Absinthe wormwood is normally Artemisia Absinthium or Grand Wormwood which is actually a variety of wormwood which does not contain a vast amount of the chemical thujone. Some brands of Absinthe use Roman Wormwood, Artemisia Pontica, in addition to Grand Wormwood and this type of wormwood also contains thujone, so drinks with two types of wormwood may contain more thujone. Thujone amounts can differ between brands significantly, some Absinthes only have negligible amounts of thujone, whereas others have up to 35mg/kg. Only Absinthe which has negligible amounts of thujone is legal for sale in the USA because thujone is an illegal food additive there.

Why is there controversy about Absinthe Wormwood?

Common Wormwood, Artemisia Absinthium, is a plant which has been used in medicine since Ancient times. It has been used:-
– To counteract poisoning caused by toadstools and hemlock.
– As a tonic.
– To reduce a fever.
– As a stimulant to digestion.
– To treat parasitic intestinal worms.
It is the herb Wormwood which gives Absinthe its bitterness, its green color and its name. The essential herbal oils in Absinthe are also responsible for the famouse “louche” effect, the cloudy that happens when water is addded to the drink.
Absinthe was banned in the early 1900s in many countries because of the alleged harmful effects of the chemical thujone, found in Wormwood extract. Absinthe drinking was linked to violent crimes, serious intoxication, insanity and thujone was thought to have psychoactive and psychedelic effects and to be an hallucinogen. It was even claimed that a french man killed his whole family after drinking Absinthe – he was actually an alcoholic who consumed copious amounts of other alcohol after the Absinthe!
From being a trendy Bohemian drink enjoyed by many writers and artists, such as Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway and Oscar Wilde, it was suddenly a banned and illegal drink. It was banned in many European countries and also in the USA but was never banned in the UK, where it had never been popular, Spain, Portugal or the Czech Republic.

Absinthe Wormwood Revival

There was never any real evidence linking Absinthe drinking to hallucinations or insanity and it is now known that Absinthe is no worse than any other highly alcoholic drink. Absinthe has approximately twice the alcoholic content of spirits such as whisky and vodka and so should be consumed in moderation, but Absinthe wormwood is not thought to be harmful. Many Absinthe drinkers do report feeling a funny lucid or clear headed type of drunkenness when consuming a bit too much Absinthe – this could be due to the combination of the sedative effects of some of the herbs (and the alcohol content)and the stimulating effects of the Wormwood and other herbs.

Since Absinthe was legalized in many countries in the 1990s there has been a renewed interest, a revival, in Absinthe drinking. There are many different types and brands of Absinthe available to buy and buyers can even order Absinthe essence, to make their own Absinthe, online from companies like AbsintheKit.com.

Absinthe Wormwood is still the most important ingredient in Absinthe today but thujone content is strictly regulated in the European Union (no more than 10mg/kg) and the United States where only trace amounts are allowed. Look for Absinthes that contain real wormwood and herbs not artificial flavors.

Absinthe was never quite as popular in the United States as it was in Europe, but Absinthe USA was popular in the French part of the city New Orleans which even had specialist Absinthe bars serving the Green Fairy.

Absinthe is a liquor which was first created as an elixir or tonic by a doctor in Switzerland in the late 18th century. It was made from herbs such as grande wormwood, or artemisia absinthium, fennel and aniseed. Absinthe is traditionally green in color, apart from the Swiss La Bleue clear types, hence the nickname “The Green Fairy” or, in French, “La Fee Verte”. It is served in a special Absinthe glass with a sugar cube resting on a special slotted spoon. Iced water is poured over the sugar to dilute the Absinthe.

Drinkers of Absinthe claim that the drink gives them a strange “clear headed” drunkenness which may be caused by its curious recipe of herbs, some of which are sedatives and some which are stimulants. The essential oils of these herbs cause Absinthe to louche, or go cloudy, when water is added. The oils are soluble in alcohol but not in water. Absinthe is a very strong spirit, up to about 75% alcohol by volume, which is about twice the strength of whisky or vodka.

Absinthe USA and the Absinthe Ban

Absinthe was famously banned in many countries in the 1900s and Absinthe USA was banned in 1912. The French prohibition movement claimed that the thujone in Absinthe (the chemical in wormwood) was psychoactive and caused psychedelic effects. Absinthe was also linked to the loose morals of the Moulin Rouge and Montmartre with its courtesans, artists and writers, and, when an Absinthe drinker murdered his family, it was just the excuse the prohibition movement needed to get the French government to ban Absinthe. Many countries, including the United States followed suit.

Absinthe and drinks containing any plants from the artemisia family were banned in the USA and it became illegal to buy or sell Absinthe. Americans were forced to buy bootleg Absinthe, make their own, buy Absinthe substitutes, such as Pastis, or travel to countries like the Czech Republic where Absinthe was still legal and on sale in Absinthe bars.

Ted Breaux and Absinthe USA

Ted Breaux, from New Orleans, is an Absinthe distiller in France. His Jade collection of Absinthes has won many awards.

It was always his dream to be able to sell his Absinthe in his native country but the laws outlawed him doing so. Breaux had worked hard at recreating Absinthe from pre-ban recipes and had actually been able to analyze some vintage bottles of Absinthe. When he analyzed the vintage Absinthe, he found that it actually only contained minute quantities of thujone – contrary to the belief of the US government.

Breaux and his lawyer friend, Gared Gurfein, were able to meet with the US Alcohol, Tobacco, Tax and Trade Bureau and tell them about “Lucid”, an Absinthe that Breaux had created especially for the American market which only contains trace amounts of thujone. In 2007 Lucid went on sale in the US and since then a couple of other brands have also been allowed to go on sale in the USA. These Absinthes are available online or in bars.

It is great news that Americans can taste real classic, and legal, Absinthe in their home country for the first time since 1912 – Absinthe USA!

In the early 1900s many European countries banned the strong alcoholic drink Absinthe, United States banned Absinthe in 1912.

Absinthe was never as popular in the United States as it was in European countries such as France and Switzerland, but there were areas of the US, such as the French part of New Orleans, where Absinthe was served in Absinthe bars.

Absinthe is a liquor made from herbs such as wormwood, aniseed and fennel. It is often green, hence its nickname the Green Fairy, and it has an anise taste.

Absinthe is an interesting concoction or recipe of herbs that act as a stimulant and alcohol and other herbs that act as a sedative. It is the essential oils from the herbs that cause Absinthe to louche, go cloudy, when water is added.

Wormwood, Artimesia Absinthium, contains a chemical called thujone which is said to be similar to THC in the drug cannabis, to be psychoactive and to cause psychedelic effects.

Absinthe United States and the ban

At the beginning of the 1900s there was a strong prohibition movement in France and this movement used the fact that Absinthe was linked to the Bohemian culture of Montmartre – with its writers, artists and the courtesans and loose morals of establishments such as the Moulin Rouge, and the allegation that an Absinthe drinker murdered his family, to argue for a ban on Absinthe. They claimed that Absinthe would be France’s ruin, that Absinthe was a drug and intoxicant that would drive everyone to insanity!

The United States followed France’s example and banned Absinthe and drinks containing thujone in 1912. It became illegal, a crime, to buy or sell Absinthe in the USA. Americans either had to concoct their own homemade recipes or travel to countries like the Czech Republic, where Absinthe was still legal, to enjoy the Green Fairy.

Many US legal experts argue that Absinthe was never banned in the US and that if you look carefully into the law and ordinance you will find that only drinks containing over 10mg of thujone were banned. However, US Customs and police would not allow any Absinthe shipped from abroad to enter the US, only thujone free Absinthe substitutes were allowed.

Absinthe United States 2007

Ted Breaux, a native of New Orleans, runs a distillery in Saumur France. He has used vintage bottles of pre-ban Absinthe to investigate Absinthe recipes and to create his own classic pre-ban style Absinthe – the Jade collection.

Breaux was amazed to find that the vintage Absinthe, contrary to belief, actually only contained very minute quantities of thujone – not enough to harm anyone. He became determined to provide an Absinthe drink which he could ship to his homeland, the US. His dream was to once again see Absinthe being consumed in bars in New Orleans.

Breaux and lawyer Gared Gurfein, had many meetings with the Alcohol, Tobacco, Tax and Trade Bureau about the thujone content of Breaux’s Absinthe recipe. They found that actually no law needed to be changed!

Breaux’s dream became reality in 2007 when his brand Lucid was able to be shipped from his distillery in France to the US. Lucid is based on vintage recipes and contains real wormwood, unlike fake Absinthes. Now, in 2008, a brand called Green Moon and two Absinthes from Kubler are all able to be bought and sold within the US.

Absinthe United States – Many Americans are now enjoying their first taste of real legal Absinthe, perhaps there will be an Absinthe revival.

Absinthe thujone is the chemical found in Absinthe’s vital ingredient, the plant called Common Wormwood, or Artemisia Absinthium to give it its botanical name. The chemical thujone was partly responsible for Absinthe being banned in the early 1900s in many countries across the world and thujone is still tightly regulated today, especially in the United States (or states united).

Thujone was thought to be similar to THC found in cannabis and Absinthe was alleged to be psychoactive and have psychedelic effects causing hallucinations and insanity. Absinthe was popular with the Bohemian set in Montmartre in Paris and many artists and writers claimed that Absinthe, the Green Fairy, gave them inspiration and their genius. Famous Absinthe drinkers include Oscar Wilde, Ernest Hemingway, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Degas, Baudelaire and Verlaine. Some say that Van Gogh’s madness was caused by Absinthe and that he cut off his ear under its influence. Absinthe was even blamed for a man murdering his family, even though he had consumed many other strong alcoholic drinks after the Absinthe.

Prohibition campaigners used news of the murder to campaign for the banning of Absinthe and blamed France’s growing problems of alcoholism on the emerald liquor.

Is Absinthe Thujone Dangerous?

Today’s research suggests that it was actually the alcohol (ethanol) content of Absinthe that was dangerous rather than the thujone. Absinthe is twice as strong as spirits like whisky and vodka and can be 75% alcohol. Care should therefore be taken when consuming Absinthe. Thujone is only present in minute quantities and should therefore cause no major side effects or health problems. The EU stipulates that alcoholic beverages with an ABV (alcohol by volume) level over 25% may only contain a maximum of 10mg/kg of thujone, beverages classed as “bitters” can contain up to 35mg/kg, it is not entirely clear which class Absinthe fits into but most brands of Absinthe have much less than 35mg with many being under 10mg/kg. In the US it is only legal to buy or sell Absinthes with trace amounts of thujone.

High doses of thujone can be dangerous causing convulsions but you would have to drink a large amount of Absinthe to consume that amount of thujone and it would be impossible to drink that amount, you’d be comatose from alcohol before then!

Absinthe Ingredients

It is said that Henri-Louis Pernod, who owned the first Absinthe distillery, used the herbs wormwood, aniseed, fennel, lemon balm, hyssop, angelica root, dittany, star anise, nutmeg, juniper and veronica to make his famous Pernod Absinthe. The essential oil from these herbs is responsible for La Louche, the clouding which happens when water is added to Absinthe. These herbs especially the aniseed and anise are responsible for the distinctive aniseed or licorice taste of Absinthe and wormwood is responsible for the bitter flavor. Absinthe is sometimes used as bitters in cocktails.

There are many brands of Absinthe or Absinthe substitutes which were developed during the ban and therefore contain no Absinthe thujone or wormwood, but many would say that Absinthe is not Absinthe without Absinthe thujone and the bitter taste of wormwood. If you want real Absinthe look for brands containing wormwood or Absinthe thujone.

Absinthe spoons, Absinthe glasses, fountains, drippers and brouillers are all collectively known as Absinthiana and are the accoutrements used in the preparation of Absinthe. Original items are now highly valued by collectors and you see such antiques and collectibles being sold for quite substantial amount of money.

If you cannot afford original Absinthiana then you can buy replicas from companies such as AbsintheKit.com to help you prepare the perfect Absinthe in style.

Types of Absinthe Spoons

Absinthe spoons, cuilleres, were introduced in the 1880s to make Absinthe preparation easier. Previously perforated cups over Absinthe glasses had been used. These spoons were pierced or slotted to allow sugar and water to drip through into the absinthe.

Absinthe spoons, or cuilleres, come in many different shapes and sizes and are also made out of many different kinds of metal including silver, nickel and chrome. Marie-Claude Delahaye, a historian specializing in Absinthe history, has concluded that there are over 375 different types of Absinthe spoon.
The most common type of spoon is shaped like a trowel and is called the French Pelle and this group of cuilleres includes the pretty “les feuilles d’Absinthe” which have got Absinthe foliage designs on them. Also in this group is the famous spoon design featuring the Eiffel Tower which was designed to commemorate the opening of the Eiffel Tower in 1889.
The second group of Absinthe spoons is the group of “les Grilles” or “Les Grillagees” meaning lattice. The third and final group is called “Les cuilleres” and includes designs with a long handle and a cradle to hold the cube of sugar.

Some of the most famous Absinthe spoons are “Les Cuilleres de Poilus”. A Poilu was a French soldier from the Great War and these Cuillere spoons were fashioned by soldiers at war using materials which were close at hand – shell casings, aluminum, tin and brass. These spoons were only made at the start of the war because Absinthe was banned in France in 1915. Soldiers designed these spoons to fit their own drinking cups. These beautiful and unique spoons are now highly collectible antiques.

Absinthe was banned because of the alleged psychedelic and psychoactive effects of thujone, the chemical found in the herb wormwood which is a major ingredient in Absinthe. Absinthe was legalized in most countries in the 1990s after it was noted that it was no more harmful than any other strong liquor and contained only minute amounts of thujone.

The Absinthe Ritual

There is a ritual to be followed by lovers of the Green Fairy (Absinthe). To make the perfect Absinthe you need:-
– An Absinthe spoon
– An Absinthe Glass
– Absinthe
– Iced Water
Some people would also say that an Absinthe fountain, brouiller or carafe should be used for the water.
To prepare the Absinthe:-
– Pour approximately 25-50ml of Absinthe into your glass.
– Rest your Absinthe spoon (cuillere) on the glass and place a cube of sugar on it.
– Pour the iced water slowly onto the sugar cube. You should begin to see the louche happening from the bottom of the glass.
Louching, or clouding, happens because the essential oils from the herbs are not soluble in water. The finished drink should be milky or cloudy looking.

The correct ratio of water and Absinthe is between 3:1 (Water to Absinthe) and 5:1 depending on taste.

Using Absinthe spoons and other Absinthiana will help you to fully enjoy the Absinthe ritual.

The Absinthe spoon is an important part of the Absinthe Ritual known sometimes as La Louche. Absinthe equipment is known as Absinthiana which includes articles like Asbinthe glasses and glassware (such as carafes and fountains), drippers, brouillers and spoons or cuilleres. It is possible to buy antique items or to purchase replica absinthiana. Absinthiana allows you to enjoy drinking your Absinthe in style, in the traditional way.

Absinthe is an anise flavored alcohol made with herbs including wormwood, aniseed and fennel. Absinthe was banned in the early 1900s due to its thujone content and claims that it caused hallucinations and drove people insane. There are many references to Absinthe in the paintings and writings of many famous people including Oscar Wilde, Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso and Ernest Hemingway.

Absinthe is now legal in many countries and claims that it is dangerous and toxic have been disproved.

Types of Absinthe Spoon

Cuilleres, or Absinthe spoons, started to be used in Absinthe preparation in the 1880s to replace perforated cups that had previously been used to allow the sugar to dissolve in the water before dripping into the Absinthe. Absinthe spoons are perforated or slotted with holes or slots and are designed to rest on the top of an Absinthe glass.

The spoons came in a variety of sizes and were usually made out of silver, silver plate, nickel or chrome. Replicas today tend to be made from stainless steel. According to the Absinthe historian Marie-Claude Delahaye, owner of an Absinthe museum, there are more than 375 different Absinthe spoons which include:-

– The French Pelle – This spoon is shaped like a trowel and the most famous spoons in this group are the pretty “Les Feuilles d’Absinthe”, with their lovely Absinthe plant foliage designs, and the Eiffel Tower spoons which were designed to commemorate the opening of the Eiffel tower in 1889. The Pelle group of spoons is by far the most common group of spoons.

– Les Grilles or Les Grillages meaning “lattice” – This group of spoons is recognized by its lattice work designs.

– Les Cuilleres – This third group includes designs with a long handle and a cradle to hold the cube of sugar.

Absinthe was a popular drink with French soldiers, in fact French soldiers had been supplied with Absinthe in the 19th century to treat malaria. Soldiers in the Great War made Absinthe spoons from materials which were close at hand – aluminum, shell casings, tin and brass. These spoons are known as “Les Cuilleres de Poilus”, a Poilu being a French soldier. These unique spoons are highly collectible antiques because they were only made at the start of the war – Absinthe was banned in France in 1915. These spoons are beautiful and are all different because they were designed by soldiers for their own personal cup.

The Use of the Absinthe Spoon in the Ritual

The Ritual, or La Louche, is the name given to preparing Absinthe. In an Absinthe bar in the Green Hour, L’heure verte, Absinthe would be served by a waiter or bar man in a large Absinthe glass. The waiter would rest a sugar cube on a slotted Absinthe spoon and use a fountain or carafe to drip iced water over the Absinthe. Once the water mixed in to the Absinthe the essential oils in the Absinthe caused the drink to louche, become cloudy. This is because the oils are soluble in alcohol but not in water.

Replica Absinthe spoons and glasses can be purchased online at AbsintheKit.com along with additional items such as essences to make your very own traditional wormwood Absinthe.

The Absinthe spoon is an important part of the Absinthe Ritual known sometimes as La Louche. Absinthe equipment is known as Absinthiana which includes articles like Asbinthe glasses and glassware (such as carafes and fountains), drippers, brouillers and spoons or cuilleres. It is possible to buy antique items or to purchase replica absinthiana. Absinthiana allows you to enjoy drinking your Absinthe in style, in the traditional way.

Absinthe is an anise flavored alcohol made with herbs including wormwood, aniseed and fennel. Absinthe was banned in the early 1900s due to its thujone content and claims that it caused hallucinations and drove people insane. There are many references to Absinthe in the paintings and writings of many famous people including Oscar Wilde, Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso and Ernest Hemingway.

Absinthe is now legal in many countries and claims that it is dangerous and toxic have been disproved.

Types of Absinthe Spoon

Cuilleres, or Absinthe spoons, started to be used in Absinthe preparation in the 1880s to replace perforated cups that had previously been used to allow the sugar to dissolve in the water before dripping into the Absinthe. Absinthe spoons are perforated or slotted with holes or slots and are designed to rest on the top of an Absinthe glass.

The spoons came in a variety of sizes and were usually made out of silver, silver plate, nickel or chrome. Replicas today tend to be made from stainless steel. According to the Absinthe historian Marie-Claude Delahaye, owner of an Absinthe museum, there are more than 375 different Absinthe spoons which include:-

– The French Pelle – This spoon is shaped like a trowel and the most famous spoons in this group are the pretty “Les Feuilles d’Absinthe”, with their lovely Absinthe plant foliage designs, and the Eiffel Tower spoons which were designed to commemorate the opening of the Eiffel tower in 1889. The Pelle group of spoons is by far the most common group of spoons.

– Les Grilles or Les Grillages meaning “lattice” – This group of spoons is recognized by its lattice work designs.

– Les Cuilleres – This third group includes designs with a long handle and a cradle to hold the cube of sugar.

Absinthe was a popular drink with French soldiers, in fact French soldiers had been supplied with Absinthe in the 19th century to treat malaria. Soldiers in the Great War made Absinthe spoons from materials which were close at hand – aluminum, shell casings, tin and brass. These spoons are known as “Les Cuilleres de Poilus”, a Poilu being a French soldier. These unique spoons are highly collectible antiques because they were only made at the start of the war – Absinthe was banned in France in 1915. These spoons are beautiful and are all different because they were designed by soldiers for their own personal cup.

The Use of the Absinthe Spoon in the Ritual

The Ritual, or La Louche, is the name given to preparing Absinthe. In an Absinthe bar in the Green Hour, L’heure verte, Absinthe would be served by a waiter or bar man in a large Absinthe glass. The waiter would rest a sugar cube on a slotted Absinthe spoon and use a fountain or carafe to drip iced water over the Absinthe. Once the water mixed in to the Absinthe the essential oils in the Absinthe caused the drink to louche, become cloudy. This is because the oils are soluble in alcohol but not in water.

Replica Absinthe spoons and glasses can be purchased online at AbsintheKit.com along with additional items such as essences to make your very own traditional wormwood Absinthe.

Absinthe has an interesting history. Absinthe was created in the town of Couvet, in Switzerland, in the late 18th century by a French doctor who used it as an elixir or tonic for his patients. By 1805 the Absinthe recipes had got into the hands of Henri-Louis Pernod who started distilling it in his factory in Pontarlier in France.

Original Absinthe Recipes

Pernod’s Absinthe, Original Pernod Fils, was distilled from wine and contained many natural herbs and essential oils from plants including grande wormwood, aniseed, melissa, fennel, lemon balm, dittany, angelica root, hyssop, star anise, nutmeg and juniper.

Different manufacturers of the Green Fairy (Absinthe’s nickname) used different recipes and ingredients. Other herbs used in Asinthe production included calamus root, mint, cloves, nutmeg, roman wormwood, anise seed, coriander, sweet flag and licorice. The herb wormwood, Artimesia Absinthium, was always used in the making of pre-ban Absinthe because it was the ingredient that gave Absinthe its characteristic bitter taste, as well as its name.

Wormwood contains the chemical thujone which was thought to be similar to THC in the drug cannabis. Thujone is psychoactive and can cause psychedelic effects when consumed in large quantities. Anise seed and fennel seed both contain anethole which is said to be psychoactive and Angelica root is grown as a drug in Lapland. Absinthe is a mysterious mix of sedatives and stimulants, no wonder that artists and writers like Van Gogh and Oscar Wilde claimed that it gave them their genius and inspiration! “A clear headed drunkenness” is how being drunk on Absinthe has been described.

Absinthe was famously banned in France in 1915 when Prohibitionists claimed that it was going to ruin the country and send everyone insane. However, studies have shown that drinking Absinthe is just as safe as drinking any of the other strong alcoholic drinks such as whisky and vodka. Absinthe is mainly alcohol and only contains minute quantities of wormwood and the other herbs so, if consumed in moderation, is no real health risk.

Homemade Absinthe Recipes

There are many Absinthe recipes on the internet using different herbs and different methods – steeping, filtering etc. but making Absinthe at home from plants, dried herbs or essential oils is not to be recommended. Why?
– Absinthe should be distilled.
– You have no way of knowing the thujone content of your finished Absinthe – a bit risky.

It is far better to buy either a quality Absinthe, making sure that it’s got the vital ingredient wormwood, or to buy an Absinthe kit which consists of Absinthe essences that have already been distilled.

You can even buy Absinthe in the USA now – Breaux’s label “Lucid” is legal in the USA.

AbsintheKit.com does great Absinthe kits which consist of:-

– Absinthe essence – choose from classic, white (which makes clear Swiss style Absinthe, Strong 55 (with a 55mg thujone content) and Orange (flavored with orange oil).
– A measure.
– Artistic Labels to decorate your Absinthe bottles.

One bottle of essence will make 14 bottles of Absinthe!

To make Absinthe using these kits you simply mix 20ml of the Absinthe essence with a neutral alcohol such as Everclear or vodka and that’s it – finished, your won bottle of Green Fairy.

Simple and easy to use and, because these essences are the very same as the ones sold to distilleries, you know that you are getting a safe, top-quality product.

If you search online you will find lots of cocktail Absinthe recipes such as Ernest Hemingway’s famous “Death in the Afternoon” – Absinthe and champagne. Enjoy finding and mixing your cocktails.

Absinthe is a mind altering alcoholic beverage that is said to bring the drinker into an illuminated state of being and has do so to many, through out history.. There are different recipes that will instruct you on how to create this specialty in the comfort of your home.

There are three main ingredients that make up absinthe; this trio has been dubbed by some as the holy trinity, wormwood, anise and fennel. In any recipe that you find these three ingredients will always be present.

Artemisia absinthium, which is a species of wormwood is an herbal plant that contains thujone. Thujone is the component that is responsible for inducing drinkers with an illuminated perception. Wormwood is mainly grown in Europe but has been known to grow in some parts of the United States. If you plan on buying wormwood instead of growing your own do not buy massively produced wormwood from places like Turkey.

Anise is a flowering plant that is found through out the Mediterranean region. The seeds are what gives absinthe it’s licorice taste and cause the drink to cloud over, during the La Louche ritual. Anise also contains a substance called anethole that has mild psychedelic effects.

The last herb of the trinity is fennel. Fennel seeds play a balancing act between wormwood an anise; it sweetens wormwood’s bitterness and tones down anise’s sweetness.

Other then the three main herbs there are many other different herbs used in making absinthe, these herbs add flavor, aroma and color to absinthe: star anise, calamus, hyssop, coriander, mint, veronica, chamomile and Melissa.

There are a few websites that have different absinthe recipes that you can make at home. If you do plan on making your own homemade absinthe, remember that it is a very bitter drink, highly flammable and if your drinking it to get a buzz, drink it fast.

This is a recipe from the site www.newspeakdictionary.com it explains the process and ingredients in detail, for making your very own homemade absinthe concoction. The site also has some great absinthe drink mix recipes that you can experiment with.

1.5 oz Wormwood
1/3 oz Hyssop
1/3 oz Calamus Root
1/8 oz Fennel Seed
1 tsp Mint
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
2 Star Ansise fruits
Bottle of Everclear or 151 rum

• Grind up fennel, cloves and coriander (best way is to use a mortar & pestle)
• Mix mixture from step 1 with the rest of the dry ingredients and put in airtight container with 1000ml for stronger absinthe and 750ml for less potent
• Let mixture seep for a min of 2 weeks
• Strain liquid through a thin cloth to remove solids

Add in the following ingredients which will add some flavor to it

1/2 Dropper full of Wormwood Essential Oil
1/3 – 2/3 Bottle of Anise Extract
1 tsp Mint Extract
2-10 shots Ouzo

If you can make it past the first sip you are on your way to meet the infamous Green Fairy as the notorious absinthe drinker/poet Oscar Wilde said “The first stage is like ordinary drinking, the second when you begin to see monstrous and cruel things, but if you can persevere you will enter in upon the third stage where you see things that you want to see, wonderful curious things.”

There has been a renewed interest in Absinthe liquor about the world in the last decade since Absinthe’s legalization in many countries. Absinthe, also known as the Green Fairy or La Fee Verte, has only been legal in the United States since 2007, and only certain brands can be sold, so there is much interest in the liquor in the US.

What is Absinthe Liquor About?

Absinthe is a distilled anise flavored spirit which was created for medicinal purposes as an elixir or tonic by the legendary Dr Pierre Ordinaire in Couvet, Switzerland. It became popular in Switzerland and France in the 19th and early 20th centuries and even overtook wine in popularity in France.

Absinthe is usually made from a wine base and is flavored with herbs. Its main herbal ingredients are common wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium), which gives Absinthe its name and its bitter taste, aniseed and fennel. Other common herbs used in the production of Absinthe include hyssop, lemon balm, star anise, dittany, juniper, nutmeg and licorice.

There are many different types of Absinthe liquor:-

– Verte – This is the classic green Absinthe of the French La Belle Epoque and the Absinthe favored by the Bohemian culture of Montmartre and consumed by artists and writers such as Pablo Picasso, Van Gogh, Oscar Wilde, Ernest Hemingway, Gauguin, Degas, Baudelaire and Verlaine.

– La Blueu – Also known as La Blanche. This is a clear Absinthe. Bootleg Swiss Absinthe was clear during the ban.

– Czech Style Absinth – Some Czech Absinthes are normal Absinthes but this term refers to “Absinths” which are actually wormwood bitters and do not have an anise flavor.

– Absenta – Spanish Absinthe which has a sweeter flavor because it is made with Alicante Anise.

– Rouge or Rose Absinthe – This Absinthe has a naturally red color because of the added ingredient of hibiscus flowers.

You can buy many different types and styles of Absinthe online – traditional styles and modern classics which are based on vintage Absinthes but have a modern twist.

As well as buying these different types of Absinthe beverages, you can also make your own Absinthe from Absinthe essences. AbsintheKit.com supply essences to the Absinthe industry and to consumers. They make 4 different essences – a classic green Absinthe essence, a clear Absinthe essence, a strong essence which makes an Absinthe with a stronger bitter wormwood flavor, and an orange flavored essence which is flavored with orange oil and makes a lovely orange-yellow colored Absinthe. All the essences are made using top-quality herbs and are distilled so you don’t have to worry about distilling, simply order online and then mix with vodka or Everclear for your own wormwood Absinthe.

AbsintheKit.com also sell Absinthiana such as replicas of famous Absinthe glasses and spoons such as the Eiffel Tower spoon.

Absinthe is a very strong alcoholic beverage, up to 75% alcohol by volume, and is much stronger than whisky or vodka. Care should be taken when consuming such a strong spirit especially if it is being mixed with other strong spirits in cocktails – it is very easy to get drunk on Absinthe!

There are not many drinks like Absinthe liquor about which there are many myths, legends, lies and falsehoods – it has a very colorful and interesting history and is a lovely beverage to enjoy.