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Limoncello

by EZHacks

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EZHacks
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Bio: High school Physics & Science

teacher for over 18 years. Always getting
my hands dirty with little projects and
home made gadgets.
More by EZHacks

Tags: lemon limoncello lime lemons

cocktails italian alcohol drinks spirits
distilled

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Ingredients
16-20 medium-sized lemons
White granulated sugar
Filtered or spring water (avoid tap water)
Grain alcohol or vodka based on preference
Tools
Microplane Zester (this is absolutely the best for this purpose)
1 Flat Bottom Permanent Coffee Filter
Disposable Flat Bottom Coffee Filters
2 One-Gallon Glass Containers
Funnel or strainer

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Beverages
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Step 1: Zesting

This is by far the most important step. Everything that follows is based on this
step. If you do not zest the lemons correctly then your final product will not
have the proper taste, color or consistency.
The theme for this step is LESS IS MORE!
When "zesting" the lemons you want to remove only the bright yellow part of
the lemon without any of the white pith. If any part of the pith goes into your
batch the flavor will be too bitter, not to mention the color will be off.
When you zest the lemon, the remainder of the lemon should still look yellow,
you should remove only a thin layer of the zest. This is why the Microplane
Zester is invaluable.
To be on the safe side you should zest about 20 lemons. This will take a while,
schedule about 2 hours. After you have done this a few times and get the hang
of it you will be more proficient and in the future you will be able to accomplish
the same quality results using about 16 lemons in about a quarter of the time.

Step 2: Steeping
In this step we want to combine the zest and alcohol.
Before we do this we want to make sure the container is clean and dry. Make
sure there is no dust or residue from cleansers etc.
After I have cleaned and dried my container I turn it over and lightly blow into it
to get any dust or lint from the towel out. And then as a last step I pour about
1/2 a cup of my alcohol into it and slosh it around to do a final sweep and
clean before I pour the alcohol down the drain.
This step may be overkill but the Devil is n the details!
Once my container is clean at the zest to the bottom and then I add the
alcohol.
If you are using grain alcohol you will need to add 1500 ml.
However, if you are using Vodka make sure it is 100-Proof and use the same
quantity (1500 ml) but be prepared to add Vodka later if the end product is not
up to snuff.
Once the alcohol and zest are together take a large spoon and stir the mixture.

You will instantly see the clear alcohol take on a beautiful bright yellow glow.
You can seal the container now.
My preference is to seal the container with two sheets of plastic wrap. This
works well with a glass container to make an airtight seal and it is easy to
unwrap and reuse.
Whatever you use for the seal please make sure it is airtight!

Step 3: Label
All too often we forget the small things.
Make sure you put some kind of label on your container, use a small piece of
tape or a tag that you tie to your container.
Whatever you choose to use make sure you write the following:
Date
# of Lemons Zested
Alcohol Quantity & Type
These things will become important down the road when you try your next
batch and you wish to make changes for improvements.

Step 4: In Plain Sight

For two weeks keep your nectar someplace where you will see it a lot.
I have a spot on my kitchen counter next to a fruit plate, its in the corner and
out of the way but I see it all the time.
During these two weeks I want to stir the mix at least once a day, twice would
be best but if that can't be done try to make sure you stir it up at least once a
day.
You will see the nectar getting a thicker yellow glow, more of the zest is being
drawn out.
The zest is what contains all of the oils, aroma, color and taste that will give
your limoncello its flavor and characteristics.

Step 5: Hurry Up & Wait

After your two weeks of stirring and devotion its time to send the batch on a
vacation.
Make sure the plastic wrap is sealed nice and tight and bring the container to a
dark storage place.

I'm not sure if light does anything to the mix but I haven't tried. All I know is
that my basement has a room that is not often visited and so it makes the
perfect place for storage and it happens to be dark most of the time.
What we need to do now is simply let the mix sit and do its thing for a while.
Let it sit for at least 20 days, try for 40 days. The difference is subtle but only
you know who will be enjoying the final product.
Just remember you can't add time to your batch after you have filtered out the
zest, so a little patience could pay off big.

Step 6: All Grownsup!

Its been at least 20 days (Hopefully 40) and your batch is back from vacation.
Now its time to filter.
There will be about 3 filtration's.
These steps are tedious but make a big difference. As a suggestion to save
time you can start on your simple syrup. It will need to cool down during which
time you can be filtering.
SIMPLE SYRUP
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Bring 5 cups of water to boil

Remove heat
Add 3.5 cups of sugar
Stir the sugar until completely dissolved
Let cool

While your simple syrup is cooling down you need to filter your batch. In the
beginning I listed 2 one-gallon containers now you know why.
The process is straightforward: you want to transfer the liquid from one
container to the other while being passed through a filter.
Set-up. Use the funnel or strainer to support your filter, make sure this is
secure over the new container.
***You want to make sure this container is clean and dry***
Place the permanent filter into the funnel. Slowly, one ladle full at a time,
transfer the mix. This filtration is done to remove all the large pieces of zest
and will move along pretty quickly.
Clean the first container out and once again make sure there is nothing left
behind that could influence the end product, you could do an alcohol rinse if
you like or filtered water, your choice but make sure the container is clean, it
doesn't have to be dry.
Rinse out the permanent filter.
Now repeat the filtering process but this time add a disposable filter inside the
permanent filter. This process will take a while because the disposable filter will
collect more of the small impurities that we don't want, which in turn will make
the liquid move slowly through the filter. If you want to speed this up a bit you
can refresh the filters, you can keep the permanent filter in place and change
out the disposable filter. You will notice right away that the flow rate will
improve. Your end goal right now is to make sure the entire batch has passed
through a disposable filter.

Once you have done this you will do it again! Basically repeat the above
filtration again, effectively doing a double disposable filtration.
To Summarize the Filtration's:
1. Just the permanent coffee filter
2. Permanent Plus Disposable
3. Repeat Permanent Plus Disposable
At this point use your judgement, look at the liquid and decide if you need to
filter it again. Hopefully it has a nice clear yellow consistency. You don't want
to see any cloudiness or debris.

Step 7: The Sweetness

Your batch has been triple filtered and now it is ready to be get sweet!
Make sure your simple syrup has cooled off, if you can dip your finger in it its
good to go.
Notice: Don't dip your finger in hot simple syrup, you could get burned! Use
your judgement to make sure the syrup has cooled down. Usually 5 cups of
boiling water that has been removed from the heat should be cooled to the
touch within 45 minutes.
Pour the cooled simple syrup into your mix, stir it in so that everything mixes
evenly.

Step 8: Insurance

Before you bottle this up for gifts or consumption you will need to wait a little
longer.
But before you do this you may want to buy some insurance.
What I like to do is pour some into a small bottle that I can use to keep an eye
on. What I'm looking for is residue that settles to the bottom. You might see a
little film of yellow residue that settles to the bottom, when you shake the bottle
a little a small "cloud" might kick up and swirl around.
Basically this means you need another filtration. It's not the end of the world

and some people are fine with this, but what it means is that your product will
have this settle to the bottom and it could affect the taste and looks.
If you have the time you can pass the mix through permanent and disposable
coffee filter again, the simple syrup will not make this a problem.
Once you have a nice consistent batch, with as little residue as possible you
should wait at least 10 more days.
In plain sight or in the basement, let the mix sit for 10 more days before you
bottle it up.

Step 9: Choose your Bottles

Give yourself a pat on the back. Its been a long journey but its almost over.
Your ready to bottle.
Select a bottle that is you, something that you would like to receive.
Pick something that is functional and appropriate. By appropriate I mean
size/volume. If you are giving this as a gift you may choose something small for
some friends and maybe a larger bottle for someone special. This is all up to
you.
Whatever bottle you choose please make sure it is clear. I have seen some
limoncello that is bottled in frosty glass but I always feel like they are trying to
hide something from me. I want to see the color, that's the first impression!
So don't hide it, display the color you worked so hard for.

Step 10: Batch to Bottle

From batch to bottle there are two things you must do.
1. TASTE IT! This may seem obvious but it is critical. Taste your end product.
If it is too harsh then cut it! Add some filtered water or some more simple
syrup. Adjust it so that it tastes the way you intended it to taste. Use some
examples of commercial products that you like. But remember that
Limoncello is a strong spirit, don't water it down too much. Try to keep in
mind that Limoncello usually goes in the freezer, the alcohol must remain
high so it doesn't freeze. Whatever changes you make, take notes for next
time. You can add the extra water to the simple syrup recipe.
2. When you transfer from your large container to bottles avoid the bottom!
There may still be some residue left, but if you avoid the bottom and gently
ladle out what you want you will ensure that the limoncello you are bottling
is the best part of your batch.
When you have covered these last two steps you can bottle it with pride.

Step 11: Cin Cin!

Make sure you put a bottle aside for yourself, place it in the freezer and break
it out after a nice dinner.
Pour some into two nice cordial glasses, raise it up and make a toast, touch
your glasses, "Cin Cin" and enjoy.

We have a be nice comment policy.

Please be positive and constructive.

I Made it!

HellborN-HarbingeR

Add Images

Make Comment

4 hours ago

Reply

Definitely going yo try this one out some time. Thanks for the concise steps,
I'm sure every batch we attempt will be a good one thanks to you.

kbc2

11 hours ago

Reply

Well written and highly detailed. I will be trying this. Don't think i will use
everclear though, at most 151 rum. Possibly do a batch with some Stoly
100.

JpuyasL

12 hours ago

Reply

23 hours ago

Reply

Pictures would make an awesome instructable!

TizianaZ

Nice instructable and pretty detailed!! You described nicely all the key
steps! I prepare my limoncello with a recipe coming from the tradition of my
family, and I use a different technique for the lemons. Instead of "zesting"
them and obtain a powder I peel them in very, very, very thin slices (to
avoid the white part of course) I then cut the slices in thin and small strips.
In this way the filtering process is way easier and I've never had annoying
residues in my bottles.

EZHacks (author)

TizianaZ

22 hours ago

Reply

I have not tried this technique yet but I have been curious about it
for the reasons you say. I was wondering, how much time do you let
the alcohol steep with the peel?

TizianaZ EZHacks

21 hours ago

Reply

The lemon stays in the alcohol around 35 days, anyway always

more than 30 (my uncle says the perfect number is 33, but I don't
know why). I normally use 25 lemons per liter of alcohol. I always
keep the jar nicely sealed and in the darkness. Like you I mix the
composition during the first 2 weeks. I don't open the jar, I just shake
it gently with a rotary motion.

longwinters

yesterday

Reply

22 hours ago

Reply

Ps is there a recipe with limes, humm limes.....

EZHacks (author)

longwinters

I haven't done limes yet, its on the list but I would think its the same
but with more limes to create the same volume of zest.

kakashibatosi

yesterday

Reply

Limoncello is tons of fun, and is the same process for anyone looking to
flavor their own gin or rum (granted, rum starts with white rum). I may have
missed it in the text, but what did you end up doing with your lemon juice?
I'm thinking lemon ice cubes :)

EZHacks (author)

kakashibatosi

22 hours ago

I have used the lemon juice for various things such as lemonade (I
know boring). But I also use it as a cleaner for the garbage disposal.
I put some of the lemons into a juicer and extracted a very
concentrated juice that I mix with some hot water and pour down the
drain on the disposal side. I let it sit there for a few minutes and then
I turn the disposal on. It does a great job cleaning and getting rid of
any odors, plus its natural.
For this instructable I used two new lemons to demonstrate, I'm
thinking of using those lemons for a new instructable on how to
make a battery cell. Keep your eyes open for it.
Cheers

Reply

longwinters

yesterday

Reply

Well done, do you know the alcohol content at completion?

Is there any conversion of the sugar that is added, I'm guessing not, I too
like the fact you spent so much time covering the details, thank you.

EZHacks (author)

longwinters

yesterday

Reply

I started with Everclear grain alcohol, which is 95%. When I get a

chance I will use my hydrometer to measure what it came down to.
But as it is right now I think it is too strong. I have plans to dilute it
with some mix of water and sugar, I have not determined what the
ratios will be yet. It seems like recipes of this nature are always
works in progress.
When i have the %alc I'll post it.
Thanks for your great feedback.
Cheers

marcoboers

yesterday

Reply

I've made some limoncello in te past, used a little bit different recipe and
tasted delicious but had pretty amount of residu, not that we minded. But
I'm eager tot try out this recipe!
The bad part of making limoncello is that you have tot wait so long ;)

sydneytiler

yesterday

Reply

yesterday

Reply

delicious I like this

BayRatt

Well done! I like that it seems pretty easy to do, except for the being patient
part... though this might be a good project to practice on... :-D

ThisIsMyNameOK

yesterday

Reply

Sounds delicious. A bit too expensive for me at the moment. But perhaps I
could try making a small bottle just for myself. It would be fun to make my
own instead of just buying it.

EZHacks (author)

ThisIsMyNameOK

yesterday

You can easily scale this down to one bottle. In fact, I am planning
on adding a "rush" recipe for anyone that may want to make a small
batch, single bottles, as gifts for the holidays.
Basically divide everything by 3 to get to make a 16 ounce

Reply

container.
This would require only 7 lemons. You could also reduce the time,
but try for at least 3 weeks before filtering.
BTW Thanks so much for the nice comments.
Cheers

Danger is my middle name

yesterday

Reply

yesterday

Reply

Nice job! Very detailed info!

EZHacks (author)

Danger is my middle name

I really appreciate your positive feedback. I tired to put details in this

because I know what it can be like trying to navigate through the
process on little to go by so I am very happy you noticed.
Keep an eye out for future infusion recipes.
Cheers

seamster

yesterday

Reply

yesterday

Reply

Nicely done. Thanks for sharing this!

EZHacks (author)

seamster

Thanks for the positive feedback, I really appreciate it.

I'm in the process of adding more infusion recipes, hopefully you will
enjoy them too.
Cheers

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