a limoncello question - Quixotic, I know

From searching the internet it appears that any question along the lines of

Can anyone recommend a good, not too sweet, brand of limoncello?

Will inevitably receive the following replies -

"Why not just make your own?"
"It's easy (& fun!) to make your own! Simply ..."
"Home made limoncello is the best! First, ..."

Still, who dares wins, so I will just go ahead and ask

Can anyone recommend a good, not too sweet, brand of limoncello?



PS - Because I don't want to, that's why.

They're all sweet. Sugar is an inherent part of the product. If it weren't sweet, it'd be something else, not limoncello. So, if you want one that's less sweet, you can dilute a commercially made one or make it yourself.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:So, if you want one that's less sweet, you can dilute a commercially made one

Something vodka may be good for.

ronnie_suburban wrote:They're all sweet. Sugar is an inherent part of the product.
=R=

Yes. Thank you. I realize that.

Some people would argue that there are degrees of sweetness.

Roger Ramjet wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:They're all sweet. Sugar is an inherent part of the product.
=R=

Yes. Thank you. I realize that.

Some people would argue that there are degrees of sweetness.

Of course but it's unlikely you'll find one that isn't too sweet for you. Basically they come in varying degrees of 'all too sweet' - like trying to find a non-diet cola that's not too sweet. But you can definitely dilute with vodka or water+vodka.

A few years ago Jazzfood taught me how to make a version he learned from a friend of his and we made a point to dial back the sweetness. Using Meyer lemons increased the herbaceousness, which also helped mitigate the sweetness. But in the end, it's a decidedly sweet elixir.

Have you had one you thought wasn't too sweet that you wish you could remember/source or are you just wishing for that unicorn (Quixotic) limoncello?

=R=

I googled "rating limoncellos" and found this page, which has a graph with various limoncello brands plotted against axes of tart-sweet and harsh-smooth. It looks like Sogno di Sorrento, Caravella, Rometti, and Pallini are among the less sweet, in the reviewer's opinion. There's also a link to a review of each brand. I hope this is some help to you. I did not look at the other links that the "rating limoncellos" Google search turned up, but you may find other useful comparisons that way.

ronnie_suburban wrote:Of course but it's unlikely you'll find one that isn't too sweet for you. Basically they come in varying degrees of 'all too sweet' - like trying to find a non-diet cola that's not too sweet. But you can definitely dilute with vodka or water+vodka.

A few years ago Jazzfood taught me how to make a version he learned from a friend of his and we made a point to dial back the sweetness. Using Meyer lemons increased the herbaceousness, which also helped mitigate the sweetness. But in the end, it's a decidedly sweet elixir.

=R=

No doubt, I suppose. I just wanted something that won't make my teeth hurt.

I think it was the post (from a distant galaxy in the internet) that said you could easily make your own limoncello from "lemons and Everclear" that made me lose my temper for the rest of the day. When people ask about different brands of gin, nobody says "It's easy and fun! Just get an old bathtub ..."

Anyhow, I appreciate the reply.

Katie wrote: [url=http://limoncelloquest.com/commercial-limoncello-reviews]

Fantastic! Thank you thank you thank you thank you.



PS - a quote from that site: "One of the biggest surprises was how different all the [brands] were from each other. The colors varied a lot and the flavors varied a lot."

Roger Ramjet wrote:PS - a quote from that site: "One of the biggest surprises was how different all the [brands] were from each other. The colors varied a lot and the flavors varied a lot."

Not surprising that they didn't mention the sweetness varying much.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:

Roger Ramjet wrote:PS - a quote from that site: "One of the biggest surprises was how different all the [brands] were from each other. The colors varied a lot and the flavors varied a lot."

Not surprising that they didn't mention the sweetness varying much.

=R=

Flavor can cover that up though. Tonic water has lots of sugar in it but it doesn't taste sweet. I don't mind the presence of sugar I just don't want that to be all I taste. The less I taste the sugar the less sweet the drink seems, even if it does in fact contain a lot of sugar.


Anyway, I now have my limoncellos to try list for the summer. I'll get back to everyone about this in September!

Roger Ramjet wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:

Roger Ramjet wrote:PS - a quote from that site: "One of the biggest surprises was how different all the [brands] were from each other. The colors varied a lot and the flavors varied a lot."

Not surprising that they didn't mention the sweetness varying much.

=R=

Flavor can cover that up though. Tonic water has lots of sugar in it but it doesn't taste sweet. I don't mind the presence of sugar I just don't want that to be all I taste. The less I taste the sugar the less sweet the drink seems, even if it does in fact contain a lot of sugar.


Anyway, I now have my limoncellos to try list for the summer. I'll get back to everyone about this in September!

I think you'll have fun. I've tried pretty much all of the ones listed at the site and found that a little goes a long way. For my palate, the best use might be as a sweetener in a cocktail. Or as a dessert sipper.

If our paths ever cross, I'll bring you some of the stuff I made with Jazzfood. He really tapped into a great method/recipe. We made plain, clove and cinnamon. All were mighty fine.

=R=

A number of years ago, I got an itch to try some Limoncello, so I went to Tunuta's in Kenosha and asked Ralph if he had any?
Surprisingly he said he didn't and asked why don't I just make some myself. He said that all the older Italians have always made their own!
Anyway, he ordered a case and I purchased a few bottles but the actual brand escapes me.
Just not to my palate!
I'll try to track down a recipe from Ralph.-Dick

Try CelloVia, from out in Wheeling. They have a line of 7-8 limoncellos, their Meyer Limoncello isn't too sweet.