Don't Throw Out Yuzu Peels – Make An Italian-Inspired Liquor Instead

Limoncello, a lemon-flavored Italian liqueur, is a favorite summertime drink due to its bright, sunshiny color and a flavor reminiscent of grown-up lemonade. It's a fairly simple drink to make at home, but you can change up the recipe to make similarly citrusy liqueurs using other types of fruit. Chris Tunstall, co-founder of online bar supply retailer A Bar Above, suggests making an Asian version of the liqueur using yuzu.

"Yuzu is like a more acidic grapefruit, exhibiting that grapefruit sweetness and flavor but with a more pungent contrast of sour," Tunstall told The Takeout. "It's more floral, more aromatic, and has a bitter pithiness that adds complexity." In other words, if you swap out the lemons in limoncello for this delicious fruit, the result will be a drink with a more interesting flavor. "Where lemon punches you with citrus, yuzu seduces with nuance," he said. "Yuzucello leans more complex and lighter."

There are only three ingredients needed to make yuzucello: yuzu peels, sugar, and a neutral clear spirit. Tunstall suggests using 120-proof grain alcohol, but unflavored vodka will work for a lower-ABV liqueur. The first step involves peeling the yuzu while making sure to avoid the white pith since the zest is all that's required for this recipe. You'll then let the zest steep in the alcohol for 10 to 14 days. Tunstall calls this length of time the sweet spot. "You need time for the oils to fully infuse without the peels turning bitter or vegetal. After two weeks, the yuzu's essential oils have done their magic. Any longer and you're drinking citrus regret."

While the yuzu peel is soaking, combine sugar with water in a 3:1 ratio to make an extra-rich simple syrup. Once it's done soaking, strain the spirits (saving the peels and slicing them thin for garnishes) and sweeten the liquid to taste. "You want to find that balance of sweet and tart, but you don't want the alcohol to overtake it all," Tunstall said. Once it tastes right to you, refrigerate it and let it rest for at least four hours before drinking so the flavors can blend.

Store-bought limoncello won't go bad until it's unopened. After that, it will last for six months in the fridge. With homemade limoncello, you should plan on drinking it within a month or freezing it for longer storage.

The right way to drink limoncello is the same as it will be for yuzucello. "Chilled and neat is the classic move," said Tunstall. You can use it in any cocktail recipes that call for limoncello (such as a limoncello spritz or limoncello lemon drop martini) or add it to a pitcher of sangria for some extra tang and booze. Tunstall also suggests serving it "splashed over shaved ice if you're feeling bougie-Japanese summer."

Yuzucello could also work as a lemon juice substitute, but this doesn't come without its own warnings. "In cocktails, it's an enhancement, not a direct substitute for any of the other ingredients." It won't be as sweet as sugar nor as sour as lemon juice, but somewhere in the middle since it's made with both ingredients (plus booze). "To maintain a perfect balance, always include a touch of the pure sour and the sweet; do it to your liking, but trust it."