Homemade rhubarb liquor infused with cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, and bitter orange leaves, sweetened to taste with sugar syrup.
Ingredients
Infusion
- 700 ml Absolut vodka (40 %) — a full bottle
- 3–4 rhubarb stalks (rabarber), cut into ~1 cm pieces
- 3–4 bitter orange leaves (pomeransblad), halved
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 15 cardamom pods, lightly cracked (do not grind)
- 1 star anise
Sugar syrup (make to taste after infusion)
- 2 parts granulated sugar
- 1 part water
Instructions
- Combine: Put all the infusion ingredients into a clean glass jar with a tight lid. Give it a shake.
- Steep: Let stand at room temperature for 1–3 weeks. Taste every few days and shake gently now and then. Warmer weather speeds things up — 1 week may be enough in summer.
- Strain: When the flavor is where you want it, strain through a fine mesh sieve (line with a coffee filter or cheesecloth for a clearer result). Discard the solids.
- Sugar syrup: In a small saucepan, dissolve 2 parts sugar in 1 part water over gentle heat, stirring, until the sugar is fully dissolved. Cool.
- Sweeten to taste: Stir the syrup into the strained liquor a little at a time until you like it. Bottle and store somewhere cool and dark.
Notes
Timing: Fred tested at 1 week during a warm week and it worked well. In cooler conditions, lean toward 2–3 weeks.
Bitter orange leaves (pomeransblad): Not a common substitute — bay leaves are not the same. If you can’t find them, try 1–2 strips of orange zest.
Source: MKSWE Discord, from Fred (2026-06-29).