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Lemoncello Alc % question

PostPosted: Sat Mar 18, 2017 4:07 pm
by shortybronx88
Hello all,

I have had close to 10L of 94% sitting in lemon peel for about a month. No sugar.

I just did a reading and its siting at 82%. I know sugar puts these readings off. Do the skin have oils and what not that would put the % off, or is that the actual percentage (eg, drawing moisture from the skin)

How could I tell? Could I distil some small scale and work out some maths?

Thanks

Re: Lemoncello Alc % question

PostPosted: Sat Mar 18, 2017 4:10 pm
by rumdidlydum
I would say that's the actual %. There may have been some airing which is why the alc %has dropped :think:

Re: Lemoncello Alc % question

PostPosted: Sat Mar 18, 2017 4:28 pm
by shortybronx88
Hi

% was done after airing. It was stored in a big glass jar, with the lid on, so not sure how that much would evaporate when closed.

Hence the confusion

Re: Lemoncello Alc % question

PostPosted: Sat Mar 18, 2017 6:41 pm
by Doubleuj
I think, if you've lost 12% then you'd also have lost a lot of volume, my maths says around 1.4L loss.
Is your volume the same or dramatically less?

10L x 94%, watered down to 82% you'd need to add 1.46L. Rough maths only I know but still, shows the theory

Re: Lemoncello Alc % question

PostPosted: Sat Mar 18, 2017 8:01 pm
by shortybronx88
About the same in volume. Lost a little as filtering off cost a little, but not that much.

Yer, just a little confused.

Re: Lemoncello Alc % question

PostPosted: Sat Mar 18, 2017 8:14 pm
by Doubleuj
I'd say then that as you've introduced an unfermentable it will affect how the alcometer works and you are getting a false reading. Even lemon peel must have some sugar :think:
If you're original abv was temp corrected and recorded correctly I'd say you still have an approx 94%.
Maybe take some and water it down to 40% using the calculator based on it being 94%. If it tastes like a 40% vodka then it was 94%, if it tastes like watered down vodka, then it was 82%.

Re: Lemoncello Alc % question

PostPosted: Sat Mar 18, 2017 8:20 pm
by shortybronx88
Yep. I guess thats the plan. Thanks for that. I assume the oils from the peel changed the density of the alcohol, putting the measurement off.

It would be handy to be able to test the ABV in a sweetened product. Not sure how would would go about this anyways. Just curious.

Re: Lemoncello Alc % question

PostPosted: Thu Mar 29, 2018 8:24 am
by Onlyalittlebitdodge
I now calculate %ABV based on the % of the initial neutral as I reckon the oils put the SG out. To back my reasoning I offer that I've made quite a lot of limoncello, being what led me down the brewing rabbit hole, and made myself the guineapig. While this method is very rough and lacking in scientific rigour there is something satisfying in suffering for your art... try making two batches - 1 at the ABV based on the initial % (94%) and calculated from there on, and another batch with the ABV measured after the soaking (82%) and calculated form there on. You should notice the difference

Re: Lemoncello Alc % question

PostPosted: Sat Mar 31, 2018 9:40 pm
by piskie
I had a very similar thing happen, put 2 lts of 92 % neutral on lemon skins left. I let that macerate for a month and checked the % again before adding the sugar water. the % was now 80.. i am also guessing that the oils put of the reading or that the skins absorb some of the alc..
my 2c

Re: Lemoncello Alc % question

PostPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2018 7:11 pm
by Otago Elvis
The lemon peel will affect your ability to accurately check abv percentage. The peel absorbs the spirit, releasing oils. I wouldn't think that your % would change dramatically. No more than a percentage point or two.This is my experience.
More concerning is how long your leaving your peel on the spirit? Once the peels are opaque, white and brittle, you have extracted all the flavour. This can take as little as 3 days when the abv is 90% plus. Leaving your spirit on spent peel will only increase bitterness.
:twocents-mytwocents:

Re: Lemoncello Alc % question

PostPosted: Sun Aug 02, 2020 6:25 pm
by Chriss
We found even though the lemon peal is brittle and white and we strained the tincture out for the next step. The peels do hold some alcohol.

To test this, ignite a peal or two and they should burn for forty to fifty seconds with the citric acid firing out at random intervals. I think it is like the days when we had tom thumbs. But sadder. Do indeed think of fire safety (thanks government training) otherwise yeah the spitting on fire acid would ignite plastic clothes. Sad home made lemoncello fireworks, wear PPE and all that.

Thus we are thinking of using them for camp fire starters. Or pressing them beyond any recognition to extract the last millilitres of juice.