Delicious rhubarb gin is a guaranteed crowd pleaser – and the best part? It’s simpler than you might think to make it yourself with 4 simple ingredients.
Bursting through the soil each spring and summer, ruby-pink rhubarb features in a range of our favourite desserts – from tarts to trifles – and it’s even been known to make a guest appearance in the eternal crowd pleaser that is a meringue-packed Eton Mess.
If you’ve mastered your own sloe gin you’ll find it’s even easier to make rhubarb gin, and that this spring-summer staple adds both a beautiful flavour and a hint of colour to our London Dry Gin, which is an eminently good partner due to its juniper-rich flavour profile.
SIMPLE RHUBARB GIN LIQUEUR
Courtesy of our beloved Master Distiller Jared Brown, this delicious infusion makes excellent use of this home-grown ingredient.
- 1kg rhubarb, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 500ml water
- 400g white (caster) sugar
- Sipsmith London Dry Gin (roughly 700ml – see recipe below)
In a saucepan, add the chopped rhubarb, water and sugar. Simmer covered on a low heat for 15-20 minutes. Take off the heat and set aside until cool. Strain through a jelly bag (you can find in most cooking shops) or a cheesecloth. Measure the resulting rhubarb cordial in a jug. Combine it with an equal measure of Sipsmith London Dry Gin.
You can serve your rhubarb gin cordial in a host of gin cocktails, or simply top with ginger ale and sip.
TOP TIP: Save some of the cordial – it makes a delicious non-alcoholic drink over ice with 50ml cordial and 100ml sparkling water; also save the rhubarb mash left behind in the jelly bag/cheesecloth — Jared serves it with ice cream, makes it into crumble and has even served it with duck and pork!
HOW LONG DOES IT LAST?
Rhubarb gin liqueur will change a bit in colour after a month or so, losing its cherry pink hue and picking up copper tones, but is still just as delicious for at least six months, especially if refrigerated.
Rhubarb cordial (non-alcoholic) keeps well in the fridge for a week to ten days.
RHUBARB AND STRAWBERRY GIN LIQUEUR
For an extra fruity twist on the above recipe, try our Rhubarb and Strawberry Gin Liqueur, so simple to make at home and the ultimate summer tipple – be sure to use the freshest, juiciest strawberries you can find.
- 500g rhubarb
- 500ml water
- 200g sugar
- 5-6 strawberries
- 700ml Sipsmith London Dry Gin
Start by combining the first four ingredients – the rhubarb, water, sugar and strawberries – in a saucepan over a low heat. Cover the pan and allow the ingredients to simmer for around 30 minutes or until the rhubarb is soft. Set aside and allow the infusion to cool.
Once ready, strain through a cheesecloth and measure the resulting liquid. Add an equal measure of Sipsmith London Dry Gin and stir to combine in any number of refreshing gin cocktails, such as our London Calling Spritz, which even features a rhubarb garnish.
RHUBARB AND VANILLA GIN LIQUEUR
Follow this alternative technique from Jared Brown to learn how to make rhubarb gin that’s perfumed with fragrant vanilla.
- 300g rhubarb, chopped into 3cm pieces
- 2 vanilla pods, split lengthwise
- 100g sugar
- 700ml Sipsmith London Dry Gin
Preheat your oven to 180ºC and, on a lined baking tray, add the rhubarb and vanilla beans, and sprinkle over the sugar. Roast for approximately 30 minutes or until the rhubarb is softened and fragrant. Remove from the oven and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
In a large Kilner jar, add your bottle of gin and the roasted rhubarb and vanilla beans. Leave the liquid to infuse for three days before straining and enjoying. Note that the leftover rhubarb is a lovely topping for ice cream, and that your roasted rhubarb can be frozen should you want to make future batches of rhubarb and vanilla gin.
Now it’s time to discover how our uncompromisingly handcrafted London Dry Gin is also perfectly complemented by a range of flavourful homemade gin syrups. Make use of seasonal fruits and add spices and herbs for an additional twist, from juicy peaches to fragrant rosemary that can be used to make a sparkling Rosemary Gin Fizz.
As for your homemade rhubarb gin, it makes for a great addition to a number of gin cocktail recipes, but we think it’s an especially delicious treat in a classic G&T, topped with ginger ale, or in a refreshing Gimlet, or served in a flute with some bubbly for a twist on the classic French 75.
