Rhubarb Liqueur

By Ann Neumann · Updated · 26 comments

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In this article
  1. WHAT IS THE BEST RHUBARB TO USE?
  2. IS IT DIFFICULT TO MAKE RHUBARB LIQUEUR?
  3. HOW SHOULD RHUBARB LIQUEUR BE SERVED?
  4. DIRECTIONS TO MAKE RHUBARB LIQUEUR
  5. Tips/Recipe Notes
  6. More Liqueur Recipes Like This

Rhubarb Liqueur – FABULOUS! Requests for my homemade rhubarb liqueur, infused with orange and ginger, come in constantly. My homemade, dangerously delicious liqueur, leaves everybody wanting MORE! The irresistible combination of flavors is a celebratory toast. I am overjoyed to annually welcome the lush vividly bright rhubarb in the spring. Stunning fresh rhubarb creates, without a doubt, a show-stopping, delicious, award-winning liqueur.

Three glasses of pink rhubarb liqueur on a round wooden board with rhubarb pieces and orange wedges

I guarantee this recipe will become WOW as a family favorite and best gift ever!

WHAT IS THE BEST RHUBARB TO USE?

I think fresh rhubarb tastes best. Whether from your farmer’s market, grocery store or garden, you should choose the pink/red varieties to make your liqueur. The color of the drink comes from the rhubarb stalks.

I grow my rhubarb and harvest my heart shaped rhubarb when the stalks are bright crimson. The 40-year-old beloved rhubarb plants were gifted to me by a dear friend. The large stalks, singing signs of spring, often poke through a late snowfall. Rhubarb is a plant that keeps giving so you should be able to purchase or harvest from late spring through early fall. Here is a resource for rhubarb varieties from Iowa State University Extension.

Rhubarb plant seen from above, with large green leaves and red stalks

Freshly picked rhubarb stalks with their leaves lying on a rope hammock

IS IT DIFFICULT TO MAKE RHUBARB LIQUEUR?

Making rhubarb liqueur is really fun and easy. I use a good quality vodka and add the rhubarb and other ingredients into a large jar. The process is quite simple and quick albeit time consuming in waiting for the infusion to age. The orange peel and ginger intensify the punchy berry-like rhubarb to perfection. I sweeten the liqueur to my own taste. I like to enjoy a bit of rhubarb’s tart tanginess so I prefer the liqueur not overly sweet.

HOW SHOULD RHUBARB LIQUEUR BE SERVED?

Enjoy the liqueur at room temperature, chilled or with seltzer as a spritzer. I have also made cocktails with the liqueur by adding lemonade, grapefruit juice or use champagne to create a rhubarb mimosa.

I once gave my liqueur as a gift and the recipient said it was the best topping she EVER served on ice cream!!

DIRECTIONS TO MAKE RHUBARB LIQUEUR

Six-step photo collage: weighing chopped rhubarb, orange peel and sliced ginger, jars of rhubarb and orange beside a bottle of vodka, straining through cheesecloth, measuring sugar and water, and funneling the liqueur

  1. Chop the rhubarb into 1-inch pieces. Two pounds of rhubarb is approximately 6 cups.
  2. Cut the peel from the oranges into long strips. Each orange should make 4-5 strips. Only the peel is used in the liqueur. Peel and slice the ginger into ¼ inch pieces.
  3. Pour the vodka into two large jars, dividing the vodka equally. Add ½ of the rhubarb, orange peel and ginger into each jar. Put lid on jars.
  4. Place jars in dark closet or cupboard to infuse for 6 weeks. Turn jars upside down and shake every few days.
  5. Strain the mixture with cheesecloth or a mesh colander after 6 weeks and return to large jars.
  6. To make Simple Syrup, combine sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil for one minute. Let syrup cool completely. Add syrup slowly to the liqueur infusion to your preferred sweetness.
  7. Bottle liqueur using a funnel into containers of your choice.
  8. The liqueur can be served at room temperature, chilled or in a cocktail.

Tips/Recipe Notes

  • Make sure to use vibrant colored rhubarb stalks for a red/pink liqueur.
  • When your liqueur is infusing, remember to turn and shake the jars for best flavor.
  • Taste the liqueur as you add the Simple Syrup for desired sweetness.
  • Rhubarb Liqueur is one of my most requested gifts. Make sure to save some bottles for the holidays.

Five corked bottles of rhubarb liqueur with handwritten gift tags

More Liqueur Recipes Like This

Apple Spice Liqueur

Cranberry Persimmon Sunrise Liqueur

Garden Mint Cucumber Liqueur

Luscious Limoncello Liqueur

Homemade Poached Pear Liqueur

Rhubarb Liqueur

Rhubarb Liqueur

5 from 2 votes

Rhubarb Liqueur, infused with orange and ginger, is a sweet but tangy liqueur. Perfect to enjoy as a liqueur, spritzer or cocktail with an award winning taste and beautiful pink/red color.

Print Recipe

Prep Time
45 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Course
Liqueur
Cuisine
Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings
48 servings

Ingredients

Simple Syrup

Instructions

  1. Chop the rhubarb into 1 inch pieces. Two pounds of rhubarb is approximately 6 cups.

  2. Cut the peel from the oranges into long strips. Each orange should make 4-5 strips. Only the peel is used in the liqueur. Peel and slice the ginger into 1/4 inch pieces.

  3. Pour the vodka into two large jars, dividing the vodka equally. Add 1/2 of the rhubarb, orange peel and ginger into each jar. Put lid on jars.

  4. Place jars in a dark closet or cupboard to infuse for 6 weeks. Turn jars upside down and shake every few days.

  5. Strain the mixture with cheesecloth over a funnel or a mesh colander after 6 weeks and return to large jars.

  6. To make Simple Syrup, combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Let syrup cool completely. Add syrup slowly to the liqueur infusion to your preferred sweetness.

  7. Bottle the liqueur using a funnel into containers of your choice.

  8. The liqueur can be served at room temperature, chilled or in a cocktail.

Notes

Make sure to use vibrant colored rhubarb stalks for a red/pink liqueur.

When your liqueur is infusing, remember to turn and shake the jars for best flavor.

Taste the liqueur as you add the Simple Syrup for desired sweetness.

Rhubarb Liqueur is one of my most requested gifts.  Make sure to save some bottles for the holidays.

Nutrition

Serving: 2Calories: 142 kcalCarbohydrates: 15 gProtein: 1 gFat: 1 gSaturated Fat: 1 gSodium: 2 mgPotassium: 77 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 14 gVitamin A: 44 IUVitamin C: 7 mgCalcium: 21 mgIron: 1 mg

Annie

26Comments

  1. Judy Redding

    I happen to be a lucky recipient of Annie’s delicious liqueur. I love it chilled sipping by a fire in my backyard. Sweet drinks and bonfires remind me of my Dad. He introduced me to whiskey sours and made the best apricot whiskey sours. I cannot wait to make this liqueur ….. and my Dad’s famous whiskey sour mix with rhubarb liqueur instead of apricot brandy!

    1. Tammy Nelson

      Anyway you would share that whiskey sour recipe?

  2. Becky

    I love the color of this liqueur! Can’t wait to try this recipe.

    1. Ann Neumann

      You will not be disappointed! It tastes as good as it looks.

  3. Helen at the Lazy Gastronome

    Hi there – visiting from the Bloggers Pit Stop. This sounds amazing! I host a recipe party on Sundays. Would love to have you join. Hope your weekend is fantastic.

  4. Jenny walters

    Gosh this really does sound very good indeed. How lucky are the people you gift them too! Thank you so much for sharing with #FiestaFriday

  5. ErinJoelle

    ★★★★★


    You will not find this liqueur in any store. A must-make for every rhubarb fan.

  6. Vicki Ibbotson

    ★★★★★


    I made this last year to give away as gifts for Christmas. It was by far the most popular gift. I never know what to do with so much Rhubarb (only one plant)! I will be making it again this year and I think I’ll try out the apple liquor also, since a friend has an abundance of apples. Great for parties and gifts. Love all your info, Annie

  7. Glen@premiergourmet.com

    Want!

    1. Ann Neumann

      Let me know if you make it. So easy and very delicious!

  8. Alex Gabriel

    I’m making this! Curious to know why the simple syrup is added later. Other recipes I’ve used add the sugar and water before infusing. I’ll try your method – perhaps it makes deeper flavours.

    1. Ann Neumann

      Great question. I have been making this recipe for over 10 years and started the traditional way of sweetening during the infusion. But, as the flavors melded, the simple syrup intensified and I found the end result was either too sweet or unpredictable when I cut back on the syrup. This method allows the completed liqueur to just right for the distiller!!

  9. Brianne

    How much of the ginger can you taste ?

    1. Ann Neumann

      The ginger is subtle. I have added more on occasion for a stronger ginger flavor.

  10. Alex

    Thank you for the recipe! Sounds delicious and I will be making it this week- quick question, do you leave some of the pit on the orange peel for a bit of bitterness? Or should I stick to the “zesty” part as much as possible?

    1. Ann Neumann

      I use the peel for zest. There is more than enough tart flavor in your rhubarb. I enjoy the tart in the liquor which is why I sweeten to taste.

  11. Kim

    Wow, this looks amazing! I made blackberry liqueur in a similar way last summer – can’t wait to try this one!
    Thanks for sharing this recipe!

    1. Ann Neumann

      Hope you enjoy the liqueur. My blackberries are ripe. I will give it a try with the berries!

  12. Cheryl Johnson

    I’m in the process of making this and it’s about time to add the simple syrup. Just wondering if you usually add the full amount of simple syrup. I’m not wanting it to be really sweet.

    1. Ann Neumann

      I do not add the full amount of sugar. I do not like my liqueurs extremely sweet.

  13. PJ

    ★★★★★


    Made this with a little of our extra rhubarb this year (we have 9 plants!). Very easy to make, and (so far) everyone who has tried it has loved it. Question: Can you use frozen rhubarb to make this? With 9 plants, I have quite a bit of rhubarb in the freezer.

    1. Ann Neumann

      So glad you enjoyed the liqueur. We added some to Prosecco to my latest batch this weekend for a great cocktail. I think the frozen rhubarb will be fine. My only concern is that color may be less vivid from frozen vs fresh rhubarb. Let me know how it turns out.

  14. Bobbie Garrett

    Can I use brandy or other liquor instead of Vodka?

    1. Ann Neumann

      I’m sure you can substitute a liquor of choice. However, make sure the liquor you substitute does not have a flavor that will overpower the rhubarb flavor. I make homemade vanilla for cooking with brandy as well as vodka. It tastes great.

  15. Sophie

    Hi how long does this liqueur keep for? I’d like to make some for Christmas presents.

    1. Ann Neumann

      I have kept the liqueur for over 12 months and it is still delicious.

Comments are closed.