Homemade rhubarb gin is so easy to make and such a pleasure to enjoy. It makes the best foodie gift!
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Homemade Liqueurs
I discovered the joys of homemade liqueurs and infusions a few years ago, and have become rather addicted to the whole experience and adventure. The possibilities and permutations are endless. Fruit + alcohol, but which fruit, which alcohol? That’s completely up to you! And the season, naturally. Pink gin, blue gin, green gin, chocolate gin?
Anything homemade is always going to be markedly better, for the simple reason that you can make it your own, and homemade liqueurs are no different.
Different Gin Flavours
So rhubarb in spring and summer, strawberries in summer, blackberries and apples in autumn, you get the idea. Incidentally, along similar lines, I do the same thing with vinegar. Raspberry balsamic vinegar is sweet, sour and so, so enslaving.
Over the last few years, I’ve made sloe gin, damson gin, raspberry gin, blueberry gin and limoncello. And various types of flavoured vodkas, like lemongrass and kaffir lime vodka and this Polish favourite, Krupnik, a Christmas flavoured vodka.
Today’s infusion is Rhubarb Gin, also called pink gin, and something you can get easily on the shelves in supermarkets and off licences. So why make your own? Because homemade is always going to be, well, we covered that right at the start of this post!
There are many, many recipes online on how to make it. Or any other fruit infused gin. However, as far as I’m concerned, there are no hard and fast ratios in making your own infused liqueurs. More fruit, less fruit, it’s a matter of taste. Or vegetable.
Because you know rhubarb is a vegetable, don’t you? With a split personality; it thinks it’s a fruit.
How to Make Rhubarb Gin at Home
All we do is:
- Soak some rhubarb (and ginger, if using) in gin
- Add sugar
- Leave to proof for 4 weeks
- Strain through a fine sieve, with or without muslin/coffee filter (ps: coffee filters take forever!)
Good Quality Gin
Get the best gin you can afford to make your rhubarb gin. That goes for all your homemade infused liqueurs. Cheap gin will give you a cheap tasting result. That doesn’t mean that you have to pay top dollar, do a little research to see what’s good in your price range. Like wine you plan to cook with, get something that you will enjoy drinking on its own and doesn’t taste like rubbish. I’m happy to use a good quality London Dry Gin.
Rhubarb
Be sure to look for healthy stalks, the redder they are, the pinker your gin. however, your rhubarb gin will lose its colour over time, becoming slightly paler.
No Fresh Rhubarb?
Just use the same amount of frozen rhubarb. No need to thaw, infuse the gin with the rhubarb, as it is. In fact, there is an advantage to using frozen fruit (or vegetable, in this case), the skins are softer and easily split once they thaw, allowing better movement of flavours in and out of the fruit.
Ginger
Ginger has a natural affinity with rhubarb, and if you fancy making rhubarb and ginger gin, just add a large, thick stem of ginger. No need to peel, scrub well, slice and add to the bottle. About 200g (14 oz) will be perfect for the recipe here, for a very gingery rhubarb gin!
I’m going to give you 2 recipes, one for the long term, it will take a month to mature. The other, is for those of us who are impatient, and want everything NOW! In this second recipe, we roast the rhubarb to draw out its sweet flavours, and the gin will be ready to drink in 5 days.
How do you drink Rhubarb Gin?
- Straight up is sublime and spectacular!
- On ice is so, so smooth.
- In cocktails – let your imagination run wild!
Rhubarb Gin Cocktails
Pink cocktails are so pretty to look at, have you ever been mesmerised by beautiful pink cocktail pictures? Well I have! And I’m not even that keen on pink! Here are some ideas:
Rhubarb Collins
So easy, click here for the recipe.
Rhubarb Gin Fizz
- 50ml (2 fluid oz) rhubarb gin
- handful ice cubes
- 2-3 strawberries
- top with 7-Up
Rhubarb Gimlet
- 50ml (2 fluid oz) rhubarb gin
- top with lime or lemon cordial
What to do with gin soaked rhubarb?
Gin soaked rhubarb is out of this world. I go weak at the knees with most alcohol soaked fruits, but gin soaked rhubarb is in a class of its own. What to do with it? You can:
- top ice cream with it – sundaes or layered ice cream made with gin soaked rhubarb are wonderful!
- have it with some mascarpone
- whip some double (thick) cream and have it that way
- make a cool rhubarb crumble with gin soaked rhubarb – bet you didn’t think of that!
Sterilising Jars and Bottles for our Rhubarb Gin
- Turn the oven on to a cool 130˚C/250˚F/Gas Mark ½.
- Wash the jars, bottles and lids in hot soapy water.
- Place the jars, bottles and lids upside down in the oven and leave them to dry, with the door closed for 15 minutes.
- Turn the oven off and leave the jars, bottles and lids in there, bringing them out only when you are ready to fill. Be careful, as they’ll be hot.
Shall we get our aprons on?
If you like the recipe, don’t forget to leave me a comment and that all important, 5-star rating! Thank you!
And if you make the recipe, share it on any platform and tag me @azlinbloor.
Lin xx
More Gin Recipes:
Images from LinsFoodies
Homemade Rhubarb Gin Recipe (with ginger, if you like)
Ingredients
Rhubarb Gin Recipe 1
- 800 g (1¾) lb rhubarb stalks
- 1 litre (4 cups) good quality gin
- 400 g (14 oz) white sugar
- 200 g (7 oz) fresh ginger (optional)
Roasted Rhubarb Gin
- 400 g (14 oz) rhubarb
- 200 g (7 oz) white sugar
- 1 litre (4 cups) gin
Instructions
Rhubarb Gin Recipe 1
- Chop up the rhubarb stalks into 5cm (2′) pieces.
- Scrub the ginger with a vegetable scrubber, no need to peel. Slice thinly.
- Place everything into a large, sterilised jar, and give it a good stir. Or as you can see from the image, I placed some of the rhubarb straight into a bottle.
- Cover and place in a dark place for 4 weeks. I place mine in a kitchen cupboard. Stir it every other day, or as often as you remember to!
- To drink, strain through a sieve or, if you like a crystal clear pink gin, strain though a double layer of muslin or cheese cloth into a sterilised bottle.
Roasted Rhubarb Gin
- Preheat the oven to 180˚C (350˚F).
- Chop up the rhubarb stalks into 5cm (2′) pieces.
- Place the rhubarb onto a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes until soft.
- When done, tip the roasted rhubarb stalk into a large sterilised jar, along with all its juices.
- Add the sugar and gin, and stir to mix.
- Cover, and leave in a dark cupboard for 5 days. Stir everyday.
- To drink, strain through a sieve or, if you like a crystal clear pink gin, strain though a double layer of muslin or cheese cloth into a sterilised bottle. The mushy rhubarb is absolutely delicious as dessert with mascarpone cheese or ice cream.
Pardon my ignorance Lin, but what does this sentence in the recipe mean? “ Total time DOES NOT take into account the steeping period.” as I do not see steeping in the steps, only infusing.
Also, in a humid country with 28degree weather all year round, should the mixture be left in the refrigerator instead?
Thank you for the recipe and appreciate your advise!
Hi Serene, I can see how that’s confusing. I’ll edit the recipe card to add some notes. So the steeping time is the soaking time. We have 2 different times, depending on whether we are doing recipe 1 or 2.
Recipe 1 requires a minimum of 4 weeks.
Recipe 2 only calls for 5 days.
In humid climates, just find a dark place, whether that’s a kitchen cupboard or, even at the back of your bedroom cupboard/wardrobe.
Placing it in the fridge slows down the movement of molecules between the ingredients. Lowering the temperature also changes viscosity and density, all affecting the final result.
And it’s my pleasure. Let me know how it goes.
We love the roasted rhubarb gin recipe.
Can you add ginger to the roasted rhubarb gin recipe at any point? If so when and in what form and quantity?
Thank you
Hi Jan, yes, you can add ginger with everything else into the jar. Because it’s only going to have 5 days, grate the ginger or chop it coarsely, so it is able to infuse the drink quicker. Use the same amount as in the other recipe, so 200g (7 oz).
Oh I love that you can use fresh or frozen with this! What a great idea. Especially for my gin loving husband. It’ll make a great Father’s Day gift!
Hi! I’m choosing which 1/2 open bottle to use tomorrow for my rhubarb (and perhaps ginger too) infusion … I have middle of the road Prairie gin & Bloom Rose & Jasmine (pink) gin which I’m not terrible fond of on its own … maybe the infusion will make the Bloom nicer? Or stick with Prairie? I also have Lussa gin (Isle of Jura) biut I think it’s too salty/sea/samphire for this recipe … thank You !!!!
Hi Amy, either Prairie or Lussa will be be good for infusing with rhubarb. The rose & jasmine, I’m not entirely certain. I’ve had a rose gin in the past, and the musky rose just ddin’t do it for me, and I’m thinking it may still come through after being infused with rhubarb. If you do want to infuse the rose & jasmine, raspberries or blackberries will do well. I have a raspberry gin on this site too.
Thank you so much for this very understandable recipe! I am so glad to know this it’s really helpful! Looking forward for more delicious recipes! Loved it!
A pleasure, thank you for visiting Alyssa.
Thankyou so much for this recipe! I would never have thought of roasting the rhubarb! I’m making this as a gift, and as I want the pink to be quite vivid I’m thinking of adding a few raspberries – do you think that would be okay for the taste balance? I’m not sure how many to add and whether I would need to alter the sugar to accommodate?
Hi Rae, it’s a pleasure. The raspberries will definitely work with the rhubarb. Raspberries have a very strong colour, so I think 200g (7oz) will do in this for a deep pink colour, it’ll be bordering on red.
I have a post on Raspberry Gin that you might be interested in, as well as one on Rhubarb and Strawberry Vodka:
https://www.linsfood.com/raspberry-gin-recipe-fruity-gin-recipe/
https://www.linsfood.com/rhubarb-strawberry-vodka/
In both of them, I add a vanilla pod, which add a delicious hint of creaminess to the final drink.
Amazing, thank you so much for all of your help Azlin, and for the tip on the vanilla pod too! X
It’s a pleasure. Let me know how it goes. If you’re on Instagram or Facebook, post a pic and tag me, @azlinbloor on both.
Thank you for the inspiration! I have had it proofing in a dark cool cupboard now for a week, I just checked on it, there seems to be some slight bubbling/fizzing happening- is this normal or have I messed it up and it’s now fermenting??!
You should be alright. Sometimes you do get a little bubbling, but it shouldn’t really ferment.
How long can you keep the rhubarb ginger gin, if kept in a dark cupboard?
Once filtered, it should be perfectly fine for up to 2 years. The colour may lighten, and the flavour may mellow slightly, but it’ll still be delicious.
So you sterilise the bottles in the oven, and then take out… do you fill the gin in the bottle when it’s still hot? Or wait for the bottle/jars to cool down?
Hi Amelia, you wait for the bottles to cool down, to hand warm, at the very least. You don’t want to “cook” the fruit and gin. When I’m in a hurry, I take the hot bottles out and place them upright on a trivet. They are perfectly fine to use after 10-15 minutes, depending on the temperature in the kitchen.
Is there a difference between using fresh and frozen rhubarb? Thanks.
Hi Marv, none at all, in terms of flavour. I think the frozen has an advantage over the fresh. This goes for most fruit (or veg) for infusions. As the fruit is softer and falling apart when it defrosts, it allows for better movement in and out (osmosis stuff).
Just strained it after a month and boy, what a delicious drink! Wish I had made more now, it’s not going to last very long! Also, that Polish drink looks really good, is it best made around Christmas? I’m in Singapore so in terms of temperature, it will always be hot!
Haha, that’s always the problem! I should know better, but I still don’t make enough!
The Polish Krupnik – interesting question. I suppose technically then, it doesn’t matter when you make it. But if it were me in Singapore, then yes, I would make it once the Christmas feel is in the air. And maybe, even at Easter, if you celebrate.
Wow thanks for this. I have 2 bottles of Gin and was wondering what to do. I at times pick the fruit flavoured drinks from supermarket but now you have shown me how I can use it and with different options. Thanks again
Thank you, Renu, these homemade ones are just so much fun.
The drink looks glorious! I love the idea of working the same way with vinegars.
Thank you, Maria!
Hi Azlin, can I make this with frozen rhubarb and do I have to thaw it? Cheers.
Hi Hugh, sure you can. No need to thaw, dump then straight in with everything else.
Just done 2 batches, quick and slow. Might as well get productive while stuck at home! Cheers!
Haha, you are absolutely right! Cheers! x
Nice, printed this. Just waiting for the forced rhubarb to start appearing at the local. Thanks mate.
A pleasure, Adrian. Let me know how it goes.
I have always wanted to make this and finally did it today with our recipe. I made them both, because I’m so excited! And I’ve already set a reminder to do the Cranberry gin in late October, lol! Thank you Azlin.
That’s great, Alayna! Sorry for the extremely late reply. How did the Cranberry Gin go?
I made this a month ago Azlin. Just strained and had the first sip. Simply amazing. I love it so much, and having had ready made pink gins, I can confidently say this is so much better. Thank you, I am going to try out all your infusions this summer.
Hi Maisey, I ‘m so glad you enjoyed it. have fun with all the others!
This is amazing, thank you. Is there a difference in taste when you use frozen rhubarb?
Thank you, Gareth. Nope, no difference at all between the two.
Thanks Lin, going to make this over the weekend. So I can add the sugar at the end?
Yes, you can. Probably best if you don’t like your drinks sweet. Start with a quarter, and add more as you stir to dissolve.
So cool!
That, it is! x
Hi Lin, can I make this with frozen rhubarb? I have so much in the freezer. Do I have to defrost the rhubarb first?
Hi Kev, yes, you can, frozen rhubarb works perfectly. And you don’t have to defrost first.
Thank you, Azlin. I’ve just got 2 batches going with some forced rhubarb. One for the long term, and the roasted one for Easter Sunday lunch. can’t wait.
Awesome, that’s what I like to hear! Happy Easter!
I would prefer not to add sugar (purely for calorific content) is it absolutely necessary? Or could you use a sugar substitute?
Hi Dee, I reckon you could skip the sugar entirely if you wanted. It will be a stronger and more tart drink. Also, you most definitely can add stevia to it, you only need a small amount of stevia, as it’s much, much sweeter than sugar. There are 2 cups of sugar here (400g). You will only need 2 teaspoons of stevia, I would use the liquid extract, instead of powder, if you can get it.
That’s great Azlin & thanks for your reply. I’ve never used Stevia before but will see if I can get the liquid extract….can you also advise how many drops of it would be required per litre of gin please?
2 teaspoons of stevia if you like your drinks sweet like I do. If not, 1-1 and a half. The beauty of these infused spirits is that you can always start with a lower amount of sugar/sweetener. Then, halfway through (after 2-3 weeks) or at the end of proofing time (4 weeks), taste and just add more if it’s not sweet enough.
Thank you I’ll give that a go. I can’t get fresh rhubarb at this time of year so I’ve bought 1.5kg of frozen. Should I now….
1) boil it from frozen with 150ml of water as it says on the bag then let it cool & add the gin
2) add the gin to it from frozen
3) just defrost it & then add the gin
Sorry for all the questions….complete novice
Not a problem, Dee. You can add the frozen rhubarb straight to the gin in whatever jar you are using. No need to defrost in any way. I use frozen rhubarb when they are no longer in season here, and that’s what I’ve just done with the strawberry and rhubarb vodka I’m making for Christmas. Frozen strawberries too.
If I use frozen Ruhbarb will I have to cook it first
No you don’t. Don’t even have to defrost it, just use it as it is, straight from the bag.
Please what size jar would I use to make the full amount.
Thank you.
Hi Pam, I tend to use 1.5L (6 cups) – 2L (8 cups) jars. That way, I always have enough space, no matter how much fruit/vegetable I add.
If you are using a 1L bottle of gin, then you want a jar that can hold at least 1.5L (6 cups).
Thank you for your reply in England after Christmas we have forced rhubarb which is the best so will wait for that.
A pleasure. I’m down in Bournemouth, and always get excited when the forced rhubarb starts appearing!
Azlin me thinks we should get out more. lol
Lol!
Hervorragender Beitrag und einen wirklich schönen Blog hast du hier! Ich werde sicherlich öfter mal vorbeischauen! 🙂
Dankeschön!
Klasse! Endlich mal jemand der weiß wovon er redet! Toller Beitrag, Dankeschön! 🙂
Danke! I really appreciate that!
Does roasting it affect the taste. Which would you say was better? Also how much ginger would you add to the roasted version
Hi Kez, I think roasting the rhubarb created a slightly sweeter drink (with the same amount of sugar). It also had a hint of caramel, from the burnt bits off the rhubarb. It was also more aromatic, because of the shorter period, I reckon.
Ginger for the roasted version – half the amount, so 100g (3.5oz). I would also grate the ginger, as it’s a much shorter steeping period, and you want as much surface area of the ginger at work, as you can.
Hi how long can you keep a bottle of home made rhubarb gin for please
Hi Mimi, after straining, it should be perfectly fine up to 2 years. It will mellow slightly in the first couple of months, then settle down.
Cheers, I made this last month, and have just had a taste. It is delicious. I ‘m planning to make the limoncello and vodka next, before all the fruits get expensive. Thank you.
Fab stuff, thanks for letting me know. Please to hear that!
Hello, I would like to make this Rhubarb & Ginger recipe. Can I use frozen rhubarb and is the 4 weeks infusion the maximum time. Does the gin improve with keeping or should it be drunk fairly quickly. I admit that would not be to hard a task! Thanks
Haha, the drinking part is way too easy! Yes, you can definitely use frozen rhubarb. If you would like to infuse it for longer, I would go for 2 months, max. I personally don’t think that the flavour deepens after that time, as I have gone for 3 months, which is how long I infuse limoncello for.
After straining, I believe that the rhubarb gin does improve slightly with time, the flavour gets a chance to settle down and mellow out into a more harmonious blend. However, the difference isn’t a great one, and the change isn’t infinite, time wise. There is not difference, to me, after 2 months.
Let me know what you think as you make it and if you do manage to keep it a while.
Another thing I’ll have to say is that this amount here doesn’t go very far at all! I usually double or triple the quantities these days. Amazing how quickly 1 litre gets drunk!
Thank you very much for that advice and I will certainly let you know how I get on
Anytime. Have fun!
Hello Azlin,
I have, today, bottled my Rhubarb & Ginger Gin. I decanted a small amount of the gin a couple of weeks ago, to take to my sister, and then topped up with some more gin. I can very happily confirm that using frozen rhubarb works really well and I will certainly be doing this again. Meanwhile I have started a ‘brew’ of strawberry vodka, again using frozen strawberries. Thank you for your previous help.
Wonderful, Pat. thank yo for letting me know. I’m glad you’re enjoying it, the drink and the process!
Hi Azlin, Thanks for the recipies, I have my rhubarb and ginger ready!!!
If you absolutely had to pick one, which of the two recipies would you say results in the better flavour?
Hi Allan, definitely rhubarb and ginger! The slightly spicy, citrusy flavour of the ginger just “completes” the drink. Have fun, I just did another batch yesterday!
This is so interesting! Honestly, I am not drinking any alcoholic drinks but I am sure that my friends will like it.
Thank you, Geraline, be sure to share it with them!
Can the rhubarb be used after as a desert? Thanks
Yes, absolutely. but it won’t last too long out of the gin. 2 days, at the most, kept in the fridge, covered.
You can:
> top ice cream with it – a sundae or layered ice cream is great
> have it with some mascarpone
> whip some double (thick) cream and have it that way
> make a cool rhubarb crumble with gin soaked rhubarb
This is very interesting. I occasionally drink alcohol and I admire how bartenders / mixers do it. Saving this to impress my amore.
Haha, good luck, and thank you!
These drinks do look delicious. I know I am not a big fan of gin, but I can imagine with rhubarb it would be so much better. I love the tart flavor of that vegetable and would go so well with it.
Yes, absolutely. I thought I was a fan of gin until I started infusing it and mixing with it!
Many hardly consider homemade liqueur but it definitely sounds doable and even better. I love the taste and smell of ginger so this is a plus for me!
I totally agree!
Oh wow! I was never a fan of rhubarb but it seems to be on everything now and it’s starting to get me to actually truly like it! I would never attempt to make gin though. I don’t know … I’d leave that for the experts but I’m glad to know there’s a place I can go just in case I ever wanted to try!
Infused liqueurs are really super easy to do!
Oh I LOVE rhubarb gin but have never made our own! Adding a little ginger sounds like a great addition!
It sure does!
Thanks for sharing this gin recipe. I will be sharing it with my brothers. They love their gin.
I’m in total agreement, homemade tends to be better in most cases. This sounds delicious – I think my dad would love this – it would make a perfect father’s day gift for him.
I have never made anything with rhubarb or anything infused liqueurs haha. I agree, anything homemade is better than commercial-made.
I don’t drink alcohol, but it sounds like an interesting beverage. I had some friends in graduate school that used to make their own beer (we are all chemical engineers haha), and they talked about how much better it was than store-bought. The rhubarb I bet infuses an incredible flavor and color.
This looks such a cool idea to make it at home with friends all together! Would be a challenge to look for Rhubarb but will keep an eye around here in Copenhagen!
I have never had rhubarb gin before. Sounds interesting. But…I will have to find rhubarb here in our city. Not sure if it’s available.
I’ve never made gin infused anything before and I think it’s a great idea. I think the rhubarb would go well with the gin and it’s going to give it an amazing flavor. Thanks for the how-to on this.
Thank you, Ali, it’s a lot of fun!
I definitely agree that it is often the homemade dishes and drinks that are best and I have to say that I have never tried Rhubarb Gin before. I did however go to a gin tasting pop up the other day which was a lot of fun!
I love those pop ups!
This is such an detailed recipe! You are very clearly passionate about gin and it is completely infectious! This is definitely something that i am going to try!
Thank you, I’m passionate about all food and drink! x
Yup! I Will definitely be making this during the summertime. Sounds super refreshing and such a treat.
Thank you!
I haven’t heard of Rhubarb before. I would definitely have a taste once I am allowed to drink alcohol again (I am bf)
I hope that’s soon!