Lemon Wine - J69 recipe

[Jonny69]

I made this back in February 2011 when we scored a lot of lemons from the market and I put a few bottles away for a rainy day. I opened one last week for some unknown reason and it has aged very well, so I thought I'd share the recipe. My intention was to make something like a cloudy alcoholic lemonade and I envisaged it coming out something like the old Hooch alcoholic lemonade that you used to get in the pub in the mid 90's. The finished drink is closer to a limoncello in taste but with a wine alcoholic strength. It is very refreshing indeed, especially poured over ice on a nice warm evening. I've also enjoyed it with a dash of single malt and as a hot toddy.

Recipe:
Juice of 15 lemons
1kg white sugar
1 tsp each of yeast and nutrient
Boiled and cooled water to one gallon

Dissolve the sugar in about 2 litres of the water, add the lemon juice (don't worry about the bits), add the yeast and nutrient and top up with water once the brew has calmed down. Have a taste as you go and if you don't want it quite as lemony, then reduce the number of lemons to 10 or 12. It takes quite a long time to brew, I think because of the acidity, but let it go all the way to dry and then rack. It will not go crystal clear unless you add pectolase, because of the lemon juice. If you want it fizzy, then prime the bottles as you would do with beer and let it ferment again in strong bottles.

I shall add a picture of a glass later :thumb:

 

[oldbloke]

I like the sound of this, and so does t'missus, so I'll be looking for cheap lemons soonish!

 

[Ajt125]

I managed to get 8 lemons for £2.40 so it's easy to get cheap lemons.. I based my lemon cider on this recipe - 8 lemons into 4 litres of apple juice :)

I may try a lemon wine though with some ginger and maybe replace some of the water with white grape juice :)

Ant.