What makes absinthe louche

Ever-increasing numbers of modern-day party hosts appreciate the entertainment aspect of the ritual, too, especially when entertaining guests who have not tried absinthe before. For the majority of newcomers, the traditional absinthe ritual adds a intriguing dynamic to the enjoyment of the special green liquor. A traditional-style absinthe glass or even an antique one will add to the magic of the ritual, but do not worry too much if you haven't got one -- just use a standard wine glass instead.

The amount of water to add depends on your own preference. Depending on the strength desired, you should end up with a mixture of one part absinthe and two to four parts water.

Absinthe connoisseurs always pay attention to the quality of the ingredients used, since they will all affect the subtle louche process. It is thought the quality of the louche is related to the quality of the mental transformation they will later experience. Do make sure, therefore, the absinthe you use is a genuine, quality one.

Certain inferior brands that bear the name absinthe will not louche properly or not at all. Genuine absinthe will transform its deep colour into a shade of cloudy, milky greenish-white when you add water; if it does not, your bottle of "absinthe" is just high-proof alcohol with artificial colourings added.

The quality of the water used is also all-important to the absinthe purist. In keeping with absinthe's reputation as a clean, natural liquid, common tap water is frowned upon. Use quality still spring water such as Evian, or another natural water with a neutral taste. At Absinthe Fever, we encourage you to get involved. Make sure the glass is capable of holding 3 to 5 ounces of additional liquid.

Make sure the absinthe spoon slots are suspended over the center of the mouth. Fill your absinthe fountain with ice cold water and turn on the fountain drip. Many factors contribute to whether or not an absinthe louches, some of which include distillation practices, whether the process adhered to traditional formulation, or if short-cuts were taken by simply adding flavoring rather than authentic botanicals run through a standard distillation process.

With that, we are doing everything we can to bring quality to the absinthe revival movement in America. Recent Posts See All. Post not marked as liked. The target liquid starts out clear because everything is in solution. As you add a second liquid, a cloudiness starts to form. That's because you've changed the balance in the system by adding a new player and suddenly other chemicals don't want to stay in solution anymore.

As I've written about in the context of fat-washing spirits , alcohol can dissolve both polar water-loving and non-polar oil-loving molecules. Since aromatic essential oils are nonpolar, they are ok with hanging dissolved in alcohol. Add some really-polar water, though, and the essential oils aren't so happy anymore and start coming out of solution.

Straightforward enough, right? Here's where it gets interesting. Notice the third frame in the illustration above, labeled "precipitation. Eventually, those chemicals will completely separate from the original solvent. Think of it this way: shake up oil and water really hard and it goes cloudy. Let it rest for a few minutes, though, and the oil and water eventually part. Likewise, mix up coffee grounds with water and the coffee will stay murky in your French press for quite a while.

Let it sit, though, and eventually those grounds settle to the bottom. That's the way the world of solubility and precipitation works. Except, my friend, in the case of the absinthe louche.