Easy to Make Pink Rhubarb Gin Recipe (2024)

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How to make homemade rhubarb gin! This lovely pink rhubarb gin recipe uses just three simple ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions. Enjoy the gin neat, in rhubarb gin and tonics, or in gin-based cocktails.

Easy to Make Pink Rhubarb Gin Recipe (1)

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Rhubarb is cheerfully making a comeback as a popular crop for the kitchen. If you have space, I highly recommend growing your own. It’s easy and like most crops, when you look away from the supermarket shelves, there’s a huge variety available.

You can grow rhubarb from seed but they rarely grow true. The easiest way is to plant crowns which is the root of the plant that survives over winter. The best time to plant rhubarb crowns is from November to December when they are dormant. One of the best ways to start a rhubarb patch is to ask one of your neighbours if they’re planning on dividing their rhubarb. You dig up the mature plant in winter and using a spade, chop the crown into quarters. Take one of these chunks and pop it into the ground with some compost or well-rotted manure.

Growing Rhubarb Takes Time

It’s important not to harvest any of the rhubarb stems in the first year as the crowns need time to establish. Harvesting them prematurely will result in weak plants and could kill them off. If you like your rhubarb, then I’m afraid the first year is a bit of a tease – but it’s definitely worth the wait. Cut off any flowers that appear and after a few years, you should have a plant that will reward you with a plentiful supply of stems each spring.

Easy to Make Pink Rhubarb Gin Recipe (2)

Rhubarb is a perennial and requires very little in the way of maintenance. Each autumn I mulch the plants with a decent pile of organic matter such as compost or well-rotted manure and leave them tucked up in their winter bed until the following spring.

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Make Rhubarb Gin With Pink Stems

In the UK, forced Rhubarb, which provides early, delicate pink stems, is famously produced in large dark barns within a nine-square-mile area of Yorkshire, commonly known as the Rhubarb Triangle. At one point, this area produced 90% of the world’s forced rhubarb. Production declined following the end of World War 2, as a rationed-out British public lost the taste for rhubarb – a crop that served them so well during the war – for more exotic fruits and vegetables that had become more accessible.

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You can produce your own forced rhubarb if you have established rhubarb plants in your garden. To do this you can buy beautiful bespoke terracotta pots. However, they are not necessary and you will get the same result by placing an upended bin or pot over the plant in winter and leaving it in place until the following February.

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Popular Rhubarb Varieties

If you love these tart crimson stems, and if you have space, you could plant a few different varieties and enjoy an extended period of harvest. Timperley Early is one of the earliest varieties to grow – a popular choice for forcing too. Livingston is certainly a variety to consider as a late cropping treat as it produces its stalks in the autumn.

Do not cut rhubarb stalks as this can encourage rot. Instead, grab hold of each one near the base and give it a pull. It gives a delightful ‘pop’. And never take more than half of the plant’s stalks at any one point as the other half will provide full leaves and enable the plant to feed the roots and develop next year’s crop. Don’t be tempted by the leaves of rhubarb. Despite their incredibly lush quality, they are toxic with oxalic acid. Cut them off and add them to the compost pile.

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Using Rhubarb in Recipes

When it comes to using rhubarb in the kitchen, you won’t go far wrong with simply stewing or poaching the stems and serving them up with a generous dollop of ice cream or custard. It’s certainly a favourite way of enjoying the homegrown rhubarb in our house.

And hit it up with some flavour too. Orange, vanilla, pear, coconut, almond, ginger, strawberry and lemon all work well with rhubarb. However, If you like a drop of gin and fancy creating a bottle of your own to share with friends, I’ve discovered an easy and incredibly delicious way to use some of that rhubarb up and create what I believe will be your new favourite tipple.

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Sweet & Mellow Rhubarb Gin Recipe

After 4 weeks, the rhubarb gin is ready. The liquor will be clear and a beautiful pink in colour but you can strain it through muslin if you want even more clarity. It looks fantastic poured into small glass bottles and would make a lovely gift to give to a family member or friend.

The juice from the rhubarb along with the sugar makes for a sweet and mellow taste and I’ve found it easy to enjoy poured straight over ice. Or you could make for a longer drink by adding soda water or your favourite tonic. However, for an extra special summer occasion, top up your homemade rhubarb gin with chilled prosecco. Cheers.

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More Rhubarb Inspiration

  • Rhubarb Wine Recipe
  • Easy Blackberry Gin Recipe
  • How to Make Rhubarb Soap

Easy to Make Pink Rhubarb Gin Recipe (9)

Easy Pink Rhubarb Gin Recipe

Richard Chivers for Lovely Greens

There are a number of ways to make rhubarb gin but this recipe is one of the easiest. One important tip is to choose a good quality gin. I suggest you don’t use one with strong botanicals to ensure the taste of the rhubarb is maximized.

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Servings 28 shots

Calories 63 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 Kg Rhubarb (2.2 lbs or about cups)
  • 1 L Gin (About cups, and no need for a premium brand, but not one with complex botanicals)
  • 400 g white sugar (2 cups)

Instructions

  • Remove the leaves, wash and trim the rhubarb stalks.

  • Cut the stems into 3cm pieces and put them in a large jar with the sugar.

  • Seal the lid and give the rhubarb and sugar a good shake to thoroughly combine. Leave overnight.

  • After 24hrs, the sugar will have drawn out a lot of juice from the rhubarb. Add the gin, seal the jar, and give it another good shake. Leave for 4 weeks giving the jar an occasional shake.

  • After four weeks, the rhubarb gin is ready. The liquor will be clear and a beautiful pink in color but you can strain it through muslin if you want even more clarity. The rhubarb pieces can be eaten, but watch out, they will be boozy.

  • Bottle in clean and sterilized glass bottles and use within six months.

Nutrition

Calories: 63kcal

Keyword blackberry, gin, preserving

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Richard Chivers is passionate about growing fruit and vegetables on his family allotment garden. His blog, Sharpen your Spades aims to inspire anyone to pull on their wellies and join in the movement to grow their own.

Easy to Make Pink Rhubarb Gin Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you make pink gin at home? ›

All you need is a bottle of Sipsmith London Dry Gin, a heaping pile of sloe berries (if you struggle to forage in your area, they're often sold online), and a large, sealable glass jar. After infusing for several months, add a dose of simple syrup to sweeten, and voila: you've got homemade pink gin to be proud of.

Why is my rhubarb gin not pink? ›

London Dry gin is distilled with botanicals, otherwise flavouring is added after distillation. If your rhubarb is pink, the Rhubarb Gin will be pink. Green rhubarb gives the same flavour but a more amber colour.

What is a good mixer for rhubarb gin? ›

If someone likes ginger in general, then a Rhubarb Gin mixer we always suggest is Ginger Ale, or Ginger Beer if you want to up the spiciness. In terms of garnish for rhubarb and ginger gin, then we tend to suggest a simple wedge of orange or orange peel. The orange zest gives it that wintery, festive feel.

What is rhubarb gin made from? ›

You will need about 1kg of rhubarb (ideally choose the most red/pink stalks as they give the gin a really lovely colour), 800ml of gin and around 400g of caster sugar. The key with the ingredients isn't to get too hung up on exact amounts...

What ingredient makes pink gin pink? ›

The pink color in this spirit derives from infusion of red and pink produce, spices, or bitters – or even added coloring and sweeteners. Popular ingredients like strawberries, raspberries, rhubarb, grape skins, rose petals, and red currents, can add color as well as fragrance and flavor to a pink gin.

How do you keep rhubarb pink? ›

Grenadine syrup can be added to the sugar syrup as a colouring to make forced rhubarb even pinker.

Which bitters gives pink gin its colour? ›

Pink gin was historically used to refer to a cocktail made fashionable in England in the mid-19th century, consisting of Plymouth gin and a dash of Angostura bitters, a dark red bitters that makes the whole drink pinkish.

What juice is best with gin? ›

You can't go wrong with a juniper-forward London dry gin, which works with nearly any juice you can source, from lemon and lime to orange and grapefruit. Softer gins can work great, too, but depending on their botanical makeup, they may pair better with sweeter OJ or more sour grapefruit.

What is the secret ingredient in gin? ›

Juniper Berries

“It wouldn't be gin without juniper, you can smell gin just by crushing a juniper berry in your hand.” Red Door Gin's signature botanical is punchy, piney and fresh flavoured.

Why do you put cucumber in gin? ›

Why Use a Cucumber Garnish? Adding cucumber to your gin and tonic brings a fresh, mellow and sometimes floral or sweet character, and so it typically harmonises with fresh, smooth and summery gins.

Why is gin gins so expensive? ›

For example, the gin's premiere botanical, saffron, is one of the world's most expensive spices. Saffron costs about $8 per gram, so using it for spirit manufacturing is quite a pricey pursuit. Other botanicals used in the gin include the necessary juniper and verbena.

How is pink gin made? ›

Nowadays, when producing pink gin, the base gin is distilled in the same way as your original gin, but after distillation, the gin will be infused with red or pink fruits, or bitters like the original recipe. Colouring and sweeteners can also be added at this stage to lift the fruity notes.

How is the original pink gin made? ›

Back in the day, 'pink' gin was actually a traditional dry gin served with the addition of angostura bitters to give it a pink colour. Pink gin has a unique colour, yet often has no added sugar and the same amount of alcohol as regular gin.

How is pink gin different to normal gin? ›

Pink gin is distilled in the same way as the original gin is. The only difference is after distillation, the gin is infused with red or pink fruits or bitts like the original recipe. Sometimes, colouring and sweeteners are added at this stage to increase the fruity notes.

How do you get pink gin? ›

The vibrant pink colour is derived from our carefully selected, all-natural flavours including raspberries and strawberries. This delivers a fruity taste which is sweet enough to enjoy on its own or with a mixer.

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