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The art of drinking absinthe
When should I drink my absinthe ?
As long as it is in moderation, you can drink your absinthe at whatever time you wish.
However, if you are planning on drinking other alcoholic drinks, we wisely advise you to drink the absinthe first, because that is how you will appreciate it best.
You may like to know, that in the nineteenth century, absinthe was served before dinner, at what was known as “l’Heure Verte”, “the green hour”
However, if you are planning on drinking other alcoholic drinks, we wisely advise you to drink the absinthe first, because that is how you will appreciate it best.
You may like to know, that in the nineteenth century, absinthe was served before dinner, at what was known as “l’Heure Verte”, “the green hour”
Should I “flambé” my Absinthe before drinking it ?
Traditionally, no.
It is true that you often see people brazing absinthe in films, or in certain pubs, but what is known as the bohemian ritual, is nothing more than a marketing ploy. It appeared in 1990 in Czechoslovakian clubs, and was used to draw customers’ attention to this drink. It can indeed be fun to drink absinthe like that, but it burns the alcohol and the flavours and alters the taste of the absinthe.
If you really want to appreciate all the different aromas of your absinthe, we advise you to drink it following the classic ritual, with cool water and (maybe) half a piece of sugar.
It is true that you often see people brazing absinthe in films, or in certain pubs, but what is known as the bohemian ritual, is nothing more than a marketing ploy. It appeared in 1990 in Czechoslovakian clubs, and was used to draw customers’ attention to this drink. It can indeed be fun to drink absinthe like that, but it burns the alcohol and the flavours and alters the taste of the absinthe.
If you really want to appreciate all the different aromas of your absinthe, we advise you to drink it following the classic ritual, with cool water and (maybe) half a piece of sugar.
Should I drink my absinthe with sugar ?
According to advertisements and texts of the period , absinthe was already drunk with sugar and water as early as 1850 if not before.
The sugar helps to lighten the bitter taste that Absinthe provides, and will also allow the different flavours to show through. However, many people prefer to drink their absinthe without any sugar, but just as everyone’s taste differs, so do absinthes.
The sugar helps to lighten the bitter taste that Absinthe provides, and will also allow the different flavours to show through. However, many people prefer to drink their absinthe without any sugar, but just as everyone’s taste differs, so do absinthes.
Why is it best to pour the water slowly ?
The decanters, brouilles, and fountains that were made especially for absinthe drinkers were not invented for fun: they help you to pour the water very slowly on top of your absinthe, if not drop by drop, especially at the beginning, when the colour starts to become cloudy. The reasons are as follows:
In other words, you want to blur your absinthe without drowning it by pouring the water as slowly as you should drink it.
• When the absinthe becomes cloudy, and its colour changes, it becomes all the prettier
• The different flavours of the drink develop slowly, with more complexity and interest. (Chemistry can help us understand this phenomenon: As every essential oil precipitates within different dilutions, when the water is slowly poured, the essential oils can develop one by one)
• The different flavours of the drink develop slowly, with more complexity and interest. (Chemistry can help us understand this phenomenon: As every essential oil precipitates within different dilutions, when the water is slowly poured, the essential oils can develop one by one)
In other words, you want to blur your absinthe without drowning it by pouring the water as slowly as you should drink it.
Why does absinthe become cloudy when I pour water over it ?
One of the components of Absinthe is anise; in which there is an essential oil: anethol. Anethol is soluble in alcohol but much less in water. And when you add water to your absinthe, the high-potency falls, and the anethol precipitates. That is to say, it becomes less soluble in absinthe, and therefore cloudy.
How should I store my absinthe ?
Although Absinthe does keep well, there are a few steps to take, so that neither the alcohol, nor the chlorophyll escapes:
It’s also good to know, that if you’ve just opened a bottle, you should let it ventilate.
Furthermore, some absinthes age very well, so you should not hesitate to leave your favourite ones in the cellar for a few years!
• You should store it standing up, away from light, and at a temperature that does not rise above 30°C, to protect the chlorophyll.
• You should use a cork stopper, rather than a metal one or a plastic one, so that the alcohol does not evaporate, and so that the absinthe does not lose its flavours. If you wish to keep your absinthe longer than six months after you have opened it, you should change the stopper to a cork one if it is not already in use.
• When your bottle is more than half empty, you should re-bottle it in a smaller bottle, so that the air does not spoil it.
• You should use a cork stopper, rather than a metal one or a plastic one, so that the alcohol does not evaporate, and so that the absinthe does not lose its flavours. If you wish to keep your absinthe longer than six months after you have opened it, you should change the stopper to a cork one if it is not already in use.
• When your bottle is more than half empty, you should re-bottle it in a smaller bottle, so that the air does not spoil it.
It’s also good to know, that if you’ve just opened a bottle, you should let it ventilate.
Furthermore, some absinthes age very well, so you should not hesitate to leave your favourite ones in the cellar for a few years!
