All about absinthe the fairy
Absinthe Green Fairy
Green Fairy Absinthe is an alcoholic drink with an interesting history. A very famous and at the same time very controversial drink in todays time it was initially developed in the 18th century as a mere tonic.
Absinthe is an anise flavored spirit which is incredibly strong, between 45 and 75% Alcohol by volume. It is emerald green in color, hence the name “Green Fairy” or in French “La Fee Verte”. Made from herbs it is a distilled liquor. Green aniseed, wormwood, and fennel are the main herbs. Henri-Louis Pernod, who first commercially distilled Absinthe, used other herbs such as hyssop, lemon balm, nutmeg, juniper, veronica, star anise and dittany to produce his famous original Pernod Absinthe recipe. Other ingrediants such as the herb calamus were used by some manufacturers and this herb along with wormwood and nutmeg were though to be psychoactive. The louche effect or clouding of Absinthe when water is poured over the sugar can be attributed to the essential oils in the herbs. The water insoluble oils cause Absinthe to cloud or louche.
Absinthe Green Fairy and the Painting Community
Absinthe famously inspired writers and artists who were associated with the Bohemian culture of the old Montmartre area in Paris. Absinthe drinkers included great writers and painters like Charles Baudelaire, Oscar Wilde, Van Gogh, Picasso and many others. Inspiration and genius was the gift of Absinthe and many artists and writers subscribed to this line of thinking. Paintings of Picasso and Van Gogh have even featured Absinthe and Absinthe drinkes.
Absinthe’s association with old Montmartre, the Moulin Rouge and the Bohemian sect, was just the excuse that prohibition campaigners needed. Once it was linked with the murder of a family and the growing problem of alcohol addiction in France it was easy for campaigners to get the sale of Absinthe made illegal and it was banned in France in 1915. It was legal in countries like the UK, Spain, Portugal, and the Czech whereas all other countries banned it.
Psychedelic effects after drinking the Green Fairy were blamed on thujone, a chemical present in wormwood. Similarity was drawn between Thujone and THC that is present in cannabis. Ethanol and alcohol are the main constituents of Absinthe, however minute quantity of thujone is present. High alcohol content in Absinthe is deemed as dangerous and not thujone, this has been proved by studies and research conducted over the past several years. It has been a subject of countless articles and studies. Whisky and vodka are half as strong as Absinthe and you should remember this as drinking in moderation will give you the pleasure you are looking for.
The Czech Republic was an exception during the prohibition era, it still had Absinthe bars whose walls were stilll decorated with vintage Absinthe posters and served Absinthe in large classic glasses to the many people who patronised it. The European Union controlls the thujone levels in spite of absinthe becomming legal in many countries in 2008, the US however, allows absinthe with only trace amount of thujone to be bought and sold.
Visit AbsintheKit to buy absinthe bottle or absinthe essence online.com) to make your own Absinthe the Green Fairy to bottle at home. Thujone is not present in the Absinthes produced for the US market but real Absinthe and Absinthe essences contain the ingredient wormwood.
Absinthe Green Fairy or La Fee Verte a mind blowing cocktail can be prepared by using this delicious spirit – mix it with champagne and prepare a truly decandent drink! Just for your Knowledge Asinthe kit is the best way to get economical Absinthe.
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