L ' Absinthe is a distilled high-proof alcoholic aroma of anise derived from herbs such as flowers and leaves of wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), from which it is named.
is classified as a distillate. Instead I liquors are generally an alcoholic solution of sugar-based plant components.
Being generally green (naturally or through the use of dyes), wormwood has established itself with the epithet Fée Verte (Green Fairy). It is usually drunk by adding ice water and / or sugar. This kind of preparation makes the most turbid distillate and lighter in consistency for alcohol content, which allows you to taste the best flavor. For this reason, it was the most common way to eat it in 800, a century of maximum diffusion of absinthe.
Absinthe is known especially because of the association with writers and artists of the decadent Paris to the popularity it had in France at the end of that century and the beginning the next, until its banning in 1915. The most popular brand of absinthe worldwide was Pernod Fils.
absinthe is colorless or all of the nuances of chlorophyll from light yellow to emerald green and has a complex flavor due to the aromas of different herbs with which it is produced. In addition to the leaves of wormwood, it contains the seeds of anise (star anise, so frequent in his surrogates, it was rarely used and only in small quantities), fennel, hyssop, lemon balm, artemisia pontica and several other ingredients that changed from distillery to distillery such as angelica, mint, genepy, chamomile, coriander.
sounds like a thesis without foundation, founded with the intention to give absinthe its nineteenth-century properties of drugs, according to which absinthe was sometimes adulterated with opium: there is no historical document that confirms the historic recipe, and no talk.
absinthe is produced by direct distillation and maceration of the ingredients. Then, if appropriate, it is colored with further maceration of herbs, including artemisia pontica, hyssop and lemon balm.
less valuable varieties of this drink is made by means of essences or oils cold-mixed in alcohol.
The alcohol content is extremely high to allow the chlorophyll to remain stable as long possible (between 45% and 75%).
Historically, there were 4 varieties of absinthe: regular, semi-excellent, excellent, and above or in Switzerland, the last of which had an alcohol content higher than the other. The best absinthe contains from 65% to 75% alcohol. In the nineteenth century absinthe, like many food and drink of the time, was occasionally forged by profiteers with copper, zinc, indigo, or other coloring to give it the green color, and this obviously was not ever made from the best distilleries.
The rumor that absinthe was often drunk with drops of laudanum was created to more media to highlight cases of rare historically documented. The laudanum was very not widespread and only among those who could really afford, and these were used to happen to use it everywhere (most of the time in the wine) is also possible that they'll put nell'assenzio as absinthe was very drunk, this custom is therefore to be attributed only to a few wealthy opium addicts.
The remarkable popularity of absinthe was during the nineteenth century (thanks to relatively low prices and accessible to all classes) led the producers of wine, cognac and whiskey to start a real war against absinthe, war which was readily accepted by governments in order to put an end to the widespread alcoholism, the scourge of nineteenth-century France.
The liquor is obtained by distillation whole plant, after maceration in alcohol of the same. In a second time, you can treat the distillate thus obtained, infused with herbs choices, either to give a coloring to the distillate itself and for it to acquire the desired hue in the aesthetic presentation of the product, allowing him to acquire new flavorings.
treated in the preparation of absinthe arrived late nineteenth century, absinthe is produced only by distillation. For specifications, see the bibliography.
The ingredients are basic spirits:
* *
anise seeds artemisia absinthium
* Fennel seeds
Other herbs can be mixed and vary from recipe to recipe. May be in preparation:
hyssop
* * * badian
angelica root
* coriander
* veronica * chamomile
* * mint fennel
* Lemon peel orange peel
* * *
vanilla myrrh resin
and again, other types of wormwood (Pontic, dracunculus, wormwood. ..), cinnamon, licorice, sage, carcadè, lavender ...
for the coloring, can be used: lemon balm, mint, hyssop and Artemisia pontica.
Each distillery uses his blend of herbs. Some recipes include ingredients from 6 to 12 and each distillery has its secrets. Dell'absinthe The base remains the same and is common to all recipes: the distillation of macerated wormwood absinthium and seeds of anise.
in the manufacture of alcohol can be prepared with essential oils extracted from plants in question, even in the case of absinthe, some manufacturers use this method. Of course, you get a different product from a direct distillation of the macerated, but cheaper to market.
Absinthe, originally, was never drunk pure, but only prepared with water. Classically, the preparation was done by adding ice water at a ratio that ranged from 3:1 to 5:1, and a sugar cube to sweeten the drink. This preparation was canonized in time to provide for the use of special glasses and spoons pierced.
Typical glasses of absinthe were generally of small glasses, perhaps with a line level signal for the right amount of liquor. In particular, the type Pontarlier, since named after the French town, provides a basis for an immediate determination of the ampule quantity of liquor to be used.
glass containing absinthe is placed on a slotted spoon on which is placed a sugar cube. Is poured gently over the lump, possibly drop by drop, water ice, so as to cause the dissolution and dilution of the sugar liquor, in a report typically from 3:1 to 5:1.
During this phase, the components of the liquor that are not soluble in water, such as anise and fennel seeds, emerging from the solution and tend to dull, going to create a milky opalescence, called the louche, French, opaque or shaded. The dilution water was not only important from the point of view of Sag alcohol content (typically around 70 °) of liquor, but also to enable the entire bouquet of the drink to be revealed, as in the pure liquor is a substantial prevalence of anise.
The drink was then gently mixed with the slotted spoon.
The addition of a sugar cube, and possibly more than one, is not as a necessity but rather by the type liquor typical French style of the time, late nineteenth century, which saw a high prevalence of soft drinks.
An alternative method for the dilution of the liquor, which we have evidence of that was based on the use of two glasses and did not require the use of sugar cubes. In a sufficiently large cup was placed a cup containing the smaller dose of brandy. We'll add ice water, similar to the classic method, until the distillate content in the glass does not overflow the smallest completely. The method was cumbersome and apparently never took the whole foot.
In the second half of the nineteenth century, when absinthe began its phase of rising popularity, they started to appear in bars and bistros, fountains. These large containers for water, sugar and ice may have two or more taps so that diners could dilute their glasses more easily. With the recent revival
dall'assenzio known since the 90s of 900, following the fashion of assimilating the absinthe to drugs, has made its appearance an alternative method, flambeau, which, based on the classic method, provides But to wet the sugar cube with absinthe, set it on fire and then pour over the water. To contribute to the success of the method, the film "Moulin Rouge!" Baz Luhrmann, 2001, in which to start the main character, Ewan McGregor, the bohemian life, with no toast prepared in this way. The film has produced a veritable "canonization" of this style of preparation, so that the same is done incorrectly traced back to the nineteenth century, and is sometimes referred to as a method bohemian.
In fact, the ritual of preparing absinthe has a precise history. In the early absinthe was drunk pure, as a medicine, in small sips or "spoons" as a syrup. The practice of extending it with water comes from the custom of French soldiers in Algeria. These in fact were used to disinfect drinking water with unhealthy African wormwood. Once back at home this habit spread quickly. In short, it began syrup to sweeten it with rubber or barley water, and only in the last 30-35 years of the nineteenth century made a habit (which soon became a ritual for Excellence) to dissolve a lump of sugar, a sugar cube and then through the slotted spoon. The ritual
flambée she actually has a history far more recent. Between 1990 and 1995 in Prague began to spread early surrogates of absinthe (wormwood that had only the name) and as the bartenders did not know much except that the legends have him as a "cursed poets of the drug" does not did more than borrow the ritual dell'eroinomane heating heroin on the absinthe spoon and adapted. This absence had a taste a thousand times more like pure alcohol distilled in the traditional ritual for so this does not affect its quality, but rather served to give it some flavor.
of 2001 and the release of another film, The True Story of Jack the Ripper, who helped build one of the legends in modern theme, or that the drink was often drunk with the addition of laudanum.
It was thought that excessive use of absinthe to lead to effects which were specifically worse than those associated with other forms of alcohol - which is true for some of the less meticulous adulterated products (especially those stained with copper sulphate), creating the physical state called Absinto, which actually arises solely by reference to alcoholism, from which it differs in subjects addicted to this drink.
The essential oil of Artemisia absinthium contains a terpene called thujone, which in high doses can lead to seizures, delirium tremens and death. In fact, the amount of thujone poisoning by amount to 80-100 g, an amount impossible to assume that drinking absinthe normally not contain more than 30-40 mg / kg of thujone.
A well-made absinthe in fact, be distilled and most of the thujone that is not lost during the drying of Artemisia absinthium is lost by cutting off the head of the distillate. More recent studies have shown that nell'assenzio distilled properly - even those produced by following recipes and traditional practices - remains only a small amount of thujone. The thujone is extremely volatile and a good 70-80% evaporates during the drying of Artemisia absinthium.
In fact, the myth of thujone is to be discredited, as have the arguments of the time, which allowed him to ban absinthe, made reference to three substances: thujone, anethole and fenitolo. Probably the thujone has remained the only component that still creates such a stir because anethole and fenitolo, which are as much as the toxic thujone and other substances found in plants commonplace of daily use (such as parsley, bay leaves, rosemary, nutmeg etc..), were more easily seen in the many bitter and anisette. On the contrary, was exclusive of thujone absinthe, vermouth and genepy (who were not indicted but never as wormwood).
The non-French spelling of the word "Absinth" was introduced for the drinks of absinthe produced in central Europe (until the early nineties). These products actually had barely the name in common with the absence of the nineteenth century. Typically, the low grasses present in these beverages prevents the formation of the "louche."
The legend of absinthe is still made by its intriguing because it tells about thujone, however, one of many essential oils present.
are few scientific studies regarding this essential oil and many of these are not objective since the beginning of the twentieth century, financed by their governments who wanted to ban absinthe.
Studies in the '70s led to (probably incorrectly) to consider the thujone (and its effects) similar to those of THC in cannabis just because the two molecules had a similar spatial arrangement.
The thujone in truth is a terpene found in various plants such as artemisia (including Artemisia absinthium, but also the genepy, namely Artemisia glacialis) and sage (salvia officinalis also used in the kitchen). The scent is very similar to that of menthol and he was among the ingredients of the drug counter Vicks Vaporub. At high doses, thujone has devastating effects on the nervous system is difficult to define what these "high doses". The scientific experiments described was enough thujone a gram injected into a vein in a guinea pig laboratory to bring the animal to delirium tremens, sometimes, the guinea pig died.
man, whose weight is considerably larger than that of a guinea pig, the strength of resistance is much higher: an ounce of thujone injected into a guinea pig equivalent of 100 grams for a man, there would be wonder if the sudden injection of 100 grams of thujone in a human body could result in serious problems or even death.
However, according to data reported above have always been the absence of thujone such quantities that a person, to assume such levels would have to drink hundreds of liters of absinthe. It goes without saying that alcohol would lead to serious damage well before.
Same goes for the other two essential oils condemned at the time: anethole, obtained by ANIA and the fenitolo, derived from the fennel.
be noted that were never considered as hallucinogens vermouth, and liquor genepy the sage or anise containing thujone, an anisette, un'anisetta containing anethole.
It is true that the plant Artemisia absinthium contains much thujone, but almost everything is lost by evaporation during drying, and much thujone is still lost in the distillation head. It is therefore incorrect estimate, as it did in 1989, Wilfred Arnold, who had no history 250 mg / kg of thujone. Arnold made this estimate considering the fresh plant, not counting either drying or distillation.
A well-known American chemist and biologist, Ted Breaux, has spent the last 11 years studying absinthe to see if it was really the poison that the legends. He pulled out a syringe from old bottles of absinthe arrived intact nineteenth century to the present day and analyzed. The results were surprising: most absence of thujone that period had ranged from 5 to 9 mg / kg, and only someone touched the 20-30 mg / kg. Whereas the EC regulations allow a maximum of 35 mg / kg of thujone, most historians would still legal absence from this point of view.
not all absinthe is green. In the past, not all were green no. Considering only the real absence and not those hazardous substitutes that circulated in the past, the colors ranging from yellow to emerald green, through all shades of green. Some were even left colorless: this type had a more widespread after the ban because it is easier to smuggle. Bearing in mind
that in a true absinthe the most delicate and complex it is the color, it goes without saying that most of the absence of colored bright green and crystal are not real absinthe, but substitute some artificially colored, very few are nowadays the real absence natural color, according to tradition, to be truly green, and very often are quite expensive.
absinthe to be defined that absolutely must be distilled. There is no true absinthe soaked or done only with the addition of essential oils and essences alcohol, and some unscrupulous manufacturers, knowing that the absinthe drinker tends to discard those products made with essential oils added, claiming to produce absinthe distillate simply because they themselves prepare the essential oils. To the contrary wormwood distillate no means only those directly distilled from herbs.
The difference between the palate and a macerated or distilled absinthe made with essential oils is huge. I tend to be heavy and soaked invasive exactly like those made with essential oils that also leave an unpleasant feeling of "anointed" to the palate.
A real absinthe should contain seeds of anise. Star anise is a characteristic ingredient of pastis and was rarely used in the absence and only in small quantities.
The anise flavor has a very aromatic, flavored and dry, while the star anise (probably anise as it is known in Italy, that of the candy and the sambuca) is extremely soft and round and with a taste that resembles licorice.
The flavor similar to licorice that you can see in real absence is not given a lot but star anise from fennel seeds.
The absence of new generation tend to use huge amounts of star anise, so as to make the overall flavor monothematic.
In a true absinthe instead you must find the scents and aromas of all the herbs, at least the main ones: the pleasant bitterness in the aftertaste of Artemisia absinthium, the softness of fennel, anise aroma , that aspect only data dall'issopo herbaceous, lemon balm, coriander.
The taste of absinthe should be a continuous series of perfectly balanced flavors: no ingredient should dominate.
Most modern products are not too different from the pastis, but there are also quality, especially if they follow recipes and original methods of distillation.
can be summed up the characteristics of real absinthe:
* * must be distilled with alcohol content between 45 and 75 degrees to muddy
* with the addition of ice water
* should contain wormwood and anise seeds (not star)
* must have a complex flavor and balanced among all the ingredients.
The experts use these five rules to recognize the true wormwood. Some experts, in addition to using these rules, using as a comparison absinthe produced by the historic distilleries because they were the first to dictate the rules of taste and smell that define the absinthe. The Pernod fils is undoubtedly the oldest distillery historic, closely followed (within a few years) by Berger, Premier fils, Fritz Duval, and countless others. The absinthe
produced by them have recipes, at least in outline, broadly similar production methods almost identical.
today are still produced exactly as they were no facts in the nineteenth century. An example is Jade who is reviving some of the most famous of the past without producing them not only departing from ancient recipes, but also using stills of the original Pernod Fils Pontarlier bought at auction when the building was sold to Nestlé.
absinthe alcohol wine product is produced exactly as in 800, starting from grapes grown just as if they were grown in the golden years of absinthe and wild herbs collected only during the period of maximum maturation. Bottling is also true: the bottle shape that reflects the old bottle of absinthe, labels and duplicate almost perfectly the absence of labels to which you refer, cork and wax.
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assenzio
Absinthe - Edgar Degas
Absinthe Drinker - Pablo Picasso
The Absinthe Drinker - Édouard Manet
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