Pink rhubarb-infused vodka streaming from a pitcher into an etched glass filled with ice.

4.89 / 18 votes

Rhubarb Vodka

Rhubarb vodka. The simple homemade hooch—made from rhubarb, vodka, and sugar--makes a pretty spring sipper or mix it with club soda or pour a glug into bubbly, or...you get the idea.

Prep Time15

Steep Time28

Total Time28 15

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 147

Equipment

Coffee filters, such as Chemex

Ingredients

▢ 1 pound young pink rhubarb stalks, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch lengths (about 4 cups)
▢ 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, or use 1 1/4 cups for a less sweet sipper
▢ 3 3/4 cups plain vodka

US - Metric

Instructions

Plonk the 1 pound young pink rhubarb stalks in one 1 1/2-quart (or two 1-quart) Mason jars.
Pour over the 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (or less for a less sweet swig), cover, and shake to coat the rhubarb. Set out on the counter overnight.
The next day, pour the 3 3/4 cups plain vodka into the jar(s), shake, and seal. Let the vodka mixture sit at room temperature for 4 weeks, shaking the jar every so often.
☞ TESTER TIP: Yep. You heard us. Four weeks. Patience. It's a virtue, remember?
A month later, line a sieve with 3 or 4 dampened coffee filters. Pour the vodka through the filters, letting gravity do its work. Toss the rhubarb and the used filters, and repeat the filtering process as many times as needed until the vodka is as clear as you like it.
The rhubarb vodka will keep for a year, though the pretty pale hue will fade with time.

Notes

Infused Vodka Variation

These come from Diana Henry, and they are fantastic! None of them calls for sugar.

Peach Liqueur
Instead of rhubarb, fill the jar with ripe peaches (or apricots), preferably organic, that you’ve pitted and sliced.

Lemon Vodka
Peel the zest from 1 lemon, preferably organic, cutting away any bitter white pith. Add the zest to the vodka in a large jar. Let it sit for 2 to 4 days, depending on how strong you want the flavor to be. Strain the vodka into a bottle.

Dill Vodka
In place of lemon zest above, use sprigs of fresh dill and let the vodka sit for 2 to 4 days.

Cinnamon and Cardamom Vodka
Drop 1 cinnamon stick and 2 cardamom pods into a liter-size bottle of vodka, and leave them there indefinitely. No need to strain the vodka before tippling. Great for winter sipping.

Nutrition