How to Make Absinthe Cocktail

Mix a simple blend., Prepare an absinthe drip., Light your absinthe on fire, Czech-style., Chase the “waterfall.” Instead of the drip or pour methods, use displacement to mix the water and absinthe.

6 Steps 3 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Mix a simple blend.

    Add 3 parts ice-cold water to 1 part absinthe.

    For a single serving, this is roughly 3 ounces of absinthe (or 3 shots) to 1 ounce of absinthe (or 1 shot).

    For each single serving, stir in 1 teaspoon of sugar.Alternately, absinthe can be sipped neat if you prefer the undiluted taste.

    But if so, drink moderately.

    Keep in mind that absinthe has nearly twice the alcohol content of most other liquors, which is why it is typically watered down.
  2. Step 2: Prepare an absinthe drip.

    Pour 1 ounce of absinthe into a glass, preferably a Pontarlier-style glass for the sake of tradition.

    Rest or hold an absinthe spoon along the glass’s rim, or substitute a fork or spork if needed.

    Set a sugar cube on the utensil.

    Now drip or gently pour 3 ounces of ice water over the cube to slowly dissolve the sugar.To really get into the spirit, be sure to take a whiff of the straight absinthe before adding the water and sugar.

    Also, note the milky combination of sugary water and liquor (known here as a “louche”) as the two mix in the glass. , Pour 1 ounce of absinthe into a glass.

    Dunk a sugar cube in the flammable liquor.

    Now set the sugar cube in an absinthe spoon held over the glass.

    Use a match or cigarette lighter to ignite the alcohol in the cube.

    Let it burn for a few seconds until the sugar caramelizes.

    Then carefully lower the spoon and sugar into the absinthe.

    Once the liquor in the glass ignites, slowly pour 3 ounces of ice water into the glass to extinguish the flames and create a louche.Whether you have a traditional absinthe spoon or need to substitute it with some other utensil, always use metal, never plastic, since any alcohol that drains from the sugar cube will cause the spoon to ignite as well, potentially melting any plastic.

    Either use a toothpick or similar device to dunk the sugar cube in the absinthe, or be sure to clean all alcohol from your fingers before lighting a match or cigarette lighter.

    Do not simply drop the flaming sugar cube into the absinthe, since this may cause the liquor to splash out of the glass and spread flames.

    If you are going to be drinking more than one round, it is probably safest to use this method first, while you are still sober. , Place a 1-ounce shot glass inside a larger drinking glass, such as a tumbler.

    Carefully fill the shot glass with absinthe.

    Now pour 3 ounces of ice water into the full shot glass.

    Watch the louche cascade over the rim of the shot glass as the water forces the liquor out of there and into the larger drinking glass.

    Once done, use a clean, handy tool like pliers to pluck the shot glass out of the drinking glass.If you are a fan of sugar, mix a teaspoon with the ice water before pouring.

    However, if you like your absinthe to be less sweet, skip it, since the louche’s milky cloud is formed not by the addition of sugar, but by chemical reactions between water and absinthe’s ingredients.
  3. Step 3: Light your absinthe on fire

  4. Step 4: Czech-style.

  5. Step 5: Chase the “waterfall.” Instead of the drip or pour methods

  6. Step 6: use displacement to mix the water and absinthe.

Detailed Guide

Add 3 parts ice-cold water to 1 part absinthe.

For a single serving, this is roughly 3 ounces of absinthe (or 3 shots) to 1 ounce of absinthe (or 1 shot).

For each single serving, stir in 1 teaspoon of sugar.Alternately, absinthe can be sipped neat if you prefer the undiluted taste.

But if so, drink moderately.

Keep in mind that absinthe has nearly twice the alcohol content of most other liquors, which is why it is typically watered down.

Pour 1 ounce of absinthe into a glass, preferably a Pontarlier-style glass for the sake of tradition.

Rest or hold an absinthe spoon along the glass’s rim, or substitute a fork or spork if needed.

Set a sugar cube on the utensil.

Now drip or gently pour 3 ounces of ice water over the cube to slowly dissolve the sugar.To really get into the spirit, be sure to take a whiff of the straight absinthe before adding the water and sugar.

Also, note the milky combination of sugary water and liquor (known here as a “louche”) as the two mix in the glass. , Pour 1 ounce of absinthe into a glass.

Dunk a sugar cube in the flammable liquor.

Now set the sugar cube in an absinthe spoon held over the glass.

Use a match or cigarette lighter to ignite the alcohol in the cube.

Let it burn for a few seconds until the sugar caramelizes.

Then carefully lower the spoon and sugar into the absinthe.

Once the liquor in the glass ignites, slowly pour 3 ounces of ice water into the glass to extinguish the flames and create a louche.Whether you have a traditional absinthe spoon or need to substitute it with some other utensil, always use metal, never plastic, since any alcohol that drains from the sugar cube will cause the spoon to ignite as well, potentially melting any plastic.

Either use a toothpick or similar device to dunk the sugar cube in the absinthe, or be sure to clean all alcohol from your fingers before lighting a match or cigarette lighter.

Do not simply drop the flaming sugar cube into the absinthe, since this may cause the liquor to splash out of the glass and spread flames.

If you are going to be drinking more than one round, it is probably safest to use this method first, while you are still sober. , Place a 1-ounce shot glass inside a larger drinking glass, such as a tumbler.

Carefully fill the shot glass with absinthe.

Now pour 3 ounces of ice water into the full shot glass.

Watch the louche cascade over the rim of the shot glass as the water forces the liquor out of there and into the larger drinking glass.

Once done, use a clean, handy tool like pliers to pluck the shot glass out of the drinking glass.If you are a fan of sugar, mix a teaspoon with the ice water before pouring.

However, if you like your absinthe to be less sweet, skip it, since the louche’s milky cloud is formed not by the addition of sugar, but by chemical reactions between water and absinthe’s ingredients.

About the Author

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George Ferguson

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