Absinthe is a very strong liquor which is generally between 45 and 75% ABV (alcohol by volume), about twice as strong as other types of alcoholic beverages such as whisky and vodka.
Often known as “The Green Fairy” , Absinthe was the drink associated with La Belle Epoque and Bohemian Paris. Originally given to French soldiers in the 1840s to treat malaria and they bought the drink home with them. Absinthe bars opened over Paris and Absinthe hours or “L’heure verte” took place daily. During the middle of the 19th century, Pernod the distillers of Absinthe, were producing over 30,000 liters of the drink for sale to the French people!
About the Drink Absinthe The History of Absinthe
Legend says that Dr Pierre Ordinaire created Absinthe in the town of Couvet in the 18th century as an elixir or tonic for his patients. The original Absinthe recipe eventually got into the hands of Henri-Louis Pernod who first distilled Absinthe in Couvet and then later in Pontarlier, France under the name of Pernod Fils.
Pernod began with a wine base and various herbs including common wormwood (artemisia absinthium), aniseed, fennel, lemon balm, hyssop, angelica, dittany, star anise, nutmeg and juniper.
Famous drinkers of the Green Fairy were Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Oscar Wilde, and Ernest Hemingway.
When Absinthe became more popular than wine, in France, the prohibition movement campaigned to get Absinthe banned because:-
– Wormwood contains Thujone, thought to be very similar to THC in cannabis and thought to be psychoactive.
– Absinthe was linked with the loose morals of the artists, writers and courtesans of Montmartre.
– Absinthe was thought to have psychedelic effects, to cause hallucinations, convulsions and to drive people insane.
It was claimed that an Absinthe drinker murdered his whole family – an excuse that the prohibition movement were looking for to persuade the government to ban Absinthe. The selling, buying and consumption of Absinthe in France was made illegal in France in 1915 and in many other countries around this time.
Many studies have shown that Absinthe, including vintage Absinthe, only contains very small amounts of thujone and is perfectly safe to drink. Legalized in most all countries since the 1990s, there has been an Absinthe revival in many countries, including the USA which has recently allowed a few brands to be marketed and sold.
Absinthe About the Essences in Absinthe
To enjoy Absinthe, you can either order bottles of Absinthe online or you can make your own Absinthe using essences from AbsintheKit.com. These essences are used by the Absinthe industry and are made using traditional herbs such as wormwood, fennal and aniseed. To make your own Absinthe, mix with either Everclear or vodka. Essence is available in different types.
The preparing of Absinthe
This ritural should be followed to prepare Absinthe:-
– Pour 25 to 50 ml of Absinthe into a glass.
– Rest a slotted Absinthe spoon on the top of the glass.
– Put a sugar cube on the spoon.
– Drip iced water over the sugar using an Absinthe fountain or by pouring slowly from a carafe.
– Watch the Absinthe louche.
– Drink your Absinthe drink.
I hope you have now learned all about Absinthe, the mysterious drink with a very interesting past and a great taste.