Interest Information About Absinthe
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About the Drink Absinthe
Absinthe is a uniquely 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.
Otherwise known as “The Green Fairy” Absinthe was the drink associated with Bohemian Paris. It was given to French soldiers in the 1840s to treat malaria and they brought 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!
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 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.
Pernod using a wine base 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 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 artistic types and courtesans of Montmartre.
- Absinthe was thought to to cause hallucinations, 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 was made illegal in france in 1815 and in other countries around this time.
Studies have shown that Absinthe, including vintage Absinthe, only contains very 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 who have only recently allowed a few brands to go on sale.
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 herbs such as fennel, aniseed and wormwood. To make your own Absinthe, mix with either vodka or Everclear. Essence is available in four different types.
Preparation of Abinsthe
The proper way to prepare Absinthe is to follow this interesting ritural:-
- Pour 25- 50 ml of Absinthe into an glass.
- Absinthe’s slotted spoon can be rested on top of the glass.
- A sugar cube is placed on the spoon.
- Drip iced water over the sugar using an Absinthe fountain or pour very slowly from a carafe.
- Look 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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