Limoncello with One Mint Leaf – Review of Batch #13 - LimoncelloQuest

Limoncello with One Mint Leaf – Review of Batch #13

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This batch was hard to rate on my flavor graph because it embodies two distinctly different characteristics. I finally made the decision you see below but it actually starts sweet and smooth and then as the flavor matures on the palate it gets more rough and a little tart.

I think many hard core limoncello enthusiasts would say that this is how it’s supposed to be and I enjoy this batch myself. It’s mellow and then you get the heat of a good limoncello. The mint adds a little something, you wouldn’t necessarily detect it but it does add a certain character to the batch. There are different styles of limoncello, but as authentic styles go I like this batch a lot.

Liquor: One bottle of 151 Proof Everclear

Liquor filtration: 5x

Lemons: 14 scrubbed organic lemons plus one mint leaf torn in half

Days peels and liquor rested: 36

Simple Syrup – Cups Sugar: 1.75, Cups Water: 2.5

Final filtration: 4x

Limoncello - Batch #13

Limoncello – Batch #13

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(8) comments

Katie December 29, 2008

Your blog is so informative and helpful! I am in the process of making my first batch of limoncello and am excited to continue experimenting.

You mention in each of your posts that you filter your liquor before mixing it with the lemon peels. I didn’t do this in my first batch, but am curious as to your reasoning for doing so? How does it affect the final product?

Also, I notice that you let the liquor and peels rest for a little over one month. Do you allow the infused liquor and syrup mixture to rest as well? I just mixed my vodka with the simple syrup last night and am wondering how long I need to let that rest, if at all.

Thanks so much!

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Ben January 2, 2009

Thanks, I’m glad the site is helping! I filter the liquor to make the end product smoother and I think it’s one of the most impactful things you can do to make limoncello smoother, especially if you’re using grain alcohol instead of vodka.

I make changes to the recipe to alter the time it takes to make a batch. I’ll often allow the infusion to rest with the simple syrup in the bottle after final filtration. I haven’t noticed much if any difference doing it that way and it saves time.

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Rich January 25, 2009

Hi, I’m looking into making limoncello for the first time, and this site seems like the right place to be. You appear to be taking a pretty scientific approach here (which I definitely appreciate!), so I am curious why you measure the zest by the number of lemons it comes from, rather than by weight. I would think you’d get a much more consistent/predictable result if you targeted a particular weight of zest and just zested as many lemons as needed to get there. Lemons come in pretty large variety of sizes, particularly if you’re getting them right off the tree, as I am.

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RadiatedAnt February 2, 2009

Hi Ben! I’ve been following your website and have become a fan, I’m following your batch #13 recipe… well sort of (everything except I added blueberries to my simple syrup) so it’s not exactly limoncello but more of a “Baron”Cello 😉 I’ve filtered my rectified grain alcohol 5x, filtered out my simple syrup with non bleached coffee filters to get rid of the berry bits so now I have this lovely violet syrup. I kind of lost some in a spill 🙁 about 4 ounces after filtering and my little accident I suppose. I will redo the syrup in it’s plain form, weigh it and add back the missing ounces into my blueberry syrup. I can’t wait to try it out! Oh I bought a Pur filter since it says it filters twice as good as brita* as of 2008/02 etcetera. Thanks again for your imput!

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Ben February 3, 2009

@ Rich, others have made the same observation and for that reason I’ll soon be acquiring a food scale so I can do just that. It is a much better way than counting lemons.

@ RadiatedAnt, thanks for reading and the blueberry sounds delicious. I’ve been meaning to add blueberry to a batch sooner or later. It seems like such a natural compliment to the lemon flavor.

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FarSide February 6, 2009

I wonder if you might get more mint flavor if you added the leaf to boiling water while you make your simple syrup? Mint flavoring comes out very nice when you make a tea from it, although you will likely get a more brownish color to it. I’ve heard the mint flavor breaks down if you boil too long, but for making syrup it likely wouldn’t be an issue (if that’s even true)

– FS

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Massimo August 4, 2009

Hello ,

im fom canada and i also do my own Limocello .Heres my recipe :

750 ml of grain alcool

1.5 Litre of water

500 gr of sugar

Let the zest stay in as long possible with the alcool.

I usually do wit orange peel and the taste is great .

I am also trying lime . Same recipe except the fact that i had the grain alcool sit in some mint for an hourto take the color and the zest….i might have to put more sugar for this one tough .

Keep me posted.

MAssimo

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tommy May 5, 2010

Wow I cant fathom who is creating all these crazy posts. Your blog is quality and it attracts a lot of amounts of these forms comments. take care and keep up for the work!

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