Absinthe is the legendary liquor that dominated the minds and hearts of many Europeans in the nineteenth century. Absinthe has wormwood and anise flavor. Absinthe was popular due to its taste and the unique effects which were not similar to other spirits. The drink has produced a sensational comeback around the globe since the beginning of the twenty-first 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 creation of absinthe. The doctor prescribed 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 manufacture 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 within the paintings of Pablo Picasso and Vincent Van Gogh. Several great artistes and writers were regular drinkers of absinthe and absinthe was an important part of the literary and cultural picture of nineteenth century Europe. Due to particular misconceptions and ill founded rumors absinthe was banned for most of Europe and America for the majority of of the 20th century. However, absinthe has made an excellent comeback as many European countries have lifted the ban.
Absinthe recipe is fairy easy. It is served by steeping natural herbs in neutral spirit and distilling the item thus formed. Absinthe can be wine based or grain based. After distillation the distilled spirit is infused with additional herbs for flavor after which filtered to get absinthe liquor. It’s a three step recipe.
Step one involves procuring the neutral spirit. Wine can be distilled to raise the alcohol concentration. The simple alternative is to apply vodka because it is readily available. The next step involves adding 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 mixed with the neutral spirit and stored in a dark cool spot for a few days. The container made up of this mixture is shaken regularly. After a few days the amalgamation is strained and water is added. The volume of water added should be half of the quantity of neutral spirit used.
The 3rd step involves distilling the maceration. The distillation process resembles the one used in home distilled alcohol. Within the distillation the liquid that comes out initially and also the very end is discarded.
The final step involves adding herbs like hyssop, melissa or lemon balm, and mint leaves. The amalgamation is periodically shaken and kept for quite a while. As soon as the color and flavor of the herbs gets to the amalgamation then it is filtered and bottled.
Absinthe has extremely high alcohol content and should be drunk in moderation. The herb wormwood contains thujone that is a mildly psychoactive substance and is also believed to induce psychedelic effects if consumed in great quantity. Absinthe drinks are set using traditional rituals. Absinthe spoon and absinthe glass are used in the preparation of “the green fairy”, as absinthe is more popularly called. Like several drinks absinthe is an intoxicant and must be taken reasonably to relish its exceptional effects.