Limoncello, take 2

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Varis, I'm guessing that price is for a .375 size bottle. All the bottles I've seen both online and in stores are right around the 18 to 22.00 range for .750 ml. You should pick one up though and have a taste if you haven't had it before, it'll give you the chance to compare and have something to shoot for as far a sweetness and color etc. LOOKING Good.
Mike

Mike,
So you mentioned you would possibly dial back some of the lemons. I am starting with a 750ml bottle of Everclear. I was thinking of putting peels of 12 lemons in with it, so approx. 12 per 750ml bottle in relation to your 13 1/3 per 750ml bottle. Thoughts?
I will say, I have never had Limoncello before so have no idea what I am shooting for. I trust your judgment as it sounds like you are pretty familiar with the product and a good one at that.
 
Here's the limoncello at Costco, anyone tried this?
Not so cheap....
.750ml bottle

ImageUploadedByWine Making1491597050.349743.jpg
 
Not a bad price, but I've never seen Pallini before.

Just grab some, Varis. It's $21. I bet it tastes like furniture polish though. :)
 
Not a bad price, but I've never seen Pallini before.

Just grab some, Varis. It's $21. I bet it tastes like furniture polish though. :)

I'm frugal like @bkisel :)

But it's not $21, it's actually almost $22 :) :)
 
I'm frugal like @bkisel :)

But it's not $21, it's actually almost $22 :) :)

My dear friend Varis... Your're confusing penny-pinching with being frugal.
smilie.gif
 
Since this topic has come up Im very motivated to make some more limoncello. This time without any help. I used to make a few bottles every year with my dad. One of the coolest things for us was finding a type that already displayed our last name. We would buy some, drink it, and then use the bottles
ImageUploadedByWine Making1491616374.161662.jpg
About $27 a bottle..........+ tax!
 
hum. color unbelievable to say the least, way to go, and yes I'm following this post I still have 10 different country wines in 6 gallon carboys, and 12 gallon freshly bottled, when down to only 4 or 5 carboys to keep up with I'll be trying this one for sure, I like making my usual wines then around ten kinds I've never made before, dang way to go on that color, your recipe just made my bucket list, you have intrigued me greatly
thank you
Dawg::
 
Mike,
So you mentioned you would possibly dial back some of the lemons. I am starting with a 750ml bottle of Everclear. I was thinking of putting peels of 12 lemons in with it, so approx. 12 per 750ml bottle in relation to your 13 1/3 per 750ml bottle. Thoughts?
I will say, I have never had Limoncello before so have no idea what I am shooting for. I trust your judgment as it sounds like you are pretty familiar with the product and a good one at that.

I'd guess 12 would be good. The size, age and type of lemon must all effect the final flavor. As far as flavor goes I pull a fast one on my wife and mom saturday night. I filled an empty Caravella Limoncello bottle with my version, chilled it and served it up before dinner. Neither one believed me when I told them it was mine and not the commercial stuff. I'll probably stop trying to tweek the recipe and leave it as is.
Mike
 
So Mike, in summary...how long you wait for that limoncello to be prime time and ready to drink?
 
Im in. Couldnt resist.
But thinking sweetening with honey.
Any suggestions for or against?
Keeping with mikes recipe, im thinking 1 qt water and 1 1/2 lb honey should be pretty close for sweetening solution concidering 18% moisture content of honey and should be almost exactly the 2 to 1 needed for 30% alcohol end result.
Does this sound right??
 
I hope you are making sweet and sour mix with the lemon juice. can you say long island iced tea

cheers
 
I'd guess 12 would be good. The size, age and type of lemon must all effect the final flavor. As far as flavor goes I pull a fast one on my wife and mom saturday night. I filled an empty Caravella Limoncello bottle with my version, chilled it and served it up before dinner. Neither one believed me when I told them it was mine and not the commercial stuff. I'll probably stop trying to tweek the recipe and leave it as is.
Mike

I thought about that after writing(size, type, etc. of lemons would matter).

Well, I went with 12 pretty good size lemons. Picked them up at a Mexican store in Omaha(I was there for Mexican chocolate and ancho peppers for another project). Peeled, removed remaining pith best I could and assembled Saturday night. Will strain next Saturday. Already has a very nice yellow color to it. Used a half gallon carboy. Bottle of Everclear just barely covered all the lemon.

Lemon1.jpeg

Lemon2.jpeg
 
:h way to to D.J. I made my first batch in a 1.5 liter brandy bottle, I never did get the lemons out and had to toss the bottle when I finished. Might consider something with a wide opening next time around if you want to reuse. Give it a shake or two a day.
Mike
 
:h way to to D.J. I made my first batch in a 1.5 liter brandy bottle, I never did get the lemons out and had to toss the bottle when I finished. Might consider something with a wide opening next time around if you want to reuse. Give it a shake or two a day.
Mike

haha
Yeah, I thought about the removal of the lemon but decided to roll with it as it was all I had and wanted to get it going. I will dig them suckers out somehow as I use that carboy quite a bit.

Will do on the shaking. Swirled it around a little Saturday but didn't touch it yesterday.

Thanks again for the recipe.
 
@Kraffty
I notice you say you removed your lemons/extract after a week. Peels were turning white, etc.
Mine is on day 6 and peels are losing the vibrant yellow but nowhere near white.
Also, I notice a lot of recipes online talk about leaving the alcohol/lemons alone for 30-40 days.
With that said, most recipes use vodka, which may be the reason for the longer steeping. I would assume the Everclear brings out the lemon quicker.
Thoughts?
 
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Lemon zest,is easier to use a ball jar is about 3// 375 bottles ,blend simple syrup and extract in one pot then add ever kleer to taste,easier process.
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I make my limoncello in a couple of 2.5 gallon glass canisters I bought at Bed Bath and Beyond for 30% off and a 15% off coupon. They were the last 2 in stock so both of them went home with me. Couldn't pass up the opportunity. :h
 
Tomorrow is one week for my zest. Hard to tell color though the yellow fluid so I spooned out a few peals to examine and licked the spoon after, WOW it's lemon. Sweetening tomorrow and bottling for camping trip to brother's gold claim, next week end.
Dont expect to bring any back home.
 
Prepping to start zesting. I promise no knuckle skin this time! I'm going to need more lemons....

Cheers!
-johann

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