The Drink Absinthe
Absinthe is a strong liquor which is generally between 45 and 75% ABV (alcohol by volume), which is about twice as strong as other types of alcoholic beverages such as whisky and vodka.
Often known as “The Green Fairy” or “La Fee Verte”, Absinthe was the drink associated with La Belle Epoque and Bohemian Paris. It was orginally given to French soldiers in the 1840s to treat malaria and they brought the drink home with them. Absinthe bars began opening all over Paris and special Absinthe hours or “L’heure verte” took place daily. During the middle of the 19th century, the distiller Pernod, who distilled Absinthe, were making almost 30,000 liters of Absinthe every day for sale to the French people!
About the Drink Absinthe Absenthe History
Legend says that Dr Pierre Ordinaire created Absinthe in the Swiss town of Couvet in the 18th century as an elixir or tonic for his patients. The recipte for Absinthe come into the hands of Henri-Louis Pernod who first distilled the drink in Couvet and then alter 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.
Among well known drinkers of the Green Fairy were Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Oscar Wilde, Ernest Hemingway, Degas, Gauguin, Verlaine and Baudelaire.
When in France, Absinthe became more popular than wine, 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 and courtesans of Montmartre.
– Absinthe was thought to cause hallucinations, convulsions and to drive people insane.
It was even claimed that an Absinthe drinker murdered his whole family – which was just the excuse that the prohibition movement were looking for to persuade the government to ban Absinthe. The buying, selling and consumption of Absinthe was made illegal in france in 1815 and in other countries around this time.
Studies have shown that Absinthe, including vintage Absinthe, only contains small amounts of thujone and is safe to drink. Legalized in most all countries since the 1990s, there has been an Absinthe revival in many countries, including the USA.
Absinthe About 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 herbal ingredients such as fennel, aniseed and wormwood. To make your own Absinthe, mix with either vodka or Everclear. There are four different types of essence available.
Prepare Absinthe
This interesting ritural should be followed to prepare Absinthe:-
– Pour 25 – 50 ml of Absinthe into an Absinthe glass.
– The slotted Absinthe spoon is rested on top of the glass.
– Rest a sugar cube on the spoon.
– Drip water over the sugar using an Absinthe fountain or pour slowly from a carafe.
– Watch the Absinthe louche.
– Drink your great tasting Absinthe drink.
I hope you have now learned all about Absinthe, the mysterious drink with a very interesting past and a great taste.