Absinthe Alcohol - Absinthe-drink Sitemap Absinthe alcohol content is very interesting when compared to the alcoholic content of liquor such as whisky, gin and vodka. Although alcohol content varies by brand, it contains nearly twice as much alcohol as whisky, gin and vodka. Absinthe is a very interesting distilled alcoholic drink which originated in Switzerland but was made famous in France by its association with Bohemian Paris and artists and writers such as Van Gogh, Verlaine, Pablo Picasso, Oscar Wilde, Charles Baudelaire and Ernest Hemingway. Absinthe was nicknamed “The Green Fairy” or La Fee Verte, in French, because of its green color. Blanche Absinthe, or La Bleue, is a clear Absinthe. Absinthe is a spirit, not a liqueur and has the flavor of anise , like Pernod Pastis which was produced to take its place when Absinthe sales were banned in the early 19th century by the USA and many European countries. Its flavor comes from its herbal ingredients which include the herb, grand wormwood, (Artemesia Absinthium), anise and fennel.

Some brands of Absinthe also contain licorice, hyssop, angelica root and other herbs. The active chemical, thujone , which comes from the herb wormwood, was thought to have psychedelic effects on the brain like the drug cannabis, due to thujone’s similarity to THC which is present in cannabis. Many studies have now shown that this is a myth and that Absinthe is no more dangerous than any other strong liquor. Absinthe was reviewed for safety in the 1990s and was legalized for purchase in most European countries. Many countries now produce Absinthe including the Czech Republic, Spain, France and Switzerland and there are many different brands on sale. You can order and buy Absinthe from various companies including AbsintheKit.com who sell Absinthe essences. A kit is a great idea because it contains an essence which will make up to 14 bottle of Absinthe! Buying online is very easy. Absinthe Alcohol Preparation Ritual There is an amazing ritual involved in the preparation of original Absinthe.

Here is a brief outline of the steps involved to make real Absinthe:- – Pour Absinthe into a glass like the Absinthe glasses that are available online from AbsintheKit.com – Place a cube of sugar on a special Absinthe slotted spoon and rest over the glass. – Pour ice cold water over the sugar cube to dilute the Absinthe to the required ratio. The oils of anise, fennel and star anise are not soluble and so cloud the drink. This clouding is called “louching” and Absinthe is meant to do this. The finished drink will look milky and cloudy. Absinthe can also be used in cocktails. Ernest Hemingway’s famous recipe was to mix Absinthe with champagne. Other cocktails with Absinthe include the Tomate which is Absinthe mixed with grenadine and iced water. Absinthe alcohol content is not to be worried about – just remember that it is twice as strong as whisky, gin and vodka and that you should drink it in moderation.

<a href=' target='_blank'><img src=' border='0' alt='' /></a> Absinthe | Archer Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia In " Blood Test ," Malory brains Cyril with a bottle. Details Edit Absinthe is historically described as a distilled, highly alcoholic (45–74% ABV / 90-148 proof) beverage. It is an anise-flavoured spirit derived from herbs, including the flowers and leaves of the herb Artemisia absinthium, commonly referred to as "grande wormwood", together with green anise and sweet fennel. Absinthe traditionally has a natural green colour but can also be colourless. It is commonly referred to in historical literature as "la fée verte" (the "green fairy" in French). Absinthe originated in the canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland. It achieved great popularity as an alcoholic drink in late 19th- and early 20th-century France, particularly among Parisian artists and writers. Owing in part to its association with bohemian culture, consumption of absinthe was opposed by social conservatives and prohibitionists.

Absinthe has been portrayed as a dangerously addictive psychoactive drug. The chemical thujone, present in small quantities, was blamed for its alleged harmful effects. By 1915, absinthe had been banned in the United States and in most European countries including France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Although absinthe was vilified, it has not been shown that it is any more dangerous than ordinary spirits. Its psychoactive properties, apart from those of alcohol, have been much exaggerated. A revival of absinthe began in the 1990s, when countries in the European Union began to reauthorize its manufacture and sale. As of February 2008, nearly 200 brands of absinthe were being produced in a dozen countries, most notably in France, Switzerland, Spain, and the Czech Republic. In 2007, The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau lifted the ban on Absinthe, making it legal to manufacture, purchase, and consume in the United States. Does absinthe really cause hallucinations? | HowStuffWorks Does absinthe really cause hallucinations? Is the "Green Fairy" myth true?

Eric Litton used under CCAS 2.5 License When absinthe -- also known as the Green Fairy -- was banned in France, Switzerland, the Un­ited States and many other countries in the early 1900s, it had become associated with illicit behavior. In fact, it was accused of turning children into criminals, encouraging loose morals and inspiring murders. That regular old alcohol received similar treatment during the Prohibition period in the United States turns out to be pretty apropos: We now know that properly manufactured absinthe -- an anise-flavored, alcoholic drink -- is no more dangerous than any other properly prepared liquor. What about the tales of hallucinations, Oscar Wilde and his tulips, family massacres and instant death? Not absinthe's fault, technically speaking. Absinthe does have a very high alcohol content -- anywhere between 55 and 75 percent, which equates to about 110 to 144 proof. It makes whiskey's standard 40 percent (80 proof) seem like child's play, which is why absinthe is supposed to be diluted.

Absinthe is not a hallucinogen; its alcohol content and herbal flavor sets it apart from other liquors. More on Alcohol Alcohol Quiz Traditional absinthe is made of anise, fennel and wormwood (a plant), and various recipes add other herbs and flowers to the mix. The anise, fennel and wormwood are soaked in alcohol, and the mixture is then distilled. The distillation process causes the herbal oils and the alcohol to evaporate, separating from the water and bitter essences released by the herbs. The fennel, anise and wormwood oils then recondense with the alcohol in a cooling area, and the distiller dilutes the resulting liquid down to whatever proof the absinthe is supposed to be (based on brand variations or regional laws). At this point, the absinthe is clear; many manufacturers add herbs to the mixture after distillation to get the classic green color from their chlorophyll. ­ ­The chemical that's taken all the­ blame for absinthe's hallucinogenic reputation is called thujone, which is a component of wormwood. In very high doses, thujone can be toxic.

It is a GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid) inhibitor, meaning it blocks GABA receptors in the brain , which can cause convulsions if you ingest enough of it. It occurs naturally in many foods, but never in doses high enough to hurt you. And there's not enough thujone in absinthe to hurt you, either. By the end of the distillation process, there is very little thujone left in the product. Modern science has estimated that a person drinking absinthe would die from alcohol poisoning long before he or she were affected by the thujone. And there is no evidence at all that thujone can cause hallucinations, even in high doses. In view of modern analysis of the drink and its ingredients, any absinthe-related deaths can most likely be attributed to alcoholism , alcohol poisoning or drinking the cheap stuff, which, like moonshine , can have poisonous additives in it. Do not buy absinthe from some guy in an alley -- you're looking at the same dangers you'd face drinking moonshine sold off the back of a truck.

And unless you've got a distiller in your garage, those make-it-yourself kits sold on the Internet are going to help you create a really terrible tasting liquor-soaked-herb beverage, not absinthe. For the record, that man who killed his family in Switzerland in 1905, spurring a whole slew of absinthe bans and even a constitutional amendment, was under the influence of absinthe -- which he'd been drinking since he woke up that morning and throughout the rest of the day (and the day before that and the day before that). And Oscar Wilde? Well, no doubt the poet did see tulips on his legs as he walked out into the morning light after a night of drinking absinthe at a local bar -- chalk it up to creative license. Absinthe is now perfectly legal in every country in which alcohol is legal. In fact, in 2007, the United States lifted its 100-year-long ban, provided that the absinthe is free of thujone. So once again European distillers are importing the Green Fairy stateside, and once again mixologists and absinthe enthusiasts are debating whether the newest version is truly authentic [source: Time ].

­ Absinthe Alcohol - Absinthethujone Sitemap Absinthe Alcohol Absinthe alcohol content is very interesting when compared to the alcoholic content of liquor such as whisky, gin and vodka. Although alcohol content varies by brand, it contains nearly twice as much alcohol as whisky, gin and vodka. Absinthe is a very interesting distilled alcoholic drink which originated in Switzerland but was made famous in France by its association with Bohemian Paris and artists and writers such as Van Gogh, Verlaine, Pablo Picasso, Oscar Wilde, Charles Baudelaire and Ernest Hemingway. Absinthe was nicknamed “The Green Fairy” or La Fee Verte, in French, because of its green color. Blanche Absinthe, or La Bleue, is a clear Absinthe. Absinthe is a spirit, not a liqueur and has the flavor of anise, like Pernod Pastis which was produced to take its place when Absinthe sales were banned in the early 19th century by the USA and many European countries. Its flavor comes from its herbal ingredients which include the herb, grand wormwood, (Artemesia Absinthium), anise and fennel.

Some brands of Absinthe also contain licorice, hyssop, angelica root and other herbs. The active chemical, thujone, which comes from the herb wormwood, was thought to have psychedelic effects on the brain like the drug cannabis, due to thujone’s similarity to THC which is present in cannabis. Many studies have now shown that this is a myth and that Absinthe is no more dangerous than any other strong liquor. Absinthe was reviewed for safety in the 1990s and was legalized for purchase in most European countries. Many countries now produce Absinthe including the Czech Republic, Spain, France and Switzerland and there are many different brands on sale. You can order and buy Absinthe from various companies including AbsintheKit .com who sell Absinthe essences . A kit is a great idea because it contains an essence which will make up to 14 bottle of Absinthe! Buying online is very easy. Absinthe Alcohol Preparation Ritual There is an amazing ritual involved in the preparation of original Absinthe.

Here is a brief outline of the steps involved to make real Absinthe:- – Pour Absinthe into a glass like the Absinthe glasses that are available online from AbsintheKit.com – Place a cube of sugar on a special Absinthe slotted spoon and rest over the glass. – Pour ice cold water over the sugar cube to dilute the Absinthe to the required ratio. The oils of anise, fennel and star anise are not soluble and so cloud the drink. This clouding is called “louching” and Absinthe is meant to do this. The finished drink will look milky and cloudy. Absinthe can also be used in cocktails. Ernest Hemingway’s famous recipe was to mix Absinthe with champagne. Other cocktails with Absinthe include the Tomate which is Absinthe mixed with grenadine and iced water. Absinthe alcohol content is not to be worried about – just remember that it is twice as strong as whisky, gin and vodka and that you should drink it in moderation.

Absinthe - The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia Absinthe Train wreck at Montparnasse ( October 22 , 1895 ) by Studio Lévy and Sons. Absinthe (also absinth) distilled, highly alcoholic, anise-flavoured spirit derived from natural herbs . Absinthe originated in Switzerland as an elixir / tincture , used in a similar capacity as patent medicines would be used later in the United States. However, it is better known for its popularity in late 19th and early 20th century France , particularly among Parisian Bohemian artists and writers whose romantic associations with the drink still linger in popular culture . At the height of this popularity, absinthe was portrayed as a dangerously addictive , psychoactive drug. By 1915 , it was banned in a number of European countries and the United States . Even though it was vilified, no evidence shows it to be any more dangerous or psychoactive than ordinary alcohol. Absinthe originated in the canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland in the late 18th century.

It arose to great popularity as an alcoholic drink in late 19th- and early 20th-century France , particularly among Parisian artists and writers. Owing in part to its association with bohemian culture, the consumption of absinthe was opposed by social conservatives and prohibitionists . Ernest Hemingway , Charles Baudelaire , Paul Verlaine , Arthur Rimbaud , Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec , Amedeo Modigliani , Vincent van Gogh , Oscar Wilde , Aleister Crowley , Erik Satie and Alfred Jarry were all known absinthe drinkers. A modern absinthe revival began in the 1990s, as countries in the European Union began to reauthorise its manufacture and sale. History ... Absinthe's popularity grew steadily until the 1840s , when absinthe was given to French troops as a fever preventative. When the troops returned home, they brought their taste for absinthe with them, and it became popular at bars and bistros . By the 1860s, absinthe had become so popular that in most cafés and cabarets 5 p.m.

signalled l’heure verte ('the green hour'). Still, it remained expensive and was favoured mainly by the bourgeoisie and eccentric Bohemian artists. By the 1880s, however, the price had dropped significantly, the market expanded, and absinthe soon became the drink of France; by 1910 the French were consuming 36 million litres of absinthe per year. Absinthe (with anise) has been consumed in Czech lands (then part of Austria-Hungary ) since at least 1888, notably by Czech artists, some of whom had an affinity for France, frequenting Prague 's Cafe Slavia. Its wider appeal is uncertain, though it was sold in many shops in and around Prague. There is evidence that at least one local liquor distillery, in Bohemia, was purporting to make absinthe at the turn of the 19th to 20th century. [ edit ] Ban Spurred by the temperance movement and wine makers' associations, absinthe was publicised in connection with several violent crimes supposedly committed under the influence of the drink.

This, combined with rising hard-liquor consumption caused by the wine shortage in France during the 1880s and 1890s, effectively labelled absinthe a social menace. Its critics said that "Absinthe makes you crazy and criminal, provokes epilepsy and tuberculosis, and has killed thousands of French people. It makes a ferocious beast of man, a martyr of woman, and a degenerate of the infant, it disorganises and ruins the family and menaces the future of the country." Edgar Degas ' 1876 painting L'Absinthe (Absinthe) (now at the Musée d'Orsay ) epitomised the popular view of absinthe 'addicts' as sodden and benumbed; Émile Zola described their serious intoxication in his novel L'Assommoir . In 1905, it was reported that a man named Jean Lanfray murdered his family and attempted to kill himself after drinking absinthe. The fact that he was an alcoholic who had drunk considerably after the two glasses of absinthe in the morning was overlooked, and the murders were blamed solely on absinthe.

The Lanfray murders were the last straw, and a petition to ban absinthe in Switzerland was quickly signed by over 82,000 people. Soon thereafter (in 1906), Belgium and Brazil banned the sale and redistribution of absinthe, although they were not the first. Absinthe was banned as early as 1898 in the Congo Free State (later Belgian Congo). In Switzerland , the prohibition of absinthe was even written into the constitution in 1907, following a popular initiative. The Netherlands came next, banning absinthe in 1909, followed by the United States in 1912 and France in 1915. Around the same time, Australia banned the liquor too. The prohibition of absinthe in France led to the growing popularity of pastis and ouzo , anise-flavoured liqueurs that do not use wormwood. Although Pernod moved their absinthe production to Spain , where absinthe was still legal, slow sales eventually caused it to close down. In Switzerland, it drove absinthe underground.

Evidence suggests small home clandestine distillers have been producing absinthe since the ban, focusing on La Bleues as it was easier to hide a clear product. Many countries never banned absinthe, notably the United Kingdom, which eventually led to its revival. Cultural references to absinthe The legacy of absinthe as a mysterious, addictive, and mind-altering drink continues to this day. Absinthe has served as the subject of numerous works of fine art, films, video, music and literature since the mid-19th century. Numerous artists and writers living in France in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were noted absinthe drinkers who featured absinthe in their work. These included Emile Zola , Vincent van Gogh, Édouard Manet , Amedeo Modigliani , Arthur Rimbaud , Guy de Maupassant , Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec , and Paul Verlaine . Later artists and writers drew from this cultural well, including Pablo Picasso , August Strindberg , Oscar Wilde, and Ernest Hemingway. Aleister Crowley was also known to be a habitual absinthe drinker.

Emile Cohl , an early pioneer in the art of animation, presented the effects of the drink in 1920 with the short film, Hasher's Delirium . The aura of illicitness and mystery surrounding absinthe has played into modern literature, movies, music and television. Such depictions vary in their authenticity, often applying dramatic license to depict the drink as a flaming green neon liquid that ranges from an aphrodisiac to poison , and always seems to be a catalyst of vivid hallucinations. Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Absinthe" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License ; or on original research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice. The Dangers of Absinthe Absinthe Drinking: The Fast Prevailing Vice Among Our Gilded Youth On July 14, 1883, Harper's Weekly featured a cartoon about addiction to absinthe, the potent alcoholic beverage Story by Robert C.

Kennedy Absinthe is a strong alcoholic beverage (60-75% alcohol) that derives its distinctive bitter taste from wormwood (an herb), and is mixed with distilled liquor, such as brandy, and other herbs and spices. In the nineteenth century, the yellowish-green drink became popular in Europe, particularly France, and in American cities. Its hallucinogenic properties made it chic among poets, writers, and artists, prompting one scholar to label it "the cocaine of the nineteenth century." In the early-twentieth century, absinthe was widely banned because of fears that it severely impaired the physical and mental health of its users, as well as the morality and social fabric of nations. Here, the cartoonist shows how one of the "gilded youth" who is a habitual imbiber of absinthe deteriorates rapidly in health from a robust athlete to a prematurely aged addict. The use of wormwood leaves combined with wine or other alcoholic beverages is ancient, with references to it appearing in the Bible, Egyptian papyri, and other old texts.

Pythagoras, the Greek philosopher and mathematician (582-500 B.C.) claimed it eased childbirth, while Hippocrates, the Greek "father of medicine" (460-377 B.C.), recommended it for a number of ailments, including anemia, menstrual pain, and rheumatism. In the first century A.D., the champions of Roman chariot races drank an absinthe concoction to remind them that every victory is mingled with bitterness. Absinthe in Prague with Paul: 1997 In fourteenth-century France it was used to facilitate human digestion, and in seventeenth-century England wormwood was spread throughout houses to repel vermin. By the next century, it was considered a medical cure-all. The precise origin of absinthe's transformation from a medical remedy to an intoxicating beverage is uncertain. Advertisements for an absinthe liquor appear in the late-eighteenth century in Switzerland. By 1805, Henri-Louis Pernod had opened a distillery in France, and the Pernod brand thereafter became the leading label for absinthe, although many rival companies competed in the expanding and lucrative market.

In the mid-1840s, French troops fighting in Algeria were given absinthe rations to prevent various fevers (a practice continued into World War I), and they returned home with the habit. In 1858, absinthe drinking was so common in France that Harper's Weekly called it "a French institution," although primarily identifying it with military men. The practice soon spread throughout French society. In 1874, the French consumed 700,000 liters of absinthe per year, a number that reportedly rose to 36 million by 1910 (a greater amount that the rest of Europe combined). Parisians spoke of the "green hour" during which people sat in sidewalk cafes sipping absinthe. Poets like Arthur Rimbaud wrote poetry while intoxicated with the liquor, while artists Edgar Degas and Vincent Van Gogh memorialized the rituals of absinthe drinking in several paintings. (Most drinkers used a special glass topped by a spoon from which a sugar cube in water slowly melted into the beverage.) Absinthe appeared in New Orleans, America's "Little Paris," as early as the 1830s.

The Absinthe Room in the city's French Quarter became a hotspot attracting noted celebrities, such as Americans Walt Whitman and General P. G. T. Beauregard and foreign visitors Oscar Wilde of Britain and Grand Duke Alexis of Russia. Absinthe drinking became the vogue in other major American cities, New York (which had a restaurant named the Absinthe House), Philadelphia, Chicago, and San Francisco. In the United States the practice was also associated with the bohemian culture of artists and their trendy (and often wealthy) imitators. At the same time that absinthe's popularity was spreading, physicians began warning about its ill effects on the user's mental and physical health. The drink was blamed for causing convulsions, hallucinations, birth defects, tuberculosis, insanity, and criminality. A leading critic was Dr. Valentin Magnan, a respected French physician and researcher, who, beginning in the 1860s, conducted experiments on animals to study the effects of absinthe and alcohol in general. He isolated thujone, a toxic chemical found in wormwood, as the main culprit.

In 1879, Harper's Weekly warned, "Many deaths are directly traceable to the excessive use of absinthe. The encroachments of this habit are scarcely perceptible. A regular absinthe drinker seldom perceives that he is dominated by its baleful influence until it is too late. All of a sudden he breaks down; his nervous system is destroyed, his brain is in operative, his will is paralyzed, he is a mere wreck; there is no hope of his recovery." By 1907, the newspaper was calling it the "green curse of France." A prohibition movement began in France in the early 1870s, and soon gained adherents in other countries. It was finally banned in Europe and the United States in the early-twentieth century as part of a general movement to prohibit the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages and recreational drugs. In 1905, the sensational story of an absinthe-intoxicated man's murder of his family in Switzerland made headlines across the globe, adding momentum to the prohibition movement.

Belgium outlawed absinthe in 1905, Switzerland followed in 1908, Holland in 1910, the United States in 1912, and France in 1915. Absinthe is the only alcoholic drink to be singled out for legal prohibition. In 1918, the Pernod firm opened a distillery in Spain (where it was still legal) and manufactured an alcohol beverage similar to, and still labeled as, absinthe, but without wormwood. In France and other countries, a black market for the genuine article continued. When Spain joined the European Economic Community in 1992, it was the only European country in which absinthe was legal. Robert C. Kennedy 6 Ways to Drink Absinthe - wikiHow Six Methods: Classic French Czech or Modern Bohemian "Glass in a Glass" "Backdraft" Neat Absinthe Enjoying Absinthe in Cocktails Community Q&A Absinthe is a formerly banned spirit drink that is made with Artemisia absinthium (wormwood) and other herbs. It is also known as la fée verte (the green fairy).

During the 19th century absinthe became a very popular drink in central Europe, although it was eventually banned. After being illegal for many years, true absinthe is once again legal in many countries. And like any great spirit, there are many drinking rituals surrounding it. Try one, try all — just don't start seeing green. Steps 1 Select a quality bottle of absinthe. Absinthe is made using many different methods and ingredients. There are several standards that help one to determine if a particular brand of absinthe is authentic and of high quality. It is also possible to make absinthe , although this is dangerous and not recommended. Different brands of absinthe will contain anywhere from negligible amounts of thujone up to about 35 mg/kg thujone. See the Tips below for more about the role of thujone in absinthe. International standards require that alcoholic beverages that contain greater than 25 percent alcohol by volume contain no more than 10 mg/kg thujone, while bitter spirits may contain up to 35 mg/kg thujone.

If an absinthe is labeled as a bitter, it will probably contain 10 to 35 mg/kg thujone. Thujone is illegal as a food additive in the United States, but authentic absinthe containing negligible amounts of thujone can be legally sold. Vintage bottles of pre-ban absinthe can be obtained, and it is reputed that some of the lesser quality versions contained inordinately high levels of thujone and harmful adulterants such as copper salts, aniline dye and antimony trichloride. These circumstances may have led to absinthe's poor reputation. 2 Be aware that quality absinthe should show the louche effect. It is desirable for absinthe to gradually demonstrate increasing turbidity (opaqueness) or turn partially translucent as ice water is gradually added to it. This is known as the louche effect. The louched color should demonstrate complexity as well as nuance, and the absinthe should not turn opaque rapidly. However, it must be noted that not all quality absinthe will turn opaque, as the louche effect is primarily produced by the herbs anise and fennel.

Absinthe typically tastes like licorice due to the addition of such herbs. The louche effect is produced by the precipitation of the herbal essential oils. 3 Select absinthe that is made from natural, whole herbal ingredients. The finest absinthe is made with whole, natural herbs and does not contain any artificial ingredients such as artificial colors and flavors. The herbs are merely ground up so that they can be efficiently used during the distillation and extraction processes. The pale-green color of typical high-quality absinthe is imparted by the chlorophyll that is extracted from whole, natural herbs. Absinthe that is bright green may be artificially colored. However, not all quality absinthe has a green color. Quality absinthe may also be clear, orange, or red, but the color should be imparted by natural herbal ingredients such as petite wormwood. Vintage absinthe may have an amber color, as the chlorophyll will have faded over time. If you're lucky enough to obtain a bottle of vintage absinthe, consider opening the bottle with a food scientist in order to ensure that the spirit is indeed safe to drink. 4 Select absinthe that has a high alcohol content.

The best tasting absinthe falls into the range of 45-68 percent alcohol by volume. Absinthe has traditionally been about 136-proof. A very high alcohol content is not considered to be excessive because absinthe is traditionally diluted with water before drinking and it is meant to be sipped slowly over time, so as not to allow the effects of alcohol to overwhelm the subtle and pleasant effect of the herbs. Method Classic French 1 Pour about one ounce (30ml) of absinthe into a glass. There are various types of glasses that can be used, some of antique or historical design and others of more modern design. French absinthe glasses, such as reservoir pontarlier glasses, are quite suitable for the French absinthe ritual. Different styles of reservoir glasses are available, but every style will have a distinct or bulbous bottom area that indicates the amount of absinthe that is to be initially poured. 2 Lay a flat, perforated absinthe spoon across the rim of the glass, and place a single cube of sugar on the perforated area of the spoon. This is customary but is not necessary. The sugar is traditionally used to balance the bitter taste of the wormwood.

3 Drip very pure ice cold water into the absinthe from a small pitcher. This very slow and gradual addition of the water forms the heart of the absinthe ritual, and is done with or without the sugar. When using sugar, the cold water is dripped over the sugar and into the drink, causing the sugar to slowly dissolve into the absinthe. Very high quality absinthe can be expertly experienced simply with the ice cold water. Three or four ounces of water are added per ounce of absinthe. Ice cubes can be added to the pitcher of water if desired, but be sure that they don't fall into the glass of absinthe. As the water is added to the absinthe, the absinthe should gradually louche. Absinthe fountains were traditionally used to drip the ice cold water into absinthe drinks. Brouilleur devices can also be used to automatically drip the water into individual glasses. The brouilleur is placed over the glass, and water, ice cubes, or ice water (as well as sugar if desired) is added to it. The water will gradually drip through the brouilleur into the absinthe.

The brouilleur is removed before drinking the prepared absinthe. 4 Stir the drink with the absinthe spoon after the water has been added. Two or three ice cubes can be added to the finished drink, but this practice may be frowned upon by absinthe purists. Method Czech or Modern Bohemian 1 Pour a dose of absinthe into a glass, then place a sugar cube on an absinthe spoon or teaspoon. 2 Soak the sugar in absinthe by dipping it into the absinthe with the spoon or pouring a little absinthe over it. 3 Light the absinthe-soaked sugar on fire for about one minute, allowing the sugar to begin to caramelize. (This is not recommended because it can be extremely dangerous due to the high alcohol content which makes the absinthe very flammable). If an absinthe spoon is used, take care that the sugar does not burn, nor drip into the absinthe, ruining its flavor. 4 Pour ice-cold water over the sugar cube before it begins turning brown and burning. This process should produce the louche effect. 5 Use this method appropriately.

Though frowned upon by some absinthe aficionados, this untraditional method has become popular in recent years. Absinthe with a high alcohol content will ignite more readily, but it is certainly not recommended that high-quality absinthe be set aflame. Method "Glass in a Glass" 1 Place a small glass full of absinthe (containing one ounce of absinthe) inside a larger empty glass. 2 Drip the cold water into the small glass, causing the contents of the small glass to overflow into the larger glass. Once the three or four ounces of water have been added, the large glass will contain the absinthe and water mixture, while the small glass will just contain water. 3 Remove the small glass from the larger glass before drinking the absinthe from the larger glass. Method "Backdraft" 1 Note that this method can be dangerous if done improperly. Because it involves lighting the absinthe on fire and then placing your palm over the shot glass to extinguish the flame, you're quite literally toying with fire. If you are unsure about the directions or feel unsafe about the thought of performing them, please do not attempt. You're literally toying with fire.

Also understand that this method involves drinking a shot of absinthe straight, without dilution. As absinthe can be an incredibly strong alcohol, this method is not recommended for light drinkers. 2 Get a small shot glass and fill about ¾ of it with absinthe. Make sure the absinthe does not fill the shot glass completely. Also make sure that the palm of your hand fits comfortably over the whole rim of the shot glass. You will not be able to perform the backdraft trick if the rim of the glass is bigger than your palm. 3 With a match or a lighter, set fire to the shot of absinthe. The flame should take immediately and burn easily because of the alcohol content of absinthe. Note: Do not let the absinthe burn for a long time. Bad things can happen the longer you let the absinthe burn. The shot glass gets hotter, increasing the risk of burning your hand. The flame also burns away the alcohol and herbs of the absinthe, ruining the delicate flavors. Also, your glass can crack if you let the flame burn too long, or, if you're using a plastic cup, it can melt (and also release plastic fumes).

4 Quickly place your palm over the rim of the shot glass, covering it completely and extinguishing the fire.Do this no longer than 5 seconds after setting the drink ablaze. You should feel a suction effect if you place your hand over the entire rim of the shot glass. Although you'd think it would burn to place your hand over the flame, the flame is pretty much immediately choked out since it no longer has any oxygen to serve as fuel. Counterintuitively, this process shouldn't hurt at all if you don't let the absinthe burn for very long. 5 Bring the shot glass to your nose, slowly break the suction, and breathe in the alcohol vapor produced by the flame. Lightly remove only a portion of your palm from the shot glass instead of removing your entire hand at once. 6 Sip or shoot the shot of absinthe. Enjoy it at your leisure or down it in one fell swoop. Method Neat Absinthe 1 Drink absinthe straight (neat). It may be ideal to taste vintage absinthe neat, as this will enable one to evaluate some of the particular nuances of a particular sample of absinthe.

2 Keep in mind that this is not customary due to the very high alcohol content of traditional absinthe. 3 Remember that the louche effect is a very important quality of absinthe, however, and should therefore be experienced when preparing quality absinthe. Method Enjoying Absinthe in Cocktails 1 Try a Death in the Afternoon. Simple and sophisticated, this drink was famously described by Ernest Hemingway. Quoth the American master: "Pour 1 jigger of absinthe into a champagne glass. Add iced [brut] champagne until it attains the proper opalescent milkiness. Drink three to five of these slowly." [1] 2 Try an absinthe sazerac. The sazerac, created by Antoine Amédée Peychaud in the early 1800s, is one of the oldest known cocktails. [2] Add a little absinthe to this stellar recipe to make it really stand out. Add three dashes of absinthe to a bucket glass nearly filled with ice cubes.

In a cocktail shaker with ice, mix vigorously: 2 ounces Osocalis brandy If this question (or a similar one) is answered twice in this section, please click here to let us know. Tips The primary active botanical constituent in absinthe has been thought until recently to be thujone. However there is debate that the push and pull effect of the many herbs such as valerian root for example which is a depressant and the stimulant effect of other herbs used in its production may simply be at work. Thujone is derived from wormwood, although varieties of wormwood that are grown in certain geographical locales may not contain appreciable or significant amounts of thujone and other botanicals such as common sage contain much higher concentrations. As such, authentic absinthe that is made with grand wormwood need not contain measurable amounts of thujone. Roman or petite wormwood (Artemisia pontica) also contains thujone, and is commonly used in addition to Artemisia absinthium. Artemisia absinthium should be used during the primary distillation of absinthe, while Artemisia pontica may be used to naturally color the distilled absinthe.

Thujone can be extracted during the distillation and coloring processes. Purchase absinthe that has been produced by reputable, traditional European distillers. France, Spain, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic produce authentic, high-quality absinthe. Wormwood is quite bitter, and the additional herbs are used to improve and mask the bitter taste of absinthe. Quality absinthe is also distilled using certain methods to produce a less bitter product. Like fine cognac, the "heart" of the distillation should be used for the finest absinthe, while the "heads" and "tailings" of the distillation (the beginning and the end of the distillation process) are used to make lower-quality absinthe ordinaire or are used to process (soak) the herbal maceration. However, authentic absinthe should have a somewhat bitter taste, as this bitter taste is an indication that wormwood has been used. Wormwood and other herbs can be added during different stages of the absinthe production process, and various production methods are utilized. This results in different flavors, variable final absinthe color, and variable concentrations of thujone.

As such, different absinthe distillers produce absinthe that contains high levels of thujone, medium to low levels of thujone, and negligible levels of thujone. Some modern absinthe distilleries produce absinthe that is similar to pre-ban absinthe. As absinthe was banned for such a long time, the art of absinthe production is still being researched and re-learned. As such, some very high quality absinthe is produced using antique pre-ban distillation equipment as well as historical recipes and techniques. Some of the pre-ban absinthe production techniques were apparently quite complex, and are difficult to reproduce. Quality absinthe is made by using herbs during the distillation process. The herbs used during this process are not used to impart the characteristic color to the absinthe. The color is created later during the absinthe production process when herbs are merely soaked in the alcohol that has already been distilled with herbs. This is referred to as an herbal maceration (without subsequent distillation). Lower quality absinthe is essentially made from an herbal maceration, and no herbs are used during the distillation process.

Very low quality absinthe may be made using cheap herbal extracts or essences, as well as artificial flavors and colors. Such absinthe may in fact be quite expensive and be labeled with somewhat misleading information. Traditional absinthe recipes call for a maceration of natural, whole wormwood and other herbs such as anise, licorice, hyssop, veronica, fennel, lemon balm, and angelica. An initial maceration may be distilled, then the resulting alcohol may be used for a subsequent maceration that is not distilled. When purchasing absinthe and absinthe-related products, be sure to read product labels or follow the advice of trusted absinthe connoisseurs. If you don't like the licorice taste of traditional absinthe, there are various brands of absinthe that are made without anise and other herbs that impart the licorice flavor to absinthe. Warnings Always drink alcoholic beverages responsibly. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery while your judgment is impaired. Absinthe that contains high levels of thujone may be harmful and is more than likely "bathtub" or homemade variety and not the authentic item.

Thujone is toxic, especially when high concentrations are consumed. Thujone is a convulsant and binds to gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GABAA) receptors in the central nervous system. The level of thujone in European absinthe is regulated, and such set levels are not thought to be harmful. Absinthe is not an illegal drug, although thujone is regulated due to its potential toxicity. It is not recommended that one drink more than three or four servings of absinthe in one sitting. The acute intake of absinthe is not thought to be harmful, but chronic, long-term consumption may cause harm as with any other alcohol. Absinthe that is labeled as a "bitter" may contain a relatively large amount of thujone, perhaps up to 35 mg/kg. Never consume wormwood extract or oil, as these are very toxic and can be lethal. Never drink absinthe just because it contains thujone. The GABA-type brain receptors that thujone acts upon are also acted upon or influenced by antioxidant polyphenol flavonoids.

These flavonoids are not toxic like thujone, and are found in non-toxic herbs such as chamomile and valerian. Absinthe has a high alcohol content.

Question: The alcoholic drink Absinthe originated in which European country?
Answer: Switzerland