Absinthe is currently once again a favorite alcoholic drink, due to its legalisation in the USA and also other countries after many ages of being illegal. Many young adults are attempting it the first time and knocking it back without any contemplation on its alcohol content. So, what is Absinthe proof?
Absinthe is an anise flavored liquor which happens to be made from distilling alcohol using a blend of herbs which includes wormwood (artemisia absinthium), aniseed and fennel. It’s commonly known as the Green Fairy, La Fee Verte, because of the characteristic emerald green colouring of classic verte styles of Absinthe.
Absinthe is generally taken diluted with iced water in line with the Ritual. You must drip the water over a sugar lump on a slotted spoon and in the Absinthe which then causes the Absinthe to louche – an attractive effect.
Absinthe was banned in early 1900s not due to its high alcohol content but due to the wormwood in it. Dr Valentin Magnan examined worwmood on guinea pigs in 1845 and found that a guinea pig given wormwood oil had convulsions, whereas, a guinea pig given alcohol just became drunk. By 1872 Magnan had isolated the chemical substance thujone from wormwood and, after tests on dogs, founded that thujone was much more hazardous than ethanol (alcohol) and so Absinthe was far more harmful than other types of spirits. He as well as others in the medical occupation were convinced that thujone was psychoactive and brought on psychedelic effects. Absinthe was consequently banned.
Even in 1975, a nature magazine stated that a thujone molecule was similar in composition to THC from the drug cannabis and they therefore acted in the same way.
We now know that all these claims are inaccurate and untrue. Thujone just isn’t like THC, although it does act on the GABA receptors of the brain, when taken in considerable amounts. We also learn from testing Absinthes, like vintage Absinthe, that Absinthe only contains very small levels of thujone, nowhere near adequate to be damaging. You would have to drink huge amounts of Absinthe and die of alcohol poisoning before suffering any effects from thujone!
Even though Absinthe won’t cause us to hallucinate or convulse, it’s a highly alcoholic drink which must be consumed with care since it will get you intoxicated quite rapidly.
What is Absinthe proof?
Let’s examine what the proof of well-known brand names of Absinthe is:-
Lucid Absinthe 62% abv (124 proof)
La Clandestine Absinthe 53% abv (106 proof)
Sebor 55% abv (110 proof)
Pere Kermanns 60% abv (120 proof)
Pernod Absinthe 68% abv (136 proof0
Mari Mayans Collectors 70 70% abv (140 proof)
La Fee XS Absinthe Suisse 53% abv (106 proof)
La Fee XS Absinthe Francaise 68% abv (136 proof)
La Fee Bohemian 70% abv (140 proof)
La Fee Parisian 68% abv (136 proof)
Kubler 53 53% abv (106 proof)
Doubs Mystique Carte D’Or 65% abv (130 proof)
Roquette 1797 75% abv (150 proof)
Jade PF 1901 68% abv (136 proof)
Jade Edouard 72% abv (144 proof)
Jade Verte Suisse 65% abv (130 proof)
Jade Nouvelle Orleans 68% abv (136 proof)
If we compare that with other alcohol-based drinks we can observe that Absinthe is very strong:-
Absolut Blue Vodka 40% abv (80 proof)
Jose Cuervo Gold Tequila 38% abv (76 proof)
Beer is typically 4 or 5% alcohol by volume (8-10 proof).
Table Wine 9-12% alcohol by volume (18-24 proof).
Johnnie Walker Black Label Scotch Whisky 40% alcohol by volume (80 proof).
Everclear 95% abv (190 proof)
If one makes homemade Absinthe using essences from AbsintheKit.com in that case your homemade Absinthe’s proof depends on what neutral alcohol you use.
What is Absinthe proof? Quite high is the reply!