Absinthe Green Fairy is an alcoholic drink with an interesting history. In the 18th century it was developed as an elixir and today it is among the most controversial and popular drinks of all time.
Absinthe is incredibly strong between 45 and 75% Alcohol by volume. As it is emerald green in color so it is named as “Green Fairy”. Herbs are used to prepare this distilled liquor. The three important herbs for it is wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium), green aniseed and fennel (fennell). Henri-Louis Pernod was the first to commercially distilled Absinthe used other herbs to produce his famous original Pernod Absinthe recipe. Other ingredients such as the herb calamus were used by some manufacturers and this herb along with wormwood and nutmeg were though to be psychoactive. When the chilled water is poured over the sugar on the Absinthe spoon the essential oil extract from the herbs causes Absinthe to louche. The oils are insoluble in water that’s why cause Absinthe to cloud.
Absinthe Green Fairy and the Art World
Absinthe is famous for inspiring many artists and writers associated with the Bohemian culture of the Montmartre area of Paris. People know Vincent Van Gough, Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin, Charles Baudelaire, Edgar Degas, Ernest Hemingway and Oscar Wilde as Absinthe drinkers. A lot of writers and artists were impressed with Absinthe believing that it gave them inspiration and their genius. Painters like Van Gogh and Picasso even featured Absinthe and Absinthe drinkers in their paintings.
The prohibition campaigners required Absinthe’s association with old Montmartre, the Moulin Rouge and the Bohemian sect. In 1915 the sale of Absinthe was made illegal due to it’s link with the murder of a family and the growing problem of alcohol addiction in France. It was legal in only the Czech Republic, the UK, Spain and Portugal.
Wormwood contains the chemical thujone which was blamed for the psychedelic effects of consuming the Green Fairy. According to the belief thujone and THC in cannabis were similar. Since Absinthe is mainly alcohol, ethanol therefore it contains small amount of thujone. Studies prove that Absinthe is just as safe as any other strong drink and the alcohol content in it can be harmful not the thujone. There are various studies and articles written on the subject. A person should be careful about the quantity while consuming it as it is double strong in comparison to the vodka or the whisky.
During the time of prohibition many people enjoyed buying and drinking vintage style Absinthe in Absinthe bars in the Czech Republic, served in the classic Absinthe large glassesand in surroundings decorated with vintage Absinthe posters. Today Absinthe is legal in many countries with controlled thujone levels and the United States only allows Absinthe with decent quantity of thujone.
Absinthe bottle or Absinthe essences can also be purchased from the Internet.An individual can make his own Absinthe Green Fairy to bottle at home by going through the website. Thujone is not used in a few new Absinthes that are prepared for the US market.
Absinthe Green Fairy is a delicious spirit which can be used in cocktails – mix with champagne for a truly dissolute drink!