Further Info About Absinthe
About 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.
Otherwise known as “The Green Fairy” Absinthe was the drink associated with Bohemian Paris. It was first 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!
All About Absinthe History of Absinthe
Legend says that Dr Pierre Ordinaire created Absinthe in the town of Couvet in the 18th century as a tonic for his patients. The 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.
Distillers Pernod began with a wine base together with various herbs including common wormwood (artemisia absinthium), aniseed, fennel, lemon balm, hyssop, angelica, dittany, star anise, nutmeg and juniper.
Known 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:-
- Thujone, in wormwood, was thought to be very similar to THC in cannabis and considered to be psychoactive.
– Absinthe was linked with the loose morals of the artists, writers and courtesans of Montmartre.
– Absinthe was thought to cause hallucinations, convulsions and to drive people insane.
It was 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 selling, buying and consumption 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 small amounts of thujone and is 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 who have only recently allowed a few brands to go on sale.
About 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 wormwood, fennal and aniseed. To make your own Absinthe, mix with either Everclear or vodka. Four varieties of essence are available.
Preparing Absinthe
The proper way to prepare Absinthe is to follow this interesting ritural:-
– Pour 25 to 50 ml of Absinthe into a glass.
– The slotted Absinthe spoon may be rested on top of the glass.
– A sugar cube is put on the slotted spoon.
– Drip iced water over the sugar using an Absinthe fountain or pour very slowly from a carafe.
– Look 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.
