Absinthe... discuss.

I bought a 100 ml bottle a year or so ago of this stuff:

http://www.bevmo.com/Shop/ProductDetail.aspx?N=40+4294967180+4294965740&area=Spirits&ProductID=24606&Ns=Name|0:pic

The key word there is "liqueur." Grande Absente is an artificially-colored absinthe with sugar added, making it a liqueur as opposed to genuine absinthe, which has no sugar added and is usually naturally colored (if it is a verte) by the chlorophyll extracted from natural herbs like petite wormwood, hyssop, and melissa. It's not the worst stuff out there, but there are many better brands. Of course, since they are imported or produced by craft distillers, they cost a little more.

[ Edited by: Mr. Moto 2011-01-28 15:26 ]

The only bar I've found in Seattle which has a fountain and knows how to use it offers only Lucid and Grand Absente; this being Deluxe Tavern at the north end of Broadway. Hopefully they'll get other brands. My preferred cocktail bar, Zig Zag, offers seven or eight absinthes, but tells me they never got a fountain because few people order it. I'm told people there generally order it neat...? Can Can calls itself an absinthe bar, but I haven't been yet.

Guess considering the state liquor stores mainly carry only Lucid, Absente/Grand Absente, Le Tourment Verte and Pacifique, I know which one I'm buying. Thanks, Mr. Moto!

My wife and I bought a bottle of Lucid absinthe, and have been working our way through a copy of the book "Absinthe Cocktails" by Kate Simon. The brand was well-rated in the book and has worked out well. Despite the hefty price of the bottle (50$ +) most recipes call for significantly less than one ounce, some only drops, so I expect the bottle to last for quite some time.

My wife found the absinthe drip to be too strong to drink, but likes absinthe mixed into other drinks. It adds a depth and complexity to a large number of drinks, especially traditional "tiki" drinks. In fact, her favorites so far have all been versions of classic drinks (such as a version of the mai-tai) or drinks that are citrus heavy and contain rum.

dcman

Just bought the above mentioned book. I have been on an Absinthe kick for awhile and I want to find some good recipes to make. Anyone know of any other good books for Absinthe recipes?

All this talk about the recent Don the Beachcomber Zombie made me wonder how much absinthe they use?
Beachbum's recipes usually ask for 6 drops or 1/8 teaspoon.
Is this still a good rule of thumb when using real absinthe?

Yes, most places only use a few drops in most Absinthe drinks. A little goes a long way. Usually more will overpower your drink and I think most of the drinkmakers assume people don't like the taste of Absinthe.

That being said, I usually put a half shot in my DR Funk's. I like the taste and I want more of it in my drinks, so to each their own. :)

I use the same 6 drops/dash rule of thumb in the Beachcomber drinks whether I'm using Pernod or Absinthe. Just enough to really play off the Jamaican dark rums like Coruba. I particularly think it works well in the Caribbean Punch from Sippin' Safari that includes sarsaparilla. The dark Jamaican/sarsaparilla/absinthe combo is really tasty.

Absinthe was an acquired taste for me (not a black licorice fan), but I have acquired it in a big way. A classic sugar and water abisinthe drip is like a delicious step back in time, and an Absinthe Frappe or a Cocktail à la Louisiane always hits the spot as well.

That said, I think the light touch with the absinthe in the Beachcomber drinks is the right balance for those drinks.

I do agree with Sunny&Rummy on that, BTW. I make Zombies to the recipe because it was the way it was meant to be. The flavors compliment each other and work great together. Adding more of any ingredient would possibly ruin the drink. Only when I make a variation to my tastes do I add more Absinthe.

I am assuming that the purpose is to wash the glass with the absinthe and while you can do it with that tiny amount but it won't be as effective. You should probably go for about a teaspoon (some people use up to a tablespoon for a wash) and then dump it out. It is semi-wasteful if you don't do something with it, but that is the only way to get a good wash.

One other option, I don't agree with since it makes things too volatile, would be to buy a cheap atomizer/spray bottle (they look like plastic cologne bottles) and give each glass a few hits.