Limoncello liqueur: what it is, how and with what to drink and how many degrees
Briefly about the drink
Limoncello - popular Italian lemon liqueur. It is mainly produced in southern Italy, in particular, on the Amalfi coast, on the islands of Capri, Ischia, Sicily, Sardinia.
The trick of the liqueur is to infuse lemon peel (rather than distill), so limoncello contains a large amount of vitamin C. The drink also contains alcohol, water and sugar. The final stage of production is the emulsification of the drink in special machines.
Find out the recipe for the liqueur limoncello.
The composition of limoncello
The composition of the liquor is extremely simple:
Ripe lemons (preferably harvested in Campania or Sicily).
Undiluted food-grade grape alcohol.
Sugar and environmentally friendly non-carbonated water.
At the same time, the production of this liqueur is based on the process of infusing alcohol on lemon peel. The result is a rather sweet drink with a spicy sourness. There is also a less strong Crema di Limoncello, during the production of which water is replaced with milk or cream.
However, it is worth mentioning that most licensed producers of the drink add preservatives for better preservation, and emulsifiers to give it spectacular transparency.
How many degrees in limoncello
In fact, the strength of limoncello is not regulated by anyone. Technically, it can vary from 15 to 45 degrees. However, there are unspoken norms of decency among official beverage producers, according to which the alcohol content in store-bought drinks should be in the range of 25-32 degrees.
If you are interested in less strong options, then you should choose Limoncello Pallini (26 degrees) or Limoncello Luxardo (27 degrees). If you prefer stronger drinks, pay attention to the brands: Limoncetta di Sorrento (31 degrees), Limoncello Villa Massa (30 degrees) and the like.
The shelf life of limoncello
First of all, you need to keep in mind that this drink should be stored in the refrigerator. In this case, the factory-made liqueur is guaranteed not to lose its taste for more than a year. Homemade drinks, due to the absence of preservatives, are best consumed within 1-6 months. Moreover, the lower their strength, the faster they need to be labeled.
Popular brands of limoncello
Caravella Limoncello
Limoncello di Capri
Villa Massa
Luxardo
Limoncello Pallini
Bella Verde
Lemoncello Toschi
Limoncé
Limoncello di Sicilia - Russo
Sorrento Nature
It is interesting that the idea of commercial production of this liqueur easily crossed the ocean and is now developing with great success in the United States. Very similar drinks are also produced in the Republic of Malta and the south of France.
How and with what to drink limoncello
Before serving, following the example of the Italians, the drink should be placed in the freezer for several hours (while from time to time it is worth making sure that it does not freeze). You also need to add elongated glasses, up to 40 ml, which are suitable for this liqueur (in this case, the use of small ceramic cups, beloved by the inhabitants of the Amalfi Coast, will be a special chic).
Most often, chilled liquor in iced glasses is served as a digestif, which is drunk in small sips with exhalation of aromatic vapors through the nose (on the runet, you can find recommendations for drinking a drink before meals, but, in our opinion, given its very significant sweetness, this is not worth doing). In addition, this liqueur goes well with fruit and creamy desserts, as well as with dark chocolate. By the way, many people recommend pouring it over creamy ice cream.
This drink is also good in mixed and cocktail combinations. In the case of mixes, orange juice, vermouth, or champagne will be a suitable pair for it. Among the many suitable cocktails are: "48 drops", "Mandarin Dawn", "Frosty Afternoon" or, as a contrast, white lemon mulled wine.
Update: 12.07.2017
Category: Liqueurs and Tinctures