Sparkling Blackberry Soda

Are you ready for a refreshingly fruity, perfectly fizzy, light drink to sip away those long summer days? Then this Sparkling Blackberry Soda is for you! With a few simple ingredients, this ice-cold beverage will have you swinging in the sunshine and seeing bubbles. Bonus-it's fancy enough for Mother's Day, or a casual Sunday brunch.

It's easy to recreate your favorite drinks at home. So why not skip the yucky ingredients and make something the whole family can sip on?

Blackberries are the solid fruit to pair with almost anything. They can be used in sweet and savory dishes. In drinks, their tart flavor adds a touch of sweetness, with citrus-like notes. Now, who can resist that?

What you will need to make blackberry soda

• Blackberries Fresh is best, but you can use frozen.
• Sugar and water For the blackberry simple syrup which is what sweetens the soda.
• Seltzer or club soda
• Ice Gotta keep it cold!
• Lime, lemon, mint or frozen blackberries for garnish Optional.

See recipe card for quantities.

First, you make a blackberry simple syrup using blackberries, sugar, and water. Then you add the syrup to a glass with lots of ice, then top with seltzer or club soda, and done!

Swaps

Feel free to adjust the amount of blackberry simple syrup and/or club soda to get the solid ratio for the blackberry sparkling soda. If you want to mix it up, try some of these ideas.

• Add a splash of vanilla extract for a blackberry-vanilla soda.
• Instead of plain seltzer or club soda, try using a flavored seltzer. Lime or Lemon sparkling sodas will pair well.
• Make it boozy! Add 1.5 ounces of vodka or gin for a refreshing summer cocktail.
• Swap out the blackberries for raspberries or strawberries to make a variation on the blackberry simple syrup.

Keeping leftovers

You can make the blackberry simple syrup in advance and store it in a glass container in the fridge for up to 1 month. When you are ready to make your blackberry drink, grab your chilled blackberry syrup and add the club soda and ice.

Top tip

When straining the blackberries, press the back of the spoon against the berries to release as much juice as possible. You want all that blackberry flavor!

Kitchen questions

What do blackberries taste like?

Blackberries are tart, tangy, and sweet with citrus-like notes. They contain many hard seeds, so strain out all the seeds when making the syrup.

Pairing

These are our favorite dishes to serve with our blackberry soda!

Ingredients

Makes 1 drink (syrup yield enough for 4-8 drinks)

Blackberry Simple Syrup

• 6 ounces (about 1¼ cups) blackberries, fresh or frozen
• ¾ cup (6 ounces) white granulated sugar
• ¾ cup (6 ounces) water

Blackberry Soda

• ice
• 2-4 tbsp blackberry simple syrup
• plain seltzer or club soda
• lemon, lime, mint or frozen blackberries for garnish

Equipment

• medium saucepan
• fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth
• glass jar for storage

Method

Blackberry Simple Syrup

1. In a saucepan, combine blackberries, water, and sugar. Heat the mixture over medium-high heat until it comes to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the blackberries have softened, about 5-7 minutes.

2. Once the sugar has dissolved, mash the blackberries with a spoon or muddler to release their juices. Let the mixture simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from heat and let the syrup cool to room temperature.

3. Strain the syrup through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove the solids/seeds. Transfer the syrup to a clean glass jar or bottle and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Makes about 1 cup of syrup (enough for 4-8 drinks).

Blackberry Soda

1. Fill a glass with ice. Add 2-4 tbsp. of the blackberry simple syrup. Top with seltzer or club soda. Garnish with fresh lime, lemon, mint, or frozen blackberries.

Kitchen notes

The blackberry simple syrup can be stored for up to one month in the fridge.