What is absinthe

George Spirits has been producing its own style of absinthe since the ban was lifted in Yes, absinthe was banned—well, sort of—in the U.

This is probably the most widely held misconception about absinthe. Nothing in absinthe will make you hallucinate, never has, never will.

And besides, thujone exists in common ingredients like sage, which is used extensively without any ill effects. Other ingredients that are commonly added include hyssop, melissa, star anise, and lemon balm. Producers then reinfuse the spirit with more of these botanicals to give it its characteristic green hue. Early forms of absinthe that is, drinkable wormwood are so old, in fact, that they appear in the Bible, as well as ancient Egyptian and Syrian texts.

Back then, absinthe was a simpler recipe, consisting of just wine infused with wormwood. It was used to treat a wide range of conditions including jaundice, menstrual pain, anemia, and bad breath. Also known as drippers, brouilleurs are typically small bowls that can sit on a reservoir glass and slowly funnel drops of water downwards. More elaborate versions called balanciers employ a method in which the water moves a small see-saw below the opening, displacing the water on the way down.

The end result is more of a splash than a pour or droplet, so it creates a nice middle ground in terms of prep time. Lucky for you, there are plenty of options when it comes to buying everything you need to properly consume absinthe in one easy package. This one, for example, even comes with sugar cubes to get you started.

Strain into a stemmed glass. In fact, it was linked to several nasty disorders, including convulsions and foaming at the mouth. The accused culprit? A toxin in wormwood - perhaps the very chemical that gives the plant its tapeworm-exterminating properties and thus its name. Because of these reported side effects of wormwood, true absinthe was banned in many countries including the U. These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'absinthe.

Send us feedback. See more words from the same year. Accessed 12 Nov. More Definitions for absinthe. See the full definition for absinthe in the English Language Learners Dictionary. Nglish: Translation of absinthe for Spanish Speakers.

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