Rhubarb Liqueur Recipe To Enjoy Summer's Abundance (2024)

You can make a refreshing and delicious liqueur out of rhubarb. This rhubarb liqueur recipe is simple and easy to make. It’s a great way to preserve summer’s rhubarb bounty, and makes great winter gifts.

Liqueur is a semi-sweet, often infused, alcoholic drink most often prepared with infused vodka blended with a simple syrup for sweetness. There are many different types of liqueur, like this infused coffee liqueur, or this chocolate and mint one. A great summer liqueur is this cherry one, that would pair well with this rhubarb liqueur recipe as a way to preserve the tastes of summer, and enjoy them well into the autumn or winter months.

There is some variation on the ingredients for rhubarb liqueur, with some adding orange peel, cinnamon, cardamon, and other additional flavors to the rhubarb infusion. Some also use orange liqueur in addition to the infused vodka, for the layering of flavors. You can try the liqueur either with or without added orange. Personally, I like the plain rhubarb flavor. If you are making liqueurs for winter gifting, however, the orange may add a nice festive layer to the summer rhubarb tone.

This rhubarb liqueur is a great way to extend the flavors of rhubarb season, and get the most out of this early summer fruit/vegetable. You can also make the liqueur from frozen rhubarb, which is useful if you have a lot of rhubarb in your freezer. However, when using frozen, I would avoid adding water, and simply combine the vodka, rhubarb, and sugar directly. As frozen rhubarb will release more juice than fresh.

This liqueur can either have a soft rose tone, or be more of a green tone. The color of the end liqueur depends on the color of your rhubarb stalks. For a rose toned liqueur, chose the reddest rhubarb you can find. Or, make a blended fruit liqueur with strawberries and rhubarb for even more of that rose color.

Rhubarb Liqueur Recipe:

This is a lightly sweet rhubarb liqueur recipe that you can tweak to your own flavor preferences. Try a batch both with orange, and without orange, to see which flavor profile you prefer. If you find it too sweet, reduce the amount of simple syrup being added in the pre-bottling step.

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Ingredients

• 3-4 cups fresh rhubarb, coarsely chopped
• 750ml vodka
• 1 orange, sliced (optional)
• 1.5 cups granulated sugar
• 1.5 cups water

Directions

Wash and chop the rhubarb. Trim the ends and remove any damaged fragments.

Place chopped rhubarb in a wide mouthed quart jar. Lightly pack in the rhubarb. If desired, add one, small, sliced orange for flavor.

Pour the alcohol over the rhubarb, and place the lid on the quart jar. Set aside in a dark location and shake daily for 3-6 weeks, or until all color has faded from the rhubarb and into the alcohol.

Strain the jar into a large bowl through a large sieve, and reserve the liquid. Press out as much liquid from the rhubarb as you can. Reserve the liquid and discard the solids.

In a small saucepan, add the water and sugar and bring to a low boil to prepare a simple syrup. Once the sugar dissolves, turn down the stove and let the syrup simmer.

Let water reduce by one quarter, and let cool. When cooled, add the simple syrup to the infused vodka.

Portion the blended rhubarb alcohol and sugar mixture into nice bottles, label and date.

Let the rhubarb liqueur age for an additional month to let flavors meld and mellow.

How to Use:

Rhubarb liqueur is great to use as an addition to summer lemonade, or for other summer drinks. It pairs well with ginger, mint, and many other flavors.

You can use the liqueur as an ice cream syrup, for adults! As well as a light pre or post dinner sip. For the kids, or anyone who doesn’t want alcohol this rhubarb shrub is perfect too.

Rhubarb liqueur keeps for several months, to a year, and can be used for gifts as well as enjoyed at home.

Learn to use garden herbs to make inspiring botanical beverages

For more recipes that can help you beat the heat check out my Inspiring Botanical Drinks course. Inside this class you’ll learn how to use your garden herbs and produce to create elixirs, drinks, and cold treats that are healthy, full of antioxidants, and will help you stay cool all summer long. You’ll also learn healthy ways to beat the soda habit, make your own coffee shop drinks, and craft specialty beverages that are lovely and giftable. Learn more here.