My Tour of Fabrizia Limoncello - LimoncelloQuest

My Tour of Fabrizia Limoncello

Limoncello Reviews

I was invited to tour the production facility of Fabrizia Limoncello recently, and I’d like to share the story in addition to the review. Reviewing Fabrizia actually prompted me to post an update to my commercial limoncello review page because there are a small number of very good commercial brands out there if you know where to look. As it turns out, the facility is only about a 30 minute drive from my house. I had no idea that commercial limoncello was produced in my area. I learned a lot, had a lot of fun and took a few pics for all you fellow limoncello lovers.

The owner of Fabrizia, Phil, and his operations manager Mike gave me a tour of the facility. That’s Phil in his office:
Fabrizia-Phil

The facility itself was not huge, though this was limoncello production on a scale that I’ve definitely never seen before. The large barrels of alcohol at one end of the room added emphasis to that point. As you can see below, they are all grounded by wires so they don’t…you know…explode. It looks like a great backdrop for an episode of 24.

Grain alcohol in bulk

It’s a little strange to be that close to that much flammable material, but you get used to it quick. Especially when you see all the other neat stuff going on there. I took a look at their infusion process (more steeping peels than I’ve ever seen in one place) and their bottling process, complete with a bottling machine imported from Italy.

Vat of steeping lemon peels

Serious equipment at Fabrizia

Bottles of Fabrizia Limoncello

Phil started Fabrizia with no prior experience in the industry so he earned his entrepreneurial stripes the hard way. He has a real passion for creating the best product he can at a fair price and I think it shows in the limoncello. I learned a lot during this tour but I’ll boil it down to the lessons I think most readers can use, and this first one is money.

Quite by accident, Phil and Mike discovered that the real key to minimizing or eliminating the film that forms on top of the limoncello is to allow the simple syrup to completely cool before mixing it with the infused alcohol. Any heat in the simple syrup somehow separates some of the oils from the infusion and forms the film. How’s that for a useful tip!

As you can see from the pic below, Phil shares my interest in rigorous experimentation. He keeps samples from each of his batches for the long term. He said he disagrees with my recent post claiming that limoncello doesn’t go bad over time. He says that it retains peak flavor for about 8 months after production and then begins a slow decline. My one-off observation really doesn’t compare to his wall of evidence so I have to concede that point. I think “going bad” is the wrong description on my part though. Drinking old limoncello is still better than most things that can happen to you, but you can see from the color of the liqueur that it is losing something over time and a tasting on the spot confirmed it.

Fabrizia-batches

Another tasting we conducted at Fabrizia was of their new Blood Orange liqueur. I’ve made batches with various flavors and blood orange has long been my favorite non-lemon variety. I haven’t made a batch like that in a long time so I don’t have a reference point, but Fabrizia’s blood orange is a very tasty liqueur.

A huge thanks to Phil and Mike at Fabrizia for their hospitality!

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(6) comments

Kellie Hudson January 22, 2014

Anticipated watching chronicle in order to learn more about this limoncello. For many years I frequently dined at the Colleseum restaurant in Salem. The owners frequently indulged us with their homemade frozen limoncillo…let me tell you it packed a wallop. So delicious I think it might have been heaven sent.
Would be interested in learning more about the company, and purchasing the product.
Kellie Q Hudson

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joe orso January 31, 2014

great website–thanks.

do meyer lemons make a better limoncello than ordinary organic lemons?

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dave wexler March 5, 2014

In your calculator for lemoncello alcohol percentage, you give you answer for sugar in ounces. Is that ounces value in weight or volume?

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Marty July 14, 2014

Hi Ben. Love the site. On my fourth batch, based on your recipe, so far…

Just wanted to give you a heads up that the alcohol percentage calculator isn’t working correctly. For example and for ease of math…

100mL of 50% for 25% final. Calculator says add 200mL syrup (should be 100mL) which would be around 16%.

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Michael July 26, 2014

Hi Ben:

We are in the process of making Lemoncello at our Winery/Distillery. We would like to talk to you about dilution ranges. Also your calculator sweetness range selection doesn’t work. Please give me a call if u have the time. 440-275-2300

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Cass August 27, 2014

Might want to add on your site that if you’re going to put your bottles in the oven at 350 for an hour, to find a way to take off the caps for the swing top bottles.. Not everyone knows that those melt at 350.

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