How to Make Absinthe
Decide what kind of absinthe you want to make., Prepare your ingredients and the place where you'll be preparing the absinthe., Add the ingredients and the alcohol to mason jars or similar glass vessels that can be sealed. , Store the bottle in a...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Decide what kind of absinthe you want to make.
Absinthe is always made with what is referred to as "The Holy Trinity" which consists of wormwood, anise, and fennel, but authentic wormwood can be chosen that does not contain thujone.
Absinthe that does not contain thujone should be much safer than absinthe that contains thujone.
Choose a final absinthe color.
Color is imbued to the absinthe during the herbal maceration.
Green absinthe is made using green herbs such as mint and petite wormwood.
The chlorophyll from these herbs is extracted into the absinthe.
Red absinthe can be made by excluding the green herbs and using red herbs such as paprika which gives it a more spiced flavor as well.
The oils from the anise and fennel seeds will contribute to the louche effect (the cloudiness produced when water is added to absinthe). -
Step 2: Prepare your ingredients and the place where you'll be preparing the absinthe.
Use about 1/3 cup or less of herbal ingredients per 750ml alcohol base.
Wash your hands, the surface you'll be working on and your herbs.
Chop, crumble, or grind the herbal ingredients.
The wormwood can be chopped or crumbled (if not ground).
A mortar and pestle can be used for grinding herbs such as anise seeds.
The herbal constituents will be more efficiently extracted from herbs that have been ground up or finely chopped. ,, This process is called maceration, and the duration will directly influence the flavor.
Too long, and the flavors will be muddy and bitter; too short, and there won't be enough flavor. , The resulting liquid will most likely be brown and bitter.
In order to make 'real' absinthe, a distillation process is necessary to boil away the bitterness.
The distillate will be clear and have much less flavor.
Once you have this "absinthe blanche"
you can make it your own with a second maceration process.
This second maceration will give the absinthe its true flavor and color. , Since this will not be distilled, it will add strong flavors and natural color.
Be creative, add flavors you enjoy.
Macerate to taste, not two months.
Too much maceration will bitter your batch. , This way, you can even make an "anise" alcohol, "fennel" alcohol, and "mint" alcohol, and mix them independently to personal preference.
This way, you can alter the recipe in 'real time' as you taste it.
Otherwise, you have to wait another week or so for the maceration. , You will mix your distillate with your flavoring, at the same time diluting the mixture with either vodka or water.
Mix it up, taste a little, and then mix whatever is necessary.
Too much alcohol (distillate) and the concoction will burn like a strong liquor.
Too much flavor (macerate) and the drink will be too bitter as the flavor sticks to the tongue.
You can also sweeten the absinthe at this time, with anything from sugar to sweet-n-low to corn syrup.,, -
Step 3: Add the ingredients and the alcohol to mason jars or similar glass vessels that can be sealed.
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Step 4: Store the bottle in a dark warm room for 2 weeks to 2 months to let the Artemisia absinthium and other herbs infuse adequately into the alcohol.
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Step 5: Take your mixture and strain all of the herbs from it with a cheesecloth
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Step 6: coffee filter
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Step 7: or similar material.
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Step 8: Use much less wormwood
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Step 9: preferable petite (to minimize bitterness).
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Step 10: It's easier to make a separate batch of "flavor absinthe" instead of putting the herbs directly into the distilled absinthe.
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Step 11: The mixing process is of utmost importance.
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Step 12: Bottle
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Step 13: since you probably don't know how to age it
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Step 14: enjoy.
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Step 15: Enjoy using your preferable absinthe ritual.
Detailed Guide
Absinthe is always made with what is referred to as "The Holy Trinity" which consists of wormwood, anise, and fennel, but authentic wormwood can be chosen that does not contain thujone.
Absinthe that does not contain thujone should be much safer than absinthe that contains thujone.
Choose a final absinthe color.
Color is imbued to the absinthe during the herbal maceration.
Green absinthe is made using green herbs such as mint and petite wormwood.
The chlorophyll from these herbs is extracted into the absinthe.
Red absinthe can be made by excluding the green herbs and using red herbs such as paprika which gives it a more spiced flavor as well.
The oils from the anise and fennel seeds will contribute to the louche effect (the cloudiness produced when water is added to absinthe).
Use about 1/3 cup or less of herbal ingredients per 750ml alcohol base.
Wash your hands, the surface you'll be working on and your herbs.
Chop, crumble, or grind the herbal ingredients.
The wormwood can be chopped or crumbled (if not ground).
A mortar and pestle can be used for grinding herbs such as anise seeds.
The herbal constituents will be more efficiently extracted from herbs that have been ground up or finely chopped. ,, This process is called maceration, and the duration will directly influence the flavor.
Too long, and the flavors will be muddy and bitter; too short, and there won't be enough flavor. , The resulting liquid will most likely be brown and bitter.
In order to make 'real' absinthe, a distillation process is necessary to boil away the bitterness.
The distillate will be clear and have much less flavor.
Once you have this "absinthe blanche"
you can make it your own with a second maceration process.
This second maceration will give the absinthe its true flavor and color. , Since this will not be distilled, it will add strong flavors and natural color.
Be creative, add flavors you enjoy.
Macerate to taste, not two months.
Too much maceration will bitter your batch. , This way, you can even make an "anise" alcohol, "fennel" alcohol, and "mint" alcohol, and mix them independently to personal preference.
This way, you can alter the recipe in 'real time' as you taste it.
Otherwise, you have to wait another week or so for the maceration. , You will mix your distillate with your flavoring, at the same time diluting the mixture with either vodka or water.
Mix it up, taste a little, and then mix whatever is necessary.
Too much alcohol (distillate) and the concoction will burn like a strong liquor.
Too much flavor (macerate) and the drink will be too bitter as the flavor sticks to the tongue.
You can also sweeten the absinthe at this time, with anything from sugar to sweet-n-low to corn syrup.,,
About the Author
Martha Perez
Writer and educator with a focus on practical home improvement knowledge.
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