Homemade Sparkling Rhubarb Soda (or Syrup for Cocktails!) – Ginger with Spice

This homemade sparkling rhubarb soda, or you could say a rhubarb mocktail, is the perfect way to toast the season – whether it’s springtime blooms or summer evenings on the terrace. Tart rhubarb is gently sweetened and paired with a few strawberries for color and subtle depth, creating a beautiful peachy pink drink that’s light, fresh, and incredibly satisfying.

Mocktails are having a well-deserved moment, and this rhubarb version delivers both sophistication and seasonal flavor. Rhubarb’s signature tang makes it an ideal base for a refreshing drink, especially when balanced with just the right amount of sweetness.

For more uses for your rhubarb, you could try this rhubarb Moscow mule, rhubarb raspberry iced tea, rhubarb custard tartlets, and bakery-style rhubarb muffins! 

And for other summery non-alcoholic refreshers, I can recommend elderflower strawberry lemonade, Brazilian lemonade, guava iced tea, elderflower cordial, and berry cordial. Summer at its best!

Why you’ll love it

Best of all, it’s

• fresh and tastes of spring and early summer,
• simple to make,
• non-alcoholic
• versatile enough for brunches, baby showers, or just a relaxing moment on your own.
• …or if you fancy a cocktail, it’s very easily made into a rhubarb cocktail as well.

Ingredients

For the rhubarb syrup you will need:

• Rhubarb – both fresh and frozen works for this recipe.
• Sugar – to balance out the tartness of the rhubarb, making it a pleasantly sweet drink
• Water – to extract the flavor from the rhubarb and to make it drinkable!
• Strawberries – a few strawberries help with the nice color, but also add gentle berry notes. Can be omitted.

To make the soda/mocktail:

• Rhubarb syrup as mentioned above
• Sparkling water (or still water if you want)
• Ice cubes
• Fresh mint and/or lemon slices, for garnish

Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

Instructions

To make the rhubarb syrup, combine chopped rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the rhubarb breaks down and the mixture becomes fragrant and rosy.

Remove from heat, let the syrup cool completely, and then run the mixture through a cheesecloth or strainer.

To assemble the homemade rhubarb soda, fill a large glass with ice. Pour 3–4 tablespoons of the rhubarb syrup into the glass (or if you’re like me, add 6-7, no shame) and lemon juice if using.

Top with sparkling water/club soda (about a cup or 200-300 ml) and stir gently. Garnish with mint, a lemon slice, or a fresh strawberry, if desired.

Substitutions

So this is a recipe with few ingredients, but most of them can be substituted – it may end up like a totally different soda, but it will still be very much delicious!

• Sweetener options: You could use honey, maple syrup, or agave instead of white sugar. If you want to make it low-calorie you could also swap half of the sugar with artificial sugar like erythritol (sukrin). 
• Fruit variations: Swap strawberries for raspberries or a few pitted cherries for a deeper red color. You could also use other fruits than rhubarb, but you know, no longer a rhubarb soda is it?
• Add citrus: A splash of lemon or lime juice brightens the drink and adds balance.

Variations

As this is a very simple syrup, it has endless possibilities, here are a few of my favorites:

• Iced tea: Add a splash of brewed hibiscus or green tea for extra depth.
• Frozen mocktail: blend the syrup with tons of ice for a slushie-style drink.
• Make it a pitcher mocktail: Make a large batch of the syrup and serve it in a pitcher with sparkling water and sliced fruit.
• As a cocktail: Make the syrup as is, and when making one serving, add the ice and the syrup to a shaker instead with 1 ½ ounces of rum or vodka. Give it a 15-second shake and strain it into a large glass with ice. Carefully stir in the club soda or sparkling water and garnish with a lemon slice.

Equipment

For this recipe, you’ll need a saucepan to simmer the syrup, a fine-mesh sieve, or a cheesecloth for straining the pulp. A small bottle or jar for storing the syrup and then there are the serving glasses!

Storage

Rhubarb syrup can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight jar for up to 1 week. My favorite tip is that you can also freeze the syrup in ice cube trays and use it as needed for single servings!

Expert tips

• Use ripe rhubarb: The pinker the stalks, the more vibrant your syrup will look.

• If you have too much rhubarb: freeze it in small chunks and you can make this rhubarb mocktail whenever you want.

• Adjust sweetness: Taste your syrup while warm and add sugar (or a different sweetener) if your rhubarb is very tart. Or a touch of lemon juice if you find it too sweet. But remember, you are diluting it with sparkling water later.

• Strain well: For a clear, smooth drink, use a fine mesh, and don’t press too hard on the solids, just like when we are making homemade jello.

Recipe FAQs

Enjoy!

Did you like this recipe? Here are more rhubarb recipes I think you would enjoy:

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