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Thanks in advance for your help.

I like making a lot of sours based cocktails, but don't do so often enough to keep fresh juice on hand/don't like powdered sour mix.

I thought I would try making a sour limoncello and limecello in order to substitute (yes, it will change the cocktails it is used in but I can compensate), via the following process (I know this isn't real limoncello, but closest equivalent I could describe it as):

  • I extracted the zest of ~3lbs each of lemons and limes in half a bottle of 190 proof everclear, and then squeezed the juice and froze it.
    • I let the zest extract for a week, and freeze distilled the juice down to ~200ml each for the lemons and lime.
    • I mixed simple syrup (~200 ml), distilled juice (~200ml) and extracted zest/everclear (~350ml).

This formed a weird colloid (picture attached). enter image description here

Does anybody know why this would form and how one would get this to a consistent liquid? I was thinking of trying trisodium citrate in case it is a juice protein solubility issue, but trisodium citrate isn't soluble in pure alcohol, so may not help...

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

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    You might need to ask this on the Chemistry SE site.
    – Eric S
    Dec 5, 2018 at 17:30

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The good news is that you can find an answer here, the bad news it is not in English.

Briefly, it doesn't say how to remove opacity now that you have it, but it gives explanation on not having it in your next try (basically, opacity depends on microemulsions in 190 proof everclear: if you use everclear mixed with water and sugar, and it is lightly heated, opacity will not appear).

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  • Thanks so much! I am going to try using the sodium tricitrate to break up the emulsion - will comment to say what happens. But also will keep in mind lightly heating for next time. All the combination of liquids occurred at cold temps, so good to know for next time.
    – hebratietrystur
    Dec 6, 2018 at 15:00
  • Please note that the secret is not (only) about heating. It is (also) about wrongly using everclear with so much proof (190!) for so much time (one week!). Doses are: zest 40 grams, 190 proof 80, water 120, sugar 50. Extraction: four days only.
    – user3664452
    Dec 6, 2018 at 16:44

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