieve that fresh, fruity flavor. Plus, the visual appeal of those little raspberry pieces floating in your glass adds a fun, festive touch to any gathering.
For some of these cocktail recipes, you’ll want to double-strain the drinks, so consider picking up a fine mesh strainer if you don’t already have one. Using this, in addition to your regular Hawthorne strainer, will keep bits of fruit and herbs out of your cocktail glass (and teeth).
A Refreshing Twist
How do you feel about peppermint iced tea? While it’s an excellent summertime beverage on its own, its pleasant cooling effects also make it a wonderful cocktail ingredient. Muddled raspberry meets mint iced tea, lemon, and Portland 90 Vodka in this fun, quaffable cocktail, which we call the Peppermint Twist. If you're looking for serious refreshment, this is it. Oh, and when it’s time to add the finishing touch, be sure to gently smack your mint leaf garnish against your palm before placing it in the drink. This helps release the herb’s oils, giving the drink its fragrant, minty aroma that ties all the elements together. This is a wonderfully invigorating drink, perfect for a sweltering afternoon.
Berry Bliss from the Beaver State
Hey there, berry enthusiasts! Ever wonder why those raspberries you snag from the freezer aisle, or even fresh from the market, taste so incredibly good? If they hail from Oregon, you're in for a treat.
The Beaver State isn't just known for its stunning landscapes; it's a paradise for caneberry farming, especially raspberries, boasting a legacy steeped in sweet, juicy goodness. Blessed by volcanic soil, clean Cascade waters, and long, cool springs followed by sun-kissed summers, the Pacific Northwest cultivates raspberries that burst with pure flavor. The unique climate, coupled with the unwavering dedication of Oregon's family farms, results in berries that are simply bursting with flavor. The Oregon Raspberry & Blackberry Commission (ORBC) works tirelessly to support these farmers through plant research and educational initiatives, ensuring that you get the best possible berries for your culinary creations.
Perhaps you’ve already realized this, but when you muddle raspberries in simple syrup you’re essentially creating a quick, single serving of raspberry syrup in your shaker tin. This is a convenient way to make a cocktail when the mood strikes; however, sometimes it’s nice to have the syrup on hand and ready to pour. Below cover two different recipes for making raspberry syrup ahead of time--one that requires the stovetop and one that offers heat-free preparation. If you really want to skip the syrup, you can muddle 3 or 4 raspberries in simple syrup when making an individual cocktail and achieve similar results.
Raspberry Syrup
- Heat a ½ cup of water on medium heat.
- Stir in 1 cup of sugar until dissolved.
- Turn the heat down to low and add ½ cup of raspberries, stirring until the berries break down into a pulp.
- Take off the heat and let cool.
- Fine strain into an airtight container and refrigerate.
- Label and date your syrup. It will keep in the refrigerator for a week— plenty of time to make cocktails on another occasion.
Oleo saccharum—Latin for "oil sugar"—is a foundational ingredient in the world of classic cocktails, prized for its ability to capture and amplify the vibrant essence of citrus. This fragrant syrup is made by muddling citrus peels (typically lemon or orange) with sugar, which draws out the flavorful essential oils through osmosis. Popularized in the 17th and 18th centuries, oleo saccharum became a staple in punch-making traditions, notably in the grand communal punches of colonial America and Regency England. Its resurgence in modern mixology reflects a broader revival of pre-Prohibition techniques, as bartenders seek deeper, more aromatic layers in cocktails.
Whether anchoring a traditional punch or adding complexity to contemporary drinks, oleo saccharum remains a testament to the ingenuity of early bartenders and their enduring influence on today’s craft cocktail movement. To capture the bright flavors of fresh-picked raspberries in syrup form, you can use the oleo saccharum technique to make a raspberry syrup without heating the fruit.
Raspberry Oleo Saccharum
- Clean raspberries and add 100 grams by weight to a quart mason jar
- Add 200 grams by weight of cane sugar to the jar
- Gently stir the raspberries and sugar
- Cover the mason jar and leave at room temp for 4-6 hours
- Then place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
- Remove from the refrigerator and add 100 grams of water by weight.
- Stir until sugar is fully dissolved.
- Fine strain into an airtight container.
- Label and date your syrup. Keep in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Pretty in Pink
A classic for a reason, the Clover Club is a pre-Prohibition beauty that deserves a permanent spot in your cocktail repertoire. Arguably, the most famous cocktail that calls for raspberry syrup is this silky raspberry sour. Served up in a coupe, it has a pretty pink hue and is topped with gorgeous cloud-like foam. Oh, and it tastes like a dream. The secret to its velvety texture lies in the "dry shake" (without ice) followed by a hard shake with ice. You’ll have to do some extra shaking to achieve the fluffy egg white foam, but it will all be worth it when you take that first sip. Crafting your own raspberry syrup by gently heating raspberries with sugar and water will make all the difference, offering a fresh, vibrant taste that pre-made syrups can't match.
I Think I Love Her
If Prince were a mixologist, this might’ve been his signature drink. The Raspberry Beret is a favorite around Valentine’s Day, but we don’t see any reason why we can’t enjoy a raspberry mocha martini in the summertime. This recipe calls for Monin raspberry syrup, but you can swap it in with the one you’ve made at home using fresh berries (see recipes below). When paired with our Mud Puddle roasted cacao nib-infused vodka and coffee liqueur, we think you’ll agree that this decadent three-ingredient cocktail can be enjoyed anytime of year. Garnish with chocolate shavings or a skewered raspberry for a luxurious, after-dinner treat that's reminiscent of a gourmet dessert.
Work Sucks, I Know
Rye whiskey enthusiasts, rejoice! For this next recipe, we took the classic Blinker cocktail and changed just a few ‘small things’ to give you the Blinker 182. Try to find a yellow grapefruit so the cocktail runs more sour than sweet, but red works too— just adjust your syrup to grapefruit ratio a bit. The tart grapefruit juice and raspberry syrup perfectly complement the bold character of the rye, making for a sophisticated and balanced sip. Again, a homemade raspberry syrup will enhance the fresh berry notes.
And if you’ve run out of our Distiller’s Workshop Rye whiskey, we should have more very soon. Until then, we also carry 40 Acres Straight Rye Whiskey, an excellent high-rye whiskey made by Karl Rohdin-Bibby. Karl is an avid whiskey enthusiast and talented distiller here at New Deal Distillery.
Raspberry cocktails are a testament to the fact that sometimes, the simplest ingredients can yield the most extraordinary results. So, stock up on those beautiful berries, unleash your inner mixologist, and get ready to stir, shake, and sip your way to raspberry cocktail bliss. After you grab your raspberries, don't forget to swing by the Bottle Shop to grab the gin, vodka, or rye you’ll need—and don’t forget to stock up on bitters, syrups, and bar tools while you’re at it. Cheers to keeping it berry delicious all season long!