Lemon Gin Recipe.
Comments(28) 
I went to New Zealand for the first time over 30 years ago and Lemon Gin was the pre dinner tipple in one of the houses that we visited. It came in gallon jars and was served neat in small tumblers. This was the first time I’d seen anyone pouring out drinks from such a large container. In this particular house the lemon gin jar doubled as a doorstop in the kitchen during the day.
I forgot all about lemon gin until my sister and I got into making sloe gin. We had made a heady investment of a case of gin and, after picking a vast sack full of sloes in freezing cold winds, decided to find another use for the remaining bottles. My sister found an old recipe for lemon gin; this stated that it would take three years to mature. I must admit I wasn’t keen on waiting three years.
My sister persuaded me to experiment. I did, after all, have five litres of sloe gin to see me through the long gap. I also liked the idea of travelling with a bottle of lemon gin in the boot of my car for three years (see method below).
We made a bottle each and, after a few months of rolling about in the boot of my car, I moved my bottle to the cottage larder where it slipped behind an old mixer and was forgotten. Four years later it was discovered and retrieved by a tall boyfriend who spent a lot of time in the larder as this was one of the few places that he could stand up in the cottage. The lemon peel had totally vanished. The liqueur was unbelievably good. A Dom Pérignon leap from the NZ brew. I hate to admit it but this is better than sloe gin and at least one notch up from our raspberry gin.
When Danny arrived the remains of the lemon gin had been buried again. A couple of years ago he unearthed and secretly sampled it (this was an eleven year old vintage). He rushed upstairs, woke me up and insisted that lemon gin must be made every year from now on, in vast quantities.
If you are patient, have a surfeit of gin or want to produce something exceptional for best friends that drop by, try this recipe. It’s well worth the wait.
Lemon Gin Recipe
Ingredients:
- I litre bottle of medium quality gin
- 200 g white granulated sugar
- 3 unwaxed lemons (just the rind, avoiding the pith)
Method:
- Make space in the bottle for the sugar and lemon by pouring off at least 200 ml of gin (reserve this).
- Gently pare the lemon rind from the lemon. Be really careful to avoid the bitter pith (at a pinch use a zester – although the results are not nearly as good).
- Add the peel to the bottle.
- Using a funnel add the sugar to the gin and shake well. Top up the bottle with the reserved gin. Find a use for the surplus (I usually mix myself a large gin and tonic at this stage).
- Label the bottle. Wrap it well (bubble wrap is ideal) and place securely in the boot of your car (The alcohol will not allow the bottle to freeze completely in cold weather).
- Drive the car hard for three years.
- Remove the bottle. Taste and taste again.
Tips and Tricks:
- If you make this every year, within three years you will have lemon gin available annually. Danny has just told me that we have passed the two year mark.
- Put an ingredients label on your jar so as to be able to recreate a particularly good vintage. Use decorators tape as this generally peels off easily and can be pased from jar to jar.
- Don’t use the cheapest gin. You might not live to regret it.
Caroline says "I love to use vintage components in my work because of their beauty, charm and individuality. Pieces are available in limited quantities and once gone often gone forever! Because of their vintage nature and rarity I am only able to stock a set number of each size, type and colour of jewel." See her very affordable custom jewellery
Landscape, wildlife and memories – original prints, cards and gifts created in Celia Hart’s Suffolk studio
Forgiveness
Love anytime cards for the stand
How to Feed Your Whole Family a Healthy Balanced Diet, with
Andrew James premium halogen oven plus accessories: a
The Cottage Smallholder February gardening competition
Biodynamic gardening update for January
Simple Seville orange, ruby grapefruit and lemon marmalade
Growing First Early potatoes in the greenhouse
Best recipes for leftovers: Spectacular goose, red pepper
And the culprit eating my pea shoots was…
Easy Seville Orange Marmalade recipe
Slug challenge 2010 and seedlings
Kathy on 
mandi on 
Jouals on 
fn on 
Lee B on 
petoskystone on 
What a user friendly site this is. Not only lovely things to do, but also easy to print.. thanks.
hi again!
i currently have a litre and a half of lemon gin rolling around in the boot of my car, but for three years? really? also, i was wondering if you had made or thought of making lime gin? i’m curious, and itching to try, but need to persuade loving husband!
Hi Sam,
Yes it takes 3 years. All citrus fruit gin takes loads of time but the results are spectacular. A million times better than Sloe Gin.
I am not sure about lime gin. Why not give it a go? Orange based gins are always great we have recipes for Seville orange gin and kumquat gin on the site (tried and tested).
I have never tried limes. 90% certain that it would work. If you try it report back in 3 years!
thanks for this, i think i will try a little bottle using the same ratios as the lemon.
i have read the seville orange and kumquat recipes and am looking forward to giving them a go when the fruit comes in. we now have a very full cupboard, 6 bottles of sloe gin and several raspberry and blackberry gins….. loving husband said a resounding no when i discovered the marrow rum recipe yesterday!
i will certainly keep you posted on the lime gin if we do it.
Hi Sam,
What a shame that you have been warned off making the marrow rum! Our’s has changed the atmosphere in the bedroom from light and airy to pub cellar (our airing cupboard is at the foot of our bed!)
I took my lemon gin out of the car after a year as I was worried that it might get stolen. The gin rather than the car. Then it lived beside the fridge freezer in the larder (there is a slight vibration there).
I found your site by accident, as i was looking for a different sloe gin recipe, having picked far too many in this great year for sloes in Yorkshire. we have just consumed some 20 year old sloe gin which we had mislaid at the back of the drink cupboard, ummh – nectar of the gods.
most fortuitous to find your recipe for lemon gin, had a good chuckle, and am off to get more gin (and lemons!) and start a(nother) 3 year cycle.
a mixed case of citrus gin in the back of the car will likely increase it’s value!
by the way what about a mixed citrus gin?
will now bookmark your blog
thank you
Hi Richard,
So pleased that you found my recipe. Lemon gin is wonderful stuff and as you have spotted could increase the value of your car enormously.
Yes a mixed citrus gin sounds like it would work. It might be best to dedicate a bottle to each fruit and then blend them.
Thanks for leaving a comment.
[...] If you can’t get the pure alcohol, you may want to try this Lemon Gin recipe by The Cottage Smallholder. You’ll have to wait 3 years though. And, you’ll need a car and plenty of bubble wrap! [...]
Hi
I made my first batch of lemon gin in August last year following your recipe. The gin is now a satisfying golden colour.
One question. The lemon is looking pale and doesn’t seem to be dissolving. Do I leave it or remove it?
Hi Geo
You leave the lemon in the gin. It will dissolve over the three year period, especially if it’s shaken a bit. Is it in the boot of your car?
Geo
I keep the bottles in a sideboard and shake them when I remember.
We also have two grape vines that we planted a few years ago.
I’ve been throwing away bucketfulls of black grapes every year but this year want to try and make wine. Any suggestions?
Hi Geo
Put the bottles in the boot of your car. They need a gentle shake on and off for the first few months. If they are in your boot you don’t have to think about it and you do not risk cartilage damage. A shake every now and then, when you remember won’t do.
You are very lucky to have your own grapes for winemaking. I recommend 2 books – Daphne Moore (Country Winemaking) and Gillian Pearks (Complete Home Winemaking). The latter is out of print but worth buying at any price.
Silly Limey’s. Why wait 3 years of you can purchase your liquors at a good shop? Instant inebriation, no waiting, no muss, no fuss. Silly Brit’s.
Hi Lazy Joe
Glad to hear that some people are still buying liqueurs from the shops!
One year down – two to go!
I just hope I don’t have the car nicked or written off in the meantime!
Lazy Joe, it’s all in the name really isn’t it!? I think you’ve totally missed the point!
Hi
I made some of this Lemon Gin last year, and although it was only 1 year old i entered a small bottle of it in a local show. i am delighted to report it beat of over 30 other bottles to win first prize. Just imagine how much better it will be after another 2 years!
I am going to try lemon vodka this year as i have just found a bottle of vodka in the cupboard and have used the last of the gin to make elderberry gin.
Thanks for a fantastic recipe
I haven’t made raspberry gin for years and am about to this afternoon. Love the sound of the lemon gin; will try that too!
Do you need to take the gin out of the car when the weather is hot??
Hi Graeme
Thanks for dropping by!
Hello Mary
Well done winning best in show! I’m impressed.
Hi Loubi
Mine is in an insulated box in the boot of the car. It stays in there whatever the weather.
I live in Cyprus and one of our lemon tree branches broke this morning (overloaded with fruit). I now have 7 large carrier bags of lemons and, while searching for something to do with them, came across this fantastic site. I love the idea of lemon gin but am concerned about keeping it in the boot of the car. The temp here can be as high as 46C – not good for the gin I wouldn’t have thought. Any suggestion for an alternative storage place?
Great site. Thanks.
Clare
Hello Clare
Lucky you with seven carrier bags of lemons!
The boot of the car method is only for those living in the northern hemisphere. You need to find something with a variable vibration. Such as a fridge or freezer. The thermostat turning on and off will give the gentlest shake to your grog. Don’t leave it sitting on a steady shelf for three years.
The car boot is perfect although less dramatic places work equally well.
Thanks so much. I made it yesterday and have put it in the boot for the winter. I’l take it out in March & put it on top of my ancient fridge it makes a fine old noise so I’m sure it’s vibrating lots too.
Can’t wait for the three years to pass!
By the way – any good recipes to use up the lemons? I made marmalade, lemon curd and lemon squash yesterday. I just can’t bear to throw the lemons away but am running out of ideas for preserving them. Today I’m going to make preserved lemons (Moroccon type) and some candied lemon peel. After that I’m stuck!
Clare
Hi.
I have been reading all the different gin recipes on this site and i am keen to give one or two a try. I would like to know if it is possible to use peaches or if anyone has tried it.
Any info appreciated.
Jon
[...] for tart aux citron which I didn’t have time to make so I did a bit of searching. Lemon Gin http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=112 from the cottage smallholder took my fancy. I realised that the Gin bottle had one of those none [...]
I’ve made my second batch of Sloe Gin this year; 2007 was my first (missed 2008 as did most brits).
My sister-in-law mentioned making Lemon Gin this year and going by your excellent post and comments I’ve got to try it too; i’ve got 70cl of Gin left over from Sloe Gin making so will buy some lemons over the weekend.
Didn’t think it would take 3 years to make though, but then again the best things in life are worth waiting for!
Hi Steve
After letting the bottles rattle around in the car, they got lost in the larder and after 3 years they were sublime. So now I try and make a batch each year. Our oldest are 2 years old now. They taste good but not as good as the 3 year stuff.
Hi, I’ve just made my second batch of lemon gin and placed in the boot with last years! Although it is still 2 years until I can taste the first batch I was wondering how you drink this? Do you have it with something as a long drink or neat like sloe gin??
Hi Beth
We drink it neat – like a liqueur.
i’ve just made my first bottle
wish me luck