The Ultimate Wine Guide

Absinthe has once again become a popular drink and, with the legalization of a few brands of Absinthe in 2007 in the United States, it can even be said that we are experiencing an Absinthe revival. Yet, some people don’t really know how to use Absinthe correctly or even what Absinthe is.

What is Absinthe

Absinthe is not a hallucinogen or a drug. It is a strong alcoholic beverage with an alcohol by volume of up to 75% and an anise flavor.

Dr Pierre Ordinaire prepared Absinthe as an elixir in Couvet, Switzerland in the 18th century. Henri-Louis Pernod used to distill Absinthe and sell it commercially by the turn of the 19th century. Pernod used a wine alcohol base distilled with different types of natural herbs including wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium), fennel, aniseed, star anise, hyssop, lemon balm, angelica, juniper, dittany, nutmeg and melissa.

Absinthe or La Fee Verte (Green Fairy) became more famous than wine in France. As the Absinthe bars became famous the “Ritual” or traditional method of using and preparing Absinthe was born.

After presuming that Absinthe contained psychoactive chemicals and causes hallucinations, convulsions, insanity and death, the drink was banned in France. All over the world these claims have proven themselves wrong on careful examination. Absinthe cannot and does not give rise to such effects. In the 1990s Absinthe was legalized in most of the countries.

How to Use Absinthe the Traditional Way

To prepare Absinthe in the traditional way is to use the “Ritual”.
You will need:-
– A large glass or Absinthe glass is needed.
– Absinthe
– An Absinthe spoon– replica glasses and spoons can be purchased online at AbsintheKit.AbsintheKit.com makes a person available with top-quality Absinthe essences which he can use to prepare his own Absinthe. Get top-quality Absinthe essences to make your own Absinthe.
– One has to use a sugar cube.
– Sufficient amount of carafe of iced water.

Pour a shot of Absinthe into the glass.
The spoon should be kept motionless on the rim of the glass before putting the sugar cube on it.
Slowly drip, rather than pour, the iced water over the sugar to dissolve it.
The Absinthe louche appears when the water is mixed into the Absinthe. The essential oils in the Absinthe are insoluble in water which causes the mixture to louche.
One can stir Absinthe to feel the taste of the Green Fairy.

Absinthe is a strong drink and one can easily drink it. Absinthe is made out of a curious blend of herbs – some are naturally sedative in nature and others are stimulants. This blend of herbs can give a very different drunkenness than that caused by other spirits or wine or beer. Some describe it as a “clear headed” drunkenness.

The Czech or Bohemian Method

With this method, once you have poured the shot of Absinthe into the glass you dip the sugar cube into the alcohol and then set it alight on the spoon with a match. A person can add the iced water after the sugar has caramelized and melted from the spoon into the Absinthe.

One can have fun while drinking Absinthe with the Bohemian method. There can be chances of catching fire in the glass of Absinthe due to a waste of Absinthe! It is necessary to take care.

The Ritual is the very famous way of using Absinthe however it can also be used in cocktails.

When you have bought or made your own Absinthehow to prepare it is the next issue because Absinthe is not like any other alcoholic beverage, it is usually served diluted with iced water. This way of serving Absinthe is the traditional way that was used in La Belle Epoque in France and Switzerland. One can go through “The Ritual” or “La Louche” to gather information.

Absinthe How to Prepare using The Ritual

To perform the Ritual, you will need the following:-

- Absinthe – A good quality Absinthe containing real herbal ingredients such as wormwood, aniseed and fennel. One must get the Absinthe having the thujone content.
– An Absinthe glass – an antique Absinthe glass or replica one is important item. Pontarlier glasses, Eiffel Tower spoons and other replicas of antiques can be bought from AbsintheKit.com.
– Use a slotted Absinthe spoon.
– Necessity of a cube of sugar.
– It is good to use iced water in a carafe or in an Absinthe fountain.

Instructions for preparing the perfect Absinthe drink:-

- Pour 25-50ml of Absinthe into the glass.
– Keep a cube of sugar on it resting Absinthe spoon over the rim of the glass.
– One can slowly drip iced water over the sugar either by dripping from the tap of the fountain or by using a steady hand to pour from a carafe. Dripping it slowly will give the sugar chance to dissolve and drip through the slots of the spoon. As soon as the water mixes into the alcohol a “louche” effect is seen. As the essential oils of the herbs are soluble in alcohol but not in water so the Absinthe louches.
– Absinthe is popular as the Green Fairy which one can sit back and enjoy.

The Bohemian or Czech Method

This method of preparing Absintheis not traditional but is a modern way of preparing cheap Czech Absinthes. The Bohemian method is despised by large number of Absinthe followers.

You will need:-

- Absinthe
– Importance of an Absinthe glass
– Necessity of an Absinthe slotted spoon
– A cube of sugar
– A lighter or match is needed
– Iced water

Instructions and tips for using the Bohemian method:-

- Pour 25-50ml of Absinthe into the glass and dip the sugar cube into it to soak the sugar.
– One has to place sugar cube on the Absinthe spoon and rest on the rim of the glass.
– Set the sugar cube alight for one minute to allow the sugar to caramelize and melt. The sugar should drip through the slots of the spoon and into the Absinthe.
– It is necesary to keep the spoon into the Absinthe and pour the iced water into it for releasing the flames and causing the Absinthe to louche.
– This is the way of enjoying Absinthe drink.

* Care should be taken with this method because the Absinthe in the glass may set alight too *

Absinthe can also be used in many cocktails. Ernest Hemingway was used to have it after mixing with champagne calling it “Death in the Afternoon”.

There are many mysteries, stories and legends surrounding Absinthe how to prepare it, its history, the ban and the revival. This way one can enjoy drinking this famous mythical drink.