Absinthe USA Info
Absinthe was never as popular in the United States as it had become in Europe, but Absinthe USA was popular inside the French section of the city New Orleans which even had specialist Absinthe bars servicing the Green Fairy.
Absinthe is a liquor which was first created as being an elixir or tonic by a doctor in Switzerland during the late eighteenth century. It was produced from herbs like grande wormwood, or artemisia absinthium, fennel and aniseed. Absinthe is customarily green colored, besides the Swiss La Bleue clear types, hence http://absinthesoldinusa.com the nickname “The Green Fairy” or, in French, “La Fee Verte”. It is served in a unique Absinthe glass having a sugar cube resting on an exclusive slotted spoon. Iced water is poured on the sugar to water down the Absinthe.
Drinkers of Absinthe declare that the drink gives them an unusual “clear headed” drunkenness that could be caused by its curious recipe of herbs, many of which are sedatives and a few that happen to be stimulants. The essential oils of such herbs cause Absinthe to louche, or go cloudy, when water is added in. The oils are soluble in alcohol but not in water. Absinthe is a very strong spirit, approximately about 75% alcohol by volume, that is about twice the strength of whisky or vodka.
Absinthe USA as well as the Absinthe Ban
Absinthe was famously banned in many countries throughout the 1900s and Absinthe USA was prohibited in 1912. The French prohibition movement believed that the thujone in Absinthe (the substance in wormwood) was psychoactive and caused psychedelic effects. Absinthe was also linked to the loose morals of the Moulin Rouge and Montmartre with its courtesans, artists and writers, and, when an Absinthe drinker killed his family, it was just the excuse the prohibition movement wanted to get the French government to suspend Absinthe. Several countries, such as the United States followed suit.
Absinthe and drinks containing any plants from the artemisia family were restricted in the USA and it became illegal to get or sell Absinthe. Americans were forced to buy bootleg Absinthe, make their own, buy Absinthe substitutes, just like Pastis, or journey to countries such as the Czech Republic where Absinthe remained legal and also on sale in Absinthe bars.
Ted Breaux and Absinthe USA
Ted Breaux, from New Orleans, is definitely an Absinthe distiller in France. His Jade collection of Absinthes has won numerous awards.
It was always his dream to be able to sell his Absinthe in his native country but the laws outlawed him in doing this. Breaux had worked hard at re-creating Absinthe from pre-ban recipes and had actually been able to analyze some antique bottles of Absinthe. As he analyzed the vintage Absinthe, he discovered that it actually only contained minimal quantities of thujone – contrary to the belief of the US government.
Breaux and his lawyer friend, Gared Gurfein, were able to meet up with the US Alcohol, Tobacco, Tax and Trade Bureau and let them know about “Lucid”, an Absinthe that Breaux had developed especially for the American market which only consists of trace quantities of thujone. In 2007 Lucid went on sale in the US and since that time a couple of other brands have also been permitted to go on sale in the USA. These Absinthes are available online or perhaps bars.
It is fantastic news that Americans can taste real traditional, and legal, Absinthe in their home country the very first time since 1912 – Absinthe USA!