Day 1

• Rinse and dry the lemons. Peel or grate the skin, carefully. We only want the yellow parts, the white is bitter.
  15 lemons
  
• Place the lemon peel into your preserving jar.
  
• Top with the alcohol, cover, and keep in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks. Stir every 4-5 days.
  1 L grain alcohol, Everclear, 75.5% (150 proof)
  

Day 15 (Week 3)

• At the end of 2 weeks, make a simple syrup with our water and sugar, by simmering them together in a saucepan for 2 minutes.
  800 ml water, 400 g sugar
  
• Cool completely, then add to the lemon peel mix. Stir well.
  
• Cover, and return to the cool, dark place, this time for a minimum of 4 more weeks, but ideally, 10 more weeks, so that your grain alcohol can mellow out, and so you'll have a smoother drink.
  

If you are making your limoncello with no water, that is, with 37% or even 40% vodka, just add the sugar now, along with the lemon zest/peel. NO WATER NECESSARY.

Straining the Limoncello (minimum 1 month. 3 months is good)

• Strain through a fine mesh sieve into your bottles. For a crystal clear drink, strain through a coffee filter (which takes forever), or line your sieve with a double layer of muslin or cheesecloth.
  
• Place the bottles in the freezer and serve in ice cold shot glasses for the best experience.
  

If you are making this with good quality vodka, your limoncello will be very drinkable at 1 month, and great at 2.

Fancy a Limoncello Margarita?

• Click here for the Recipe.