No holiday in our life is not complete without alcoholic beverages. And no matter how many doctors asserted that "to drink - health harm" by alcohol this phrase did not become less. It can be bought in a grocery store, a pharmacy and even in parts of the business, with the inscription "cleaner" !? Of course, not all are compared to unrestrained drinking and buying drinks for the inappropriate ingestion. Not everyone…. You could even say that the Russian people still know the measure and try to acquire high-quality vodka, cognac long-term exposure, or expensive fragrant wine.
Variety of alcoholic beverages has long crossed the border when on the shelves stood alone a few bottles of cheap port. Now if you want we can try to present the French wine, whiskey American, English tape, and the most mysterious of all the drinks in the world - absinthe. In this article we will talk about it and just learn how to drink absinthe.
No other alcohol is not associated with so many mysteries, myths and rumors. And no other beverage has not won so many famous admirers - Van Gogh, Hemingway, Picasso - these great men were reputed avid absinthe, as they were called - absentistami. And to understand all the secrets of the beverage have to go a little further in its history.
How it all began
Absinthe ... His predecessor considered wormwood tincture, which was used as a medicine by the ancient Greeks. In 1792, a man named Pierre Ordiner wrote absinthe recipe, thereby becoming its discoverer. From the very beginning of its existence, this drink was used only for medical purposes, was regarded as a panacea for all ills, and has been called the "Green Fairy". They treated people with poor appetite and digestive problems.
How to drink absinthe became known to all in the same XVIII century, its made from wormwood tincture and alcohol, and adding other herbs. The infusion was distilled in a special alembic. Since then, the taste and aroma of the drink has not changed - it has a bitter aftertaste and a strong scent of wormwood and anise.
Start of industrial production of absinthe were in 1797, when a relative of the founder of absinthe - Henri-Louis Pernod opened the first plant for its production. It is best taken absinthe in France. While the French used a drink and for other purposes: it was used as a preventive agent for wounds and tropical diseases in the French army. This was important, because France was at war with the tribes of North Africa.
Years passed, and the beginning of the XIX century absinthe gradually began to gain popularity in other countries, and soon won fame in the higher strata of society, has been called "the drink of Bohemia." His fans were reputed writers and poets, who in his works repeatedly mentioned Absinth - how to drink, when to drink, and what to drink. Artists also does not lack attention bohemian drink, such as Picasso, executed a bronze sculpture and called it "A glass of absinthe."
Controversies and doubts
With the onset of the XX century absinthe began to fall out of favor. Gradually the impression that excessive consumption of this drink affects the mental health of people, and those who do not know how to drink absinthe inevitably earn a nervous breakdown, or, even worse, an incurable alcoholism. Sales and production of the drink began to stop, and in many European countries have banned it altogether. Indeed, doctors, observing people in large quantities consumed absinthe confirmed - drink leads to hallucinations and, as a consequence, the development of schizophrenia. Thus, the farmer Jean Lanfren under the influence of absinthe and other alcohol shot my family.
In the occurrence of the disease was accused thujone - the essential substance in absinthe. However, over time, we came to the conclusion that this claim is absolutely wrong. It turns out that damage to the body brought not thujone, and the poor quality of the alcohol used in the production of beverage and, of course, his excessive fortress - in absinthe contained about 72 percent alcohol.
The ban on the production and consumption of absinthe in countries of the European Union was lifted only in 1981. It is worth noting that Switzerland - the birthplace of the drink - removed the restriction only in the beginning of the XXI century, but with one condition - thujone content in the drink should not exceed certain standards.
Back in the present,
Modern absinthe has all the same fortress 70 degrees, but when the production of an alcohol and other ingredients of high quality. Of course, this does not mean that you can drink it without thinking about doses. Any alcohol in large quantities do not lead you to the good.
Modern absinthe can be yellow, transparent, brown, red, but more often this drink light emerald green. Before you drink absinthe it was diluted with water, and from this it becomes cloudy, getting a little "unappetizing" appearance.
Stamps absinthe significantly different quality. The best and most expensive drink is made from grape alcohol, cheaper varieties include the usual alcohol soaked it leaves of wormwood, absinthe is considered to be the most inexpensive, made of alcohol with the addition of relevant extracts.
On sale there are fakes, proudly referred to himself absinthe. Recognize fake can of beverage strength. There are "absinthe" fortress 55 degrees. It's just sweetened wormwood tincture, which contains essential oils and has nothing to do with this absinthe. Yet such a beverage, as compared with vodka, drunk easily. It's his only advantage.
If you are going to try absinthe is better to spare funds to buy a nice drink and the famous producer, because health is known to be more expensive than any money.
How to drink absinthe
So you've decided to try the most mysterious drink in the world? If that happens in the company, you first need to learn a few rules and understand how to drink absinthe, not to be trapped in front of knowledgeable people.
First note for myself that rather bitter drink absinthe, especially industrial production. Of course, you can make your own absinthe, then it will be more pleasant to the taste, but it is quite a complicated procedure that requires certain skills, abilities, and the presence of special devices.
When used in a traditional absinthe add cold water. It is poured into a glass through a special spoon full of holes, which is a lump of sugar. Sugar kills a little bitterness, and the use of the beverage becomes more enjoyable. The most correct one for the dilution percentage absinthe is 1: 5, that is one part of the beverage, and five parts water. Just get rid of the bitter taste in the mouth helps a slice of lemon.
This effect of absinthe is not like intoxication. Everyone feels it differently. Someone just relaxing, someone on the contrary can move mountains. Some people experience excessive happiness and smile never left their faces. A lot depends on the mood of the person and his personality. Therefore, before drinking absinthe relieve themselves of all the stress, calm down, and adjusts to good rest.
Several ways of preparing absinthe
The process came to us from France - differs only from the traditional proportions of water. Pour into a glass of absinthe one piece, we take a special spoon, which put the sugar and pour three parts cold water.
Czech way to completely exclude the addition of water. It is necessary to heat the spoon and putting it on a sugar cube, pour absinthe. The result is a mix of melted sugar and drink. This cocktail is drunk a little warm.
There is also a Russian way of drinking absinthe. Separately cooked sugar syrup and diluted with a drink in the correct proportions. This cocktail is best to soften the taste of absinthe.
The drink can not be diluted just before drinking absinthe in its pure form, it must be strongly cooled. Pure drink is drunk in small doses, about 30 grams.
Can be dangerous absinthe?
As mentioned above, the composition includes absinthe thujone, a substance found in wormwood. In large quantities, this substance can be a dangerous drug. Even in the times of occurrence of absinthe scientists conducted experiments in connection with which it was clear that some people use this drink can cause a seizure, a strong violation of the nervous system, seizures, and other unpleasant things.
Some doctors have argued that absinthe is addictive, comparable to heroin addiction, and even the process of its preparation is somewhat similar to the introduction of heroin intravenously.
However, most of the allegations came from a time when the science has not yet reached current heights. And the reputation of absinthe largely consisted of reports of famous people who used it. Maybe they did not know how to drink absinthe, or maybe just been mentally unbalanced people. After being famous is not easy!
For example, there is speculation that Vincent Van Gogh under the influence of absinthe cut off his ear, but at the same time if you study the life of an artist, you can find information about that in his family mental disorders hereditary. And he not only drank absinthe, it is quite another, and abused alcohol, and once even tried to drink turpentine. All this makes us modern people to look at these allegations, more or less skeptical.
Is it true absinthe is a drug, yet you ask? Yes and no. Everything depends on the "fullness poured glass." Therefore, drink or not drink - it's up to you. The main thing to know how to drink absinthe and remember that you need to know around the measure, do not overdo it with its use. After all, no one can know exactly how your body will react to a fair amount of this drink.
