Rhubarb Gimlet
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 17% ABV ∙
A shaken gin sour built with fresh lime, rhubarb syrup, and egg white, the Rhubarb Gimlet is a foamy twist on the classic Gimlet. A plush, cloud-like foam caps a tart, silky body, with a clean spirit backbone and a lingering, faintly spiced finish from dashed bitters.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: London dry gin 50 mlLime juice 30 mlRhubarb syrup 20 mlEgg white 15 mlCreole-style bitters 1 dashSaline solution 1 dash
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Garnish with a Creole-style bitters drops dashed across foamy head
Tips
- Dry shake isn't needed here — shake everything with ice at once, hard, so the egg white still fully aerates.
- Fine-strain to catch any pulp from the rhubarb syrup and leave a clean, tight foam cap.
- Dash the Creole-style bitters across the foam right after pouring, before the head has time to settle.
- Pre-chill the coupe — a warm glass deflates the egg-white foam within a minute of pouring.
History
The Rhubarb Gimlet is a modern seasonal riff on the Gimlet, made by steeping or simmering rhubarb into a syrup or cordial that replaces the sweetened lime cordial in the classic build. It has no single documented creator or bar; the pairing shows up widely on contemporary bar and drinks-writing menus as a spring variation that swaps in rhubarb's tart, faintly bitter fruit flavor for lime cordial's sweetness.
The Gimlet itself traces to the British Royal Navy in the second half of the 19th century, where gin was mixed with lime juice originally issued to sailors to ward off scurvy. The word "gimlet" for the drink is first attested in 1928, and the earliest known written recipe appears in The Savoy Cocktail Book in 1930, specifying equal parts gin and Rose's lime juice cordial. One popular account credits naval surgeon Rear Admiral Sir Thomas Gimlette with popularizing the mix among crews, while another traces the name to the sharp drilling tool of the same name; sources note both explanations without settling on one. The Rhubarb Gimlet keeps this gin-and-citrus structure but shifts the defining sweet-tart element from lime cordial to rhubarb syrup.
FAQ
How do you make a Rhubarb Gimlet?
Shake London dry gin with fresh lime juice, rhubarb syrup, pasteurized egg white, and a dash of Creole-style bitters hard with ice, then fine-strain into a chilled coupe. Finish by dashing more Creole-style bitters across the foamy head. The shake needs to be vigorous since the egg white has to aerate in the same step, not separately.
What is in a Rhubarb Gimlet?
London dry gin, fresh lime juice, rhubarb syrup, and pasteurized egg white, shaken with a dash of Creole-style bitters and an optional dash of saline solution, then fine-strained into a coupe. It is finished with a few drops of Creole-style bitters dashed over the foam.
What is the recipe for a Gimlet?
A classic Gimlet is simply gin and lime, shaken or stirred with ice. This version builds on that base by adding rhubarb syrup and egg white for a fruitier, foam-topped drink.
What alcohol goes best with rhubarb?
Gin is a classic match for rhubarb, since its juniper and citrus botanicals echo rhubarb's tart, slightly floral edge without fighting it. That pairing is exactly what this Rhubarb Gimlet is built on, using London dry gin alongside rhubarb syrup and fresh lime.
What enhances the flavor of rhubarb?
Citrus and a touch of salinity both sharpen rhubarb's natural tartness rather than masking it. Fresh lime juice and an optional dash of saline solution do that job here, while a dash of Creole-style bitters adds a savory, spiced edge.
