Alcohology - "Absinthe"

Send us a Text Message!

The mysterious Green Fairy beckons you into a world where art, controversy, and botanical alchemy collide. Absinthe has captivated and terrified in equal measure throughout its storied history, and we're pulling back the emerald veil to reveal what makes this spirit so enduringly fascinating.

Discover the botanical trinity that forms absinthe's soul. From ancient Egyptian remedies to Swiss medicine to Parisian cafés, we trace absinthe's remarkable journey through time. You'll learn why the 5 o'clock hour was once known as "l'heure verte" as bohemians and bourgeoisie alike gathered for their daily ritual with the Green Fairy.

We explore the golden age when absinthe inspired an entire artistic movement, with luminaries like Van Gogh, Picasso, and others falling under its spell. But fame brought scrutiny, and we unpack the moral panic, scientific misconceptions, and notorious murder case that led to absinthe being banned across the globe for nearly a century. 

Whether you're an absinthe aficionado or curious newcomer, you'll appreciate our breakdown of the proper serving ritual that transforms this potent spirit into a cloudy, mesmerizing experience through the addition of water and sugar. We even suggest modern cocktails that showcase absinthe's unique herbal complexit.? Subscribe now and join us for a sip of the extraordinary.

Support the show

Visit www.mattandfriendsdtu.com for links listen, support the podcast, and more!

Check out our sponsor, Poppin's Travel Company, for all of your travel needs! Their highly qualified agents are ready to book your next big adventure or dream vacation.

Visit our merch store

We'd love to hear from you on social media! Like and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and X.

Cheers, and thanks for listening!

Episode Transcript

Matt (00:00):
Welcome to Alcohology.
I wonder why they call it acocktail.
Yes, I'd like to know moreabout the Avenus Vanifera.
I'm very interested in theterroir.
We talking about two carbon,six hydrogen and one oxygen atom
.
We talking about ethyl alcohol.
This episode, absinthe.
Today we're going to talk abouta drink that inspired artists,

(00:24):
scared governments and picked upthe nickname the Green Fairy.
This is the drink thatTinkerbell has when she breaks
bad Absinthe.
At its core, absinthe is acomplex herbal spirit built on a
few key botanicals.
The big three are Wormwood,artemisia, absinthium, where the
drink gets its name.
This is the famous Green Fairyingredient adding that slightly
bitter and earthy backbone.

(00:46):
Green anise, which is wherethat black licorice flavor comes
from.
It is dominant in almost everysip, to the point where, if
you're not a fan of blacklicorice, this might not be the
drink for you.
And fennel, which adds asweeter, softer licorice tone
that balances the sharper biteof the anise.
Most traditional recipes alsoinclude other herbs and
botanicals for complexity,things like hyssop, star anise,

(01:07):
angelica, lemon balm and evencoriander.
These mix of herbs creates thatunmistakable herbal punch that
absinthe is known for.
When it comes to taste,absinthe is about as subtle as a
rhinoceros in your herb gardenStraight.
It hits you hard with the sharpanise and wormwood bitterness,
although when you prepare itcorrectly, the profile
transforms.
It opens up into somethingsweeter and more floral, with a

(01:29):
cooling licorice taste, softherbal notes and a whisper of
bitterness that lingers at theend.
The result is layered andcomplex, bold, refreshing and a
little mysterious.
The precise origin of absintheis unclear.
The medical use of wormwooddates back to ancient Egypt and
is mentioned in the EbersPapyrus from around 1550 BC.
Wormwood extracts andwine-soaked wormwood leaves were

(01:53):
used as remedies by the ancientGreeks.
Moreover, some evidence existsof a wormwood-flavored wine in
ancient Greece as well.
Modern absinthe first appearedin Switzerland in the late 1700s
, marketed as medicine.
French soldiers were givenabsinthe to prevent malaria and
ease stomach problems.
When they came home, theybrought the taste with them.
By the mid-1800s, the Frenchwere obsessed.

(02:15):
In fact, the 5 o'clock happyhour was nicknamed l'heure verte
, meaning the green hour, ascafes were packed with people
sipping absinthe.
Absinthe quickly became themuse of an entire generation.
You had famous artists andcreatives like Van Gogh, picasso
, degas, oscar Wilde, ernestHemingway and many more all

(02:35):
linked to absinthe.
Oscar Wilde once said drinkingabsinthe is like quote having
your brain crushed by flowers.
It even showed up in art Degaspainted Les Absinthe with that
haunted bohemian look that stilldefines the mystique of the
drink.
That was the vibe of the eraRomantic, rebellious and a
little reckless.
But fame brought controversy.

(02:55):
By the late 1800s, absinthe wasblamed for everything from
moral decay to outright madness.
People fixated on the chemicalin Wormwood called the Jean,
claiming it causedhallucinations and insanity.
Then came the infamous case ofJean Lefray in 1905.
He murdered his family after aday of heavy drinking.
The press went wild, blamingthe few glasses of absinthe he

(03:16):
had, while conveniently ignoringthe wine, brandy and schnapps
also in his system.
By 1915, france banned absintheentirely.
Soon the ban spread acrossEurope and eventually to the US.
For almost a century the greenfairy was Vervotin.
Science finally stepped in toclear things up.
In the 1990s, studies showedthat the Dijon in absinthe isn't

(03:37):
hallucinogenic.
As a matter of fact, you'd passout or expire from alcohol
poisoning long before Dijon hadany noticeable effect on you.
Europe started lifting bans inthe 1990s and by 2007, absinthe
was legal again in the US.
In 2007, the French brand Lucidbecame the first genuine
absinthe to receive acertificate of label approval
for import to the United Statessince 1912.

(03:58):
The French absinthe ban of 1915was repealed in May 2011.
Now you can find absinthe inspecialty bars and stores
worldwide.
Let's talk about the right wayto drink absinthe.
The first thing you need toknow is that absinthe is no
lightweight.
Most bottles clock in atbetween 110 and 145 proof, or
about 55% to 72% alcohol byvolume.

(04:19):
That puts it on par withoverproof rum or cast-strength
whiskey, way stronger than yourstandard gin, vodka, whiskey or
other spirits which come in at40% ABV.
And here's the thing absintheisn't meant to be taken as a
shot.
It's meant to be enjoyed slowlywith a ritual that dilutes the
spirit and brings out its fullcomplexity.

(04:39):
The traditional serve is simplebut dramatic.
First, pour a single measure ofabsinthe into the glass,
usually about an ounce, and mostabsinthe serving glasses have a
measuring line for you tofollow.
Rest a slotted spoon over therim with a sugar cube on top.
Then slowly drip water over thesugar.
You're aiming for a ratio of3-5 parts water to 1 part

(05:00):
absinthe, depending on howstrong you like it.
As the water trickles down, thegreen spirit transforms,
turning cloudy in what's calledthe louche.
It's pure chemistry.
The essential oils from thewormwood and anise, separate
from the alcohol and create thatdreamy milky swirl in your
glass.
If you want to modernize theexperience, there are plenty of
absinthe cocktails worth trying,like the Sazerac, where

(05:20):
absinthe is used as a rinse toadd a punch of herbal complexity
.
Or perhaps you would like totry Death in the Afternoon
champagne poured over a shot ofabsinthe, a drink Hemingway
himself recommended.
But whether you're keeping itclassical or experimenting, the
golden rule is simple Sip slowly.
This isn't a race, it's aritual.
So that's Absinthe lineagetracing back to ancient Egypt

(05:42):
and Greece, the modern version,born in Switzerland, raised in
Parisian cafes, demonized,banned and finally redeemed.
It may not make you hallucinate, but sip with care, because the
green fairy can pack quite apunch.
This podcast is a production ofUnfiltered Studios.
If you would like to know moreabout joining Unfiltered Studios
, please visit our website atunfpodcom for more information.

(06:06):
If you're looking to travel forthis holiday, or any holiday
for that matter, contact oursponsor, the Poppins Travel
Company.
You can call them at407-494-4070.
It's 407-494-4070.
It's 407-494-4070.
Or visitPoppinsTravelCompanycom.
It's PoppinsTravelCompanycom.
Don't forget to like andsubscribe to us wherever you get

(06:27):
your podcasts and visit us onsocial media.
It's Matt and Friends, dtu onall your favorite social media
platforms.
As always, thank you forlistening.