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Hard Rhubarb Lemonade is a delicious summer cocktail that’s tart, sweet, and sparkly. Using only four ingredients, it’s easy as can be to make a round of drinks for your next backyard barbecue!

A stemmed wine glass filled with hard rhubarb lemonade and garnished with lemon slices and mint sprigs on a white marble tray.

Of all of the homemade drink recipes I’ve shared, this hard rhubarb lemonade recipe may be my personal favorite! It's perfectly pink, a little bit tart, not too sweet, and is great with either vodka or gin!

That doesn’t mean I don’t love a nice Lillet rosé martini or a raspberry gin fizz, but there’s something really special about this cocktail.

Ingredients for this recipe

Lemonade (fresh or from a bottle, no judgement here)
Vodka or Gin
Rhubarb Simple Syrup
Sparkling water (plain or lemon flavored)

All the ingredients for hard rhubarb lemonade lay on a white marble backdrop.

How to make the cocktail

This is just a brief overview, detailed instructions can be found in the recipe card below!

Add the lemonade to a cocktail shaker. Make sure it’s filled with ice. A large Mason jar would also work to mix the drink.
Add the vodka. At least 2 ounces (or more) depending on how strong you like it.
Pour in the simple syrup. And stir or shake it all together!
Pour into a glass filled with ice. And top with soda water!

A hand pours lemonade over ice into a cocktail shaker. — Add the lemonade to a shaker.

Making a pitcher of hard rhubarb lemonade

If you’re going to be entertaining a crowd and want to make a big batch of this hard lemonade, use these ratios:

3 cups lemonade
2 cups vodka
1 cup rhubarb simple syrup

Combine all the above in a pitcher and refrigerate until ready to use. Pour 6 ounces into a glass filled with ice and top with sparkling water. This will make enough to serve 8!

Another great cocktail to serve a group is my famous Wisconsin Brandy Slush!

Measuring Ounces for Cocktails

If you don’t have a cocktail jigger to measure out your ounces of liquid, it’s handy to know that 2 tablespoons is equal to 1 fluid ounce.

For instance, when this recipe calls for 3 ounces of lemonade, you would need 6 tablespoons.

Using Premade Rhubarb Lemonade

Alternatively, you can use 3 – 4 ounces of homemade rhubarb lemonade in place of the plain lemonade and rhubarb simple syrup. Or just pour vodka into a pitcher of it, I’m not here to judge!

A good quality gin would also be terrific in place of the vodka if that’s more your speed!

A stemmed wine glass filled with hard rhubarb lemonade and garnished with lemon slices and a mint sprig sit on a white marble tray. There are more lemons and mint springs scattered around the glass.

Watch the recipe video!

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5 from 4 votes