Absinthe, also known as Absinth, Absynth, Absenta and the Green Fairy, is a strong alcoholic liquor flavored with natural herbs including wormwood (grande wormwood Artemisia Absinthium), aniseed and fennel. With Absinthe now being legal in many countries many people want to know how to make Absinth or Absinthe.

Josef Archleb of the Dobruska Distillery in the Czech Republic used the following recipe for his Absinth:-

For the Absinthe base – Grande wormwood, alcohol and water.
For the distillate – Anise seed, star of anise, cinnamon, grande wormwood, hyssop, mace, alcohol and water.

Henri-Louis Pernod of the Pernod Fils distillery in France, used a wine base and herbal ingredients including wormwood, fennel, aniseed, hyssop, angelica, lemon balm, star anise, juniper, dittany, veronica and nutmeg to make his classic French Absinthe.

Recipes online also include additional herbs like calamus root, mint, coriander, caraway seeds and cloves. The herbs are either distilled, which is illegal in many countries without a license, or steeped in a neutral alcohol and then filtered. Only distillation gives a true Absinthe, steeping will just give you an idea of the flavor of Absinthe.

How to Make Absinth or Absinthe the Easy Way

A real wormwood Absinthe can be made by using essences from AbsintheKit.com. This company sell their essences to the Absinthe industry, as well as consumers, and make their essences from natural top-quality herbs using high tech carbon dioxide distillation. All you have to do at home is to mix 20ml of essence with 730ml of Everclear or vodka and the end result is a real wormwood Absinthe.

They have 4 types of essences available:-

– Classic Green Essence – Use this essence if you like classic verte style Absinthes.

– Clear Absinthe Essence – Use this essence if you like the Blanche or La Bleue clandestine style Absinthes of Switzerland.

– Orange Essence – For a yellow-orange colored Absinthe with a natural orange flavor – Absinthe with a twist!

– Strong 55 Essence – This essence makes an Absinthe with a higher thujone content (55mg rather than 35mg) and therefore a more bitter wormwood taste.

You can either buy an essence for $3.95 ($4.95 for Strong) and make one bottle of Absinthe (750ml) or you can buy an Absinthe kit for $29 ($39 for Strong) which makes 14 bottles of Absinthe. A kit also includes artistic bottle labels and a handy plastic measure.

Once you have made your home-made Absinthe you will be asking how to make Absinth or Absinthe to serve. Absinthe is usually diluted with water and this way of preparation is called the Ritual. To prepare Absinthe this way you need to :-
– Pour a shot of Absinthe into a large glass or Absinthe glass.
– Place a sugar cube on an Absinthe spoon resting over the rim of the glass.
– Slowly drip iced water over the sugar and into the Absinthe. This will cause the Absinthe to louche, become cloudy.
– Keep adding water to taste – a ratio of between 3:1 and 5:1 water to Absinthe is usual.
– Stir and enjoy your Absinthe drink.

That’s how to make Absinth or Absinthe!

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Absinthe is an expensive liquor so many people want to find a how to make Absinthe recipe to use at home.

Absinthe is a distilled spirit and so it is complicated to make from first ingredients at home, especially when distillation is illegal in many countries without a proper license.

Absinthe was originally produced commercially by Henri-Louis Pernod who used a wine base and natural herbs. His Absinthe recipe included the three main Absinthe herbs – wormwood (artemisia absinthium), aniseed and fennel, along with veronica, dittany, juniper, nutmeg, hyssop, star anise, lemon balm and angelica. These herbs are still used in Absinthe production today and some Absinthe distillers also use additional herbs such as calamus root, coriander seeds and mint.

Using recipes and mixing herbs with alcohol like vodka, steeping and then filtering is not to be recommended because this method does not involve distillation and simply produces an alcohol with a flavor a bit like Absinthe not true Absinthe.

By far the easiest way of making real Absinthe at home is to use Absinthe essences. AbsintheKit.com produce Absinthe essences for both the Absinthe industry and for the public. These essences are already distilled and are produced with the finest Absinthe herbs and essential oils. Simply mix 20ml of essence with 730ml of neutral alcohol, such as vodka or Everclear, to make your very own bottle of the Green Fairy. There are even 4 different types of essence to choose from – something to suit everyone whether you like a classic verte Absinthe, a strong Absinthe, a clear Absinthe or an orange flavored Absinthe.

Absinthe is also used in many cocktails and food. There are many articles online containing recipes and information, I even found a great recipe for Absinthe cookies sprinkled with sugar crystals! Ernest Hemingway, the famous writer and Absinthe drinker, drank “Death in the Afternoon” which is Absinthe mixed with champagne!

You also need to know how to prepare Absinthe to serve. Absinthe is a very different and special alcoholic beverage in that it is not often served straight but, instead, is diluted with iced water. It also has its own equipment or “Absinthiana” used in Absinthe preparation – Absinthe glasses and spoons, drippers or fountains. Many of these are now expensive antiques but you can buy replica items from companies like AbsintheKit.com.

To prepare your Absinthe in the traditional way known as “The Ritual”, you need to pour a shot of Absinthe into a large glass or Absinthe glass. Get a slotted Absinthe spoon (cuillere) and rest it over the rim of the glass. Place a cube of granulated sugar on the spoon and slowly drip or pour iced water over the sugar and into the Absinthe. Hopefully, you will now see the effect known as the “louche” when the essential oils, which are not soluble in water, cause the drink to turn milky or cloudy. Stir your Absinthe and drink it – easy!

When you use an essence and follow the guidelines for the Ritual you really don’t need to find a how to make Absinthe recipe.

Knowing how to make the perfect Absinthe is important and you need to learn and follow the “Absinthe Ritual” or recipe, but you first need to make sure that you have the perfect ingredients and that means buying quality Absinthe.

There are many low quality or even fake Absinthes available from suppliers especially those who are selling to the USA. The reason for this is that Absinthe contains the chemical thujone which comes from the herb wormwood, the main ingredient in real Absinthe along with anise and fennel. The safety of thujone was brought into question in the early 20th century. It was thought to be psychoactive and have psychedelic effects like those caused by THC in cannabis. Drinking the Green Fairy, the nickname for Absinthe, was thought to drive you insane! Absinthe was therefore banned for sale and made illegal in many countries in the early 1900s.

In the 1990s there was an Absinthe revival as Absinthe was made legal in most countries. Studies had shown that Absinthe was no more harmful than any other strong liquor and that it only contained minute quanitities of thujone. EU guidelines mean that Absinthe sold bottled in the EU may only contain up to 10mg/kg of thujone and the USA will only allow trace amounts. Most people believe that real Absinthe should contain 35mg/kg of thujone.

Buying Tips

There is a bewildering array of Absinthe for sale online so here is some help and some tips for buying quality Absinthe:-
– Make sure that it actually contains wormwood. The botanical name for wormwood is Artemisia Absinthium. Wormwood gives Absinthe its thujone and its characteristic bitter taste. If the Absinthe on sale does not contain wormwood then it is not Absinthe!
– Make sure that it also contains aniseed and fennel which are the other 2 key ingredients. Other herbal ingrediants may include lemon balm, star anise, hyssop, sweet flag, juniper, petite wormwood, coriander and angelica roots.
– Look at the Alcohol By Volume. Absinthe is a strong alcoholic beverage, twice as strong as spirits such as whisky and vodka. Absinthe should contain between 45-75% ABV. Real Absinthe is a 100% distilled herbal beverage.
– Use Absinthe essences to make your own bottled Absinthe. Absinthe essence containing real Wormwood are supplied by companies like AbsintheKit.com who also supply these essences to the Absinthe distilleries. Using these essences you can make your own top-quality traditional Absinthe containing the proper amount of thujone, 35mg/kg and save yourself some money.

How to Make Absinthe using the Ritual

There are video tutorials on the Internet to help you make the perfect Absinthe drink but it really is quite simple. Patience is the key as well as using the correct equipment or “Absinthiana”.
You will need:-
– An Absinthe glass.
– An Absinthe spoon (cuillere).
– Quality Absinthe.
– Iced Water.
– A cube of sugar.

Pour the required amount of Absinthe, about 25-50ml, into the glass. Rest the Absinthe spoon over the top of the glass and place the sugar cube on the spoon. Pour the iced water slowly over the sugar. This is when you need patience because you really need to let the water drip onto the sugar slowly. An Absinthe fountain can be used which allows the water to drip out slowly onto the sugar.
As the water and sugar solution mixes into the Absinthe, the essential herbal oils cause the Absinthe to louche, become cloudy. This effect can be quite dramatic if the water is dripped in slowly – it is fascinating to watch.
The ratio of water to Absinthe should be between 3:1 and 5:1 depending on your taste. Once the water has dripped through the spoon, you can stir the Absinthe and enjoy your drink.

As you can see it is easy to learn how to make Absinthe and you should enjoy the experience of making and drinking this wonderful mythical and mysterious drink.

Absinthe is now legal in most countries and you can even buy Absinthe in the United States. This has sparked off a renewed interest in Absinthe and a new generation is wanting to know how to get Absinthe.

Absinthe is a strong liquor which is made by distilling alcohol with a recipe of natural herbs. Traditional herbs used in Absinthe manufacture include common wormwood, also known as grande wormwood or artemisia absinthum, aniseed and fennel. The aniseed gives the Absinthe its famous anise or licorice flavor and the wormwood gives the drink an edge of bitterness. Wormwood contains a chemical called thujone which was thought to be psychoactive and to cause psychedelic effects. It was claimed that Absinthe contained large amounts of thujone and so it was banned in the early 1900s. Research and tests showed that Absinthe actually only contained very small amounts of thujone, not enough to cause any effect whatsoever, and so the drink was once again legalized in most countries.

To experience the real taste of Absinthe you need to buy an Absinthe which contains wormwood. Don’t be conned by the many fake Absinthes or substitute Absinthes – you need original wormwood Absinthe.

How to get Absinthe which contains wormwood

Here are some buying tips to help you purchase a true Absinthe:-

– Make your own from a kit. AbsintheKit.com sell absinthekits which contain an Absinthe essence, a plastic measure and 14 artistic bottle labels. The kit costs $29 and it contains enough essence to make 14 bottles of absinthe. Unlike steeping kits, the kits from AbsintheKit are already distilled so, when you mix them with vodka or Everclear, you get a true Absinthe. The essences contain the traditional Absinthe herbs, including wormwood, and are an economical way of obtaining a real wormwood Absinthe.

– Educate yourself about Absinthe online. Use the Buyer’s Guide on sites like lafeeverte.net to read up about Absinthes and to read reviews on particular brands.

– Check that the Absinthe contains wormwood and not just southernwood or roman wormwood. The Absinthe should also contain anise or aniseed. Some Czech Absinth are wormwood bitters, not true Absinthe, because they are anise free.

– Shop around and compare prices.

– Buy brands made by reputable distillers and look for Absinthes that have won awards.

How to get Absinthe classics

Here are just a few Absinthes that you may want to consider trying. They are all real wormwood Absinthes.

– AbsintheKit.com Absinthe Classics essence – This essence makes a classic “verte” or green Absinthe which louches beautifully.

– The Jade Collection – This collection of vintage style Absinthes are distilled by Ted Breaux in France. They have won awards and have got lots of good reviews and write-ups online.

– Mari Mayans 70 – A Spanish Absinthe (Absenta). This collectors 70 edition has won awards and has been made in Ibiza since 1880. Absinthe was never banned in Spain so this Absinthe has always been in production.

– Sebor – A Czech Absinth which contains both wormwood and anise. It is a well known Czech brand with a good reputation.

– La Boheme Absinthe Original – A Czech Absinthe which is based on a 200 year old Swiss recipe.

– Absinthe Roquete 1797 – This French Absinthe is based on an original 18th century recipe and is distilled in 19th century alambics.

Other noteworthy Absinthes are La Ptite Douce, Absinthe La Clandestine, Doubs Mystique Carte’Or, Absinthe Duplais and Lucid, which is available in the USA.

When you have bought your chosen Absinthe remember to follow the Ritual and to use an Absinthe glass and slotted spoon. Replicas of antique glasses and spoons can be purchased from AbsintheKit.com.

Now you know how to get Absinthe, enjoy the taste of the Green Fairy.

Absinthe is best served diluted with sugar but there are two different ways to serve it with sugar. Learn how to drink Absinthe with sugar by following these instructions and tips.

The Ritual or La Louche

This method of preparing Absinthe is the way that Absinthe was served in its heyday during the 19th century and early 20th century. Although it was sometimes used in cocktails or consumed “straight”, the most popular way to drink Absinthe was to use the “Ritual”.

To make the perfect Absinthe, you will need:-
– Absinthe – Real Absinthe which contains wormwood.
– A large glass or proper Absinthe glass.
– A cuillere (absinthe spoon) – This is a perforated or slotted spoon.
– A cube of sugar.
– A carafe of iced water.

Pour a shot of Absinthe into the glass (Note: Some Absinthe glasses have markings or a bulge to show the correct level of Absinthe, otherwise use 25-50ml).
Place the sugar on the spoon and rest the spoon on the rim of the glass.
Slowly drip, rather than pour, the iced water over the sugar, letting it dissolve and drip into the Absinthe.
As the water mixes into the Absinthe there is an effect called the louche. The essential oils from the herbal ingredients in the Absinthe are not soluble in water and so cause the drink to turn milky or cloudy or “louche”. This effect can be fascinating to watch.
Once you have added the water (a ratio of 3:1 to 5:1 water to Absinthe is ideal) you can the stir your drink and enjoy the taste of the Green Fairy.

Different types of Absinthe louche differently and Absinthes with a high essential oil content, such as the Absinthe made from the orange oil Absinthe essence from AbsintheKit.com, louche beautifully.

How to drink Absinthe with sugar using the Bohemian Method or Czech Method

This method is really just the Ritual with a modern twist. It is not recognized as a proper way of serving Absinthe but has become popular with the younger generation of Absinthe drinkers who have seen it performed in bars in the Czech Republic.

To prepare Absinthe using this method, you will need:-
– Absinthe – a cheap one will do, high proof ones can be a bit risky!
– An Absinthe glass
– An Absinthe spoon
– A cube of sugar
– A lighter or match
– A carafe of iced water

Pour a shot of Absinthe into the glass.
Dip the sugar cube into the Absinthe, place on spoon and then set it alight.
Let the sugar caramelize, melt and drip into the Absinthe. (Please note that it may set the Absinthe on fire!).
Slowly drip the iced water into the Asbinthe, watch the louche and then stir with the spoon.
Enjoy your Bohemian Absinthe.

There are many tutorials and video guides online showing you how to drink Absinthe with sugar and there are also many websites that sell Absinthe and Absinthe products. AbsintheKit.com sell real wormwood essences to make your own Asbinthe and they sell replica Absinthe glasses and spoons to help give your Asbinthe experience a bit of culture!

How to drink Absinthe correctly is the issue many people have once they have managed to get hold of a bottle of the Green Fairy. In La Belle Epoque in France everyone knew how to serve and drink Absinthe, it was part of the culture and was even more popular than wine.

The knowledge of how to drink Absinthe was lost until recent times because of the ban on Absinthe in most countries for many decades. In the United States it was banned in 1912 and Absinthes such as the “Lucid” brand have only just gone on sale in the US in 2007.

How To Drink Absinthe Using The Traditional “Ritual”

This is the original method of preparing Absinthe used in pre ban times in the 19th century in France and Switzerland. There is an art to using this method and it lies in the use of a steady hand.

– Pour a shot of Absinthe into an Absinthe glass or large glass.
– Rest a slotted Absinthe spoon over the top of the glass and place a cube of sugar on the spoon.
– Slowly drip iced water over the sugar so that the sugar dissolves and drips through the slots into the Absinthe. Either use an Absinthe fountain or dripper to control the dripping or use a very steady hand to pour the water from a carafe.
– Watch the Absinthe louche (turn cloudy) as the water mixes into the alcohol.
– Enjoy your Absinthe.

How To Drink Absinthe Using The Modern Bohemian or Czech Method

This is a more modern method which is a bit of fun and is scorned by many Absinthe drinkers. It is often used with cheaper Czech Absinthes and Absinthes that have a lower alcohol content. Care must be taken when setting alcohol alight.

– Pour a shot of Absinthe into an Absinthe glass.
– Soak the sugar cube in the Absinthe and then place on an Absinthe spoon resting on the rim of the glass.
– Using a lighter or match, set the sugar on fire and watch it as it caramelizes , melts and drips into the Absinthe, it may set the Absinthe on fire too.
– Slowly pour iced water into the Absinthe to put out the flames and to make the Absinthe louche.
– Drink your Absinthe.

Ratios of water to Absinthe depend on taste but a ratio of between 3:1 and 5:1 water to Absinthe is the recommended dilution.

How To Drink Absinthe in Cocktails

Ernest Hemingway famously created “Death in the Afternoon” – a cocktail of Absinthe and champagne, but there are many other cocktail recipes for Absinthe. You do need to remember that Absinthe is a very strong Alcoholic beverage and is approximately twice the strength of other spirits such as vodka and whisky.

Cocktail ideas:-

Absinthe and Vodka – Mix 3 parts Absinthe with one part good quality vodka in an iced glass (out of the freezer) and garnish with a sprig of mint.

Absinthe Explosion – Mix 3 parts Tequila, 4 parts vodka, 3 parts whisky and 7 parts Absinthe. Add ice and stir.

Absinthe Bloody Mary – Put 1 shot of Absinthe into a cocktail glass with ice and top up with tomato juice. Add a dash of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce and season with salt and pepper.

There are many other ways of how to drink Absinthe and you can even invent your own cocktails.

If you want to know how to drink Absinthe you first need to know what Absinthe is. Absinthe is a mysterious and mythical distilled liquor made from an alcohol base, such as wine, and flavored with herbs including common wormwood (artemisia absinthium), fennel and aniseed. It has an an anise flavor and is usually green in color, although La Bleue styles are clear.

Absinthe is very strong, up to 75% ABV and about twice as strong as spirits such as vodka or whisky. It was famously banned in the early 1900s due to its thujone content. Thujone, in wormwood, was thought to be like THC in cannabis, and to be psychoactive and cause psychedelic effects. It is now known that Absinthe only contains very small amounts of thujone and is perfectly safe to drink in moderation.

Absinthe devotees include Van Gogh, Degas, Gauguin, Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemingway who famously invented an Absinthe cocktail called “Death in the Afternoon” – a mix of Absinthe and champagne. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, it is claimed, drank a “Tremblement de Terre” (Earthquake) which was 1 part Absinthe mixed with 1 part cognac!

How to Drink Absinthe at Home

In Absinthe bars your Absinthe will be prepared for you and your waiter may use an Absinthe fountain to prepare your drink, but you will want to know how to prepare your own Absinthe at home.

Firstly, you will need to buy a quality Absinthe. Here are some tips and some help for buying a decent Absinthe:-

– Look online or in a liquor shop for Absinthes which contain real wormwood and have a thujone content. Wormwood gives Absinthe its characteristic bitter taste. Absinthe just is not Absinthe without wormwood, but there are many Absinthe substitutes or fake Absinthes which do not contain wormwood or contain southernwood instead.

– If the Absinthe lists its herbal ingredients, look for the ingredients aniseed and fennel, in addition to the wormwood, and other herbs such as lemon balm, star anise, angelica, hyssop and dittany.

– Look at the ABV (alcohol by volume). It should be between 45 and 75%.

– Make your very own real Absinthe from essences. These distilled herbal Absinthe essences are available from AbsintheKit.com who supply essences to Absinthe distilleries. The essences contain wormwood and are easy to use – simply mix with a neutral alcohol base such as Everclear or vodka. A very economical way to make real Absinthe.

Once you have your Absinthe you will need to use “The Ritual” (the name for the art of making a good Absinthe) to prepare your Absinthe for drinking. To prepare your Absinthe you will need:-

– Absinthe
– An Absinthe glass
– A slotted Absinthe spoon
– A sugar cube
– Iced water

Pour 25-50ml of Absinthe into the glass and rest the Absinthe spoon over the top of the glass. Place a sugar cube on the spoon and either use an Absinthe fountain to drip the iced water over the sugar cube or use a steady hand to slowly pour or drip the water over. As the sugar and water solution mixes into the Absinthe, the essential oils in the herbs will separate, because they are not water soluble, and will cause the drink to louche, or go cloudy. This louching is the desired effect and if your Absinthe does not louche then you have not got a top-quality Absinthe.

The ratio of water to Absinthe should be between 3:1 and 5:1 depending on your taste. Stir the drink when all of the water has been added and sit back and enjoy the experience.

These instructions on how to drink Absinthe will help you to make the perfect Absinthe every time.

There are many websites giving Absinthe recipes and even tutorials and help on how to distill Absinthe, the Green Fairy, or La Fee Verte, the strong alcoholic beverage enjoyed by the likes of Van Gogh, Oscar Wilde, Pablo Picasso and Ernest Hemingway.

If you are in the United States and you want to distill your own Absinthe, or any other alcohol, officially you need a license from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms because it is illegal to distill alcohol without a proper license.

How to Distill Absinthe at Home

Recipes and guides on the Internet include the following recipes:-

A recipe similar to an 1855 Pontarlier Recipe
– Macerate 25g wormwood (botanical name Artemesia Absinthium), 50g fennel and 50g anise in 950ml 85% abv in a 2 liter flask.
– Add 450ml distilled water.
– Do a pot still distillation, collect 950ml of distillate.
– Separate 400ml of the distillate and mix in 10g of Roman Wormwood (Artemisia Pontica), 5g lemon balm, 10g hyssop and macerate at 60C.
– Filter and mix with the remaining 550ml distillate and dilute to 74% abv to make 1 liter of Absinthe.

(Recipe from www.homedistiller.org and originally from “Scientific American”, June 1989)

Other recipes online include additional herbs such as sage, mint, galangal, ginger, sweet flag, licorice, aniseed, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamon.

Distillation is not only illegal in some countries but it is also complicated. Thankfully, there are kits available online from different suppliers to enable you to make Absinthe at home simply and easily without the need for distillation.

Absinthe Essence Kits

AbsintheKit.com produce Absinthe essences for both the Absinthe industry and for consumers. The essences are made with top-quality essential oils and herbs and by high tech carbon dioxide distillation. Each essence is already distilled, all you have to do is mix with a neutral alcohol base such as Everclear or vodka and then you can enjoy your very own Absinthe at home.

The Absinthe essences can either be purchased in 20ml bottles at $3.95 ($4.95 for Strong 55) which is enough to make one 750ml bottle of Absinthe, or in a 280ml bottle (to make 14 bottles of Absinthe) in a kit with artistic bottle labels and a handy plastic measure. The kits are $29 or $39 for the Strong 55 kit.

Four types of essence are available – one to make a classic green Absinthe, an orange oil flavored essence, an essence to make clear Swiss style Absinthe and a stronger essence to make an Absinthe with a more bitter wormwood flavor. All essences contain real wormwood and other traditional herbs such as aniseed and fennel. The Strong 55 gives a thujone content of 55mg per 750ml bottle of Absinthe and the other essences give a content of 35mg.

There is a guide on how to use the essences on the AbsintheKit.com website.

AbsintheKit.com also sell replicas of antique 19th century Absinthe glasses, such as the Pontarlier glass, and Absinthe spoons, such as the famous Eiffel Tower spoon made to commemorate the opening of the Eiffel Tower in 1889. Using the proper Absinthiana (Absinthe equipment) will really put you in the right mood to prepare and drink your perfect Absinthe drink.

If you live in a country where it is hard to find real wormwood Absinthe, or you just fancy having a go at making your very own Absinthe, you will want to know how to brew Absinthe at home.

Henri-Louis Pernod made his Absinthe with a wine base and herbs including aniseed, hyssop, fennel, lemon balm, star anise, angelica, veronica, juniper, dittany and nutmeg. Czech company Sebor use a blend of 13 herbs, including chamomile and mint in addition to wormwood, and a 100 year old recipe to make their Absinthe.

There are 3 main ways to make your own Absinthe drink:-

1.Use a recipe to distill your own Absinthe liquor.
2.Use an Absinthe Kit with a blend of herbs and instructions.
3.Use an Absinthe essence

How to Brew Absinthe Using a Recipe

Distilling liquor at home is illegal in most countries unless you have a license and is quite complicated. Typical home-brew recipes include:-

– Wormwood (Grande Wormwood, Artemisia Absinthium)
– Green Anise
– Fennel
– Alcohol

The ingredients are first macerated for several hours, heated and then slowly distilled and then colored with extra herbs such as lemon balm, hyssop and petite wormwood. The mixture is then heated again, then filtered and diluted.

Other recipes do not require distillation, just a blend of herbs with alcohol. For example:-
– 30g/ 1 ounce dried Wormwood
– 1 teaspoon hyssop
– 1 tablespoon angelica
– 1 pinch of fennel seeds (could use anise instead)
– 1 teaspoon of lemon balm
– ¼ teaspoon each of caraway seeds and coriander seeds
– 1 liter of Everclear or vodka

In a bottle mix chopped dried wormwood with the alcohol and leave for 1-2 weeks in a cool dark place. Filter or sieve out the wormwood and mix in the other herbs. Wait for 3 or 4 days and then filter or sieve again. The Absinthe is now ready.

Brewing Absinthe at home in these ways is not recommended. Distilling is tricky and usually illegal and simply mixing the herbs with alcohol does not give a true Absinthe.

How To Brew Absinthe with a Herbal Blend Kit

There are many different herbal kits on sale online, for example the kits from Green Devil. Their kits include:-
– Their unique micron filtration system.
– An Absinthe blend containing grande wormwood, hyssop, calamus, melissa, anise seed, fennel seed, star anise and coriander see.
– Absinthe flavoring and finishing blend containing more herbal ingredients.

Their Deluxe kit also contains two Absinthe spoons, two Absinthe glasses, a 1000ml bottle, two bottle labels, two muslin bags for infusing the herbs, a poster and a pamphlet containing information and instructions.

They claim that their finished Absinthe will contain as much as 70-90mg of thujone per liter – rather a large amount of thujone, the chemical found in wormwood which was once claimed to cause psychedelic effects. There is no distilling involved so the Absinthe produced will not be a true Absinthe.

How To Brew Absinthe With an Essence

Absinthe essences are available to buy from AbsintheKit.com are an easy way to make real Absinthe at home. The essences are made from traditional Absinthe herbs and are already distilled. Simply mix the essence with Everclear or vodka and you have your very own bottle of the Green Fairy.

4 types of essence are available – one to make a classic verte Absinthe, one to make a clear La Bleue style Absinthe, one to make an orange flavored Absinthe and another to make a stronger more bitter Absinthe. They all contain real wormwood and are essences used by the Absinthe industry.

AbsintheKit.com also sell their essences in kits containing enough essence to make 14 bottles of Absinthe, bottle labels and a plastic measure. See their website to get more information on how to brew Absinthe with their essences.

Absinthe is a fantastic drink that has many myths and legends surrounding it and a very interesting history. It was a popular drink in 19th century France and there were even bars in Paris or bars who had special Absinthe hours (L’heure de verte) where people could learn how to Absinthe, how to enjoy the Green Fairy, as it was known.

The Green Fairy was the muse of many famous artists and writers who were part of the trendy Bohemian Paris scene. Absinthe devotees include Van Gogh, Degas, Pablo Picasso, Charles Baudelaire, Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemingway. Absinthe featured in many famous works of art such as “L’Absinthe” by Degas, Manet’s “The Absinthe Drinker” and “La Buveuse d’Absinthe” by Belgian artist Felicien Rops. Recently, Absinthe has featured in movies such as “Moulin Rouge”, “Alfie”, starring Jude Law, and “From Hell” starring Johnny Depp.

Absinthe is having a real revival at the moment and many people are buying it for the first time not knowing how it should be prepared.

How to Absinthe at home

First you need to make sure that you have got a quality real Absinthe and not a fake Absinthe or Absinthe substitute. True Absinthe is a strong liquor (up to 75% alcohol by volume) with an anise flavor. It is much stronger than other spirits like whisky and vodka.
Absinthe is either green or clear (La Bleue or Blanche styles) and is made from distilling herbs including wormwood, aniseed and fennel in an alcohol base. Good Absinthe manufacturers use the finest quality organic herbs. There are many Absinthe suppliers online.

If you cannot find real wormwood Absinthe, you can buy essences from AbsintheKit.com to make your own Absinthe at home. These essences are made with the traditional Absinthe herbs and essential oils and are distilled using high tech carbon dioxide distillation. All you need to do is mix some essence with a neutral alcohol, such as vodka, and there you have it, your very own Absinthe. There are four different types of Absinthe essence to choose from – visit their website to order the essences as well as replicas of antique Absinthe glasses and spoons.

How To Absinthe using “The Ritual”

Once you have either bought or made your Absinthe you need to know how to prepare it. The traditional way of preparing Absinthe to drink is to dilute it with iced water. You will need:-

– Absinthe
– An Absinthe glass or large glass
– An Absinthe spoon
– Iced water
– A cube of sugar

Pour a shot of Absinthe into the glass and rest the slotted Absinthe spoon over the rim of the glass.
Place the sugar cube on the spoon.
Slowly drip the iced water over the sugar cube so that it gradually dissolves and drops through the slots into the Absinthe. The ratio of water to Absinthe is usually between 3:1 and 5:1.
Watch the Absinthe louche as the water mixes into the alcohol. The Absinthe will turn from a transparent green to a milky or cloudy pale green due to the essential oils not being soluble in water.
Stir your Absinthe and enjoy it.

That’s how to Absinthe at home – simple and very tasty!