Some things to make in life are just pleasant!

Many recipes call for this pure grain alcohol nearly 100% and there’s no such thing in Oz. So I had to use 40% vodka.
Well let’s see in 3 weeks now it’s done.
I used 9 organic lemons, washed and dried, then peeled thinly trying to avoid the white pith as much as possible.
Love the smell of lemons!
Then 700ml vodka, seal it with tight fitting lid, swish it around. And in the dark walk in pantry it goes.

Hopefully I didn’t muck it up.

Later I do the sugar and water to add.

For now, I have 9 naked lemons… will have to make lemon drink for next few days  :)

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Only way to get the 99% alcohol—home distillation.

Stills are legal or are they? In my shop I had stills on display in my windows. Cops visited twice, once after the break and enter and once to warn me about drug dealers buying gear for making meths. No interest in my stills in either case.

Jovial Monk wrote on Sep 5^th, 2025 at 7:22am:

Only way to get the 99% alcohol—home distillation. Stills are legal or are they? In my shop I had stills on display in my windows. Cops visited twice, once after the break and enter and once to warn me about drug dealers buying gear for making meths. No interest in my stills in either case.

It's very dangerous to use a still as you could get methanol in the mixture which is highly poisonous.

Methanol's boiling point is approximately 64.7 °C, while ethanol's boiling point is about 78.4 °C.

Captain Obvious speaks.

Hey Sophia, I made some limoncello a few years back. My FIL was given 8 litres 96% alcohol by a mate and didn't know what to do with it. Because he is Italian I told him I would make some limoncello with his lemons.

I peeled the lemons (5 per litre from memory)making sure I removed all the pith and added them to the alcohol and put it in the cupboard and left it for six months.

I then added several bottles of vodka and sugar (can't remember how much sugar) and used filtered water to bring it down to 50-60 proof and put it back in the cupboard for another 6 months.

I gave him a bottle after that he he was amazed at how good it was claiming it to the best he had ever drank. I gave him a few more bottles and he loved using it at meals telling everyone how it was his lemons. The limoncello lasted us about 3 years and I got plenty of requests for more.

Only last year I bought a still of a mate and mode my own alcohol and have infused orange peel from my trees, It 180 proof but the orange flavor is intense. I'm leaving it for 6-8 months and I will look to add some flavor like strawberry and bring the proof down to about 70.

Leroy wrote on Sep 5^th, 2025 at 11:56am:

Hey Sophia, I made some limoncello a few years back. My FIL was given 8 litres 96% alcohol by a mate and didn't know what to do with it. Because he is Italian I told him I would make some limoncello with his lemons. I peeled the lemons (5 per litre from memory)making sure I removed all the pith and added them to the alcohol and put it in the cupboard and left it for six months. I then added several bottles of vodka and sugar (can't remember how much sugar) and used filtered water to bring it down to 50-60 proof and put it back in the cupboard for another 6 months. I gave him a bottle after that he he was amazed at how good it was claiming it to the best he had ever drank. I gave him a few more bottles and he loved using it at meals telling everyone how it was his lemons. The limoncello lasted us about 3 years and I got plenty of requests for more. Only last year I bought a still of a mate and mode my own alcohol and have infused orange peel from my trees, It 180 proof but the orange flavor is intense. I'm leaving it for 6-8 months and I will look to add some flavor like strawberry and bring the proof down to about 70.

OMG Leroy! Where do you live!  ;D I want some of that 96% alcohol!!! Are you in Oz or overseas?
But since I only have a 40% vodka I’m hoping it will be good. I love limoncello!

It’s the only alcohol I can drink without any affect as any other alcohol after just one glass makes me feel like I’m in the twilight zone!
Anyhow in 3 weeks I will see how the vodka with peels are going to taste once I put the sugar/water in.
At least my lemons are organic from my own lemon tree.

What did you and fil do with peeled lemons after?

Sophia wrote on Sep 5^th, 2025 at 12:08pm:

Leroy wrote on Sep 5th, 2025 at 11:56am: Hey Sophia, I made some limoncello a few years back. My FIL was given 8 litres 96% alcohol by a mate and didn't know what to do with it. Because he is Italian I told him I would make some limoncello with his lemons. I peeled the lemons (5 per litre from memory)making sure I removed all the pith and added them to the alcohol and put it in the cupboard and left it for six months. I then added several bottles of vodka and sugar (can't remember how much sugar) and used filtered water to bring it down to 50-60 proof and put it back in the cupboard for another 6 months. I gave him a bottle after that he he was amazed at how good it was claiming it to the best he had ever drank. I gave him a few more bottles and he loved using it at meals telling everyone how it was his lemons. The limoncello lasted us about 3 years and I got plenty of requests for more. Only last year I bought a still of a mate and mode my own alcohol and have infused orange peel from my trees, It 180 proof but the orange flavor is intense. I'm leaving it for 6-8 months and I will look to add some flavor like strawberry and bring the proof down to about 70. OMG Leroy! Where do you live!  ;D I want some of that 96% alcohol!!! Are you in Oz or overseas? But since I only have a 40% vodka I’m hoping it will be good. I love limoncello! It’s the only alcohol I can drink without any affect as any other alcohol after just one glass makes me feel like I’m in the twilight zone! Anyhow in 3 weeks I will see how the vodka with peels are going to taste once I put the sugar/water in. At least my lemons are organic from my own lemon tree. What did you and fil do with peeled lemons after?

Make another batch but leave that batch in a dark cupboard until next year, believe me you will taste the difference, so much smoother.

Just disposed of the peeled lemons, we have an abundance of citrus fruit, I have two lemon trees (eureka and lemonade)  three orange trees (navel, velencia and blood) and he has about seven orange and three lemon trees.

Sophia wrote on Sep 5^th, 2025 at 12:08pm:

Leroy wrote on Sep 5th, 2025 at 11:56am: Hey Sophia, I made some limoncello a few years back. My FIL was given 8 litres 96% alcohol by a mate and didn't know what to do with it. Because he is Italian I told him I would make some limoncello with his lemons. I peeled the lemons (5 per litre from memory)making sure I removed all the pith and added them to the alcohol and put it in the cupboard and left it for six months. I then added several bottles of vodka and sugar (can't remember how much sugar) and used filtered water to bring it down to 50-60 proof and put it back in the cupboard for another 6 months. I gave him a bottle after that he he was amazed at how good it was claiming it to the best he had ever drank. I gave him a few more bottles and he loved using it at meals telling everyone how it was his lemons. The limoncello lasted us about 3 years and I got plenty of requests for more. Only last year I bought a still of a mate and mode my own alcohol and have infused orange peel from my trees, It 180 proof but the orange flavor is intense. I'm leaving it for 6-8 months and I will look to add some flavor like strawberry and bring the proof down to about 70. OMG Leroy! Where do you live!  ;D I want some of that 96% alcohol!!! Are you in Oz or overseas? But since I only have a 40% vodka I’m hoping it will be good. I love limoncello! It’s the only alcohol I can drink without any affect as any other alcohol after just one glass makes me feel like I’m in the twilight zone! Anyhow in 3 weeks I will see how the vodka with peels are going to taste once I put the sugar/water in. At least my lemons are organic from my own lemon tree. What did you and fil do with peeled lemons after?

Explore Pure Alcohol for Cocktails and Limoncello

Aaahh good stuff Set! I will most definitely look into that  :)