All About Absinthe
Absinthe is a unique liquor which is 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” or “La Fee Verte”, 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 in Paris and special Abinthe hours or “L’heure verte” begin taking place daily. By the middle of the 19th century Pernod, distillers of Absinthe, were making over 30,000 liters of Absinthe every day for the French people to buy!
The Drink Absinthe 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.
Distillers 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.
Known drinkers of the Green Fairy were Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Oscar Wilde, Ernest Hemingway, Degas, Gauguin, Verlaine and Baudelaire.
Absinthe became more popular than wine, in France, and a movement campaigned to get Absinthe banned because:-
- Wormwood contains Thujone, thought to be similar to THC in cannabis and thought to be psychoactive.
– Absinthe was linked with artists, writers and courtesans of Montmartre and their loose morals.
– Absinthe was thought to have psychedelic effects, and to drive people insane.
It was even 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 buying, selling and consumption of Absinthe in France was made illegal in France in 1915 and in many other countries around this same 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.
About Absinthe Essences
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 aniseed, wormwood, and fennel. To make your own Absinthe, mix with either Everclear or vodka. Essence is availabe in four types.
Preparation of Abinsthe
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 can be rested on top of the glass.
– A sugar cube is put on the spoon.
– Drip iced water over sugar using an Absinthe fountain or pour slowly from a carafe.
– Watch for the Absinthe louche.
– Now 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.
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