How To Make Limoncello


introHow To Make Limoncello


Limoncello is a sweet, lemon-flavored Italian liqueur. Unlike many liqueurs, it's very easy to make at home, requiring only the most basic of ingredients and tools. Doing so is easy but rewarding--from a scientific perspective for the chemistry involved in the process, and from a culinary perspective for the simple joy of drinking something you made from scratch.



One of the interesting things about limoncello is that it isn't sour at all (if it's made properly). This is because there's no lemon juice in it. The lemon flavor comes from lemon zest--the very outside of the lemon peel, where the essential oils are most concentrated.



In its native Italy, limoncello is most frequently taken cold, as a digestif (an after-dinner drink). I find it especially refreshing early in the evening on a hot day, but it's enjoyable any time you like.





step 1Overview


So, how do you make this wonderful stuff? The ingredients are as follows:



1 750 mL bottle of grain alcohol ( Everclear or similar, also known as rectified spirit --as long as it's potable, strong, and unflavored you'll be fine)

Zest of 8 lemons

Sugar

Water



Simple, yes? Oh, you'll also need a glass jar in which to keep the stuff. Be sure you have lots of spare room, as you'll add more liquid later. Mine is two liters, and works great.



You want to get the strongest alcohol you can get your hands on. Vodka, even the 100 proof stuff, isn't sufficient. In some states, such as Nevada, you can get 190-proof Everclear, which is 95% ethyl alcohol. Alas, California isn't one of them, so I'll make do with 151 proof (75.5% alcohol, which is still pretty stiff). You can as well, but go with the high-test if you get it. You'll dilute it down to something drinkable later; right now we need a strong but potable nonpolar solvent, and high-proof alcohol fits the bill. I understand an old catalog came with a disclaimer that Everclear was to be used "for the production of homemade cordials," or some such, which is exactly what you're doing here.





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Lemons. I got mine at Safeway, but I'd like to try it with some from the farmer's market. I've never tried Meyer lemons, and don't know whether they'd make a difference, but they might be worth a small batch.tellumo

Glass jar. I'd removed the lid when I was taking these pictures.tellumoi
 
Apr 23, 2009. 10:08 AMImmanis says:


I've tried this recipe 3 times now (it makes great Christmas gifts), and every time I do it, I have to make more and more. This time, I diversified into Lemoncello, Orangecello, Limecello, and Grapefruitcello - my favorite