What do you drink absinthe with? How to dilute it and in what proportion? Pure and diluted absinthe: how to drink at home.

There is a whole culture of drinking absinthe, and connoisseurs of the "green fairy" know the various ways to drink absinthe correctly in pure and diluted forms. Many of these methods are beautiful and spectacular and boil down to reducing the strength of the drink, masking the characteristic bitterness and releasing the essential oils.

What is absinthe

Absinthe is a bohemian alcoholic drink whose name comes from the Latin name of its main component - Artemisia absinthium, wormwood. Its fortress ranges from 75 to 86% vol. and is often 70% vol.

Such a high alcohol content is due to the need to keep essential oils of herbs in the drink, the extracts of which determine its specific taste, aroma and color. According to the fortress, the types of absinthe are distinguished:

Large strength (55-60% ethanol).
Extremely high strength (70-86% vol.). In most cases, these are natural varieties made according to classical technology.

Initially, the composition of the drink included extracts of calamus, anise, veronica, angelica, issola, coriander, licorice, lemon balm, mint, parsley, chamomile, fennel, ash, wormwood Pontic and bitter. Drinking absinthe at home should be done carefully, in diluted form and in small quantities, to avoid the negative effects of components - essential oils and ethanol.

Plant chlorophyll explains the unique emerald green color of the classic drink. This substance quickly decomposes in the light, so the original absinthe is stored in dark glass bottles. There are other options for coloring a natural drink:

Aged absinthe turns amber yellow due to the natural color change of chlorophyll.
The drink acquires a natural red color as a result of the addition of pomegranate juice to it. Such a component enriches the liquid with an original aftertaste.
To obtain a brown color, wormwood leaf extract is replaced with an extract from the roots of the plant or acacia bark extract Catechu is added to the drink, which enriches the taste with berry and sweet notes.

Nowadays it is difficult to buy original absinthe. Most often, manufacturers sin with the use of flavors, flavors and dyes. Therefore, many absinthe - connoisseurs of the drink, who know a lot about its use and preparation - prepare alcohol on their own.

Absinthe, colored with artificial dyes, is sold in light glass bottles. Another factor confirming the originality of the drink is its turbidity and darkening after adding water. This is due to the emulsification of anise and fennel essential oils.

How to drink absinthe

The most popular ways to drink absinthe correctly:

The extreme method is used in bars, but it is also suitable for house parties. You will need a cognac glass-snifter, rocks - a thick-walled straight whiskey glass, a napkin and a straw. Snifter with absinthe is placed sideways on the rocks, into which you can first pour water, syrup, tonic or even sprite, and set on fire.

Snifter must be rotated to evenly heat the tincture. A minute later, absinthe is poured into rocks and covered with a snifter so that the fire goes out. Then the snifter is quickly covered with a napkin with a tube through which you can inhale vapors with essential oils. In the snifter before pouring absinthe, you can pour a little sugar.

What do you drink absinthe with?

Absinthe is served as an aperitif before meals, without snacks. At the same time, it can be consumed with citrus fruits, chocolate, seafood.

This is a strong drink, which in its pure form is not easy to drink, with which they drink green absinthe:

What are the positive and negative effects of absinthe

Absinthe is a strong tincture of medicinal herbs, so it has some useful properties. It raises body temperature, dilates blood vessels, lowering blood pressure, has anti-inflammatory, wound healing effects, improves digestion, increases appetite, is a neuro- and muscle relaxant, antioxidant and immunostimulant. The drink has anticonvulsant and antispasmodic effects, helps to eliminate cardiac arrhythmia.

Thus, if you know how to drink absinthe correctly, you can get some benefit from its use. And the main rule in this case is moderation, since the negative properties of the drink are due to the content of a large amount of alcohol and thujone in it, the toxic effect of which increases in proportion to the increase in the dose of consumption.

The essential oil component of bitter wormwood ketone thujone (monoterpin), which has a characteristic menthol-like aroma, explains the specific effect of the "green fairy" on the human body. Previously, thujone was credited with narcotic properties that have not been proven. Nevertheless, throughout the world, the amount of the substance in absinthe is strictly regulated (10 mg per 1 liter of drink), although there are varieties containing from 25 to 100 mg of monoterpine per 1 liter or without it at all.

In combination with a high concentration of ethanol, thujone can cause attacks of aggression and rapid intoxication. The effect of monoterpine in large doses resembles the effect of narcotic substances that cause overexcitation of the nervous system, changes in consciousness, and rarely hallucinations. The substance is a poison and in large doses causes convulsions and destruction of brain cells. Absinthe abuse can lead to a cumulative effect, which manifests itself in a change in the functioning of the nervous system, a violation of the visual perception of colors.

Side effects of use also include insomnia and other sleep disturbances, signs of withdrawal symptoms, depression, psychosis, nausea, and other symptoms of ethanol poisoning. To reduce the concentration of alcohol and release useful essential oils, alcohol burning in the drink is used.

People who are allergic to one or more of the plant components of absinthe should stop drinking it.

How and with what to drink absinthe? Each alcoholic drink has its own history, traditions and, of course, the culture of consumption. Absinthe is known all over the world, but not everyone knows how and with what to drink it. We will tell you about the intricacies of consuming this drink and where it was invented to set it on fire in this article.

In the article:

Ways to drink absinthe

(and sometimes being a strong hallucinogen) requires respect and special attention. The specific bitter taste can be confusing upon first acquaintance, but the time-honored traditional methods of drinking absinthe will help you appreciate the strongest alcohol. There are several common ways to use it.

undiluted

This method is not for beginners. Experienced lovers of the drink can take it undiluted as an aperitif. Tall glasses are half filled. A single intake of alcohol 30 g (exceeding the recommended dose may adversely affect the general condition of the human body). Preliminarily, the drink is cooled almost to the 0 ° mark.

french method

This tradition of making a drink is equally interesting as the process of drinking it:

fill a container with wormwood drink;
cover with a special spoon-strainer;
a piece of sugar is placed on the strainer;
strongly chilled water is poured onto sugar until the liquid becomes cloudy (the recommended volume of water is 5 times the amount of alcohol).

It is believed that the addition of sugar increases the effect of thujone on the human body (not scientifically substantiated).

Czech

Pretty risky to use. An alternative name for the Czech method is fiery. The danger lies in the ease of ignition of the composition:

fill ¾ of the container;
top covered with a special strainer;
a piece of sugar is soaked in a drink;
place the sugar on the sieve and set it on fire;
sugar burns for 40-60 seconds, drops fall into the glass;
after the fire has died down, the strainer is lowered into the glass and the contents are mixed;
Dilute to taste with ice water.

Russian

In Russia, the use of wormwood vodka with syrup is quite popular:

syrup is brewed (water based, the recipe can be developed independently, a great way for lovers of experiments);
dilute alcohol with syrup to taste.

If you have a question about how to drink absinthe at home, you should pay attention to this method. After all, the resulting drink will be the result of the manufacturer's individual creativity and will allow you to discover new sensations.

Club

You will need two glasses and a napkin:

pour the drink into the first container;
set fire to;
wait a few seconds;
cover with the bottom of the second glass (put out the fire);
quickly pour the contents from one container into the second;
cover the first with a paper towel and put it upside down;
drink a warm drink, and from under an inverted container (using a cocktail tube) they inhale the remnants of alcoholic vapors.

The sequence "drink - inhale" can be changed.

With juice. The strength of wormwood tincture naturally provoked the emergence of a method of drinking with juice. Alcohol is diluted to taste:

juice (citrus or pineapple);
tonic;
lemonade.

Two glasses

Not the most convenient, but no less popular way:

fill a small pile with wormwood drink;
place the container in a large glass;
water is added in a neat stream into a small glass (the liquids mix and flow into a large container).

When a small pile is filled with water, the contents can be drunk.

"Happy Milkman"

An experimental way for lovers of novelty:

milk;
whiskey;
absinthe.

Mix everything in equal doses. Drink slowly in small sips.

Severe

This method requires careful execution and compliance with safety measures, since the ignition effect is used. Before setting fire to absinthe, you need to prepare everything:

capacitance (temperature change should not affect it);
special strainer;
sugar;
tubule.

You can use this cocktail no more than three times a day.

Cooking technology:

pour heavily chilled absinthe into a container (3/4);
set fire to;
place sugar on the strainer and bring it to the flame;
when melted, sugar drops sink to the bottom and crystallize;
fill ¼ cup with crystals;
put out the fire;
place the tube in a container;
drink the contents quickly.

Gentle

This method is based on a sharp difference in taste:

strongly chilled water - 1/3;
absinthe - 2/3.

With a gentle stream, add wormwood drink to the water, try not to allow the layers to mix.

Beautiful

The method is suitable for those who do not ignore the aesthetic side of drinking alcohol:

50 g container filled with absinthe and grenadine (9:1);
set fire to the resulting composition;
place the container in a glass of champagne 300 g;
wait until the cocktail acquires a rich color (eggplant);
drink slowly through a straw.

The method is popular, since absinthe is drunk in this case very easily.

Warm

Mix in equal proportions will help to “warm up” the throat:

actually, wormwood drink;
lime juice (can be lemon).

Stir and wait 25-30 seconds. Drink up.

Citrus. Before starting the ritual, peel the citrus from the peel and the inner film:

roll the pulp of an orange (mandarin) in a mixture of cinnamon and granulated sugar;
pour 50 g of drink into a container;
set fire to;
bring the deboned pulp to the fire (with tongs);
drops from citrus should drain into a pile;
extinguish the flame;
slightly cool the resulting drink;
don't hesitate to drink.

You can eat crystals of burnt sugar.

What to drink with, how to serve, how to drink absinthe

Absinthe can definitely be called a classic aperitif. It is consumed before meals, snacks are usually not offered. When using wormwood infusion as the main product, a good combination will be:

citrus;
chocolate;
seafood.

In small piles, wormwood infusion is served “clean”, diluted is poured into glasses. If you plan to ignite absinthe, use cone-shaped (necessarily chilled) containers.

Special spoons for drinking wormwood vodka can be purchased at specialized points of sale, but usually they go in addition to absinthe (expensive). You can also do a lot more and get an unforgettable experience.

The tradition of drinking and drinking absinthe is adjusted by individual preferences. After all, each of the proposed methods was once also used for the first time. A little imagination, patience, courage and everyone will be able to write a new chapter in the history of the traditional use of wormwood vodka. The main thing is to calculate the effort.

Have you always wanted to try absinthe, but don't know how to drink it properly? We have collected in this article interesting facts about absinthe and how you can use it.

When visiting nightclubs, I have repeatedly noticed that many visitors order absinthe, and the bartender offers different ways to drink this drink. I myself have never tried it, not knowing anything about how to drink absinthe properly, and was content with a standard whiskey + cola cocktail. But in vain. This drink, like all other alcoholic drinks, has its own drinking culture, which I will introduce you to. Thanks to the assignment of the editors, I not only discovered this new drink, but I learned a lot of interesting things about its properties and tried to use it in different ways.

I want to warn you right away - this drink is not for gentle young ladies who are used to drinking Cosmopolitan or Margarita, absinthe is a really strong drink. But it's worth trying it, if only to understand whether you like it or not. Since the drink is inherently very bitter, all methods of serving it are aimed at minimizing the taste of bitterness as much as possible, as well as reducing the strength of the drink. So, the methods of drinking absinthe:

1. Absinthe in its purest form, undiluted. Not everyone can drink pure absinthe. As I wrote earlier - the drink is extremely strong. However, there are lovers who drink absinthe in this way. The drink is poured into narrow glasses, filling them halfway, and cooled to zero temperature. Bartenders advise not to use more than 30 grams of absinthe at a time in this way.

2. Absinthe with syrup. For some reason, it is believed that this method of serving absinthe was invented in Russia. You need to prepare sugar syrup: for this, sugar is mixed with water. And then add the resulting syrup to a glass of absinthe to taste. Personally, I made a proportion of about 70 to 30 (70% water, 30% absinthe), after which the absinthe seemed to me not so bitter and not so strong. The proportions can be changed according to your taste.

3. Absinthe with juice. If you do not want to waste time and bother with the preparation of sugar syrup, you can simply dilute absinthe with juice. The proportions can also be changed according to your taste. Bartenders believe that orange, lemon and pineapple juices are best for diluting absinthe. You can replace juice with lemonade, schweppes or other carbonated drinks.

4. fire absinthe. I warn you - this method is one of the most difficult and dangerous, so be careful when setting up such culinary experiments in your kitchen. First, fill the glass with absinthe three-quarters, dip a piece of sugar into the absinthe. We put a special spoon with holes on top of the glass, place sugar on it and set it on fire. Sugar should burn for about one minute, drops of melted sugar through the holes fall into a glass of absinthe. After the flame goes out, dip the spoon into the glass and place the contents of the glass on it. It is necessary to add more ice water to taste to soften the taste of the drink. Once again I repeat, using absinthe in this way, be careful. Since the burning sugar is located close to the absinthe, the entire contents of the glass can catch fire. Fire safety regulations must be followed.

5. Classic absinthe. This cooking method is traditional and the most common. Again, you will need a special spoon with holes and a piece of sugar. Place a spoon over the glass, put a piece of sugar in it and pour ice water on top of the sugar until the absinthe starts to become cloudy. The French gave this effect the name "Louche", which is why the classic way of making absinthe is also called French. Essential oils contained in alcohol precipitate when ice water is added, making the taste of the drink softer and more pleasant to drink. Absinthe is diluted with water in a ratio of 5 to 1, i.e. We take five parts of water to 1 part of absinthe.

6. Absinthe in two glasses. This method is interesting, but it seems to many not very convenient. Pour absinthe into a small glass and place it in a large glass. Then we begin to pour water into the glass until only water remains in it. Water and absinthe are mixed - the drink is ready to drink. This method is not very convenient, because. the glass still remains at the bottom of the glass and the drink is difficult to drink. But you can simply remove the glass or pour the drink into another glass.

Now you know how to use a drink like absinthe correctly. Personally, I liked method number four the most - despite the fact that it is quite dangerous. But the process of preparing the drink is very beautiful and exciting, perhaps even more exciting than drinking it. Finally, a short video about how a professional bartender prepares absinthe. Watch and train, just be careful when doing it at home, do not forget about fire safety rules.

For girls, I would generally recommend using absinthe only in cocktails, so the natural bitterness of the drink will be less noticeable. Recipes for cocktails with absinthe can be found on our website, girls who are used to cocktails will either like it or with delicate kiwi, and men will certainly appreciate a cocktail called whiskey and absinthe.

There are various methods of serving and drinking alcoholic beverages. And absinthe is no exception. The drink is strong. It cannot be used in its pure form. Rather, you can, of course. But not many people like its strong bitter taste. Various serving methods boil down to reducing the strength and slightly hiding the bitterness of the drink. How to drink green absinthe, we will tell you now.

How to drink absinthe with sugar?

This type of absinthe is called French or classic. Pour absinthe into a glass, place a special spoon with holes on top and put a piece of sugar on it. Before serving on sugar, pour very cold, almost ice-cold water until the drink becomes cloudy. Thanks to water, the essential oils contained in alcohol precipitate, and the drink is much easier to drink. The proportions of water and absinthe should be 5:1.

How to drink burning absinthe?

In this case, there are several methods.

Czech. We dip a small piece of refined sugar into the drink and put it on a special spoon, which we put on a glass of absinthe. We light the sugar and after that the burning sugar will begin to gradually drain into the glass. Immediately before drinking, pour a little cold juice or water into the drink.
Russian. With this method of drinking, absinthe is poured into a glass and immediately set on fire. For a few seconds, the liquid will burn with a blue flame. After that, cover the burning drink with an empty glass. After the fire goes out, pour the absinthe into the glass with which it was covered. And now we cover the first glass with a napkin and turn it over. We put a straw under it. In this case, you first need to slowly inhale the vapors of the drink, and then wash them down with burning absinthe.
Bar. This method of consumption is similar to Czech. But at the same time, there is one important difference - in this case, absinthe itself is set on fire, and not sugar. So, fill the glass 4/5 with cold absinthe, set fire to it. Just as in the Czech method, put sugar on a spoon and bring it to a burning drink. Remove the spoon after the sugar dissolves. Extinguish the flame and serve the cocktail with a straw.

Can you drink pure absinthe?

Absinthe is an extremely strong drink. And not everyone can drink it in its pure form. But still, there are such daredevils. With this method of serving, pour absinthe into narrow glasses, fill them up to half and cool to zero degrees. But experienced bartenders do not recommend drinking more than 30 grams of pure drink at a time.

And to make drinking absinthe easier and more enjoyable, there are some other ways to serve it. So, what can you drink absinthe with.

Absinthe with syrup. It is believed that this method of filing was invented in Russia. To do this, prepare sugar syrup and pour it into a glass of absinthe. In this case, the proportions of syrup and absinthe can be taken to your liking. Most often take 70% water and 30% absinthe.
Absinthe with juice. If you don’t have time or just don’t feel like messing around with sugar syrup, you can simply dilute the drink with juice. In this case, the proportions are also taken arbitrarily. Lemon, orange and pineapple juices work best.

You can also use carbonated drinks to dilute absinthe to your taste.

How do you drink absinthe at home?

Above, we talked about how to properly serve absinthe. But we did not mention what time it is best to submit it. Now let's talk about it. Absinthe is usually served immediately before a meal, as the drink is able to excite the appetite. In addition, it will not be appropriate during meals, as its rich taste can interrupt the taste of food. But this is more about the drink in its purest form. And if you use absinthe in cocktails, as it is most often served, then there are no specific time frames - it is permissible to drink cocktails with absinthe at any time. And after them, you can serve slices of orange, lemon or dark chocolate.

Absinthe is an alcoholic drink containing about 80% alcohol. The main component of the “green fairy”, as absinthe is also called because of the bright emerald color, is an extract of wormwood. The drink was invented at the end of the 18th century in Switzerland, where it was originally taken as a medicinal tincture for rheumatism, gout, stomach pains and was considered almost a panacea for all diseases. The tool became so popular that by the beginning of the 19th century it was patented and sold as ordinary alcohol.

Absinthe tastes bitter and it is not recommended to use it in its pure form, but there are different ways of serving this alcohol, which help to reduce the strength and hide the bitterness of the drink.

How to drink absinthe correctly - popular ways

Absinthe cannot be the main alcoholic drink that guests are treated to throughout the party. “Green Fairy” is served before meals, in a small amount, diluted with water, tonic or juice. There are many interesting and unusual ways to drink absinthe.

How to drink absinthe correctly in French

Pour 40 ml of absinthe into a glass, put a special spoon with holes on top, and a piece of refined sugar on it. Then pour 100 ml of cold water over sugar, when the liquid becomes cloudy - you can drink absinthe.

How to drink absinthe correctly in Czech

On the edge of a glass of thick glass, lower a spoon with holes (you can use a fork), on top - a sugar cube. Pour 30 ml of absinthe on it and set it on fire. When the whole piece melts and flows like burnt drops into a pile, put out the burning absinthe. Cool the rim of the glass with an orange slice and add cold fresh juice or water.

Important: in any preparation of the drink, observe the proportions of absinthe and liquids - 1:3.

Young people are in demand caramel absinthe. It is prepared in the same way as Czech, the only difference is that it is not sugar that is set on fire, but a drink poured into a glass.

How to drink absinthe correctly in Russian

Fill a glass with absinthe and set it on fire. After a couple of seconds, cover the liquid with an empty glass. As soon as the fire goes out, pour the drink into a glass, and put a napkin over the glass and turn it upside down. Stick a straw under the glass and inhale the alcoholic vapors, then drink the cooled absinthe. The option is simpler - mix sugar with water 1: 2, pour the resulting syrup into absinthe.

How to drink citrus absinthe correctly

Cut a slice of orange with peel, sprinkle with vanilla sugar. Pour absinthe into a glass, set it on fire, and hold a piece of citrus with tweezers over the flame. Press down on the fruit with a fork to release the juice. As soon as the slice burns, extinguish the absinthe. Drink the cooled drink through a straw.

How to drink absinthe aperitif correctly

Whole absinthe tastes bad, but there are lovers who use it as an aperitif to increase their appetite. If you want to try such a drink, cool it down to 0º before serving and drink no more than 30 grams at a time.

Note: wormwood extract contains thujone, a substance that has hallucinogenic properties, so do not use absinthe in large doses.

How to drink absinthe correctly - cocktails

Not everyone likes the taste of absinthe, but even the fair sex try cocktails with its participation.

Combine 30 ml of lemon juice and 20 gr. honey in a water bath. Pour the mixture into a cocktail glass, add 30 ml of absinthe - you get a two-layer yellow-green drink.
Put ice into a tall glass, pour alternately - 120 ml of apple juice, 25 ml of banana syrup, 40 ml of absinthe, garnish with a lemon.
Shake in a shaker 30 ml of absinthe, egg liqueur, cream, strong coffee. Pour into a wide conical glass, add ice.

Undiluted absinthe is usually served in glasses, diluted - in 100-gram glasses.
Snacks are not supposed to be served with absinthe aperitif.
If you have diluted absinthe as the main drink, offer tangerines, dark chocolate, cheese, olives to it.

Absinthe is an outstanding, fantastic drink that is easy to prepare at home, the main thing is to know the measure and use it in the recommended doses.