Talk:Limoncello

Untitled
I edited this page in a big way. I added the production process of limoncello, some brands, and a humble section on how limoncello is drank in America. After doing so many shots of it, I figured I should do it a service for once! This was my first article. I am vey open to criticism and advice. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Zimri (talk • contribs) 07:48, 15 November 2005 (UTC)

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This is a nice page, but Limoncello is something you can make in your home. Listing brands of Limoncello is like listing brands of spaghetti sauce. Hmmn... maybe I don't want to post the family recipe after all. :-) Addendum: I do see that mention is made of homemade Limoncello - I have no idea what the reference to "traditional" drinking as opposed to a shot glass refers to.  Also, the reference to "Italian Americans" drinking Limoncello seems both almost racist and colloquial (people don't drink Limoncello in Australia?). — Preceding unsigned comment added by Thomas144 (talk • contribs) 18:22, 30 November 2005 (UTC)

Fermentation?
I don't understand how fermentation can creep into the process. Apparently, 40%(+) alcohol is added to the lemon rinds and sugar from the beginning. There are no yeastie beasties that will grow in this toxic brew (that I know of.) Seems that this is just a variant of a vodka-lemon martini.


 * I was going to ask the same question. But on second thoughts I’ll edit it out as an impossibility. -Ian Spackman 14:43, 26 March 2006 (UTC)

It isn't fermented it uses the process of Tincture to extract the lemon oils out of the rind. This is then mixed with a sugar syurp to take down the proof of the final product.--12.24.196.30 (talk) 22:05, 18 July 2011 (UTC)

More info on production - sugars
I am a little confused by the line:

"Higher quality sugars used in the infusion process create a sweeter liqueur"

I know that different sugars /can/ be used, but what are these sugars and why are they used and what else do they do?

It would be interesting to see more on regionalities. I know that there is a limoncello variant produced in Cinque Terre. And varieties of lemon. The Amalfi lemon is quite distinctive, what other varieties are there and what flavours do they give? 58.107.87.183 02:02, 22 June 2006 (UTC)

On regionalities...I thought that the drink is actually called Limoncino...It's only called limoncello when it's from Naples Lesmith11 (talk) 19:07, 2 February 2009 (UTC)

Percent alcohol
What is the range of percentage of alcohol by volume (ABV) for limoncello? Badagnani 22:59, 22 May 2007 (UTC)

Recipies i've seen/used are equal parts everclear(95% abv) vodka(40%) and water. So I would imagine around 40%? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.24.196.30 (talk) 22:07, 18 July 2011 (UTC)

The production used higher ethanol concentration for example rectified spirit is normally 95% ethanol. The final drink is stated to be have an optimal dilution down to 5% alcohol (according to this article). As the ethanol concentration is different for production and consumption, there are two valid answers. Eframgoldberg (talk) 16:07, 30 December 2016 (UTC)

The logic above is correct, but commercially produced Limoncello is not diluted down to 5%; it has alcohol content consistent with the production method and typical of liqueurs of 30% or more by volume. The value listed in the article (5%) is ridiculous, and the full text of the linked reference is not accessible without a paid membership. The section should be deleted or replaced by valid content, as the current content is misleading and thus far worse than worthless. brian&#124;bp 22:37, 2 January 2017 (UTC)

Cloudiness
My homemade limoncello is clear but the Italian commercially produced kind is cloudy. What produces this cloudiness? Badagnani 06:14, 10 June 2007 (UTC)


 * Cloudy Limoncello is "Crema di Limoncello" which is made with milk.90.193.39.68 (talk) 17:05, 19 March 2008 (UTC)


 * Actually, some commercial varieties are clear. Most Limoncello, as opposed to Limonello or Limonetta etc, I have seen is clear. It is possible that the stuff has gone bad (this happens, believe it or not), or that there are things in it apart from lemon zest. Cloudiness is most likely caused by some sort of suspended solid, maybe pith? Crema di Limoncello is of course quite opaque 58.107.72.85 (talk) 15:34, 28 January 2008 (UTC)


 * I believe cloudiness (or lack there-of) can also be a result of the tempuratures of sugar solution and infused alcohol when mixed. If mixed when the simple syrup is still hot, the result will be clear. Cooling the syrup before mixing results in a cloudy final solution (regardless of suspended solids).  Making a batch to test this out myself. Malbert219 (talk) 20:38, 26 July 2013 (UTC)

The 5 commercially available varieties, produced in Italy, for sale here are slightly cloudy, like lemonade made with real lemons. They are not cream limoncellos. Are some limoncellos made with fruit in addition to lemon zest (yellow outer peel)? One that I tried from southern Italy was mouth-puckeringly tart, something that has never happened with homemade limoncello I've made just with lemon zest. Badagnani (talk) 23:44, 10 June 2008 (UTC)

Variations in the clarity of limoncello can be attributed to many factors not limited to the type of alcohol used (grain alcohol, white whiskey, vodka, etc), percent alcohol by volume, water by volume, type of sugar, sugar by volume, lemons used in infusion, and the filtration process utilized. These factors can create the spectrum of opacity seen in both homemade and commercial products.75.38.218.37 (talk) 21:22, 12 January 2013 (UTC)

On Expiration...
Does anybody know exactly when a fresh batch of limoncello goes bad? I know there are many factors including, light, humidity, temperature etc... also does anybody know how manufacturers extend the shelf life? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Keith aquino (talk • contribs) 05:59, 15 July 2009 (UTC)
 * If the Aclohol content is high enough, it will never go bad. --95.88.156.189 (talk) 11:18, 6 November 2011 (UTC)

ceramics made from limoncello?
What is meant by "small ceramic glasses themselves often of both ceramic and limoncello production"? Surely lemon rinds are not steeped in high-proof alcohol to make shot glasses. I suspect the author meant that the glasses are made locally, in areas where limoncello is popular; or that they are decorated in lemon motifs. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 128.59.123.132 (talk) 17:59, 6 June 2011 (UTC)

Contradiction in page
One section states an optimal 5% ethanol concentration for the final product. The next section states that cream limoncello is made with a lower alcohol concentration of 16%. 10 proof vs 32 proof, one or both claims need to be changed. Eframgoldberg (talk) 16:11, 30 December 2016 (UTC)

It's even worse than described above. While the alcohol content section claims 5% (10 proof), the 16% (32 proof) value is - as explained in the article - lower than normal. Non-cream limoncello is much higher in alcohol - twice as high as even the 16% value in the article. brian&#124;bp 22:41, 2 January 2017 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Brian abp (talk • contribs)

Origin
An origin story was just added to the article, and I have removed it. We can't state any one story as fact if we have multiple competing stories with sources. One of the sources is dead, but I'll try to work on this later today. GA-RT-22 (talk) 13:46, 11 October 2021

Funny phrase
"In northern Italy, the liqueur is often referred to instead as limoncino."

I read this first as "often referred to instead of limoncino" and was wondering what it was referred instead. I think this phrase is not very clear.

Maybe it would be better to write: "In northern Italy, the liqueur is often referred to limoncino instead (of limoncello)."

I'm not English, so this is just a suggestion to remove some ambiguity. 2001:14BA:EE0:5D00:8444:6F5E:4A77:BF9A (talk) 18:26, 9 August 2022 (UTC)


 * That sentence does not appear in the article and there is no source, so I have removed it. GA-RT-22 (talk) 19:07, 9 August 2022 (UTC)

Droplet size
I don't understand this edit: It changes "the presence of small (approximately 100 nanometers) essential oil droplets" to "1 micrometer". But checking the cited source, it says "the presence of spontaneously formed 100 nm-sized droplets" and "in all samples the presence of polydisperse essential oil droplets with an average size of ca. 100 nm is demonstrated." Where did "1 micrometer" come from? GA-RT-22 (talk) 04:57, 6 September 2022 (UTC)