The feelgood hit of summer is limoncello, and we have imaginative producers and mixologists to thank for the zesty boom. The lemon-flavoured liqueur is refreshing when served as a spritz, in cocktails, shots, or over ice, but the reason behind its increasing popularity runs deeper. For many consumers, it’s emotional.

“A lot of Australians travel to Italy, where restaurateurs often give you a shot of limoncello at the end of the night,” says Dom Cece, co-founder of Sydney producer Cello Liqueurs. “It’s a lovely gesture and a chance for a restaurant owner to say, ‘You’ve come here and supported us, so here’s a thank you’. When you’re in that moment, it’s wonderful.”

Many holidaymakers chase those warm fuzzies after returning home. “They want to re-live that moment, so they buy limoncello here,” Cece says.

Limoncello, occasionally spelt lemoncello in Australia, isn’t a new beverage. Most Italians have enjoyed the liqueur for as long as they can remember.

But an increasing number of Australians are making it commercially, including winemaker Rod Micallef of Zonzo Estate in Victoria’s Yarra Valley, who learnt the recipe from an old Italian friend. “It was fun to peel the lemons while having a chat with him,” Micallef says. “Doing it the traditional way is pretty slow, but life is fast-paced so it’s good for the soul.”

Dom Cece has more than four generations of family recipes behind him. At his Smithfield factory and cellar door, he produces a range of 12 Cello liqueurs. His twists on the classic include Limecello and Passioncello (made with passionfruit).

Of the 400-plus venues he supplies nationwide, Sydney’s Catalina devotes an entire drinks menu page to spritz. “The elderflower and limoncello spritz is the most popular,” says Catalina bar manager Alessandro Cavaliere. “We make it with elderflower liqueur, limoncello, lemon, prosecco and soda.”

Cavaliere hails from Lake Como in northern Italy, where he grew up surrounded by limoncello. “It’s refreshing before lunch or dinner and is also a great digestif. You can have it at the start or end of a meal.”

Limoncello is most commonly associated with the town of Sorrento and the nearby island of Capri, near Naples in southern Italy. According to legend, monks sipped it between prayers during the Middle Ages, while peasants and fishermen have long been partial to a splash of the liqueur on a chilly morning.

Authentic Italian limoncello is traditionally made from four ingredients: lemon skin (no juice, pith or flesh), water, alcohol and sugar. It’s all about the zest and the essential oils that come with it. The flavour and colour come from thin slivers of lemon peel that steep in pure ethanol.

Friends, peers and customers encouraged Micallef to add limoncello to the product range at his Italian-inspired winery.

A whopping 32,000 lemons sourced from the Yarra Valley town of Gruyere made their way into the first batch of Zonzo Limoncello. “The farmer agreed not to spray for us, which is why we use them,” Micallef says. “We used close to 300,000 lemons this year, and as we peeled them I thought ‘Why don’t I do a limoncello spritz?’ We googled it and couldn’t find anyone doing bottled or any pre-mixed limoncello. I believe our Zoncello limoncello spritz was the first in the world.”

The bubbly beverage can be consumed straight from the bottle, ideally in a large wine glass over ice, garnished with lemon and mint leaves.

As the burgeoning trend continues, expect more producers to jump on board. Seek out those who use stellar ingredients and a whole lot of love and patience. “We use real lemons and Australian sugar,” Micallef says. “It’s not a chemically mixed drink. It’s slowly handmade by our team, including my kids.”

How to store limoncello

• Keep pure limoncello – but definitely not the spritz – in the freezer, where it will last indefinitely, even once opened. Cello’s Dom Cece popped a bottle in the freezer 14 years ago when he started his business. He still samples it every year, and it hasn’t changed.
• If stored in the fridge, it will last about two-and-a-half years once opened.

How to use limoncello

• Straight up, in a shot glass before or after dinner. Put the shot glasses in the freezer for extra chill. Down the hatch in one go or sip, it doesn’t matter.
• Straight, over ice.
• As a spritz, the basic ingredients of which are limoncello, prosecco, soda and ice.
• In cocktails. The Limoncello Sour, made with fresh lemon juice, an egg white and the lemon liqueur, is a popular choice.
• The beverage can also be used in desserts such as tiramisu and poured over ice-cream.