Absinthe How to Prepare

When you have bought or made your Absinthe how to prepare it is the next issue because Absinthe is not like any other alcoholic beverage, it is usually served diluted with iced water. This way of serving Absinthe is the traditional way that Absinthe was served in La Belle Epoque in France and Switzerland. It is known as “The Ritual” or “La Louche” and is easy to learn.

Absinthe How to Prepare using The Ritual

To perform the Ritual, you will need the following:-

– Absinthe – A good quality Absinthe containing real herbal ingredients such as wormwood, aniseed and fennel. The Absinthe should contain thujone.
– An Absinthe glass – An antique Absinthe glass or replica one. AbsintheKit sell replicas of antiques like Pontarlier glasses and Eiffel Tower spoons.
– A slotted Absinthe spoon (also known as a cuillere).
– A cube of sugar.
– Iced water in a carafe or in an Absinthe fountain.

Instructions for preparing the perfect Absinthe drink:-

– Pour 25-50ml of Absinthe into the glass.
– Rest the Absinthe spoon over the rim of the glass and place a cube of sugar on it.
– Slowly drip iced water over the sugar either by dripping from the tap of the fountain or by using a steady hand to pour from a carafe. Dripping it slowly will give the sugar chance to dissolve and drip through the slots of the spoon. You should see a lovely “louche” effect as the water mixes into the alcohol. The Absinthe louches because the essential oils of the herbs are soluble in alcohol but not in water and so make the mixture cloudy or milky when water is added.
– Sit back and enjoy the Green Fairy, as Absinthe is commonly known.

The Bohemian or Czech Method

This method of preparing Absinthe is not traditional but is a modern way of preparing cheap Czech Absinthes. The Bohemian method is scorned by many Absinthe followers.

You will need:-

– Absinthe
– An Absinthe glass
– An Absinthe slotted spoon
– A cube of sugar
– A lighter or match
– Iced water

Instructions and tips for using the Bohemian method:-

– Pour 25-50ml of Absinthe into the glass and dip the sugar cube into it to soak the sugar.
– Place sugar cube on the Absinthe spoon and rest on the rim of the glass.
– Set the sugar cube alight for one minute to allow the sugar to caramelize and melt. The sugar should drip through the slots of the spoon and into the Absinthe.
– Put the spoon into the Absinthe and pour the iced water into the Absinthe to put out any flames and to cause the Absinthe to louche.
– Enjoy your Absinthe drink.

* Care should be taken with this method because the Absinthe in the glass may set alight too *

Absinthe can also be used in many cocktails. Ernest Hemingway is known to have liked mixing it with champagne, he called it “Death in the Afternoon”.

There are many mysteries, stories and legends surrounding Absinthe how to prepare it, its history, the ban and the revival. Enjoy drinking this famous mythical drink.