Home Distillation of Alcohol (Homemade Alcohol to Drink) Black pepper 2-24 Aperatives and Digestives (bitters). The aperitif serves to stimulate the appetite. e.g. vermouth wines. Spirit based ones include the Italian Aperol (11%abv) which is made from an infusion of rhubarb root, quinine, gentian and bitter orange peel). Jagermeister is a well known German after dinner drink based on various herbs. They had their origin in medicines prepared by monks.. Honey/sugar, and spices were added to alleviate the bitterness. Modern cough mixtures remind us of this background. Bitters Amaro means bitter in Italian. It is a herbal infusion in alcohol and amari (plural of amaro) are still popular in Italy as digestives, or after dinner drinks. There are many brands on the market. The bitter taste is imparted by wormwood, gentian root, quinine, centaury, bitter orange peel,rhubarb, hops, cascarilla, nettles.

Aroma is provided by juniper, anise, coriander, hyssop, fennel, cinnamon, cardamon, nutmeg, rosemary, lavender, caraway, camomile, peppermint, tumeric, vanilla, lemon balm, sage, marjoram, oregano, angelica root, orris root, thyme, sweet calamus root. 'Fernet Branca' produced in Milan since 1845, contains aloe, bay leaves, wormwood, aniseed, bitter orange peel, basil, cardamon, liquorice, nutmeg, peppermint and saffron. See the 'Amaro alle erbe' recipe at A recipe for a simple Amaro or Bitters: 5 leaves melissa (lemon balm) 5 leaves sage zest from a large lemon Steep for 2 weeks. Filter. Add sugar syrup. Bottle and age. Wild Fennel Wal writes .. An Italian from Campania province told me that he uses 13 flowering tops of wild fennel per one litre of grappa.

A common liqueur in Italy is 'Liquore de Finocchietto Selvatico' (30%abv) obtained by the maceration of the tops of wild fennel (not seeds like aniseed based liqueurs) with added sugar. It apparently has digestive properties. Vermouth Vemouth arose when an amaro was added to wine. Proportions varied to suit individual tastes. The first commercial success is credited to Antonio Carpano from Turin who began selling a pre-blended formula in 1786 he named 'Punt e mes' (one and a half). In 1813, Joseph Noilly of Lyons, France created a French dry vermouth based on delicate whites infused with wormwood and local plants. 'Vermouth' is the French term for the German 'wermut'(wormwood), the principal bittering agent. In Europe vermouth is drunk as an aperitif or pre-dinner drink. Dry vermouth is essential to add to your gin to make a martini cocktail.

The most basic recipe I have seen is from a French site - 1 handful of wormwood 1 glass of sugar 1 star anise Macerate wormwood in the wine for 5 days, strain. Add alcohol, sugar and star anise. Remove star anise after several days. A more complex recipe for vermouth is found at - Came across a recipe for 20 litres of vermouth at 20%abv which could be also made with a neutral spirit base or to camouflage something less successful. Steep for a week. Centaury, Gentian, Wormwood provide the bitterness. Quinine bark, woodruff, yarrow, elecampane,tonka beans are not readily available. Tonka beans have aromatic coumarins but also contain high amounts of thujone. Herb Quantity (grams/20L) gentian root peel from 2 oranges Steep in the wine, a pinch each of the herbs and spices, for 3 days. Strain, add sugar, bottle. Consume after 15 days. The wormwood and gentian proveid the bitterness, the other herbs and spices are for flavor.

Highland Bitters "In Scotland bitters were traditionally drunk before meals, especially breakfast, 'for the purpose of strenthening the stomache, and by that means invigorating the general health'. Any kind of spirit could be used and sometimes wine or ale. 1 and 3/4 oz (55 g) gentian root 1 oz (30 g) coriander seed 1/2 oz (15 g) bitter orange peel 1/4 oz (7 g) chamomile flowers 1/2 oz (15 g) cloves (whole) 1/2 oz (15 g) cinnamon stick 2 bottles whisky Finely chop the gentian root and orange peel (free of pith).Place in mortar with seeds, cloves, cinnamon and chamomile flowers. Bruise all together, place in an earthernware jar, pour in the whisky and make the jar air-tight. Leave for ten days, then strain and bottle." ('A Country Cup' W.

Paterson, 1980) Wilma Paterson who hails from Skye, also gives her recipe for Heather Ale using heather (Erica cinerea; Erica tetralix, Calluna vulgaris) instead of hops. She says that there are records of heather being used as late as the 18th and 19th centuries. Heather Ale: 1 gallon (4.5 litres) heather tops 2 lb (1 kg) malt extract 1 and 1/2 lb (700 g) sugar 3 gals (13.5 l) water 1 oz (30 g) yeast Cut the heather tops with scissors when in full bloom, but not overblown, and boil them in 1 gal (4.5 l) of the water for nearly an hour. Strain on to the malt extract and sugar through a jelly bag and stir till dissolved. Add remaining water and , when lukewarm, add the dried yeast. 'Aperol' from Italy is a low-alcohol aperitif made from rhubarb, gentian, quinine, biter orange peel.

For information on herbs in the recipes see: With so many differing versions on the market, the home distiller can experiment to produce equally valid ones. For those who don't want to use sugar to sweeten their liqueurs you can use stevia powder(from health food shops) or fresh stevia leaves. A sugar syrup substitute can be made by infusing 10 leaves of fresh stevia leaves in 200ml of boiled water. Grappa alla Stevia Macerate for several days and redistill. Color with orange peel. Benedictine The monasteries of the Middle Ages had a proud alcoholic reputation. Monastic orders still make wine, beer and liqueurs, and their religious fervour has a commercial streak. The most famous are Benedictine and Chartreuse. Only Chartreuse is presently controlled by monks. The secret formula for Benedictine, believed lost when the Abbey of Fecamp in Normandy was destroyed in 1789 during the French Revolution, turned up in 1863 in the house of Alexandre Le Grand. He modernised the elixir of 27 plants and spices and called it Benedictine. D.O.M.

on the label stands for 'Deo Optimo Maximo'(To God, most good, most great). The recipe is said to contain angelica root, arnica flowers, orange peel, thyme, cardamon, peppermint, cassia, hyssop, cloves and cognac. There is a complex Benedictine recipe from an old English pharmaceutical book in - Others that I have seen certainly do not contain as many herbs and spices. Chartreuse Chartreuse is still made under the control of Carthusian monks near Grenoble in the French Alps. The formula for this 'elixir de longue vie' or elixir for longetivity was give to the Monastery of the Grand Chartreuse in the 17th century by the Marechal d'Estrees. A total of 130 ingredients are in the formula. They are macerated in alcohol and redistilled. The original Elixir is 71%abv, Green is 55%abv and the sweeter yellow 40%abv. Both of these have honey added before being aged in casks for 8 years, although Chartreuse VEP is kept longer.

Personally I believe that macerating so many herbs, and then redistilling produces a very complex vodka, which when sweetened with honey produces a liqueur - one which could be emulated by the home distiller as a 'variation on a theme' (Pepsi is a valid variation of Coca Cola although both arrived at their formula independently). The roots of herbal liqueurs lie in Italian monasteries and originally were herbal medicines. 'Centerbe' (100 herbs), 'amaro' (bitters), infused wines(vermouth) are still popular in Italy. Strega (witch in Italian) which was invented in 1860 contains 70 botanicals which are macerated and redistilled. Galliano contains 40 herbs and spices with anise and vanilla quite prominent. As an example, from a French site a Chartreuse type elixir is given for "distestion difficulties and intestinal troubles." 1 litre alcohol (90%bv) 1 litre water 0.5 g saffron 700 g honey Crush seeds, steep for 1 week. Strain and add 1 litre of water and honey. Leave for 24 hours.

Strain again and bottle. for old liqueurs, including what purports to be Chartreuse. Its in French, but the ingredients repeat, so you can get by with a good dictionary. There is a partial gastronomic glossary at Found 4 more so-called "Chartreuse" recipes at a French site - . It would be more accurate to call them French Herbal Liqueurs as they do not have anywhere near 130 herbs that the original reputedly has. Those interested in herbal infusions should find them useful. Green 'Chartreuse' 1 sugar-syrup of 65% 4.5 liter water 12.5 liter This is all I got from the book.On a website, I read that the green coloring was done with chlorofyl. Wal writes .. From 'The Complete Book of Spirits and Liqueurs' C.Ray, 1978.

"These are the 3 monks who, at any one time, are entrusted with the secret of the 130 herbs from which 5 concentrated extracts are derived; and in what proportion they are blended to produce the very strong green Chartreuse, the sweeter and less strong yellow, and the highly concentrated elixir." I have come to the conclusion that it is impossible to find an authentic recipe for a herbal liqueur with so many ingredients. A much better approach is to make your own variation. The Chartreuse type blend their herbs so that none predominates. Other liqueurs in this category are: 'La Senancole', similar to yellow Chartreuse. 'Aiguebelle', in a strong green and a sweeter yellow version. 'Izarra', a Spanish green (stronger) and yellow (sweeter) liqueur. 'Etaller', a German green and yellow liqueur. Here are 3 French 'recipes' supposedly for Charteuse but which do not have 130 botanicals, and so are really just a herbal variation: 1) White Chartreuse (use herbal coloring to get green and yellow) recipe for 10 litres - redistillation required.

50g wormwood 10 g cochineal (can replace with cochineal coloring) 100 ml rosewater water - quantity not given, 1 litre would give a usual liqueur strength. Steep crushed herbs and spices in alcohol diluted with 1 glass of water for 2 weeks. Add sugar syrup. Let stand for another 2 days. Strain, add rosewater. Camomile Wal writes .. While looking at a Spanish beverage site I noticed a 'Manzanilla Xoriguer' camomile liqueur, manzanilla being the Spanish word for camomile. Flowers are used as botanicals, and since camomile has medicinal properties, I found a French camomile liqueur recipe, and a French and Italian recipe for a camomile flavored wine for those who like to use camomile not only in the form of a herbal tea: Camomile Liqueur 1 litre sweet white wine 60 g dried camomile flowers 4 tbsp honey 20 g orange leaves Warm 1/2 wine and dissolve honey. Steep botanicals for 30 minutes. Remove orange leaves, add rest of wine and steep for 7 days. Filter and bottle.

There is no reason why you could not replace the wine with alcohol. Marijuana DC writes .. For those of you pondering and now thinking about using a little "stash" in your wash, there are a few things that should be understood before you do. First, if Marijuana was to be used unprocessed (i.e. strait from your stash without any alteration other than separation, like you would do if you were going to use it to smoke), the water solubles in the unprocessed plant would dissolves in the brew, leading to a POWERFUL off-taste. What should be done is to soak the herb by placing it in a nylon mesh bag. Fill a large container (I was going to use the word "pot," but then I figured I might confuse a few people with the terms) with TEPID water. (the reason for TEPID water is because the dissolution rate of THC -- the active substance in marijuana that gets a person "high" -- occurs in hot water; therefore the oil from the THC glands become thinner and may be released from heavier gland, by which causes a loss of the WANTED oil. This is the reason that TEPID water is used).

Soak the herb in the TEPID water for one hour. Then squeeze the water from the vegetation, allowing the water to run back into the container, and allow the vegetation matter to soak for another hour. Repeat this process several times. Most of the pigments and tannin are released in several one-hour soakings. It should be known that when soaking the herb in water, even TEPID water, some THC glands may fall off during the soaking and squeezing process. These THC glands can be collected from the bottom of the large container, after the herb has been removed, by draining the water through a coffee filter. You can discard the water after you are satisfied that you have collected all of the glands that you can. The collected glands on the filter can be dried and smoked -- these glands are very purse and potent, so beware. If you don't want to smoke them, you could (should) add then to your brew. After the final soaking/rinse, the herb is ready to go into the brew. Well, almost. You must dry the wet vegetation. To dry the herb, take kitchen wire racks -- the kind used for cooling cookies and such -- and place one paper towel over the rack.

Then gently spread the herb loosely over the paper towel covered wire rack. The paper towel draws some of the moister away from the plant material, while the wire rack allows for air circulation underneath the herb, hence quicker drying. You should store the herb that is being dried in a warm dark location until dried. Time for drying depends on the environment, so check the herb often and turn the vegetation over as needed to allow for even drying. There are other ways to dry the herb as well. You may use a food dehydrator if one is available to you. Check the instructions for proper use of drying herb-like items. You may even, but I am not quick to recommend, use your microwave to aid in the drying process. To use the microwave, loosely place the herb on a paper towel lined microwave safe plate and place in the microwave. Heat the herb on HIGH for 30 SECONDS. Check the herb, if it is still wet, turn the herb and put it in for another 30 SECONDS. Continue the 30 SECOND cycle until the herb is dry and almost crumbly. You do not want to turn the plant black, brown, or have it so dry that it becomes powder after you touch it.

Using the microwave to dry herb is a skill, so you may want to try your hand at drying different herbs before you try your hand on this no-so-cheap herb. Now that it is dry, you are ready to go. There are many ways that you can incorporate your, now processed, herb into different types of drinks. For a "double buzz" beer, just brew up your favorite batch of beer as you normally would. Then add your processed marijuana, in a nylon mesh bag, to your fermenting beer 3-4 days BEFORE you bottle. This gives the alcohol in the fermenting beer enough time to dissolve the THC. The marijuana will lend a small amount of flavor to the beer, due to the residual water solubles the have remained in the processed herb. The same can be done for whiskey. Add the marijuana to your whiskey mash 1 week before to put your mash into the still. The THC oils will be carried over with your flavorful alcohol. I don't recommend this process with a fractioning/reflux still, as that type of still may keep back some of the desired THC that you have worked so hard to get. MY recommendation is to use a pot still only.

You can also add the processed herb you liquors and other "botanical" brews. An interesting experiment would be to try an Absinthe recipe with and/or without the Wormwood. Now there is an extremely illegal drink waiting to happen. Some people have taken their processed herb and added it to strait spirit. But they didn't do this to drink it. They did it so that they can later extract THC oil. The process goes like this: take your processed herb and put it into a jar. Take HIGH proof spirit and pour it over the herb until it just covers the herb. Let this sit covered for a week, remembering to shake the jar 2-3 times a day. After the week is up, pour this solution into a double boiler (preferably on an electric stove/hot plate). Then gently bring the solution up to a gentile simmer. What happens next is the alcohol is slowly being evaporated, while leaving behind the THC oil. Mind you, THC is heat sensitive, so you will lose some of the oil due to the heating process. When you are done, you are left with a THC oil concentration. Most people then use this oil to dip their cigarettes into to enjoy an interesting smoke.

Other people take a small amount of the oil and re-dissolve it into a shot worth of vodka and take the solution sublingually to achieve the THC affects without smoking. Other people add it to their cooking. The list could go on. Now, this e-mail is not my endorsement for using marijuana, or any other illegal plant or drug, in any form or fashion. This is knowledge being passed on for educational use only. It is not to be put into use in any form or fashion. This page last modified Tue, 20 Jan 2015 20:51:05 -0800 What does liqueur mean?

definition, meaning and pronunciation (Free English Language Dictionary) alcohol ; alcoholic beverage ; inebriant ; intoxicant (a liquor or brew containing alcohol as the active agent) Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "liqueur"): absinth ; absinthe (strong green liqueur flavored with wormwood and anise) ratafee ; ratafia (sweet liqueur made from wine and brandy flavored with plum or peach or apricot kernels and bitter almonds) pousse-cafe (small drink served after dinner (especially several liqueurs poured carefully so as to remain in separate layers)) Pernod ((registered trademark) a liqueur flavored with anise) pastis (similar to absinthe but containing no wormwood) maraschino ; maraschino liqueur (distilled from fermented juice of bitter wild marasca cherries) kummel (liqueur flavored with caraway seed or cumin) The Fairy Tale of Absinthe | Booze + Alchemy | Medicinal Mixology The Fairy Tale of Absinthe on March 25, 2012 Absinthe is the French word for wormwood — that oh so villified plant that turns law-abiding citizens into psych

opathic murderers, or so said most government officials once upon a time.

The infamous liquor, first distilled in Switzerland in the 18th century and sold as a medicinal elixir, is based on the “holy trinity” of herbs: Wormwood, Green anise (not to be confused with star anise), and Florence Fennel; those herbs are then steeped with other botanicals in a brandy spirit and distilled. The resulting liquor is a green-colored spirit (although some are clear) that takes its hue naturally from the chlorophyll of the herbs used in its production. So what is absinthe — a spirit or some sweet liqueur? Although it is sometimes mistakenly referred to as a liqueur, absinthe is not traditionally bottled with added sugar, and is therefore classified as a spirit; in fact, most commercial absinthes today range from 110 to 160 proof, making it one the the most potent spirits available. We’ll drink to that. The precise origin of absinthe is unclear, but the medical use of wormwood dates back to ancient Egypt when wine was infused with the plant for healing purposes. The Ancient Greeks also used wormwood extracts and wine-soaked wormwood leaves as remedies for various ailments.

During the Middle Ages, people used wormwood to treat intestinal worms, an upset stomach or irregular appetite, and to alleviate the pain of childbirth. Then France started giving soldiers the wormwood beverage we call absinthe in order to protect them from malaria. Medicinal Mixology cannot argue with centuries of experimentation by apothecaries and shamans, unlike the governments who banned absinthe. Sensationalism, scare campaigns, ignorance . . . so many words could be used to explore absinthe’s downfall. How did this medicinal herb that had been used for centuries become the target of the temperance movement, and receive a reputation similar to modern crack cocaine? Let us begin with the height of its popularity — the Belle Epoque period. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, absinthe was the drink of choice among the bohemian Moulin Rouge crowd of artists and writers in Paris. Amedeo Modigliani, Vincent van Gogh, Edgar Allen Poe, Oscar Wilde, and Ernest Hemingway all claimed to be inspired by the magic of absinthe, and such accounts gave rise to the “la fée verte” (the green fairy).

By the early 20th century, absinthe was becoming popular in America, especially in the brothels of the famous Storyville district in New Orleans. The boozy city prides itself as the birthplace of the first absinthe cocktail — the Sazerac. It is easy to imagine glamorous Madames and their girls flirting with affluent gentleman while sipping on Sazeracs. Artists, prostitutes, wealthy bankers, bartenders, senators . . . everyone was drinking absinthe. The problem is that the hallucinogenic powers of the drink have been dramatically exaggerated. Drinking absinthe will not produce some sort of spiritual experience, unless maybe you drink half a bottle. Of course, in that case, you would probably die of alcohol poisoning before you saw the notorious green fairy prance about the room. Indeed absinthe was labeled a poison by conservative prohibitionists, but it was actually the cheap absinthe producers that ruined the spirit’s reputation. In order to make the drink less expensive, and therefore available to the poorer classes, disreputable distillers added metals and other toxic materials to color the absinthe and give it the desirable cloudy texture when water was added (both qualities occur naturally in proper absinthe).

Side effects of drinking cheap, poorly distilled absinthe? Kidney failure, psychotic spells, and seizures. Oh, and death. Did reformists and prohibitionists attack the distillers poisoning patrons with toxic absinthe? No, they just condemned every absinthe distiller instead. Then in 1905 Swiss farmer Jean Lanfray, a known alcoholic, downed a substantial amount of wine and brandy, drank a few glasses of absinthe and killed his pregnant wife and their two daughters; that was it — the final nail in the coffin. That’s all the prohibitionists needed. Absinthe was dead, and the Green Fairy was burned at the stake. Switzerland banned absinthe in 1910, the United States in 1912, and France in 1914. For nearly 100 years afterward, absinthe would be the symbol of the creative bohemians that lounged in the opium dens of Paris, and little more than a fairy tale that taunted medicinal mixologists worldwide. The myth of absinthe owes its fame to one plant — wormwood, the essential herb mistakenly cursed as the most demonizing plant in the world.

Today we know that consuming essential oil of wormwood is fatal (so NO homemade wormwood infusions — ever!), but the toxic chemical thurjone is destroyed during the distillation process. Scientists have tested and retested bottles of absinthe from all vintages and countries. It’s safe to drink absinthe, so why aren’t you drinking a glass right now? The United States legalized absinthe in 2007 to the delight of medicinal mixologists, historians, and romantics who had only read about the famous concoction. Although absinthe will not cause any insightful visions, drinkers do acknowledge several side effects that are exclusive to the intriguing spirit: vivid dreams; a clear-headed drunkenness; a tingling, refreshing mouth-feel that numbs the tongue. Absinthe producers had me at “tingling tongue.” Come on, you know that sounds fun. If you’re overwhelmed by the thought of trying such an interesting drink, don’t you worry. We’ll explain some reputable distillers and the ceremony of preparation. Absinthe suggestions are listed below in full detail, but first we’ll talk about the ritualistic preparation of a glass of absinthe (it’s as meticulous as a Japanese tea ceremony).

There are two popular methods: the French Method and the Bohemian Method. Traditionally, the French Method of preparing absinthe included placing a sugar cube on top of a specially designed slotted spoon, and then placing the spoon on a glass which has been filled with a measure of absinthe. Iced water is then poured or slowly dripped over the sugar cube in a manner whereby the water is slowly and evenly displaced into the absinthe, such that the final preparation contains 1 part absinthe and 3 to 5 parts water. The ratio depends on the alcohol content of the absinthe: if the absinthe is well below 68% abv, then use 3 parts water to 1 part absinthe; if the absinthe has an abv near 68%, then use 4 parts water to 1 part absinthe (usually the standard or traditional ratio); and if the absinthe has an abv far above 68%, use 5 parts water to 1 part absinthe to dilute the strong spirit. As water mixes with absinthe, the essential oils of the herbs used during distillation come out of solution and cloud the drink.

The Bohemian Method is recent invention that involves fire. Like the French method, a sugar cube is placed on a slotted spoon over a glass containing one shot of absinthe. The sugar is pre-soaked in alcohol (usually more absinthe), then set ablaze. The flaming sugar cube is then dropped into the glass, thus igniting the absinthe. Finally, a shot glass of water is added to douse the flames. Purists cringe when they see absinthe prepared this way. If you want a genuine absinthe experience, skip the pyrotechnics. Absinthe distillers will tell you they enjoy the spirit with pure, ice water slowly dripped over the absinthe. No sugar, and certainly no fire. Sometimes we like sugar, and sometimes we find that certain absinthes really don’t need it. For your initiation ceremony, go for the sugar cube and fountain because you only get to experience the first time once. Give me a glass already, because I’m dying for my tongue to tingle and to experience this “clear-headed” boozy feeling. Fine, but a few words of caution: don’t set your heart on seeing the illusive green fairy.

That minx has been hiding from us for years. No sightings yet. Maybe the fairy tale of the green fairy is just that– a tale. Here are some suggested absinthes that are produced by recipes originally used by distillers and apothecaries who marketed their brews as medicinal elixirs. No artificial color or flavors are used in the production of these fine absinthes. Let me preface this by saying if you do not like the aromas or flavors of fennel, anis, star anise, or liquorice, then absinthe is not for you; but if you find those flavors enjoyable, then get ready for a new experience that will excite your tongue and invigorate your body. Delicious absinthes for the sipping pleasure of adventurous medicinal mixologist: American Absinthe Absinthe Herbs and Recipe | Absolutely Absinthe! Fennel Grand wormwood · Artemisia absinthium L. The wormwood plant (grande wormwood that is – not to be confused with petite wormwood or common wormwood or mugwort) is the constituent that pretty much defines absinthe.

It is bitter in taste and contains an oily substance called thujone – and, of course, it is thujone that is responsible for the unusual absinthe effects. Wormwood is a wild plant of European origin, although it now grows in many parts of the United States as well. When making absinthe, it is important to pay attention to the quality of wormwood. Organic, sun-dried wormwood is best. If at all possible, wormwood grown at high altitudes should be used. Ideally, the plant should be harvested just before it flowers, because it is at this moment that wormwood is richest in thujone. Cheap, mass-produced wormwood from places like Turkey (used in many commercial absinthes) should be avoided. Wormwood has a long medicinal history; it has been used since the times of the Romans to treat a variety of complaints, especially digestive ones. The plant is also known to stimulate appetite. In the middle ages—before there was liquor-based absinthe—wormwood-infused wine was a popular drink. Anise · Pimpinella anisum L. Green anise seeds give absinthe its typical liquorice flavour and scent.

Its oil also plays a part in creating the unusual louche (clouding) effect when water is added to absinthe. The seed (correctly the fruit) of this flowering plant is sweet in taste and very aromatic. Anise is common to the Eastern Mediterranean region and beyond and produces a white feathery head of flowers. Apart from absinthe, it is most notably used to make the traditional Greek liquor ouzo. Anise contains anethole, a substance believed to cause mild psychedelic effects (this was confirmed by several scientific studies). According to ancient writers such as Pliny, this herb is a reliable cure for insomnia. Just like wormwood, anise stimulates the appetite. Fennel · Foeniculum vulgare L. Fennel's liquorice flavour is a little sweeter than anise's but certainly much less intense. It is the last herb in the "holy trinity" but definitely one that no absinthe can go without, as fennel balances the bitterness of wormwood and tones down the sharp edges of anise.

The fruit of fennel (although commonly called the seed) is the part used in absinthe making; it is green in colour and, helpfully, the depth of the colour is the best indicator of quality. Fennel grows throughout the Mediterranean; its flowers grow in a pretty umbel (rather like an umbrella) of equal length from one point. Fennel is a very distinctive note in traditional Swiss absinthes. In contrast, the French government limits the amount of fenchone, a constituent of the plant, to 5mg per litre of absinthe. Just like anise, fennel also contains anethole. Fennel is frequently mentioned in ancient medical texts.

According to the great medieval herbalist Hildegard of Bingen, fennel seeds "make one's eyes see clearly." Nature's Paradise, written in 1650, claims that "both the seeds, leaves and root of our Garden Fennel are much used in drinks and broths for those that are grown fat, to abate their unwieldiness and cause them to grow more gaunt and lank." TASTE-ENHANCING HERBS add balance to the very potent and dominant flavour of the three Holy Trinity herbs. Hyssop, for example, eases the astringent wormwood bitterness. A few of these herbs (e.g. calamus, to give one example) are also silent players in the absinthe effect. Here are all of them in more detail: Calamus Coriander Calamus · Acorus calamus L. Calamus is sometimes called sweet flag root. The plant indeed has sweet aroma, and it is the root that is used in absinthe-making – or it should be used, to be precise. Modern-day commercial absinthe manufacturers often leave calamus out altogether, despite the fact that it was an essential ingredient in all pre-ban absinthe recipes.

In fact, many experienced herbalists go as far as to say it is calamus that gives the Green Fairy her "wings." Calamus is a green reed with sword-like leaves and grows on the banks of rivers, lakes and in other watery environments of the Northern Hemisphere. For the purpose of absinthe-making, it is important that the root is dried at a low temperature. Calamus has long been priced for its aphrodisiac properties, both in the Orient and in medieval Europe, where people used to steep calamus in wine for this reason. The reed-like structure of the root symbolises an erect male organ in some texts. Calamus also contains aserone, which is a known for its mild psychedelic properties. American Indians use calamus as entheogen, or a gateway to hallucinogenic dream states. The Cree Tribe have claimed that the root can cause them to "travel great distances without touching the ground." Medieval witchcraft texts prescribe its use in "flying ointments." Star anise · Illicium verum L. Star anise is a dried eight-point fruit of a small Asian tree.

It is the third player (with anise and fennel) that gives absinthe its typical liquorice taste. Star anise must be harvested before it is ripe and should be sun dried subsequently. In absinthe, it should only be used sparingly. If overdone, it will give rise to a noticeable "louche" effect, but always at the expense of the other herbal flavours. Also, its overuse will create what some describe as the numb-tongue effect. A single dried fruit is sufficient for about two to three litres of absinthe and it needn't be (shouldn't, in fact) be crushed before infusion. The oil of star anise contains approximately 90% anethole, which makes it the third herb in the absinthe maker's box with this constituent. As a matter of interest, we might add that star anise is used in the production of the Tamiflu vaccination; at one time, this caused a temporary worldwide shortage of this herb. Hyssop · Hyssopus officinalis L. Hyssop is a plant of the mint family with dark blue flowers which appear at the time of harvesting.

In absinthe, hyssop adds a flavour of a slightly bitter vanilla quality. This flavour can be quite intense and so is used sparingly today (though Romans used to love their hyssop-infused wine). Hyssop is also added to absinthe for colour. In natural medicine, hyssop is used to relax blood vessels. The herb also increases alertness and can aid nervous anxiety. Its oil contains ketone pino-camphone which, in its purest form, has similar properties to thujone. Angelica · Angelica archangelica L. Angelica is a green flowering plant common throughout the world. The root and seeds of this plant are used for both flavour and aroma. Angelica's flavour may be compared to that of juniper. The plant has always been popular for its taste and—apart from absinthe—is added to beverages as diverse as chartreuse, gin, muscatel and even angelica schnapps; it is also used in confectionary. Commonly known as Holy Ghost in English, angelica is reputed to have a mild anesthetic effect.

Angelica archangelica has a long history as a medical herb; its name dates back to a dream in which Archangel Gabriel told a monk it was a cure for smallpox. Angelica was also popular during the Black Death as a supposed curative. "The root of garden Angelica is a singular remedy against poison, and against the plague, and all infections taken by evil and corrupt air," wrote Gerard (The herbal or Generall historie of plantes, 1663). Certain native American tribes, such as the Iroquois, use angelica in religious rituals. Coriander · Coriandrum sativum L. Coriander seed may be used to add piquancy to the herbal mix. Coriander has a fresh flowery aroma and will introduce that background spicy flavour that many absinthe drinkers enjoy. It combines well with melissa. Medical texts from Babylon prescribe coriander's use as a relaxant and a cure for anxiety. This has been recently confirmed by modern medical tests that proved coriander's anxiolytic-sedative properties.

AROMA & COLOUR-ENHANCING HERBS: Melissa (Melissa officinalis L.)—also known as lemon balm—adds citrus scent to absinthe and causes some of the drink's typical green coloration. Practitioners of natural medicine note that melissa infusions have a calming effect. Roman Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis L.), together with coriander, adds a background crisp and spicy aroma to absinthe. Just as melissa, roman chamomile is noted for its calming properties and is used in aromatherapy as a relaxant. Roman wormwood (Artemisia pontica L.) is sometimes known as small absinthe. Unlike Artemisia absinthium—its thujone-rich relative—Artemisia pontica is not bitter. Sometimes called green ginger, this herb is used primarily for colour and second-step aroma. Mint (Menta piperita L.) Peppermint! May be added in small quantities for its aromatic quality. Veronica (Veronica officinalis L.) is used to add a light spicy note to the scent and also to deepen the green colour of absinthe.

In addition to the common herbs we have reviewed on this page, some of the others often found in the absinthe maker's kitchen are the stimulant Elecampane (Inula helenium L.) and the beta-thujone bearing Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare L.), as well as Dictamnus (Dictamnus albus L.) and possibly one of the rare varieties of Genepi (Artemisia mutellina, Artemisia spicata, Artemisia umbelliformis or Artemisia glacialis). Absolutely Absinthe! Kits Each Absolutely Absinthe! kit contains everything you need to make great absinthe at home in only three to five days. Our illustrated "Discover absinthe" handbook will guide you through the simple preparation procedure and explain how to perform various absinthe drinking rituals. One kit makes two litres of absinthe – enough to keep a party of seven or eight going right till the early hours! Here is our best-selling Clandestine 2017 (luxury gift wrapped): The finished product, ready to drink! It's the Green Hour!

In France, Switzerland and the lands of Bohemia alike, absinthe was traditionally drunk as an elixir that helped to put to rest the stresses of the day. Come five o'clock in the afternoon, folks began to gather in cafes where they relaxed in the company of the Green Fairy. But whenever your day ends, it's never too late for a green hour and that refreshing, mind-shifting buzz that only genuine 19th century-style absinthe can bring about. A French-style tarte tatin or an apple pie is optional – though we do think it goes very well with a glass or two! How about an absinthe party? Absinthe, the "forbidden", mysterious, mind-bending drink is always guaranteed to intrigue guests. Make your next party a special one with home-made Absolutely Absinthe! and let your friends marvel at the magic of the absinthe ritual and, then, experience that powerful absinthe buzz. We think our "Butterfly Kiss" bottle label does fit the bill and captivates people's imagination even before they take a sip of the Green Fairy... but here is another stylish party serving suggestion nevertheless: Ready to meet the Green Fairy? The go ahead and...

Question: What is a green liqueur made from anise, hyssop, angelica and mint?
Answer: Absinthe