Limoncello - Lemon Liquer afterdinner drink

By Fleur de lis

will need:
1 gallon glass jar
vegetable peeler
long wooden spoon
measuring cups
large saucepan
4 (1-liter bottles)
fine mesh strainer or coffee filter
large bowl
narrow neck funnel
ladle

Ingredients

• 15 organic lemons
• 2 (750 ml) bottles Everclear (or another 151 or 190 proof alcohol
• 4 cups granulated sugar
• 9 1/2 cups water (divided)

Details

Adapted from

Preparation

Step 1

-Scrub lemons in warm water and pat dry
-Using vegetable peeler, remove the peel from each lemon in wide strips. do not remove white pith, which will impart a bitter flavor to the Limoncello.
-Place the lemon peels in the gallon jar and pour in 1 bottle of the alcohol
-push down the lemon peels with a wooden spoon to completely submerge them in liquid.
-Tightly secure the lid, and set the jar in a cool, dark place to steep. Stirring is not necessary.
-After 20-40 days, add the second bottle of alcohol to the mixture
-Place the sugar and 7 1/2 c of the water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
-Decrease to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes to be sure that all the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and cool.
-When the sugar syrup is completely cool, add it to the lemon and alcohol mixture in the jar.
-Tighten lid back on jar to a cool, dark place to steep for an additional 20-40 days. Over time, the liquid will absorb the color from the lemon peels and turn bright yellow in color.
-To bottle, first wash the bottles thoroughly. -Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer, or coffee filter set in a strainer, into a large bowl.
-Add 1 2/3 cups of water to the limoncello if you used 151 proof grain alcohol; add 2 cups of water if you used 190 proof. This will turn the liquid cloudy which is the desired outcome.
-Using a narrow neck funnel, ladle the limoncello into the prepared bottles, leaving 1 inch headspace.
-Wipe the rims clean, and secure the lids/corks, and label.
-Chill in freezer before serving after dinner as a sipping beverage and enjoy
STORING: store the bottles in a cool, dark place or keep in the freezer until ready to serve. It will keep for several years.