So, you bought a bottle of Banks & Solander Limoncello or Limecello and over time you notice murky or cloudy particulates clumping together in the liquid. “Oh no! I’ve received a contaminated batch!” you gasp and immediately go to throw it away or write to us in a panic. However, you don’t need to be alarmed. The batch has not been contaminated, algae is not growing in your bottle, and you don’t need to worry about being poisoned by this. What you are seeing is a phenomenon called Flocculation.
Flocculation refers to the formation of clumpy, cloudy particles which can be suspended in liquid, float to the top, or sink to the bottom of the bottle. This results in your once uniform cello getting a murky, turbid appearance. While this looks concerning, flocking is a natural process that doesn’t affect the quality or taste of your cello.
But why does this happen? There are several factors that contribute to the flocculation of limoncello.
1. Acidic Reaction: At Banks & Solander, we add the lemon/lime juice to our cellos (most cello producers do not as it is not traditional) because we like to use the whole fruit and enjoy the sourness it adds to our final product. Lemon juice is highly acidic. When mixed with the base alcohol, this acidity can cause essential oils and other compounds, such as pectin, from the lemon zest to precipitate out of the solution, resulting in cloudiness or particulates.
2. Oil Precipitation: The essential oils extracted from lemon/lime zest and lemon myrtle (again something we add but is not common) are soluble in alcohol but not water. Overtime, these oils can separate out, especially if the cello has been stored at varying temperatures, forming visible particles/clumps. Essential oils from citrus peels are less dense than alcohol and water which means when they fall out of suspension, they tend to rise to the top.
3. Aggregation: As the oils precipitate out of the solution, they can aggregate or clump together. This makes the oils/particles more visible and cause them to float.
4. Pectin Content: Lemon/Lime juice contains a lot of pectin, a natural thickening agent. Pectin is soluble in water but can become insoluble when alcohol is added. When pectin is present in a high-alcohol environment (such as during the zest infusion), it can clump together and form a cloudy, chunky appearance.
5. Filtration: Depending on what type of filtration is used during the production process can result in small particles being left behind which will floc together overtime. While our cellos are filtered at every step of the process, we do not use charcoal or chill filtration (which would remove almost all the particles) as we discovered that it removes too much flavour for our liking.
6. Natural Aging: As your cello ages, natural changes in the liquid can cause particles/clumps to form. This is a natural part of the maturation process and doesn’t indicate spoilage or reduced quality.
But why does this happen to my Banks & Solander Limoncello/Limecello but not some other brands? Again, because we use the juice in our product which is high in pectin and most other brands do not. We do not use chill or charcoal filtration, fining agents, or emulsifiers which can help to keep oils in suspension as we find it alters the flavour profile too much for our liking. We also do not add any colouring agents to our products either. And as for why the Limecello’s flocc looks green and the Limoncello’s flocc is more yellow/pale, that is simply because limes are green and lemons are yellow.
Now that you know what is causing the flocculation in your bottle, you can feel more relaxed and safe to enjoy your bottle. Flocculation does not affect the flavour or safety of the drink. If you prefer a uniform look to your cello before drinking, all you need to do is give the bottle a good shake before pouring. This simple step will redistribute the particles, temporarily clearing up the liquid and giving it a more even appearance. Flocculation is a natural part of an authentic limoncello experience, especially when using fresh, high-quality ingredients like the juice, zest, and lemon myrtle like we do at Banks & Solander Distillery. So always remember to shake your bottle before serving and enjoy the bright, zesty flavours of a Banks & Solander cello!