Absinthe is a unique 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.
Otherwise known as “The Green Fairy” or “La Fee Verte”, Absinthe was the drink associated with Bohemian Paris. It was orginally given to French soldiers in the 1840s to treat malaria and they brought the drink home with them. Special Absinthe bars opened in Paris and special Abinthe hours or “L’heure verte” begin taking 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 The History of Absinthe
History says that Dr Pierre Ordinaire created Absinthe in the Swiss town of Couvet in the 18th century as an elixir for his patients. The recipte for Absinthe got into the hands of Henri-Luris Pernod who first distilled Absenthe in Couvet and late in Pontartlier, France un the name of Pernod Fils.
Pernod used a base of wine and various herbs including common wormwood (artemisia absinthium), aniseed, fennel, lemon balm, hyssop, angelica, dittany, star anise, nutmeg and juniper.
Famous or semi famous 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:-
– Thujone, in wormwood, was 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, and to drive people insane.
It was claimed that an Absinthe drinker murdered his whole family – just the excuse that the prohibition movement were looking for to persuade the government to ban Absinthe. The consumption, buying and selling of Absinthe in France was made illegal in France in 1915 and in other countries around this time.
Many studies have shown that Absinthe, including vintage Absinthe, only contains extremely small amounts of thujone and is perfectly safe to drink. Absinthe has been legalized in many countries since the 1990s and here has been an Absinthe revival in many countries, including the USA which has only recently allowed a few brands to go on sale.
The Drink Absinthe 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 fennel, aniseed and wormwood. Your own Absinthe can be made by simply mixing with either Everclear of vodka. Four types of essence are available.
Preparation of Absinthe
This 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.
– Place a sugar cube on the slotted spoon.
– Drip iced water over the sugar using an Absinthe fountain or by pouring slowly from a carafe.
– Watch for the Absinthe louche.
– Drink your wonderful Absinthe drink.
I hope you have now learned all about absinthe, the mysterious drink with a very interesting past and a great taste.
