Yorkshire Rhubarb brightens winter at York Gin and York Distillery

The arrival of the Forced Yorkshire Rhubarb crop is a real tonic in late January and February at York Gin and York Distillery.

The famous rhubarb is sweeter and has a brighter pink colour than your average rhubarb.

Pictured: Our Danny holds a box of forced Rhubarb

Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb is grown in dark, warm sheds and picked by candlelight in the famous Yorkshire Rhubarb Triangle, around 30 miles from York.

Once our order has made its way from the Wakefield area of West Yorkshire, we set to work.

We cut the rhubarb into two-inch-long pieces and macerate it in neutral grain spirit for around 48 hours before turning the still on and vapour infusing the spirit with a mix of traditional botanicals including the all-important juniper.

York Gin Rhubarb is considered to be one of the best gins of its type around. It has earned a place on the prestigious Gin Guide’s top rhubarb gins list.

The gin pairs beautifully with both tonic and ginger beer or ginger ale.

We also dehydrate the sweet rhubarb - allowing students at York Distillery’s Gin School in the centre of York to use it as one of their botanicals in the unique gin they make with us.

Three cheers for Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb - a wonderful local ingredient we are proud to use in our gin.

Pictured - 3kg of Forced Yorkshire Rhubarb - 1) being weighed, 2) in the dehumidifier for our York Distillery gin school 3) Ready on the shelf for guests to make gin.