Ingredients
- 16 Lemons per L (preferably home grown with no wax on the skins)
- 6 700ml Absolut Vodka bottles or a clean alcohol equivalent (to make up 4.2L of Vodka)
- 1250ml water
- 1250g sugar
- Jar sterilizer (hydrogenparoxide)
Equipment
- 12 500ml bottles
- Funnel
- Large spoon or spatula for stirring
- Fine sieve
- Cheese cloth/muslin/linen/coffee filter
- Big stock pot
Method
- Clean lemons thoroughly, but be sure not to wash off all the oils in the skins
- Peel lemons making sure to only get the zest (the yellow bit, not white)
- Place lemon zest in a large airtight glass jar / or container. Pour in all the vodka and stir. Leave in cool dark place shake or stir once a week. Do not open the jar.
- After 2 week start bottling, noting you can leave for longer or shorter amount of time to change the flavour. If in the two weeks you see a clean oil film on the surface don't panic this is oil form lemon skins.
- When ready to bottle sanitise the bottles by boiling in hot water approx 60 degree or until small bubbles are forming or use hydrogenparoxide. Be sure to start the boil with the bottle in the water as sudden changes in temperatures can cause glass to smash. Allow the bottles to mostly dry out before filling.
- While sanitising create your sugar syrup, combine the sugar and water in pot and simmer on low heat until all the sugar is dissolved. Then leave to cool to room temperature (placing it in the fridge or freezer can speed up this process).
- Mix sugar syrup and lemon vodka together sifting the lemon vodka as you go. Taste it! if you prefer a sweeter taste add more sugar syrup.
- Using a funnel and cheese cloth, muslin or coffee filter fill the now bottles. The cloth help filter out any remaining oils in the mixture.
- Seal and store in your fridge or freezer if you intend to keep some in storage for a long time.