Enjoy this fruity rhubarb and ginger gin on its own, or mixed as a long drink. A deliciously different tipple that’s easy to make and easier to enjoy.
Stronger, cheaper and far better tasting than buying a ready made – what is not to love?
Table of Contents
Rhubarb and Ginger Gin Cocktail
Home made infusions are a delicious way of mixing it up when it comes to drinks. This rhubarb and ginger gin is the perfect example: simple to make, delicious, and so versatile. It’s a great change from, but as easy to make as the better-known sloe gin.
We were inspired to make this having been given a bottle of rhubarb and ginger gin at Christmas, I think that ours is far superior, fresher and far more natural tasting, as well as far cheaper to make.
How Do I Make Rhubarb and Ginger Gin?
The technique is the same as sloe gin: slice the fruit and put it in a suitable jar or bottle, add sugar and let time do its magic.
Step one – Wash and chop up your rhubarb – you want to use the pinkest rhubarb you can find as the finished drink will be so much prettier.
Step Two – put the rhubarb, sliced ginger (no need to peel) and sugar into a preserving jar, top up with the gin, give a good shake.
Step Three – Shake twice a day for a few days until all the sugar has dissolved then pop it in a dark cupboard for a few weeks to mature.
It will be ready after 3-4 weeks. the sugar would have dissolved, the gin will be a pretty pink colour and the rhubarb would have shrunk to about half of its original volume. Do not let it macerate for months as it loses that lovely fresh rhubarb flavour with time.
Step Four – Strain into clean bottle through a cheese cloth or coffee filter. Transfer the rhubarb to a jelly bag or wrap in a clean tea towel, and make sure you squeeze out all the liquid. The fruit absorbs a lot of liquid, and there’s no point letting any go to waste!
How long can I keep Rhubarb and Ginger Gin?
It’s’ best drunk before about four weeks after making it. Longer than that and the flavours fade.
How do I make Rhubarb and Ginger Gin out of season?
No fresh rhubarb in the shops? No problem – just substitute frozen rhubarb.
What gin do I use to make Rhubarb and Ginger Gin?
A mid range supermarket own brand – not the cheapest but not the most expensive.
Alternatively if you are not a gin drinker then use a similar quality of vodka to make rhubarb and ginger vodka!
How do I serve Rhubarb and Ginger Gin?
However takes your fancy! But here are a few ideas:
- As it is – in a shot glass – either chilled in the summer or at room temperature in the winter
- Over ice with a piece of rhubarb and some herbs – we like rosemary, basil or mint
- As a rhubarb and ginger gin Kir – pour a shot into a glass and top up with champagne or prosecco
How can I add a twist to this Rhubarb and ginger Gin?
Use your imagination! Try adding or substituting some of the below
- Thai ginger for the regular ginger
- A strip of orange zest
- A star anise
- Even a little vanilla
How do I make more or less Rhubarb and Ginger Gin?
Simple – here are the easy to remember ratios by weight
- 1 part of rhubarb
- 0.4 parts of sugar
- 0.8 parts of gin
More homemade liqueurs and infusions
- Sloe Gin – this British classic is so much better when homemade.
- Toffee Vodka – this popular flavoured vodka uses just two ingredients and is so easy to make at home.
- Christmas Gin – All the flavours of a Christmas pudding makes this infusion perfect for presents.
- Christmas Vodka – rich spiced vine fruits and ready in less than a week!
- Cranberry Gin – Jewel coloured cranberry and orange gin – perfect for Christmas sipping!
- Bramble Whisky – packed with blackberries and sloes, this is an ultimate winter warmer.
Rhubarb and Ginger Gin
Ingredients
- 340 g rhubarb stalks ((as pink as you can find, trim the ends and leaves and discard))
- 140 g white caster sugar
- 270 ml gin
- 2 slices fresh ginger
Instructions
- Cut the rhubarb into 2 – 3cm lengths.
- Place all the ingredients into a Kilner or similar jar, seal and gently swirl.
- Place in a dark cupboard, giving a gentle shake everyday until the sugar is dissolved. Taste to test for sweetness and add a little more sugar as needed.
- Leave for 2-3 weeks (no more than 4) – when ready most of the colour will be lost from the rhubarb.
- Strain through a coffee filter, nut milk or jelly bag into clean sterilized bottles.
- Wrap the rhubarb into a clean tea towel and give a really good squeeze to extract all of the gin.
Notes
- Use within 4 weeks of making, and keep the gin in the fridge. Longer than that and the flavours fade.
- Use a mid range supermarket own gin, not the cheapest and not the most expensive.
- You can use vodka in place of the gin.
- Mix up the flavours by adding some orange zest, or a star anise.
- Filtering through a coffee filter will give the clearest results but it takes ages to drip through – you will need to leave it overnight.
- Limit to 2 drinks to stay paleo
- Look for gins not made with wheat to make it gluten free
- This drink is 3 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion
Or more fruity tipples try my Black Pepper and Strawberry Gin, my elderflower vodka or this Gin & Melon Sushie
Charli
I plan on grown rhubarb this year so I’m going to have to try making this!
C x
Helen
you will not regret it – it is SO delicious.
Kara
I am a big gin lover so definitely going to try this
Helen
So delicious Kara, lovely flavour.
Melanie williams
This looks so fresh and tasty – the Rhubarb pink colour looks so pretty :) x
Helen
Pretty drinks always help, and tastes fabulous.
Nina
This sounds like something I could make for my mum as a treat! I love the colour of it too it’s so pretty! I’m not one for experimenting with alcohol but this combination of flavours sounds fantastic and the photos make it so clear and easy to follow!
Helen
Would be a lovely treat for your Mother, perhaps something for Mothering Sunday.
Lynne Harper
Im a huge gin fan so this is right up my street. I also love rhubarb so a great combo for me
Helen
Loving gin and rhubarb, I think you’ll love this Lynne.
Sarah Bailey
I would never have thought of using rhubarb in gin. I have to admit we should have a rhubarb patch in our garden, if it does grow I might have to give making this a try.
Helen
Once rhubarb starts to grow, it tends to grow well. Hopefully you’ll have a successful harvest and be able to give this a try.
Yeah Lifestyle
Oh my, this sounds amazing! I am sure it tastes really good as well. Can’t believe how versatile Rhubarb is
Helen
The flavour is delicious.
Rachel Evans
My friends and family LOVE gin, so this would be perfect for me to make as a present :)
Helen
It would make a lovely present for any gin lovers.
Kirsty
My mum used to grow rhubarb so this found have been the perfect recipe for her. I might take out the gin though as I’m not a drinker
Helen
Perhaps a nice present for your Mother for Mothering Sunday.
Laura Dove
Ooh I love gin and this sounds great! Its also so pretty which is always a bonus from a bloggers point of view!
Helen
Ha ha! Pretty always helps!
Nayna Kanabar
My friend is a gin addict, I am going to make this for her to gift on her birthday.I am sure she will be thrilled. Its such a fab idea.
Helen
Hope she enjoys it – it is so good!
Helen
Oh yum! I’ve made my own raspberry gin before but never thought to try other flavours. I do love rhubarb and grow it in the garden so will definitely be trying this myself.
Helen
Raspberry gin sounds amazing!
Lauretta at Home and Horizon
I think I can try making this for my friends who likes gin. It looks easy to make.
Helen at Casa Costello
I’m looking forward to our neighbours donating their rhubarb once again this year so we can make our gin again. Never thought to add ginger to it so thanks for the tip.
Helen
Rhubarb and ginger go so well together.
Whitney Loren
Oh these look so nice! I’ve recently become a love of gin but never tried rhubarb and ginger gin! They look so pretty too so look super photogenic ha! I will have to try these out when I have a girls night soon! X
Helen
Pretty pink gin, perfect for a girls night in.
Georgie | The Home Cook's Kitchen
Love rhubarb! this cocktail looks amazing!! and so pretty :)
Helen
We adore this, and also so quick and easy to make.
Charli Bruce
I’m not a gin fan but I do love a vodka now and again, so I’m glad this recipe can be altered to do it with that x
Helen
you could also use the french alcohol for fruits too
Demeter
Simple, delicious, and versatile? Now that’s what I call a great infusion! :)
Helen
So easy to make, and so delicious.
Danielle
I don’t drink, but I’m guessing this would probably be delicious in a non-alcoholic drink as well. I love the flavors!
Helen
Absolutely. Mix rhubarb, ginger and the sugar and leave in a jar for 48 hours giving it a good stir form time to time. The sugar will draw enough water out to use as the base of a cordial.
Jyothi
What a great fusion drink, and that pretty pink color is so attractive! Love it
Helen
Pretty and tastes so good.
Sonal
My first reaction was OMG ? what a pretty color!!loved this cocktail! Will be trying it soon.
Helen
It really does taste as good as it looks.
Julia
Wow! I love the color and what a great idea infusing gin with rhubarb! Thanks for the inspiration :)
Helen
Rhubarb is such a great flavour to use.
[email protected]
Making this for my gin and rhubard-mad MIL. She’ll be chuffed to bits. Gorgeous images!
Clare
Just made my second batch of this – thank you for the recipe – it is SO much nicer than all the store bought ones.
Helen
we are addicted to it too!
Jane P
I love this recipe – going to make it for Christmas presents with my own home grown rhubarb!
Helen
That’s a great idea!
Adam
I love this, we’ve been making prosecco cocktails with this – so so good!
Helen
it is amazing with fizz!
Peter D
I made a batch of this for my girlfriend who loved it. Thanks for the recipe.
Helen
So glad she enjoyed it!
Fee
This sounds simply gorgeous. I love the colour.
Helen
Such a pretty drink.
Steph R
I can imagine sitting in the garden this summer enjoying a glass of this. Bring on the sun!
Helen
It would be lovely to be able to sit out in the garden with a refreshing gin.
Jane
What a great idea for using rhubarb. I have an unruly patch in my garden and there are only so many crumbles and pies you can make with it. Going to give it a try.
Helen
It is a great use for your rhubarb.
Anthony
my wife loves flavoured gin, going to have to try this out with the expert taste tester herself.
Helen
I hope she enjoys it.
Emma Taylor
Last year I tried out fruit vodka. It was so nice. Going to have to try out gin now, this sounds delicious.
Helen
Fruit infused drinks are so lovely.
Sally
Just got some homegrown Rhubarb so about to try this recipe- can’t wait!
Bryan B
We have rhubarb in our garden, never really know what to do with it. Now I do!
Jill Ellis
Flavoured gin is such a pleasant drink, and I imagine this is really enjoyable. Perfect for summer.
Lottie
I actually tried making this and it turned out perfectly. The colour really is amazing.
Steven
I’ve only ever tried manufactured flavoured gin, and found it rather sweet. I like the idea of making your own, much nicer I’m sure.
Patsy
Rhubarb and ginger are such a classic flavour, great idea to add to your gin. I’ll be sure to make some of this.
Jenny
I’m on my third batch already this year! I love this recipe, thank you. I reuse the rhubarb when finished by making rhubarb jam with it, just adding more fresh rhubarb and sugar. Delicious!
Mike Jackson
We have just bottled a litre of rhubarb and ginger gin as per your recipe.
It tastes really good.
Mybe our imagination but it appears “Stronger” than we expected. Purely by effect!
How can we check the alcohol level?
Obviously the spirit alcohol meter we have doesn’t work.
Helen
Hi Mike, I actually don’t know. If you assume that none evaporated then you can go a quick volume calculation.
I’m so glad you are enjoying it – I need to make another batch very soon.
Ellen
Hi there,
Is 270ml of gin correct? It seems very little as most recipes call for 750ml. Just wondering!
Thanks!
Helen
It is. the final tipple is far stronger and far nicer.
Dawn Lancaster
Got the Black pepper & Strawberry on the go, rhubarb & ginger next! Can’t wait to try them!
Helen
Hope you like them Dawn!
Chrissy
Lovely recipe, but just to clarify that any spirit, as long as it has been distilled, (even if derived from wheat) is gluten free and is suitable for coeliacs.
Helen
Thanks for the clairfication Chrissy, I know that one of my GF friends is very cautious about spirits which is why we added that.
Janette Killington
Hi I like the sound of your gin recipe with rhubarb and ginger, and will have a go at making it. Please could you let me know what size Kilmer jar you will need
Thank you
Helen
I think I used a litre jar.
Kristina
This looks great! I’m just wondering how long the gin would keep after pouring it into the bottles?
Helen
a good few months, although we tend to drink it immediately!
Debbie
Hi,
The gin tastes wonderful. I couldn’t wait for the coffee filter thing – opting for the
‘it’s-more-rustic-if-cloudy’ look!
Living in the Middle East, its hard to find rhubarb. I brought it in from UK.
I’d hate to waste the fruit so am going to try a boozy rhubarb crumble. I wonder if it’ll work.
Helen
I round the rhubarb rather hard and tasteless after its spell in the gin – but I’d be interested to see if it works.
Debbie
Hi
It worked well. I added less sugar to the crumble as it already had so much sugar.
It was fun to have the surprise of the zing from the gin every now and then.
It was good not to waste precious rhubarb.
Making more fun tomorrow but with less sugar as it was quite sweet, but oh so refreshing and pretty too.
Jane Mitchell
Hi can you tell me after the gin is made ginger/rhubarb strawberry/ black pepper how long can I leave it before drinking? Does it have a shelf life ?
Thanks
Helen
Hi Jane, I wouldn’t keep the rhubarb for longer than about 4 weeks – it is probably better in the fridge too as it does fade.
Fran Hesse
Lovely recipe looks great and tastes amazing!
Made for Christmas hampers and everyone loves it :)
Helen
So pleased. I love this rhubarb gin!
Clare S
I’ve just made this for my 50th next month but only had a bottle of vodka so fingers crossed! (I think it’ll be fab!)
Helen
I’m sure it will be lovely!
Faith
Can you use pink gin? Also, two slices of ginger? That’s not a lot. Can you actually taste the ginger with this amount?
Helen
I think it would be lovely with pink gin! the alcohol does a very good job of extracting the ginger flavour – but absolutely add more if you want it to be gingerier.
Lynda Lane
The rhubarb in our garden is so often wasted, so will be trying your recipe this year. At least this year it will not be wasted!
Robert Edmondson
Can you use golden castor sugar instead of white in the rhubarb and ginger gin recipe?
Helen
You can, but it might make the end drink a different colour and less clear.
Michael Dearnley
Hi, just about to give your recipe a go for Christmas, but wondered if there is any use that the used fruit can be put to after using it to make the gin.
Helen
I generally throw it away as it is pretty tasteless and also I find that it goes crunchy after its long soak in the gin,
Nik
This souds lovely – I’m going to try it. Did you know that all Vodka and Gin are Gluten Free – the distillation process removes all the gluten proteins. So yes all wheat based Gin andVodka are gluten free !
Gary Ramey
Helen,
I am trying to increase your recipe to utilize a 1.75l bottle of gin.
Using an online recipe convertor, I came up with theses amounts (approx. 6.5 times what you used in your recipe. It seems like an awfully large amount of rhubarb. Did I make an error converting from metric to imperial measurements?
2210 grams rhubarb . = 18 cups
910 grams white caster sugar = 4.5 cups
1755 milliliter gin . = 1.75L bottle
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Gary
Helen
Hi Gary,
It does seem like a huge amount of rhubarb – definitely more weight of rhubarb than gin. I’d chop up the rhubarb, throw it into a Kilner jar to about 2/3 full, add the sugar and then top up with gin. the rhubarb releases lots of juice so you end up with more liquid than you put in.
However unlike sloe gin / vodka this is best made in smaller batches as it tastes better when freshly made, and it does not improve on keeping.