Took my picture sideways, oops.

This is from ~10 lemons. I also juiced them and got about 3/4 bottle full of juice. I froze it, I'll use it to make my simple syrup later.

Sniper Wolf, I am fairly sure that limoncello is an emulsion. I know I've written a lot here, but I felt it needed explanation. (I'm self-taught and probably somewhat ignorant, so if I'm way off about any of this, please let me know)

In limoncello we have a liquid with low surface tension (the alcohol), and we are adding to it another liquid with very high surface tension (simple syrup). While separated, both are relatively clear liquids, but once the 'high-ST liquid' is added to the 'low-ST liquid', they become cloudy. The cloudiness is just miniscule droplets of simple syrup suspended in the alcohol. So, even though we have mixed the two liquids together, they are still divided none-the-less.

Now, before anyone starts screaming about the solubility of simple syrup in alcohol, there is a catch at play here: the flavorful oils from the lemon zest are far more soluble in alcohol than water.
Because the alcohol has now dissolved these oils, it has trouble trying to absorb the water in the simple syrup. Thus, an emulsion is borne from two liquids that shouldn't emulsify.

This is similar to pastis, the southern europe drink:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pernod_Ricard

Now, I don't know what specific oils are leached from the lemon zest to the alcohol, but I assume that lemon zest allows the cloudiness to occur at a much higher percentage of alcohol than the aniseed allows in the example above.

In limoncello, the simple syrup likely needs to be slowly poured into the alcohol, as is commonly done with absinthe. With absinthe this is done at the table, and not during the production of the beverage. Absinthe is a great example, because it is turned to an emulsion using only a slow drip of pure water––nothing else. Because our simple syrup has a higher surface tension, we likely get away with pouring a lot faster than the "drip every 3 seconds" or whatever required by absinthe connoisseurs.


So, to get to the point here...your lemon juice idea may or may not work. It could be absolutely incredible, or it might upset the delicate balancing act that is this limoncello, as we know it and love it.



An emulsion can be successfully created, but later it can re-separate. Vibration, extreme temperatures, byproducts of decompostion, centrifugal forces, or inaccurate proportions of ingredients can cause emulsions to break. I have a hunch that a failure to use enough lemon zest, or not letting it soak long enough, could cause the emulsion to break, like mentioned in the article, or possibly even keep it from forming at all. Same goes for the simple syrup. Too little surface tension, and it might not work out. I don't know if the surface tension of lemon juice, at its maximum level of sugar absorption will be high enough. I honestly don't know. Maybe try it on a small portion and see? I'd be interested to find out! I would hate for a whole batch to be put to risk if the chemistry doesn't want to jive

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microemulsion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouzo_effect


I was about to hit the submit button, but... a possible reason, or maybe one of multiple reasons, why limoncello likes to age during the first few weeks/months is because of sugar molecules being exchanged from the water to the alcohol through the syrup/alcohol interfaces.

Also, an interesting idea may be to spread some of your sugar out in a baking dish, and peel your zest over the sugar you'll be later using for the simple syrup. Peeling lemon zest creates a ton of overspray that falls to the surface below it. Just stir the sugar occasionally so the pieces on the surface don't get deluged in moisture and form a crust. The proper way to make a mojito in italy is to allow the sugar to absorb the mint and the lime oils/juices before adding the alcohol, because the fusion with the sugar itself is somehow better-flavored.

TMH, forgive me if I am not reading you correctly:

Are you asserting that since I may not be able to keep enough sugar in solution, my limoncello may form a solution instead of an emulsion?

I'm not sure that I'd be opposed to that, but I've only had limoncello once. Is the emulsion necessary to create the desired texture?

I got no problem being a guinea pig.

I'll report back how it goes. Could you proofread my plans, mostly to check the amounts of sugar I'm using?

I plan to dissolve 2 cu. sugar into the lemon juice in a sauce pan on low. If it won't all dissolve, that's fine, I'll still put it in and hope that the ethanol will dissolve it.

This will net me a little under 2x 750 mL bottles @ ~45% ABV. I imagine at this point that it'll taste a little too alcoholic and sour.

Then I'll take a S.W.A.G. as to how much more water and sugar are needed (I'm guessing another cup of water and cup of sugar....), dissolve in sauce pan, mix, and repeat if necessary.

What do you think?

Thanks for the reply. I planned to use a coffee filter (I think ~15-20 micron).

Can you explain the mechanism of the particles in the solution? How do they make the emulsion go into a solution?

Also, are you saying if I succeed in getting an emulsion, I must necessarily make simple syrup?

"Can you explain the mechanism of the particles in the solution?"
I'm not sure what your asking, and I have a feeling that it might be beyond the scope of my understanding.

"How do they make the emulsion go into a solution?"
I'm also confused at what is being asked here.


"Also, are you saying if I succeed in getting an emulsion, I must necessarily make simple syrup?"
No. With traditional limoncello, you should be able to dilute with as much water as you want, I'd think. If you succeed in creating an emulsion with your lemon juice, you could probably dilute with water, too. As for adding sugar, it probably won't hurt anything, as long as the stirring necessary for dissolving that sugar doesn't break your emulsion.

You must make simple syrup, or another liquid that has a high surface tension coupled with an inability to mix with the dissolved oils from the lemon zest, in order to make the emulsion in the first place.

Thanks for your patience. You seem to be implying that with particles in the mixture, I will get a solution instead of an emulsion.

And that, on the other hand, if I filter the lemon juice with a 3 micron filter I should get an emulsion.

So, I am inferring that the presence of the particles larger than 3 microns causes the mixture to be a solution instead of an emulsion.

Is that what you meant?

Sniper_Wolfe,

Here's where I wish I would have saved a webpage I stumbled across last saturday.... It was an abstract from a study done by researcher in Italy (Bologna, I think), and in it was mentioned that the suspended simple syrup was dispersed in droplets approximately 3 microns in size. My thinking is that if there are particles larger than that incorporated in the syrup, then they will start to group with other droplets, breaking the emulsion.


"You seem to be implying that with particles in the mixture, I will get a solution instead of an emulsion"
Yes. Particles will likely make it harder for the emulsion to be created and/or remain stable. However, this is my hypothesis; its an experiment!

"If I filter the lemon juice with a 3 micron filter I should get an emulsion"
Maybe. That's the largest particle that could fit into a droplet that is 3 micron in diameter. It may destabilize the emulsion none-the-less. I imagine that any particles suspended in the syrup (which is suspended in the alcohol as droplets), would need to be small enough that they don't pop the bubbles from the inside (literally).
According to my logic, which is bound to have its flaws, a 3 micron filter is the largest size that would leave the possibility of making the emulsion. Particles smaller than 3 microns may or may not destabilize the emulsion. The smaller the particles, the less risk they pose to the emulsion. This is all assuming that the assumptions held in the study I mentioned above, hold true in your experiment

"The presence of the particles larger than 3 microns causes the mixture to be a solution instead of an emulsion"
Probably, yes. It could possibly cause the emulsion to be unstable and eventually break, or prevent it from occuring at all. On the other hand it could work! Its an experiment!

Ok, I will report back after I make my limoncello.

For now it sits on the shelf.

Haha, you could always squeeze the juice out of the oranges.. I love my oranagecello..

Enjoy,
Joe

Haha..

I was thinking about trying that next month. I'll report back once I try it.

I used a cheese cloth, and it turned out pretty well..

I use a fine colander to strain mine out at the end. I just made a batch of Ruby Red Grapefruit / Tangerine and if the syrup is any indication it will be awesome. Did 1 cup of ruby red grapefruit juice and 1/2 cup of Minneola Tangerine juice into 3 cups of sugar into simple syrup that with the rinds of 4 tangerines and a grapefruit into a bottle with everclear to steep. Should be good, will post an AAR next month when it is done.