Cidergria Recipe

Make compote

Combine chopped rhubarb, granulated sugar, water, and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer until rhubarb breaks down and thickens slightly, about 8–10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. If you prefer a smoother texture, mash with a fork or pulse briefly in a blender, then strain through a fine sieve to remove fibers. Yield: about 1 cup.

Hull and roughly chop fresh strawberries. Place in a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Optionally pass through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds for a silky texture. Measure 1 cup for the cocktail.

In a large pitcher, combine the dry hard cider (4 cups), cooled rhubarb compote (1 cup), strawberry purée (1 cup), and fresh lemon juice (1/2 cup). Stir gently to combine. Taste and adjust: if the mix is too sweet, add up to 1–2 tablespoons extra lemon juice; if too tart, a teaspoon of simple syrup can be added.

Chill

Refrigerate the combined base for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors marry. Do not carbonate — the ginger beer added later provides the fizz.

When ready to serve, fill individual glasses with about 1/2 cup ice each (adjust per glass size). Pour the cider–strawberry–rhubarb base over the ice, leaving room for ginger beer.

Top each glass with ginger beer (about 1/4 cup per serving if making 6 servings from the recipe; total 2 cups). Gently stir once to integrate the soda with the base without flattening the fizz.

Garnish each glass with a fresh mint sprig, a slice of strawberry on the rim, and an optional rhubarb ribbon or candied rhubarb. Serve immediately.