These easy pink rhubarb cocktails made with fresh rhubarb are perfect to celebrate the arrival of spring and warm weather. Cheers!

A pink rhubarb cocktail in a glass with ice and a slice of lime.

This is a thirst-quenching fresh rhubarb cocktail, made with fresh rhubarb stalks. It’s mixed with an easy homemade rhubarb syrup and tequila (or gin), fresh lime and a dash of vermouth. If you’re not a fan of sweet-on-sweet cocktails, this one is for you!

Chopped fresh rhubarb on a dish towel.

Rhubarb season

Rhubarb needs cold weather to thrive (unlike many humans 🙂 so it’s usually found in climates with a winter season.

But greenhouse-grown rhubarb is also a thing, which makes it easier to be grown and distributed commercially, rather than as a backyard plant.

I lived in the Upper Midwest in Minneapolis for a few years, and the sight of that rhubarb coming up was like a beacon on a cold, dark night. Rhubarb would appear weeks before trees budded and flowers bloomed, the first hopeful sign of spring.

A bottle of white vermouth.

Although rhubarb is technically a vegetable, cooks often treat it as a fruit. I definitely do, and love to baking it into tarts and cakes — like these big strawberry-rhubarb crumble muffins, which are like personal-size coffeecakes.

When you’re shopping for rhubarb, choose stalks that are red or pink colored, rather than mostly green. Those stalks will make a prettier pink syrup.

I love the infusion of color red rhubarb gives to this drink, along with its sweet-tart earthiness. That pleasant sourness seems to match up perfectly with the slightly bitter herbal flavors in dry vermouth and tequila.

Two glasses filled with a bright pink rhubarb cocktail, ice cubes, and garnished with a lime wedge, placed on a light-colored surface.

The leftover rhubarb pulp doesn’t look as pretty as the syrup, kind of sludgy and beige, but it does taste delicious. Stir it into yogurt or a bowl of creamy oats — it’s definitely worth saving.

Refreshing Rhubarb Lime Cocktail
4.97 from 27 ratings

Refreshing Rhubarb Cocktail with Tequila and Lime

Karen Tedesco
These east pink rhubarb cocktails with tequila, lime and rhubarb syrup are perfect to celebrate the arrival of spring and warm weather. Cheers!
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Yield: 1 drink
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
 

Rhubarb Syrup:

  • ½ pound (225 g) rhubarb, chopped
  • ½ cup (100 g) sugar
  • 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) water
  • 1 long strip of lemon or orange peel

Rhubarb Lime Cocktail

  • Juice of 1/2 a lime, plus thinly sliced lime for garnish
  • 2 ounces (60 ml) ice cold tequila or gin
  • 2 ounces (60 ml) dry white vermouth
  • 2 ounces (60 ml) Rhubarb Syrup
  • Dash of bitters ([Peychauds]

Equipment

Instructions
 

Make the syrup:

  1. Place the rhubarb, sugar, water and and citrus peel in a small pan. Bring to a simmer and cook until the rhubarb becomes very soft, 12-15 minutes.
  2. Pour the mixture through a strainer set over a bowl to let the syrup run through. Stir gently to expedite the process, but try not to push too hard or the solids will cloud the syrup. Cool before using. Refrigerate for a up to week or two.

Mix the drink:

  1. Combine ingredients for cocktail in a shaker with ice cubes. Shake vigorously and strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with lime wheel.

Notes

  • The rhubarb syrup recipe will yield more than enough for 4 drinks. Double the batch for a party.
  • Stir extra syrup into sparkling water for a non-alcoholic cocktail or pour over fresh strawberries and yogurt.
  • If you prefer, switch out the gin for tequila or vodka.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 375kcal Carbohydrates: 57g Protein: 2g Fat: 1g Sodium: 59mg Fiber: 5g Sugar: 27g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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