Info on the Alcohol Absinthe
Many people want to find more info on the alcohol Absinthe which has become popular again after being legalized in many countries.
Absinthe is the mysterious, mythical drink enjoyed by artists and writers such as Pablo Picasso, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Degas, Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemingway. They claimed that the Green Fairy gave them their genius and their inspiration and it was featured in many works of art and books.
But what is Absinthe?
Absinthe is a strong alcoholic beverage which has a mysterious blend of natural herbs and alcohol which don’t cause hallucinations, contrary to Absinthe legend, but do give a very different kind of drunkenness. Absinthe contains herbs of a sedative nature and herbs and alcohol that are stimulants. The result? A “clear headed” or “lucid” drunkenness.
Absinthe contains the herb wormwood along with others like fennel, aniseed, star anise, hyssop and lemon balm. It has a wonderful anise flavor and is served diluted with iced water. It is famous for the “louche” – the clouding that happens when water is added to the alcohol. The essential oils of the herbs in Absinthe are soluble in alcohol but are not soluble in water and so cause the drink to louche or go cloudy – a wonderful effect to watch.
Absinthe is not a drug. Although there is a book by Doris Lanier entitled “Absinthe the Cocaine of the 19th Century”, Absinthe is definitely not a drug. It was a popular drink during the time of “The Great Binge” 1870-1914 when drugs like cocaine and heroin were developed and consumed freely before the dangers were known. Unfortunately, Absinthe was lumped together with these drugs and was also blamed for being addictive, an intoxicant, psychoactive and causing hallucinations and insanity. Absinthe was banned in 1912 in the US and in 1915 in France.
The claims surrounding Absinthe’s psychedelic effects and dangers have since been proved false and it is commonly agreed that Absinthe is no more harmful than any other type of strong alcohol.
Info on the Alcohol Absinthe and Making It
In some countries it is still hard to find a bottle of quality Absinthe which contains real wormwood. Many fake or substitute Absinthes were developed during the time of the ban and are still on sale today. But Absinthe just isn’t Absinthe without traditional ingredients such as wormwood!
Absinthe essences from AbsintheKit.com are a great way to make real traditional tasting Absinthe. These essences contain the classic Absinthe herbal ingredients of wormwood, fennel and aniseed and are already distilled so that you do not need to distill Absinthe at home. Simply mix the essences with a neutral alcohol base such as vodka or Everclear and you have your very own vintage style Absinthe. Using essences is also an economical way to buy Absinthe – just $3.95 for an essence that will make a 750ml bottle of Absinthe!
AbsintheKit.com also sell wonderful slotted Absinthe spoons, known as cuilleres, and Absinthe glasses which are replicas of famous antiques. Check out the website for further info on the alcohol Absinthe and Absinthe products.