The Absinthe Forger: not just for lovers of absinthe!

 

Of all the absinthe books I have reviewed on this blog, this is probably the most interesting. The cover suggests it might be a thriller but it isn't - or at least it wasn't for me - because I know how the true story ends.

I had read the saga in a Facebook group back in April 2019. Search the posts from April 2 2019 and onwards. Put simply, someone (let's call him or her "Simon") is believed, maybe proven, to have taken empty pre-ban bottles, added old labels (available on line), and concocted something that may have tasted like pre-ban absinthe. Not in the Ted Breaux or Martin Zufanek way but much more deviously (I won't detail that here: read the book!).

For me, this book is not a thriller as the cover and description of the book on Amazon led me to believe. It's much better than that, in that it's a true story of how the absinthe community responded to the fraud. An absinthe community I have met, primarily in Switzerland at the annual Fête de l'Absinthe. I "know" at least 15 of those absintheurs who are named in the book (some of them only online) and it is indeed a community who responded to the fraud and came together as a real "absinthe friends for life" community. For me, the togetherness of the community was and is the main tale here and it's a very positive message to take from the book.

It was especially interesting for me to read the accounts of Evan's meetings with Patrick Roussel and Jan Hartmann, both of whom I had met just once beforehand (at the 2019 Absinthe Festival in Freiburg, Germany). Reading the book five years later reminded me just how much I had enjoyed meeting them, but I also got to know them much better. Their insights into the fraud were amazing, and the parts they played, from very different perspectives, were highly illuminating. Congratulations to Evan for explaining Jan's very technical account and for painting a picture for me of Patrick's amazing museum as well as the bottle markings proof of the fraud. 

I have to confess at this stage that I have very little experience of pre-ban absinthe, having tasted maybe 3 or 4 pre-ban samples via friends or at absinthe community gatherings. I have never purchased pre-ban absinthe. Indeed the closest I have come to this is buying on Ebay the empty, apparently pre-ban absinthe bottle on the left below. Before reading further, can you guess which of these two bottles was the most expensive?

Here's a tiny clue. The branding on the bottle states Pernod Fils.

I have been told by one collector that this empty bottle might fetch $100. If that is true, maybe it's because the forger knew it would be a great way to start his product, before filling it with God knows what.

I didn't pay $100 or even $10. I paid less than a pound! Why did it go so cheaply? Probably because the vendor didn't understand the opportunity this bottle presented and called it "Pernod Pils," without even using the word "absinthe." Lesson for Ebay buyers of "absinthe?" If you just search "absinthe," you might just miss a gem like this. 

Some of the above account of my near-experience with pre-ban absinthe may not necessarily be of interest to those of my readers who don't buy absinthe and who don't know the absinthe community. Understood. 

Evan's book, however, could and should have an appeal and interest far beyond the absinthe community. It should be of interest to any community where people share an interest and passion in collecting. Whether it's collecting art, stamps, rare records, etc. 

As an example of collecting "art," I recently visited a collection where prints of L.S. Lowry paintings were for sale. A framed unsigned print might sell for £100 - 200; a framed signed print was on sale for over £15,000. I understand that signed prints are numbered and that someone, somewhere may keep records of where these signed prints go, but the big difference in price here makes me think that someone, somewhere may be able to find a way to play the system to his/her advantage. 

I had an interest a few years ago in buying rock'n'roll memorabilia. I used to go to record fairs where some memorabilia was for sale. I never bought rare memorabila there. I did later buy a few signed items, e.g. signed concert programmes with some clear provenance, but I always did so from recognised London auction houses. The cost may have been higher but I felt safer doing so. 

As a viewer of art and as a buyer of rock'n'roll memorabilia, I can understand how absinthe lovers feel about this fraud. I can also understand how the community took this, learnt from it, and grew stronger and more united as a result. Yes, some people still feel bitter and wonder if there is a way to get their money back, as at least one person has done so far.  Hopefully others will follow. Some may say that the community is less united. Having met many from the community this month, I really sensed that the community is stronger, maybe as a result of having a "common enemy."   

Evan's book is the best absinthe book I have read. But Evan's book is just as relevant to other communities with a common passion. It deserves to be read by those who love absinthe, and those who don't! Santé, Evan!

 

"The Absinthe Frappé" and "Cure New Orleans Drinks:" Almost 200 years of drinking in NOLA in 2 very different books

A small confession. The first few paragraphs here were provided by ChatGPT. 

"Absinthe and New Orleans cocktail enthusiasts, get ready to add two new books to your reading list! Marielle Songy's "The Absinthe Frappé" and Neal Bodenheimer's "Cure: New Orleans Drinks and how to mix 'em" are two must-read books for anyone interested either in the history and culture of absinthe or New Orleans cocktails more generally.

"The Absinthe Frappé" is a deep dive into the history and culture of absinthe in New Orleans. Songy's book explores the origins of absinthe in the city, how it became popular, and its eventual downfall. The book also includes recipes for traditional New Orleans absinthe cocktails, like the Sazerac and the Absinthe Frappé, as well as lesser-known drinks like the Ramos Gin Fizz (Editor note: The Absinthe Frappé book does not contain a Ramos Gin Fizz recipe but the second book here does!). Songy's book is a fascinating read for anyone interested in the history of absinthe in New Orleans. The author's passion for the subject is evident on every page, and the recipes are sure to inspire readers to try making their own absinthe cocktails at home.

On the other hand, "Cure: New Orleans Drinks and how to mix 'em" by Neal Bodenheimer is a cocktail recipe book that celebrates the unique culture of New Orleans. While the book is not specifically focused on absinthe, it includes several absinthe-based cocktails (actually only one: the Absinthe Suissesse, alongside five with Herbsaint), as well as other classic New Orleans drinks like the Hurricane and the French 75. 

What sets "Cure" apart from other cocktail books is its focus on the history and culture of New Orleans. The book includes essays and stories about the city's bartenders, drinks, and traditions, giving readers a deeper understanding of the unique cocktail culture of the Big Easy. Overall, both "The Absinthe Frappé" and "Cure: New Orleans Drinks and how to mix 'em" are excellent additions to any absinthe lover's book collection. Whether you're interested in the history of absinthe in New Orleans or just looking for some new cocktail recipes to try, these books are sure to satisfy. So, pour yourself a glass of absinthe and settle in for a good read!"

So much for ChatGPT. 

What do I think of these books? 

"The Absinthe Frappé" is a superb addition to the books I have reviewed previously about absinthe and cocktails. It has an excellent history of absinthe, correctly crediting the Henriods with its creation, and then detailing its boom, bust and subsequent re-birth. The book's focus is unashamedly American, mainly on New Orleans as the birthplace of the absinthe frappé. The story of the absinthe frappé is told in great detail and the book concludes with eleven absinthe cocktails and a list of bars in New Orleans where one can enjoy an absinthe frappé. 

Including, of course, The Old Absinthe House.

Followed by a wonderful three page list of sources. Sadly many of these are digital links, which may require a lot of concentration to type in correctly (do not attempt to type in these links after a few absinthe frappés!). Generally typing in the keywords (e.g. a book title) may get you to the link. Google famous new orleans drinks and how to mix 'em to get to a legal digital version of this classic. 

Don't be deceived by the book's size (4.8 x 0.32 x 6.85 inches). The book is very detailed, with a lot of information not assembled together elsewhere and with absolutely no padding. Its size allowed me to take it and to enjoy it on train journeys and will allow those visiting New Orleans to use it as a great guide book while going on a tour of the best absinthe bars in NOLA. It is not a coffee table book (many of those are books that are bought to be displayed and are never read). This is very definitely a book to be read, to be enjoyed and, hopefully, to inspire its readers to perfect their absinthe frappé making skills!   

"The Absinthe Frappé" was written by Marielle Songy, who was born and raised in New Orleans. We've been Facebook friends for a while and I am grateful to her and her publishers for an advance copy of the book for review. When I got the book, I asked her some questions: these and her answers follow: 

Do you have any plans to write more about absinthe and/or any other absinthe cocktails? 

I don't have any current plans to write about any other absinthe cocktails, but I do want this to be the beginning of adding to the conversation and absinthe education. I hope to do what I can to spread the word about absinthe, dispel the myths, and hopefully make it a bit more popular again (or at least get to the point where at least one absinthe-forward cocktail is offered on fine cocktail menus). 

What was the most surprising thing you discovered about absinthe and/or the Frappé? 

One thing I discovered in my research is just how versatile absinthe is! Before I started the book, I hadn't really tried many absinthe-forward cocktails. The book changed that. Of course there's the Frappe, but all of the cocktails in my cocktail guide are drinks I have tried throughout this process. My favorites are Bitter Party of One and Death in the Afternoon. 

How many absinthe frappés did you have to consume while researching/writing the book? Do you make this great cocktail at home or do you prefer to drink it in the great bars of NOLA? 

I tried many absinthe frappes throughout my research and I was surprised at how different they are, depending on the bar! My favorite is still the classic with the crushed ice and simple syrup, but Mr. B's had an interesting one served in a martini glass with egg white in it. I was also surprised at how many bars serve the frappe "neat" with no ice. I have made the cocktail at home because it's quite easy, but I do prefer to enjoy it at a nice bar. 

Would you be brave enough to specify the best absinthe frappé you had? What was so great about it? And which bar? Or would you prefer not to answer that? For me, it was at Cure and, of course, it contained La Clandestine! 

My favorite is definitely Cure. I just think it's made perfectly with the dome of ice and is a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds!

.....................

Marielle and I agree on a lot. Notably on the role of the Henriods and on the best place in NOLA to enjoy the absinthe frappé. I hope to get to NOLA again soon to enjoy this superb drink at Cure with Marielle. Santé!

When I told Marielle that her book was going to be reviewed at the same time as "Cure: New Orleans Drinks and how to mix 'em,"  she wrote "I am beyond flattered to be included in the same universe as Neal's wonderful book, of which I also have a copy."  Here is Cure NOLA:

I first made it to Cure and met Neal Bodenheimer on July 15th, 2013, which was also my first day ever in New Orleans. I was staying at The Monteleone for Tales of the Cocktail and was just a few yards from The Old Absinthe House, so Cure was not the first NOLA bar I visited. But it made a big impression on me, so I was thrilled to be given Neal's new book as a present a few months ago.

For those of my readers who want to read about absinthe, you may be a little disappointed to note that there are not many absinthe recipes in this book. There is a recipe for Absinthe Suissesse (which has been one of my favourites recently) and, in the food recipe section, 

you'll find Mussels in Absinthe. Gorgeous!

This being New Orleans, there are, of course, several recipes with Herbsaint and, since absinthe and Herbsaint are more interchangeable here than anywhere else, that's understandable.

Neal's book is, indeed, a gorgeous and highly practical cocktail book with an amazing collection of almost every classic New Orleans cocktail. The Sazerac, 

the French 75, Ramos Gin Fizz. the Hurricane etc. Every New Orleans classic apart from the Absinthe Frappé. It's almost as if Neal knew Marielle's book was on the way!

It's a superb cocktail book, detailing Cure's style, spirits selection criteria, and techniques. As examples of the care and love that goes into making a Cure cocktail, there's almost a whole page about how to express citrus and another on whether or not to chill glassware!

From then on, Cure follows a straight-ish historical line through New Orleans cocktails from the Sazerac (and variations), the Old-Fashioned (and variations) etc.

The cocktails are interspersed with sections on the New Orleans Cocktail Bucket list (the best bars in town), the best music venues, classic dive bars, Black bars, Mardi Gras, and a page on the Green Fairy! This is a book to bring back memories of Tales of the Cocktail and NOLA (yes, it's time I returned post-Covid), with mentions of many people I have met there or elsewhere. This is a book with, it seems, hundreds of short stories (some of these are cocktails, some are Neal's anecdotes about NOLA). It's a book you dip into for inspiration or an idea, and half an hour later you're still reading about a cocktail's variations or the technical issues involved. For example, Cure used to use 21 drops of Peychaud's in a Sazerac but now uses 23 drops!

................................

I love both these books: Marielle's for the deep dive (thank you, ChatGPT) into the history and culture of absinthe in New Orleans, Neal's for the memories it evokes, for reminding me of the places I still have to visit in NOLA and for the amazing cocktail knowledge. This is clearly a must-have cocktail book, even if you're mainly interested in absinthe.

If you're visiting NOLA, you may find The Absinthe Frappé more portable and convenient to carry from bar to bar; alternatively you may want to splurge out on the Ebook version of Cure to take with you. 

I'd recommend both! Santé, Marielle and Neal!

Swiss Absinthe Day, meet Mardi Gras!

(Photo from The Old Absinthe House, New Orleans) 

March 1 is an important date in Switzerland, well for some of Switzerland. It is Republic Day in the canton of Neuchâtel: the Val-de-Travers is located within this àrea and this is where absinthe was born and where most Swiss absinthe is made today. March 1 2005 was chosen as the date on which absinthe was re-legalised in Switzerland: I guess the authorities assumed, correctly, that many people would be drinking a lot of absinthe that day, so choosing a holiday for re-legalisation seemed a good idea. I know that my distiller had good cause to celebrate in 2005 when he was finally able to move out of his clandestine distillation facilities!

I have written previously about absinthe being re-legalised in Europe by mistake in 1988, meaning that other countries in Europe do not have a date to celebrate. European action and the clearer action in Switzerland were part "door openers" for the next re-legalisation which is celebrated on March 5 in the USA. This marks the date in 2007 when the first Lucid label was approved. I have suggested that countries should take these two dates and use them as the basis for an "Absinthe week" from March 1 to March 5, but right now may not be the best time for such an event.

Mardi Gras, of course, doesn't have a fixed date as it depends on the date of Easter which depends on the phases of the moon. This year, however, marks the first time that Swiss Absinthe Day and Mardi Gras have fallen on the same day (interesting to note that the dates also align in 2033 and 2044, but not again until the 22nd century).

Mardi Gras can be celebrated anywhere, but it is most closely associated within the drinks trade with New Orleans which is the historic American centre of absinthe consumption and absinthe cocktail creation.  The histories of the Sazerac and the Absinthe Frappé are well-known but there are other less appreciated absinthe cocktails from New Orleans that are definitely worth trying. The Suissesse is described in the first  Dead Rabbit cocktail book as "the culmination of absinthe in the mixed drink format ... a simple and delicious beverage that many (especially in New Orleans) select for their daily eye-opener."

More about this cocktail, including different recipes on Instagram.

New Orleans may have a strong connection to France but, as this newspaper ad in Le Meschacébé from February 1898 shows, New Orleans also enjoyed Swiss absinthe.

Mardi Gras in New Orleans has suffered during the pandemic but 2022 looks set to be a special event.  If you are there this year, you shouldn't be reading this! You should be with the people in the picture at the top which shows the view from the Balconies above The Old Absinthe House. Or you should be in the picture like the one below which is one of my favourite shots from inside The Old Absinthe House (original here).

The last time I was in New Orleans, I selflessly devoted myself to absinthe cocktail research and creation. I don't recall what all of these were ..

I do recall Jackie at The Old Absinthe House making me a very nice Clandestino:

And I also recall some excellent Bloody Fairies at Pirate's Alley Café/Absinthe House. This photo with Virginia was taken a few months later:

Still to return to New Orleans, post Covid, is the Belle Epoque bar within The Old Absinthe House. The Belle Epoque looked set to be the most exciting new absinthe bar in the USA and we hope it will return soon. In the meantime, there have been some exciting absinthe bar openings in San Diego and in New York.

In San Diego, autumn saw the opening of Wormwood: they have a great absinthe selection, all served beautifully. This photo shows Chris Hampson from my US importer enjoying a glass of Butterfly, served with chilled water from one of their fifteen absinthe fountains! 

Also opening in the autumn was New York's Café de L'Enfer. From the team behind Amor y Amargo. 

We've heard some great reports about this and hope to bring more news from these new absinthe bars on West and East coasts soon.

Remember: 2022 gives you two good reasons to celebrate with absinthe. Swiss Absinthe day and Mardi Gras combined. You won't have an excuse like this for another 11 years. So, santé and laissez les bons temps rouler! 

  

Absinthe Eggnog: The ultimate Christmas cocktail

Eggnogs are perfect for Christmas. Low in alcohol, they are perfect for those people that don't want to get too tipsy. High in taste, they are delicious! Absinthe, of course, has a somewhat different reputation. It's strong and a little "evil" and is considered, by some at least, to be something of an acquired taste. Put all that together, and it is clear that an absinthe eggnog can be a delightful contradiction in terms, a real talking point at home and in bars. So I was delighted when my distiller partner started to make La Clandestine Crème d'Absinthe.

Apparently this style of drink, which is reminiscent of Bailey's, has been popular in Switzerland for some time. My distiller, however, wanted to make this with our absinthe. Swiss consumers loved it, as did international visitors to our distillery. 

I took a couple of bottles with me when I visited our importer, journalists and bars in the USA. Drinkhacker, the first journalist to taste it, was intrigued. "It’s super strange, yet surprisingly compelling." 

Robert Nikodem, Manager at Sage at the Aria Hotel, Las Vegas loved the Crème d'Absinthe. Sadly we had to tell him we couldn't sell it to him (not officially available in the USA, short shelf life etc). So his team developed their own version, considering all the absinthes they stocked (more than 15 at the time). They found La Clandestine to be the best absinthe for this cocktail, marrying perfectly with all the other ingredients. This proved to be such a success that it was listed separately at the top of the absinthe list ... and stayed there over Christmas, New Year and all the way to Easter (Easter and eggs is a good reason to offer this cocktail outside the normal Eggnog season).

Other bars in the USA, UK, Japan and Australia followed the example of Sage.  Café Bohème in London (part of the Soho House group) offered both hot and cold versions of Absinthe Eggnog.

So how can those making cocktails to drink at home make Absinthe Eggnog? Here are two options. Firstly a one drink version:

Secondly, a version which makes enough for two 750 ml bottles (thanks for this, Ron!):

Both versions are exceptional and are highly recommended. Santé! Joyeux Noël! Bonne et Heureuse Année!

What has the European Union ever done for us?

I have long thought that politics and drink (and in particular absinthe) don't mix well. Alcohol - especially absinthe - has been badly hit by politics in the past.

So I was interested to see this new cocktail book a few weeks ago:

Attempting to be politically neutral, I have hidden the subtitle of the book in the photo but if you're curious you can see it and read brief extracts here.

I love the idea of making absinthe great again, and have been trying to do so for more than 15 years. There are some interesting cocktails here, but sadly too few absinthe cocktails. If you want to get better books about absinthe cocktails, then we have a few recommendations here.

Back to politics and to the title of this post. What has the European Union ever done for us? Some of you may remember this from Monty Python's Life of Brian:



For me, a UK citizen, today is a day of reflection: it's the day we leave the European Union. I'm not going to provide a long list of things the European Union has done for us. There is one important action, however, that they took back in 1988, which has profoundly changed my life and maybe that of my readers too. In 1988, European Council Directive No. 88/388/EEC was enacted and it had one very interesting and unintended consequence. It set a limit for thujone (spelt as "thuyone" in the directive) in drinks, primarily aimed at bitters, vermouths, and herbal liqueurs:

10 mg/kg in alcoholic beverages with more than 25 % volume of alcohol

35 mg/kg in bitters

and these would lead to the complete re-legalization of absinthe across the European Union, in Switzerland in 2005 and in the USA in 2007.

Astonishingly no-one seemed to realise the effect of this legislation in the EU until several years after 1988. The EU probably didn't realise that their limits re-opened the door to absinthe, with 19th century samples shown to be within these limits. There are different claims as to who first realised this, and some of the first "absinthes" sold as a result were not good examples of what could be produced.

However it seems clear that this first re-legalization within the EU was not as a result of any pressure from distillers: it was a completely unintended consequence, one could almost term it a "mistake." Swiss and American companies were later able to capitalize on this, but, without it, absinthe might still be a curiosity produced in very small quantities for tourists to Spain and Prague. Without it, most of my readers might never have enjoyed this wonderful drink. So tonight as the UK leaves the European Union, I will be drinking an absinthe toast to the EU politicians and bureaucrats who helped to start absinthe's journey from the shadows to the light. Cheers! Santé!

In search of the Bloody Fairy

Virginia Davis, manager, Pirate’s Alley Café/Absinthe House, New Orleans

The ”Bloody Fairy?” Gimmick or classic? Let’s explore this..

By “Bloody Fairy,” of course, I mean an absinthe equivalent of the “Bloody Mary.” Sounds simple, or so I thought.

But it turns out that there are different directions this could go: it could be a standard spicy Bloody Mary with a few dashes of absinthe as seen here:

Or it could be a completely different (and not spicy) drink using absinthe, cranberry juice and tonic water as seen here:

Or it could be a drink in which absinthe completely replaces vodka as mentioned here:

I believe the last option included here fits far better with the "Bloody" proposition and is clearly more "Fairy" related.

I used this starting point on my 2018 visit to New Orleans and later at home. I now believe I am close to the perfect Bloody Fairy, loved by bars, using tweaks from famous cocktail experts, and indulging my own preferences too. It’s been a tough journey but someone had to do it!

Firstly I see little need to tamper with the "Bloody" element, For bars serving very spicy or alternatively more mellow Bloody Marys, you know what works for your customers, so don’t tamper with that element. That’s what your customers want, whether it be a brunch cocktail, aperitif or even digestif (a good Bloody Mary can indeed be all of these). So I will not detail or define here the spicy tomato element of this cocktail: what works for your customers in your bar or for you at home in a Bloody Mary will work for you in a Bloody Fairy.

Moving onto the absinthe element, it is clear that absinthe can be a polarising taste. While vodka can be somewhat blander. I believe less bitter absinthes work much better in this cocktail, complementing the tomato juice and the spicy elements, rather than fighting with them. For me, and the New Orleans bartenders we tried this with, Butterfly Classic Absinthe worked really well, with respectable strength (65%), little bitterness, and a flavour profile that complements tomato and spices. Butterfly has a traditional recipe base of herbs and spices which complement the spices used in Bloody Mary; it also has hints of citrus and mint that sit well alongside tomato juice.

Butterfly's US heritage makes it a perfect ingredient in this Bloody Mary twist, given that the Bloody Mary may have been born at the New York Bar in Paris in 1921 or in New York itself in the 1930's, and it is certainly a cocktail which is most popular in the USA.

So this was the start of the drink: a traditional tomato/spice mix and Butterfly Absinthe. A prototype Bloody Fairy that I drank in bars in New Orleans in September 2018. Firstly in The Old Absinthe House with Jackie and her team:

(yes, I know the Bloody Fairy glass is empty: a clear indication that this was the most popular of the three cocktails we shared)

at other bars around New Orleans:

and at Tony Seville's Pirate's Alley Café and Absinthe House (see photo with Virginia Davis at the top). We all loved it.

However I recognise that the slight element of bitterness in any good absinthe may not work for everyone, and after consideration I realised that an extra ingredient I had enjoyed in Bloody Marys a few years ago would really be the icing on the cake,

Sherry.

I researched further and I found that some of the world’s most celebrated cocktail experts have used sherry to complete their Bloody Marys. If this idea is good enough for Erik Lorincz (formerly of The Savoy)

and for Simon Ford of Ford's Gin

there must be a reason.

Manzanilla or Fino didn’t seem quite right, so I was interested to consider a cream sherry. I was not alone, judging by this article from a British newspaper:

So there we have it. The perfect Bloody Fairy recipe:-

1. Tomato juice and all the usual spices and garnishes: exactly how you would combine them in your Bloody Mary.

2. Spirit:

Either replace all the vodka with Butterfly Absinthe, an American-style absinthe. Noting that this comes in at 65% alcohol, then you could perhaps reduce the amount of absinthe to around two-thirds of the amount (of vodka) you would use in a Bloody Mary.

Or replace half of the vodka with  Butterfly Absinthe, so a smaller amount of Butterfly and half of the vodka.

3. The icing on the cake: float Cream Sherry on top.

We hope you love this Bloody Fairy as much as we do! It is much much more than a gimmick and deserves to become a new classic cocktail. And, as it's Oscar season, I'd like to thank Bernie for all her help in New Orleans and for sharing a few Bloody Fairies! Cheers!

Ladies drinking absinthe

I've posted about ladies and absinthe jokingly before, and have also highlighted the more serious role of women in making absinthe.

So it was interesting to discover recently two artistic treatment of women drinking absinthe: from Paris in 1905 and from New Orleans in 2017.

The first of these is probably more interesting!

Gustave Poetzsch was a Swiss artist who lived from 1870 to 1950. Born in Neuchâtel, he moved to Paris to develop his painting skills. His painting of L'Élégante au verre d'absinthe may surprise absinthe historians. It seems to show a fashionable French lady drinking absinthe on her own in a Parisian café or bar. She's drinking from a glass that doesn't look like an absinthe glass and seems to be on her third drink (count the saucers used to help keep count of how many drinks a customer would need to pay for). There seems to be no stigma associated with this: she is indeed an elegant lady. Marie-Claude Delahaye has written in some detail about the painting and the unusual glass. This painting seems, in summary, to debunk the myths about absinthe in Paris at the start of the 20th century: it is a long way from "absinthism."

As the painting debunks myths, so Hollywood continues to spread myths about absinthe. Below I present the "absinthe" sequence from the trailer for Girls Trip. While it may be true that tourists to New Orleans enjoy drinking the Green Fairy in The Old Absinthe House and elsewhere, and some may over-indulge, they do not get the kind of absinthe effects depicted here. The most active ingredient in absinthe is alcohol. Drinking too much absinthe, and hence too much alcohol, does not lead to experiencing anything more remarkable than seeing the sidewalk (pavement) close-up.



This is shared here to show how Hollywood continues to exaggerate the effects of absinthe. Something that reputable absinthe distillers will never do.

Coming soon .. ready-to-drink absinthe

Whether you're a bartender or a consumer, we've been listening to what you say.

Bartenders think that the absinthe ritual can be a nuisance when a bar is really busy. They have to get a fountain ready with chilled water, pour a measure of absinthe in a glass, maybe put a spoon with a sugar lump on the glass, position it correctly and drip the water. And then they have to wait to make sure the glass doesn't overflow!

Consumers can be unsure of how much water to add, whether or not to use sugar, and sometimes they just don't want to wait for their drink!

Absinthe lovers in the 19th century had the same problems. After a busy day painting (and, by the way, ingesting all those toxic paint fumes), Van Gogh really didn't want to wait for his drink. Indeed it is possible that waiting drove him mad. Literally.

We've seen ready-to-drink "absinthe" in various countries around the world. Notably in Russia:

Up to now, ready-to-drink "absinthe" has tended to be low quality, and didn't communicate all the fun we think consumers look for in this type of drink. And then we saw the picture at the top of this blog. We posted it in the social media and were amazed at the response:

A high quality ready-to-drink absinthe has to communicate fun and enjoyment. So we decided to call it ...

Absinthe on the Gogh

We hasten to add that this is the not final pack design, and we need to do some more research. Which is why we are posting this so we can ask you, whether you are a bartender or an absinthe lover a few questions. Please answer in the comments below.

What is better in a bar? A can or a bottle?
What is better for home use, or indeed for picnics, etc?
What size? The can above is 250 ml, but maybe that is a bit big. Adding 3 parts of water to one US measure (1.5 fl oz) comes to 176 ml.
If a ready-to-drink is allowed to rest for a while, you will need to shake before serving. Shake the drink, not yourself (although if you shake yourself while holding a closed drink, that might work). A see-through bottle may not look too appetising if the contents have separated, so is an opaque bottle OK?
Do you like the name "Absinthe On the Gogh" which reverses the pun in the picture at the top? Absinthe To Gogh wouldn't work in bars: bartenders don't want their customers to go!
Do you have any other comments or questions? Any other names?

There is one issue we know about with this name. In England, Van Gogh's last name sounds similar to Goth. But given the affinity between Goths and absinthe, maybe that's OK. Some have commented that my distiller looks like a goth ... or should that be a Gogh?!

Remember to comment below, please. Santé!

Americans try Absinthe for the First Time on BuzzFeed ... and other absinthe videos

On August 4th, 2015, many absinthe lovers were quite dismissive of a new video which appeared on BuzzFeed that day: "Americans try Absinthe for the First Time."

Initial comments included: "Just silly, "Makes us Americans look like idiots," "It boggles my mind to believe that people STILL believe that absinthe makes you "TRIP" balls .."

Then the comments changed to "Well, at least they prepared it properly and used actual absinthe," and recognition of how BuzzFeed works: "If it isn't ridiculous then BuzzFeed doesn't want it. Hipsters pretending to trip ballz on just alcohol generates views, education does not."

And this video has certainly generated views: over 2.1 million YouTube views at the time of writing, making it by some way the highest viewed absinthe video ever shown on YouTube (and thus probably globally). It also has more likes (over 65,000 likes) and more comments (over 2,500) than any other absinthe video. The video was also posted on Facebook, where (as of October 8, 2015), it has had over 20 million views, over 180,000 likes, over 280,000 shares, and over 44,000 comments!)

Here are the rest of the Top Five YouTube absinthe videos. They are here for completion only, and I don't recommend wasting too much time watching them (apart from the absinthe glass drawing video).

A video for IOS Jailbreak software. Nothing to do with real absinthe. 1.4 million views.

The absinthe effect. Nothing to do with real absinthe, this video just shows the effect of being very drunk. 1.2 million views.

How I drew an absinthe glass. At last a good video that is partly about absinthe. Also 1.2 million views.

Shoenice slams absinthe. Showing how to drink a whole bottle of Lucid Absinthe at one go. Just under 1.2 million views.

 I wanted to put up those other 4 videos as well to highlight a couple of points:-

a) Sadly there doesn't seem to be any great interest in good educational videos for real absinthe. There are some educational videos further down the top 20 list, but most of them choose products that absinthe connoisseurs would not recognise as real absinthe and one includes the burning option.

b) It is all too easy to associate drinking absinthe with getting drunk or "other" effects. The BuzzFeed video's stars are either claiming to experience those "other" effects, or are actually experiencing placebo effects. Entertaining, perhaps, but not very educational or informative. At least it is not focused on watching people getting drunk!

c) Viewing all five videos, and then reading the comments underneath the BuzzFeed video, there remains an enormous, ongoing need for education about absinthe. What it is, what it does and how to drink it.

Ignoring the video's humorous elements, BuzzFeed clearly shows how to drink it.

• With chilled water (3 - 5 parts).
• The fountain is optional: a decanter or carafe can work just as well.
• Maybe with a sugar cube, although a lot of good absinthes do not need any sugar.
• Not as a shot, and definitely not burnt.

It skips briefly over what it is ...

and doesn't really answer the question of effects here:

There is NO difference between absinthe in the past and "modern absinthe," except for the fact that some "bath-tub absinthe" made in the 19th century may have been poisonous!

BuzzFeed makes one very good point, maybe without realising it. It chose two absinthes in smaller (200 ml) bottles for its video: La Clandestine and St. George.

Smaller bottles are an ideal way to try absinthes for the first time before committing to a full bottle purchase. In fact smaller bottles may also be a good way for some bars to start with absinthes (especially if they want to offer a broader range or if they expect a lot of their absinthe to be used in dashes or rinses).

BuzzFeed shows people socialising and having fun with absinthe, hints at its naughtier side, but also illustrates the issues and opportunities for absinthe. BuzzFeed videos are produced in Los Angeles, and it seems rather surprising that none of the cast have tried absinthe before. If the characters in this video (trendy, well-off Californians) really are trying absinthe for the first time, then absinthe companies have some way to go to create trial and interest.

I find the comments beneath the BuzzFeed video to be of greater concern (current ignorance) and to highlight the opportunities (overcoming ignorance will attract and keep tomorrow's consumers). There continues to be a lot of misunderstanding about absinthe, but BuzzFeed has helped to correct some of that. For those of us in the absinthe sector (making, marketing, selling absinthe), the need for education continues. Bars and retailers serving and selling absinthe correctly will do a lot to address the ongoing ignorance about the category.

I would love it if BuzzFeed had made an even better educational video, but their film is, in overall terms, a positive for the category. I'm pleased that BuzzFeed chose 200 ml bottles for the video (La Clandestine and St. George): they are a great way to try an absinthe for the first time.

Finally, an absinthe video that is a little more educational. I've pulled together a collection of photos (taken by Peter Wilhelm) showing the wonderful 2015 Grande Wormwood harvest featuring a top wormwood grower, Yves Currit and several absinthe makers, including Claude-Alain Bugnon. The wormwood is now being dried (see the last few photos) and the absinthe will be available in 2016 should BuzzFeed be ready for another video about absinthe!

Hemingway and Absinthe

Background

Ernest Hemingway is often mentioned as being one of the great absinthe drinkers of the 20th century. Well. not just a great absinthe drinker, but a prodigious drinker generally. Absinthe lovers often refer to this Hemingway quote (from a 1931 letter about an evening in Key West):

Got tight last night on absinthe and did knife tricks. Great success shooting the knife into the piano. The woodworms are so bad and eat hell out of all furniture that you can always claim the woodworms did it.

The similarity between woodworm and wormwood is, of course, intentional.

He is also credited with the creation of the Death in the Afternoon cocktail, of which more later.

With July being both the anniversary of his birth (116 years ago today on July 21, 1899) and his death (July 2, 1961), it seems an appropriate time to dig a little deeper into Hemingway and absinthe. And the best place to start was with Philip Greene, author of the book shown above: the key book for students of Hemingway and cocktails (and one which I warmly recommend).

I was fortunate to be at Philip's seminar at Tales of the Cocktail in 2013, and have corresponded and Skyped with him more recently.

Absinthe in Hemingway's writings

Given that absinthe was illegal in the US when Hemingway would have been of drinking age, and that it was illegal in France once Hemingway moved there, I asked Philip where Hemingway would have been exposed to absinthe.

The first time appears to have been when he was a journalist working for The Toronto Star and wrote about the Great Aperitif Scandal in Paris in an article published on August 12, 1922. The full article is online here.

Hemingway includes reference to absinthe as follows:-

This is historically very interesting since it is one of the few contemporaneous records of moonshine absinthe made, sold and enjoyed in Paris after the 1915 ban.

I then asked about Hemingway's exposure to absinthe as a drinker living in Paris. Some of this is clearly reflected in his first novel.

While in Paris, Hemingway moved in creative circles, including Picasso, James Joyce with whom Hemingway frequently embarked on "alcoholic sprees," and F. Scott Fitzgerald who inspired him to write his first novel. On his birthday in 1925 (90 years ago today), Hemingway started writing The Sun Also Rises, and this includes many references to absinthe and/or Pernod being enjoyed in both Paris and Spain. Of course absinthe was legal in Spain and illegal in France, so the references (which would have been at least partially based on Hemingway's encounters with absinthe) are quite illuminating. Hemingway is claimed to have been to so many bars in Europe that there is even a bar in Madrid called “Hemingway never drank here!” In Paris he drank at Harry's New York Bar, The Ritz, and many other top hotel bars (who may not have served absinthe openly after the ban), but in The Sun Also Rises the most notable encounters with absinthe are at Café Napolitain and Closerie des Lilas where absinthe/Pernod are enjoyed quite openly. Both these bars were real bars that still exist today.

Some observations and questions:-

One wonders whether these bars would have served absinthe to Hemingway and others as openly as they seem to in the book. Philip believes absinthe would have been served more discretely, and I would tend to agree.

Were these bars selling real absinthe circa 1925? Pernod is described in the book as being "greenish imitation absinthe," which might sound like pastis. But pastis was not launched in France until the 1930's. Maybe the Pernod Hemingway writes about was a fake?

And when Hemingway writes "Pernod" in The Sun also Rises, it also seems possible that the word is being used as a generic, rather than the brand (when not at the start of a sentence, Pernod is always written here with a small "p").

As for Hemingway's own experiences of absinthe, maybe they are reflected in his writings?

As the action in The Sun Also Rises moves from Paris to Pamplona, Spain, one evening the main characters drink at least four absinthes each (in the course of one page!). The novelist writes:-

"I was drunker than I had ever been ... the room was unstable unless I looked at some fixed point ... I .. lay on the bed. The bed went sailing off." .... "The world was not wheeling any more. It was just very clear and bright, and inclined to blur at the edges." 

Of course these descriptions may not be much more than average drunkenness but the description "very clear and bright" seems to go beyond that, and may seem familiar for some absinthe drinkers.

Absinthe appears in later Hemingway books, including The Strange Country and The Garden of Eden (both published posthumously). It is especially interesting, in the latter, to read Hemingway's account of why absinthe should be "louched" correctly:-

This section is set in absinthe-legal Spain, but after the characters go back to France, they do not have access to absinthe. The author writes:

"He would wait for her and have a drink out on the terrace after his work. It was impossible to drink pastis after absinthe and he had taken to drinking whiskey and Perrier water."

"Impossible to drink pastis after absinthe?" The context makes it clear that, in Hemingway's opinion, absinthe drinkers would not be satisfied with pastis. A sentiment that must be interesting for those companies that produce both absinthe and pastis!

After living in Paris, Hemingway moved back to the USA (Florida), then to Cuba and finally back to the USA again (Idaho). He is known to have had absinthe while living in Key West and may well have had absinthe in Cuba, although there is no surviving evidence of that.

The Death in the Afternoon

In 1935 (coincidentally the year that La Clandestine was first made illegally), the Death in the Afternoon is born. This was Hemingway's contribution to a book of celebrity cocktails "So Red the Nose, or Breath in the Afternoon." The description of the drink's genesis is shown below:-

Hemingway loved champagne and absinthe, as well as rum, but some doubt whether he would really have liked the idea of mixing champagne and absinthe. Views of the cocktail are sometimes polarised among absinthe lovers, and champagne lovers may be even less positive! Read a little more on the Death in the Afternoon (and my variant) in the second half of this article.

Other Absinthe Cocktails?

In all the rest of Hemingway's writings published to date, there are no ways to drink absinthe other than the classic serve (Hemingway did not use a sugar cube) and the Death in the Afternoon. He created other cocktails (e.g. Death in the Gulf Stream with Genever, lime juice, simple syrup, Angostura bitters and zest of lime), and was known to drink many other cocktails (especially those with rum). He frequented many of the world's top bars (including London's Savoy and The Ritz, and Havana's Bar La Floridita) and would surely have met the inventors of the Corpse Reviver 2, the Monkey Gland, and other famous absinthe cocktails, but seems to have never mentioned these or any other way of enjoying absinthe.

I asked Philip if Hemingway might have enjoyed absinthe any other way, and he confirmed that while he knows of none, Hemingway's letters MAY include others. His letters are released on a "drip-feed" basis every few years in "Selected Letters;" more might therefore appear in the future.

For now, however, Hemingway's absinthe drinking is like many of the drink's biggest fans: the traditional, drip serve only (with the one exception of the Death in the Afternoon). I had wanted to find evidence of Hemingway as an adventurer within absinthe as in his life, but instead I found him to be respectful of absinthe and of its traditions (even if he may have over-indulged a few times). Maybe his respect is partially due to absinthe's legal status in the USA and France at the time. And maybe he really was a purist at heart.

I suspect, however, that Hemingway might have enjoyed The Old Man and the Sea, a new absinthe and champagne cocktail inspired, in part, by The Death in the Afternoon. Developed by our friend, Dave Whitehead, at Melbourne's Polly Cocktail Bar as part of their Hemingway celebrations this week. Cheers, Dave!

And thanks for your help, Philip.You've chosen a fascinating subject to specialise in. Cheers! Salud!