Do You Verjus? This Colorado-Grown, Upcycled Waste Product Adds A Kick To Summer Cocktails

Photos by Jayme Henderson

Fresh blackberries, summer gin and herbal sparkling water come together in this Blackberry Gin Smash. While blackberries are the primary flavor component and the obvious source for the lively pop of color here, it is the cocktail’s lesser-known acidic component — verjus — that deserves further appreciation and explanation.

WHAT IS VERJUS?

Directly translated from French, verjus means “green juice.” Verjus is the sour, fresh-pressed juice made from underripe grapes. In the summer season, when wine grapes are just beginning to ripen, deepen in color and develop sugars, winemakers frequently cull or remove underripe grapes, thus concentrating the energy of the vines to produce higher-quality grapes. To avoid letting these culled grapes go to waste, winemakers press the grapes and bottle the juice, resulting in a tangy product that is applicable both in the kitchen and behind the bar.

Making verjus is tedious, however, and getting the timing just right to collect and process these underripe grapes is challenging, leaving many Colorado grape-growers and winemakers no choice but to let those grapes go to waste. To offer a sustainable answer to this challenge, restaurant-industry veteran Kevin Murphy launched Horizon Verjus Company, which uses 100% Colorado-grown grapes to make two distinctly different styles of verjus. Murphy’s products not only upcycle a waste product, but they also lessen the collective carbon footprint of shipping citrus, since each bottle of verjus contains the equivalent of 16 lemons or 25 limes, which do not grow locally in our state.

Zero-waste chefs and bartenders are frequently reaching for verjus to add the same zesty kick that citrus brings to a dish or drink. Verjus is a suitable substitute for recipes that call for citrus, wine or vinegar: from vibrant salad dressings and marinades to quick-pickle dressings and bright cocktails.

For this particular cocktail recipe, I intentionally went a little heavy on the verjus, which provided a pleasant, mouth-puckering lift to this berry smash. Because that’s exactly what you need on a hot July afternoon. I also love using Leopold’s Summer Gin, a limited-edition gin that is known for its floral, fruity and citrusy notes.

BLACKBERRY GIN SMASH

5-6 fresh blackberries
1/4 ounce simple syrup (1:1 sugar and water)
1 ounce gin, like Leopold Bros Summer Gin
2 ounces Horizon Early Season Verjus
4 ounces Dram Holy Basil & Lemon Adaptogenic
Sparkling Water
Edible flowers and herbs, for garnish

1. In a tall glass, gently muddle the blackberries with the simple syrup.
2. Add the gin and verjus.
3. Toss in a handful of ice, top with the sparkling water, gently stir to incorporate and garnish with fresh edible flowers and herbs.

NOTES

For a spirit-free version, simply omit the gin. This spritz-y drink is just as delicious and balanced as the gin-included version. To add more complexity, consider adding an alcoholremoved gin, like Ritual Zero Proof Gin Alternative, or swap it for a non-alcoholic herbal distillate, like Seedlip Garden 108.

Are you on “Team Extra Pulp” or on “Team Pulp Free”? If you love the flavor of muddled fruit in your cocktails, but you don’t like dealing with the bits, just take a mixing tin and combine the muddled blackberries, simple syrup, gin and verjus. Shake it all together, strain the cocktail into your glass, top with ice and add the sparkling water.

Originally published in the summer 2025 issue of Spoke+Blossom.