Absinthe is the legendary liquor that dominated the hearts and minds of most Europeans during the nineteenth century. Absinthe has wormwood and anise flavor. Absinthe was extremely popular for its taste plus the unique effects that were not much like other spirits. The drink has made a stunning comeback around the globe since the beginning of the 21st century. A great number of are curious about learning the perfect absinthe recipe. But before we discuss the absinthe recipe, let’s get acquainted with its rich history.
A French doctor Dr. Pierre Ordinaire is credited with the production of absinthe. The doctor recommended it as a digestive tonic and made use of it absinthesupreme.com to help remedy digestive complaints. Henri-Louis Pernod is credited with the initial commercial creation of absinthe in 1797 in Couvet, Switzerland. Later on in 1805 Pernod moved to a larger distillery as the demand for absinthe kept growing. Absinthe was the most popular drink in Europe and it rivaled wine, when at its peak. It has also appeared in the paintings of Pablo Picasso and Vincent Van Gogh. Many great artistes and writers were regular drinkers of absinthe and absinthe was an essential part of the literary and cultural arena of nineteenth century Europe. As a result of particular misconceptions and ill founded rumors absinthe was banned for most of Europe and America for most of the 20th century. However, absinthe has produced a prosperous comeback as most European countries have lifted the ban.
Absinthe recipe is fairy easy. It is prepared by steeping natural herbs in neutral spirit and distilling the items thus formed. Absinthe may be wine based or grain based. After distillation the distilled spirit is infused with additional herbs for flavor after which filtered to obtain absinthe liquor. It is a three step recipe.
Step one involves getting the neutral spirit. Wine could be distilled to increase the alcohol concentration. The easy alternative is to apply vodka as it is readily available. The next step involves putting herbs like wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), green anise, fennel seed, angelica root, star anise, etc. These herbs are known as as macerated herbs. These herbs are blended with the neutral spirit and kept in a dark cool spot for a few days. The container containing this mixture is shaken regularly. Immediately after days the mixture is strained and water is added. The volume of water added need to be half of the amount of neutral spirit used.
The 3rd step involves distilling the maceration. The distillation process is just like the one utilized for home distilled alcohol. Throughout the distillation the liquid that comes out in the beginning and also the end is discarded.
The final step involves adding herbs such as hyssop, melissa or lemon balm, and mint leaves. The mixture is periodically shaken and kept for a while. When the color and flavor of the herbs gets into the mixture then it is filtered and bottled.
Absinthe has very high alcohol content and should be drunk without excess. The herb wormwood is made up of thujone that is a mildly psychoactive substance and is believed to induce psychedelic effects if consumed in great quantity. Absinthe drinks are prepared working with traditional rituals. Absinthe spoon and absinthe glass are utilized in the preparation of “the green fairy”, as absinthe is lovingly called. Like several drinks absinthe is an intoxicant and should be used sparingly to savor its one of a kind effects.