Huckleberry Crush Recipe

Combine huckleberries, sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, and crush the berries with the back of a spoon or a muddler to release juices. Simmer for 6–8 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is syrupy.

Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavor.

Let the syrup cool slightly, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean jar, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. Refrigerate until cool. Makes about 3/4 to 1 cup syrup.

Dry Shake

If using egg white: add bourbon, fresh lemon juice, huckleberry syrup, optional simple syrup and the egg white into a cocktail shaker without ice. Dry-shake vigorously for 15–20 seconds to emulsify and build foam.

Add crushed ice to the shaker and shake again hard for 10–15 seconds to chill and slightly dilute the drink.

Fill a rocks glass or short tumbler with fresh crushed ice. Strain the cocktail over the ice using a fine strainer to remove any small solids and achieve a smooth pour.

Garnish with 2–3 fresh huckleberries skewered or a lemon wheel on the rim. Serve with a short straw. If not using egg white, combine ingredients with ice and shake once, then strain over ice.