How to Make Homemade Limoncello with Everclear

Make delicious homemade limoncello with Everclear grain alcohol and my step-by-step recipe!  With just four simple ingredients and time, you can savor the zesty flavor of this classic Italian liqueur. It’s easy and I’ll show you how with this tutorial. 

I have a few great Limoncello cocktails so, do check them out before leaving.

What is Limoncello?

Limoncello is the traditional lemon liqueur of Southern Italy, specifically the coast near Naples, which is one hour from where my parents were born. It’s made by extracting the yellow lemon oil from the zest using high proof alcohol and sweetening it with simple syrup, which is sugar water.

When I visit my Italian first cousins, they always have a batch of homemade limoncello to share with me. 

The beautiful Amalfi coast has majestic views with the bluest water and brightly colored lemons that line the coast, soaking up the sunshine and ripening to perfection!

The first time I visited the Amalfi Coast, it was impossible not to notice the lemon trees filled with large, brightly colored lemons. They were huge and perfect for making limoncello! It was inevitable that limoncello would be invented in this region. 

The server brought us limoncello after our dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in Positano. Sometimes, it’s complimentary!

With grain alcohol, fresh lemons, sugar, water, and time you can make your own delicious homemade limoncello! Use the lemon juice to make lemonade or lemon juice for cooking. You can freeze it in ice cube trays for up to four months.

Plus, you can make other delicious cocktails with your homemade limoncello! Make a tasty Limoncello Mojito or Limoncello Moscow Mules with it. I’ve listed more Limoncello cocktail recipes below.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links which means, if you make a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission but, the price you pay is the same.

What is Everclear Alcohol?

Everclear is a 190 proof, high quality, grain alcohol made in the USA with 100% American corn. Because it’s odorless, flavorless and colorless, it’s perfect for extracting and infusing flavors.

How to Make Homemade Limoncello with Everclear

First, be sure to read the detailed instructions in the recipe card thoroughly before starting the process and again when you’re ready to bottle it weeks later.

Also, be sure to mark your calendar when you started so you know how long it’s been sitting and when you can finish it. You think you’ll remember and then you may forget.

Note that you can use a midgrade vodka instead of grain alcohol. You don’t need to use top shelf vodka to render suitable results. However, the higher the proof alcohol, the more flavor is extracted from the lemon zest.

The zest should be submerged in the alcohol and will keep mold from growing. The alcohol extracts the oil and flavor from the lemon zest.

Peeling the Lemons

Some lemons are easier than others to peel.  I’ve found that lemons with more pith (the white part of the peel) have a zest that’s easier to remove without any of the pith coming off. These lemons are bulkier without a smoother skin.

Lemons that have less pith between the lemon flesh and lemon zest, seem to be harder to peel removing only the zest. Therefore, it will take longer to remove the zest only from the lemon peels.

Use a sharp potato peeler to peel the lemons and have a sharp paring knife or similar to remove the the pith if it comes off while your peeling off the zest. 

Equipment

• potato peeler– use a potato peeler with a sharp blade or a new potato peeler to remove lemon zest.
• sharp paring knife or sharp knife to remove white pith from zest or limoncello will be bitter.
• One 3 liter glass jar with tight fitting lid  (a 32 oz jar will suffice until ready to transfer to a larger glass jar or pitcher) 
• clean bottles for storage or gifting
• stovetop
• mesh strainer

NOTE: If you put the zest and alcohol in a 3 liter glass jar first, then in a few weeks, you can just add the simple syrup to it without having to transfer it to a bigger glass container.

Ingredients

*The full, printable recipe is in the recipe card below.

• Everclear 190 proof grain alcohol
• fresh whole lemons
• sugar
• water

Summary Instructions

*The full, printable instructions are in the recipe card below.

1. First, pour the grain alcohol into the clean glass jar (32 oz or larger.)
2. Next, peel the zest (only yellow part with no bitter white pith) off all of the lemons and drop the zest only into the jars. Be sure to remove the pith with a sharp knife or paring knife after you’ve used the potato peeler. If you don’t remove the white pith, your limoncello will come out bitter! See images below- first one without pith and second one with pith that must be removed.)
   

Then, put the lid on the jar and store it in a cool, dark place, such as a pantry, for three-four weeks. Mark your calendar! The photo below is what it looks like at the 3 1/2 week mark. 

Next, at the 3-4 week mark, make the simple syrup: add sugar and water to a small saucepan on medium heat and stir until dissolved. Let cool and get to room temperature.

Then, add the cooled simple syrup (add as much as of it to your liking; start with 2 cups and keep adding 1/2 cup until it reaches your desired sweetness) to the yellow alcohol (with the lemon zest still in it) and let it sit overnight. Reserve the simple syrup until the next day in case you don’t think you’ve added enough. I added a total of 3 1/4 cups. The sugar balances out the alcohol taste therefore, you’ll taste a bit less of the alcohol the more sugar you add. It’s up to you to find the best balance.

Next, using a strainer, strain the zest from the lemon-flavored, yellow alcohol and sugar mixture. Now, it’s ready to be bottled. At this point, if you don’t think you added enough simple syrup, you can still add more.

Then, use a funnel to get the Limoncello into the bottles. Be sure your bottles are glass and clean.

Last, store the bottles of limoncello in the freezer so it stays as cold as possible. Because it has alcohol in it, it will not freeze. Very cold is the best way to serve it.

How to Make Limoncello Not Bitter

You MUST remove the pith (the white part) from the lemon zest. It can be difficult to remove the yellow zest without getting any of the white part which is called the “pith”. The pith is bitter and if you include enough of it in your recipe, it will make you’re limoncello bitter.

Unfortunately, my first batch came out bitter for this very reason. However, I learned that I didn’t take enough of the pith off.

Also, I kept the bottles in my freezer for about a month and tasted tested them again to find that the bitterness had diminished or at least enough to enjoy drinking it. 

Therefore, if your limoncello turns out a bit bitter, try storing it in your freezer for a few weeks and taste test it before tossing it!

Conclusion

Making your own delicious limoncello is easy. With some time and patience, you can bring a taste of southern Italy into your home and enjoy it with your friends and family.

Drink it as a refreshing after dinner cordial or make cocktails with it. Serve it in cute lemon painted Italian ceramic shot glasses!

See my list of limoncello cocktail recipes below.

Limoncello Cocktails

Best Limoncello Cocktail Recipes

Limoncello Mojito

Limoncello Moscow Mule Cocktails

Easy Limoncello Spritz Cocktail

Limoncello Elderflower Champagne Cocktail

Best Limoncello Vodka Lemon Drop Martini Cocktail