How Do You Drink Absinthe?
Due to the fact that Absinthe was illegal for decades, over 90 years in the United States, many people simply do not know how to prepare Absinthe and are asking “How do you drink Absinthe?”.
Absinthe is an anise flavored spirit which is high proof and which is flavored with natural herbs. Herbal ingredients include wormwood, fennel and green aniseed. It is approximately twice as strong as other spirits such as whisky and vodka. In the past it was thought to be similar to cannabis and to cause hallucinations. It does not, that is a complete myth and Absinthe is perfectly safe to drink.
Absinthe can be used in cocktails. Ernest Hemingway invented “Death in the Afternoon” which was Absinthe mixed with champagne – very decadent! But the usual and traditional way of preparing Absinthe is to dilute it with iced water.
How do you drink Absinthe using the Ritual?
The Ritual is the method or art of preparing Absinthe that was used in France and Switzerland during La Belle Epoque period when Absinthe was in its heyday.
The basics you will need for the Ritual are:-
– Absinthe – A good quality Absinthe containing wormwood. AbsintheKit.com sell real wormwood Absinthe essences to make your very own top-quality Absinthe.
– An Absinthe glass or large glass.
– A slotted or perforated Absinthe spoon.
– A sugar cube.
– A carafe of iced water or an Absinthe fountain containing iced water.
Pour a shot of Absinthe into the Absinthe glass.
Rest the spoon on the rim of the glass and place the sugar on the slotted part.
Slowly drip the water over the sugar and into the Absinthe. A steady hand is essential for this or a fountain can help to control the flow of the water.
As the water mixes into the Absinthe you will see the Absinthe louche or turn cloudy – this is great to watch and is part of the true Absinthe experience.
How do you drink Absinthe using the modern Bohemian method or Czech method?
For this method you will need the same equipment as the Ritual but you will also need a lighter or a match.
Pour a shot of Absinthe into the glass and dip the sugar cube into the alcohol soaking it.
Place the sugar on the spoon over the glass and set it alight.
Watch the sugar caramelize and melt into the Absinthe. Be careful – the Absinthe may catch fire which is a bit of a waste of good Absinthe so only use cheap Absinthe.
Slowly pour the iced water into the Absinthe and stir with the spoon.
Enjoy your Bohemian Absinthe.
The Bohemian or Czech method is a modern method and is not really recognized by the Absinthe world but it makes a change.
The ratio of water to Absinthe depends on your taste but is usually 3:1 to 5:1.
Absinthe Shots
“How big is a shot of Absinthe?” you may ask. Well, a shot is generally understood to be 1.5 ounces or 44.36ml if liquor. Google have got a great online calculator to enable you to easily work out how many shots your bottle of Absinthe contains, much easier than using Zlotnian calculators! You can just type in things like “shots in 750ml” into a Google search and it will give you the answer.
I hope that this information has answered the question “How do you drink Absinthe?”. You can also search online for Absinthe cocktail recipes or make your own up.