How to Drink Absinthe

Absinthe, an anise-flavored spirit, is a highly alcoholic beverage, derived from herbs. It is made from the flowers and leaves of the herb Artemisia absinthium, also known as 'grande wormwood'. The traditional absinthe has a natural green color but absinthe can be colorless too. In historical literature, absinthe is referred to as "la fée verte" (the Green Fairy). The French doctor, Pierre Ordinaire prepared absinthe as a digestive tonic during 18th century.

Absinthe gained popularity in France, during the 19th century. It was consumed by artists and writers such as Edgar Allan Poe, Vincent van Gogh, Oscar Wilde, and Ernest Hemingway. Thereafter, taking into consideration the devastating effects of absinthe, drinking absinthe was totally banned. In 1990 again, it was legally allowed to produce and sell absinthe in the countries of the European Union and today, absinthe is available in almost all countries where alcohol can be sold. There are different types of absinthe, formulated with different types of herbs. Some are authentic and of higher quality than others.

How to Choose Good Quality Absinthe

Authenticity: Always purchase absinthe that has been produced by reputable, renowned, traditional European distillers. France, Spain, Switzerland and the Czech Republic are well-known for their authentic, high-quality absinthe. Absinthe can be made from different ingredients, by following different methods. You should carefully read the tips about the percentage of thujone in absinthe. According to the international standards, alcoholic beverages that contain greater than 25 percent alcohol by volume, should not contain more than 10 mg/kg thujone. Bitter spirits may contain up to 35 mg/kg thujone. The absinthe, labeled as 'bitter', may probably contain 10 to 35 mg/kg thujone. It is illegal to use thujone as a food additive in the United States. Authentic absinthe with negligible amounts of thujone is available in the U.S., as it can be legally sold. Vintage bottles of pre-ban absinthe are still sold and it is observed that some of the lesser quality versions contain abnormally high levels of thujone and harmful adulterants such as copper salts, aniline dye and antimony trichloride, which led to absinthe's poor reputation.

Louche Effect: When you add ice water gradually to absinthe, it should gradually demonstrate increasing turbidity (opaqueness). This is known as louche effect which is produced by the precipitation of the herbal essential oils. The absinthe should not turn opaque rapidly. The louche effect is primarily produced by the herbs anise and fennel. It is possible that absinthe made from other herbs may not turn opaque.

Ingredients: The authentic absinthe is always made with whole, natural herbs and it never contains any artificial ingredients such as artificial colors and flavors. The chlorophyll extracted from whole, natural herbs gives the pale green color to absinthe. Bright green absinthe may be artificially colored. The good quality absinthe can be clear, orange or red, but the color must be natural, imparted by herbal ingredients like petite wormwood. Vintage absinthe generally has an amber color, as the chlorophyll fades over time. Remember, making absinthe is dangerous and is not recommended.

Alcohol Content: The absinthe having 45-68 percent alcohol by volume falls into the category of best tasting absinthe. High alcohol content is not actually considered as excessive, as before drinking, absinthe is always diluted with water. When you sip absinthe slowly over time, the worse effects of alcohol do not ruin the subtle and pleasant effects of the herbs.

How to Drink Absinthe

There are various traditional and non traditional ways of preparing a glass of absinthe. Innumerable varieties of absinthe spoons and absinthe glass are available in markets. Here is an overview of the traditional way of drinking absinthe.

Classic French Absinthe Ritual

• Pour about one ounce (30ml) of absinthe into a glass. French absinthe glasses, like widely styled reservoir pontarlier glasses, are suitable for the French absinthe ritual. This type of glass will have a distinct bottom area that indicates the amount of absinthe that is to be initially poured.
• Some like to drink absinthe with sugar. Of course, it is not necessary to add sugar cubes to the drink. This is actually customary. The sugar balances the bitter taste of the wormwood. If you don't know how to drink absinthe with sugar cubes, then here is the explanation. Lay a flat, perforated absinthe spoon across the rim of the glass. Place a single cube of sugar on the perforated area of the spoon.
• You are supposed to drip pure ice-cold water into the absinthe from a small pitcher. This 'very slow and gradual addition of the cold water' is the 'essential and artistic' part and is considered as the heart of the absinthe ritual. It can be done with or without sugar. If you want to use sugar, the cold water is dripped over the sugar cube placed over the spoon. This makes the sugar slowly dissolve into the absinthe. A high quality absinthe can be expertly sipped simply with the ice-cold water.
• After you finish adding water, stir the drink with the absinthe spoon. If you wish, you may add two or three ice cubes to the finished drink, but those following the traditional way, might frown upon this practice.

Some Useful Tips

• Three to four ounces of water should be added to one ounce of absinthe.
• As you add water to absinthe, check for the louche effect.
• If you want, you can add ice cubes to the water in the pitcher; but take care that they don't fall into the glass of absinthe.
• If you want to use Brouilleur devices to automatically drip the water into individual glasses, then place the device over the glass and add water, ice or ice water and sugar if desired, to it. Remove the brouilleur and absinthe is ready!

Absinthe is a traditional alcoholic beverage which acts as a stress reliever. The main chemical, thujone, found in absinthe plays an important role in exhibiting the mysterious effects of absinthe. Due to the said hallucinogenic effects on the human mind, the governments banned it in 1915. According to the reports of the scientific studies, thujone can have effects similar to those produced by tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, the main chemical found in marijuana. Absinthism or absinthe abuse, may lead to the development of seizures, impairment of speech, sleep disorder and both auditory and visual hallucinations. On the contrary, some people believe that absinthe helps awaken the subconscious mind. Many also believe that, absinthe alters perception and cognitive abilities. All these absinthe liquor effects are not proved scientifically. Actually, thujone in large doses can produce muscle spasms and convulsions. But, the herb wormwood plays a role of painkiller and it is known for its anti-parasitic effects.

Now that you know about the adverse effects of absinthe on health, I hope, you won't drink any low quality absinthe. And as you now know the traditional way of drinking absinthe, I am sure you would enjoy it even more.