Start by preparing the base for your lemonade. Combine ¾ cup of sugar and ½ cup of water in a small saucepan. Heat it over medium heat, stirring occasionally. After about 2 minutes, the sugar should dissolve completely. Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool. This simple syrup is what gives the lemonade its perfectly smooth sweetness.

While the syrup cools, place your blackberries and 2 tablespoons of sugar in the blender. Blend until the berries are pureed into a smooth consistency. Don’t worry if it looks thick at this stage—we’ll strain it later for the best texture.

Now comes the fun part! Grab a pitcher and add the cooled simple syrup, blackberry puree, the remaining 4 cups of water, and the freshly squeezed lemon juice. This mix will begin to take on that gorgeous deep purple shade that makes you want to sip it right away.

To ensure a smooth drink, place a fine-mesh sieve over the top of the pitcher. Slowly pour the lemonade mixture through it, straining out the seeds and pulp from the blackberries. At this point, your blackberry lemonade is ready to shine! Pour it into glasses filled with ice cubes, and enjoy.