How do you make your absenth drink?!
--------------------------------------...
Absinthe (Bluehouse Recipe)
1.5 oz Wormwood
1/3 oz Hyssop
1/3 oz Calamus Root
1/8 oz Fennel Seed
1 tsp Mint *
1 tsp cloves *
1 tsp coriander *
1/2 tsp Nutmeg *
2 Star Ansise fruits*
First, Grind the Fennel Seeds, Coriander, and Cloves with a mortar and pestle.
Mix with the rest of the dry ingredients (wormwood, hyssop, calamus, and mint) and pour them into an airtight container. Mix with a bottle of Everclear (750ml, 190 proof). Actually, if you want to end up with a full 750ml of Absinthe, you'll need to use about 1000ml of Everclear in order to compensate for the alcohol that is irrevocably lost to absorption by the mash. You should allow mix to steep for at least two weeks, but I usually allow for 1-2 months. This is most likely overkill, but I don’t drink absinthe on a regular basis so I’m not generally in a big hurry to finish my next *****.
At the end of the two weeks, strain the liquid through a thin cloth (muslin or a handkerchief) to remove the solid matter.
Now Add:
1/2 Dropper full of Wormwood Essential Oil.*
1/3 - 2/3 Bottle of Anise Extract (To taste)
1 tsp Mint Extract *
2-10 shots Ouzo* (To taste)
Prepare to meet the green fairy!
If Everclear is unavailable, I've heard that rum 151 will suffice - although I've never tried it myself. However, regular-strength alcohols (less than 100 proof) will not work! - Your absinthe will turn out brown. Ack!
The ingredients marked with a "*" are not completely necessary, but will help make the drink more palatable. (It needs all the help it can get!) If you wish, you can mix this absinthe half-n-half with Ouzo and obtain a drink that tastes halfway descent, but you'll lose some of the potency of the drink. The best way to improve the taste is to add more anise extract, but even this has its limits.
If you add more calamus, you will get a better buzz -- but this will come at a price. I used to use 1/2 oz of calamus in my earlier recipes -- but I would end up with a 12-hour hangover the next day. I eventually figured out that the calamus was to blame, and cut back on it a bit. But of course, feel free to experiment with it yourself!
--------------------------------------...
Now for the fun part... Drinking it.
I would not advise drinking this recipe 'neat'. In its pure form, it is extremely nasty, extremely potent, not to mention extremely explosive (It is 190 proof, after all!)
I normally drink it the traditional way. Fill a glass with ice. Pour 1 shot of Absinthe into the glass. Set 2 sugar cubes on a slotted spoon (or fork) over the glass. And finally, SLOWLY pour cold water over the cubes to dissolve the sugar into the absinthe. Be sure to pour ONLY the water over the cubes. If the cubes soak up the Absinthe they will dissolve more slowly. I have found that it also helps to "pre-soak" the cubes on the spoon for about 10-15 seconds before you pour in the rest of the water.
Answers: And now, without further adieux here is my own personal recipe for absinthe. This section explains how to make absinthe, and how to drink it. I hope you enjoy!
--------------------------------------...
Absinthe (Bluehouse Recipe)
1.5 oz Wormwood
1/3 oz Hyssop
1/3 oz Calamus Root
1/8 oz Fennel Seed
1 tsp Mint *
1 tsp cloves *
1 tsp coriander *
1/2 tsp Nutmeg *
2 Star Ansise fruits*
First, Grind the Fennel Seeds, Coriander, and Cloves with a mortar and pestle.
Mix with the rest of the dry ingredients (wormwood, hyssop, calamus, and mint) and pour them into an airtight container. Mix with a bottle of Everclear (750ml, 190 proof). Actually, if you want to end up with a full 750ml of Absinthe, you'll need to use about 1000ml of Everclear in order to compensate for the alcohol that is irrevocably lost to absorption by the mash. You should allow mix to steep for at least two weeks, but I usually allow for 1-2 months. This is most likely overkill, but I don’t drink absinthe on a regular basis so I’m not generally in a big hurry to finish my next *****.
At the end of the two weeks, strain the liquid through a thin cloth (muslin or a handkerchief) to remove the solid matter.
Now Add:
1/2 Dropper full of Wormwood Essential Oil.*
1/3 - 2/3 Bottle of Anise Extract (To taste)
1 tsp Mint Extract *
2-10 shots Ouzo* (To taste)
Prepare to meet the green fairy!
If Everclear is unavailable, I've heard that rum 151 will suffice - although I've never tried it myself. However, regular-strength alcohols (less than 100 proof) will not work! - Your absinthe will turn out brown. Ack!
The ingredients marked with a "*" are not completely necessary, but will help make the drink more palatable. (It needs all the help it can get!) If you wish, you can mix this absinthe half-n-half with Ouzo and obtain a drink that tastes halfway descent, but you'll lose some of the potency of the drink. The best way to improve the taste is to add more anise extract, but even this has its limits.
If you add more calamus, you will get a better buzz -- but this will come at a price. I used to use 1/2 oz of calamus in my earlier recipes -- but I would end up with a 12-hour hangover the next day. I eventually figured out that the calamus was to blame, and cut back on it a bit. But of course, feel free to experiment with it yourself!
--------------------------------------...
Now for the fun part... Drinking it.
I would not advise drinking this recipe 'neat'. In its pure form, it is extremely nasty, extremely potent, not to mention extremely explosive (It is 190 proof, after all!)
I normally drink it the traditional way. Fill a glass with ice. Pour 1 shot of Absinthe into the glass. Set 2 sugar cubes on a slotted spoon (or fork) over the glass. And finally, SLOWLY pour cold water over the cubes to dissolve the sugar into the absinthe. Be sure to pour ONLY the water over the cubes. If the cubes soak up the Absinthe they will dissolve more slowly. I have found that it also helps to "pre-soak" the cubes on the spoon for about 10-15 seconds before you pour in the rest of the water.
straight...with real absinth! maybe some sugar after my third.
I bought it in St. Maarten and took shots!
Carmelize the sugar over mineral water or I use spring water. The old fashioned way.
I can't drink the real stuff straight.