As Absinthe has become a popular drink and with the legalization of a few brands of it one can experience an Absinthe revival. Yet, some people don’t really know how to use Absinthe correctly or even what Absinthe is.

What is Absinthe

Absinthe is not a hallucinogen or a drug. It is a strong alcoholic beverage with an alcohol by volume of up to 75% and an anise flavor.

Absinthe was created as a medicine by Dr Pierre Ordinaire in Couvet, Switzerland in the 18th century. During the 19th century Henri-Louis Pernod was distilling Absinthe and selling it commercially. Wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium), fennel, hyssop, lemon balm, angelica,aniseed, star anise,  juniper, dittany, nutmeg and melissa were also used along with a wine alcohol base distilled with different types of natural herbs by Pernod.

Absinthe, or La Fee Verte (Green Fairy)as it became known in France, became such a popular drink that it even became more popular than wine in France. Absinthe bars became popular and the “Ritual” or traditional method of using and preparing Absinthe was born.

After presuming that Absinthe contained psychoactive chemicals and causes hallucinations, convulsions, insanity and death, the drink was banned in France. It is now known that these claims were false. These effects are not caused by Absinthe. Absinthe was legalized in many countries in the 1990s.

How to Use Absinthe the Traditional Way

To prepare Absinthe in the traditional way is to use the “Ritual”.
These are necessary items :-
- A large glass or Absinthe glass.
- Absinthe
- An Absinthe spoon– replica glasses and spoons can be purchased online at AbsintheKit.A person can also prepare his own Absinthe with top-quality Absinthe essences. Top-quality Absinthe essences can be used to make own Absinthe.
- Take a sugar cube.
- A carafe of iced water.

A person has to pour a shot of Absinthe into the glass.
Place the spoon on the rim of the glass and supply the sugar cube on the spoon.
Slowly drip, rather than pour, the iced water over the sugar to dissolve it.
The Absinthe louche is seen as the water mixes into the Absinthe. The essential oils in the Absinthe are insoluble in water which causes the mixture to louche.
After stirring the Absinthe an individual can experience the taste of the Green Fairy.

However Absinthe will not give hallucinations but it is a strong drink and can be consumed easily. Either naturally sedative in nature or stimulants herbs are used to prepare Absinthe. One can feel a very different drunkenness with this blend of herbs. It is also described as a “clear headed” drunkenness.

The Czech or Bohemian Method

With this method, once you have poured the shot of Absinthe into the glass you dip the sugar cube into the alcohol and then set it alight on the spoon with a match. As the sugar has caramelized and melted from the spoon and into the Absinthe one can add the iced water.

A person cannot have that fun with serious method as experienced with the Bohemian method. It can be dangerous as the Absinthe glass can burn also! One should be careful.

The Ritual is the very famous way of using Absinthe however it can also be used in cocktails.