The lime rickey is a classic cocktail which has been enjoyed in various forms for over a century. I’ve added a rhubarb mint syrup to the drink for my own spin on the recipe. This rhubarb rickey is sweet and tart and fizzy and a beautiful pink color! Perfect for spring and summer entertaining.
Hello, all!
School is almost out as I’m writing this, temperatures are warm, and the farmers’ markets are in full swing! It’s time for a fizzy drink. Who’s with me?
Fruity Cocktails FTW!
Anyone who reads here regularly knows that I love rhubarb, love developing fruity cocktails, and love seasonal recipes. What could be better than a recipe which combines all three into one? I can’t think of anything and I’m too busy sipping a tall, fizzy drink to find out! 🍹🍹
What is a lime rickey?
A lime rickey is a drink made from lime juice, simple syrup, and usually either gin or bourbon. It’s served over ice in a tall glass and topped up with soda water for some fizz. A mojito is the cousin of a lime rickey.
What is a rhubarb rickey?
Since a rickey is simple syrup + lime + alcohol, it’s easy to make other flavors of rickey cocktails by changing up the syrup. The raspberry lime rickey is a perennial favorite in New England. Other flavors which are popular include grape and cherry. However, sky’s the limit! Any fruit which can be made into a syrup can be used in a rickey.
Just like these other recipes, I have made a fruit infused simple syrup to mix with the lime juice. Rhubarb simple syrup is a…well simple recipe made by combining sugar, water, and fruit together until the syrup has a deep pink color and strong rhubarb flavor. Infuse it with mint, let it cool, and you are ready to make cocktails.
How about a non-alcoholic rickey?
Since the syrup and the lime are such strong flavors, it’s easy to simple remove the rum from the recipe and still have a great fizzy drink. You may need to add a little more syrup since you won’t have the sweetness of the rum in the mix, but it’s easy enough to stir in another tablespoon once you’ve tried it.
What do you need?
- Rhubarb Syrup – Make this ahead and use the link I have in the recipe.
- Lime – Half of one is just right.
- Rum – I use white but a gold one would be great too! (Or gin if you wish!)
- Soda Water – That provides the fizz.
- Ice – A cold drink for a hot day.
How to make this
To make a rhubarb rickey, make a rhubarb mint simple syrup and then combine the syrup with lime juice and rum. Top off the glass with soda water.
It’s that easy! The only time consuming bit is making the syrup. Once you have that on hand, it’s just:
- Measure. Add all the ingredients (minus the fizz) to the shaker.
- Shake. Mix with ice and chill.
- Pour. Right into a tall glass with more ice.
- Fizz. Add your soda water.
- Drink. I think you’ve got this one!
Summer Rum Cocktails
Love fruity cocktails? Want some more ideas on rum cocktails? Here are a few of my favorites!
If you try my recipe for a Rhubarb Lime Rickey, I would love to hear from you in the comments with your experience and rating! And I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.
– Happy Drinking, Annemarie
Rhubarb Lime Rickey Cocktail
Ingredients
- 3 oz rhubarb simple syrup, using the mint variation in the recipe
- 2 oz white rum
- juice of 1/2 a lime
- 3 oz soda water
- ice
Instructions
- Add the syrup, rum, and lime juice to a shaker with ice. Shake until well chilled.
- Fill a tall glass with ice. Pour in the chilled drink then top off the glass with soda water.
- Give it all stir and enjoy.
Notes
- Rhubarb syrup: The syrup is a separate recipe and is best made ahead of time so it can cool off.
- Mint variation: For this cocktail, add the mint in the original syrup recipe and let it steep in the syrup as directed in the note on variations.
- Gin: I chose rum for the drink and enjoy the flavor with the fruit. Gin is a traditional choice for a rickey and would also be great in this cocktail.
- Non-alcoholic drink: Omit the rum and add a little more soda water (and possibly extra rhubarb syrup if it needs a bit more sweetening) for a kid-friendly drink.
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