If you are a beginner, a new Absinthe drinker, you will want to know “how do you serve Absinthe?”. Usually direct consumption of absinthe is not possible so it is diluted with iced water.
There is an interesting history about Absinthe for being psychoactive like cannabis and being famously banned in many countries. It is legalized in many countries.
There are two special methods for the preparation of Absinthe which are La Louche or Ritual it is the traditional French method of serving Absinthe and the modern Bohemian method known as the Czech Method. Absinthe is a specialty drink requiring special preparation. How to prepare Absinthe using the two different methods:-
Way of The Ritual
In the early 1900s the method used in the cultural history of Absinthe in France and Switzerland.
You will need following equipment for this method
– Absinthe
An Absinthe glass required
– An Absinthe spoon – A slotted spoon specially designed for use with Absinthe.
Take a cube of sugar
Use iced water.
The ritual recipe in use:-
Take Absinthe in 25-50ml quantity.
On top of the glass rest your Absinthe spoon and place the sugar cube on it.
Drip the ice cold water over the sugar cube or set the tap on the fountain to a slow drip. The sugar cube will slowly dissolve with water and mix into the Absinthe.
As Absinthe mixed with it goes cloudy or milky. The “louche” effect is caused by the essential oils in the Absinthe, such as wormwood, which are soluble in alcohol but not in water.
Stir and enjoy your Absinthe.
Water and Absinthe ‘s ratio between 3:1 and 5:1
“Glass in a Glass” process is used as Ritual method. Drip water into the small glass containing the Absinthe which then overflows into the larger glass. Remove the small glass when water and all of the Absinthe is in the larger glass.
The method used by Bohemian
Equipment of this method
– Absinthe
– An Absinthe glass
Spoon used in Absinthe serving
A cube of sugar needed
Use a lighter or match
Use iced water
Quantity of Absinthe into the glass is 25-50ml.
Soak the sugar cube in Absinthe and then rest on the spoon.
Light setting is done to caramelize, melt sugar cube and drip into Absinthe.
To watch Absinthe louche add iced water to it.
This is popular method in recent times especially in Absinthe bars in the Czech Republic. As it is not traditional method so it was scorn by many drinkers.
Care needed when setting alcohol alight *
The Absinthe louches properly in real essential oils. If you cannot buy quality bottled Absinthe you can buy essences from Absinthe Kit.com By mixing the distilled herb essence with vodka or Ever clear top quality Absinthe is prepared.
Once you have your quality Absinthe you can use it in cocktails.