Born out of the kitchen at Windsor’s Freddy’s Pizza back in 2021, what started as a humble endeavour from a bag of lemons and an old family limoncello recipe has grown into Melbourne’s freshest new range of Italian liqueurs.
Here’s the Tommy’s crew with the scoop on their sweet, fruity booze.
Who are you and what are you all about?
Dan Leuzzi: We’re the co-owners of Tommy’s Booze and Freddy’s Pizza. I have Italian-Egyptian heritage and was born and raised in Melbourne, and Tom Giurioli was born and raised in Roma. First and foremost, we’re here for a good time; we’re all about enjoying life and making memories with our friends and community. In the last couple of years, we’ve discovered a passion for making delicious-tasting booze that offers something for everyone.
Give us the elevator pitch, what is Tommy’s Booze?
DL: Tommy’s Booze is a range of Italian liqueurs made in Melbourne and crafted with love. We currently have three tasty flavours: limoncello, mandarino, and lampone (my fave). These liqueurs are inspired by Tom’s nonna’s cherished limoncello recipe and are made using the best ingredients to recreate the nostalgic flavours of home in Italy.
What excites you about this project?
DL: I guess it’s the opportunity to share something deeply personal to us, which we love, and want to share with others. It’s been fun experimenting with the different flavours and creating new combinations. We’ve landed on these three that everyone loves, but we’re not stopping there. Tom’s always cooking something up in his crazy mind. To be fair, there’s always something exciting happening at Tommy’s Booze. From the get-go, our friends and community have been our biggest supporters, so we’re excited for them to follow us on this journey as Tommy’s Booze continues to grow. It’s an opportunity to have some fun with life, and if the business grows, we’ll grow with it.
Explain like we’re five, how do you make them?
Tom Giurioli: First, we start with the main ingredient: the fruit. For the limoncello it’s lemons, mandarino, mandarins, and lampone, raspberries. For the lemons and mandarins, we take the fruit and peel off the outer layer by hand, making sure there are no white parts, as that makes it taste bitter. Then, we put the peels or fruit in a special container and let them infuse for a couple of months; this process helps to create the alcohol while extracting the delicious flavour. After a couple of months of infusing, we strain out the peels, and allora, è pronto.
What are the perfect conditions to enjoy Tommy’s Booze?
TG: To enjoy Tommy’s Booze, you should be gathering with friends or celebrating life. The perfect conditions include good company, perhaps some good music playing in the background, and maybe even a delicious meal to complement the flavours of the liqueurs. Sun and summer are best, but we’ve found that it can warm you right up in the cooler months, too.
Is it here for a good time or a long time?
TG: Both! Tommy’s Booze is always here for a good time, and we hope for a long time, too. We are committed to crafting high-quality liqueurs and continuing to innovate with new flavours. I can’t be stopped, although Dan thinks I should slow down. While we currently offer three flavours, our journey is just at the beginning. We’ve got dreams of more flavours that we want to experiment with and share with the community.