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Asante
Omnicyclion prophet
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Absenta Verde -- a recipe for a Spanish Absinthe.
#7100132 - 06/27/07 06:53 PM (16 years, 8 months ago) |
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Here's a recipe for a Spanish Absinthe which I found online. I decided it would be no good just to parrot it, so I decided to prepare it for myself a few days ago, to judge whether it would be worth recommending. It was.
Spanish Absinthe (called "Absenta") never was outlawed in Spain like the French/Swiss Absinthes were in the early 1900s, so it continued to evolve for over a hundred years more.
Absenta typically uses somewhat different herbs, in concentrations that are usually smaller than those in the classic French/Swiss Absinthes. A benefit of the latter is that Spanish Absenta is more suitable for the bigger still, as it uses lesser amounts of herbs. It also means that it is less likely to produce hangovers when taken to excess. Here's how you do it:
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ABSENTA VERDE - a Spanish verte absinthe approx. 55% alcohol
required:
12 grams star anise 8 grams green anise (aniseed) 6 grams fennel 4 grams wormwood herb 2 grams angelica root 1 grams coriander
and also:
3 grams lemon balm (melissa) 2 grams hyssop
and also:
1.5 liters 40% alcohol (flavorless vodka)
preparation:
1..Grind the 6 maceration herbs into a powder 2..Put the herbal powder in the 1.5 liter 40% alcohol and shake well 3..Let this stand in the dark for 12-24 hours (overnight) 4..Pour the alcohol with the wet herbs into your still 5..Distill off one liter of condensate (warning: flammable) 6..Reduce the melissa + hyssop to a powder 7..Put the herbal powder into the liter of distillate and shake well 8..Let this stand in the dark for 12-24 hours (overnight) 9..Pour the Absenta through a coffee filter-paper to filter it 10.Store your liter of Absenta Verde at least two months to ripen
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The Absenta I made and tested ofcourse still hadn't ripened, but already it was very promising. It had a very pleasant green color, and upon dilution with three volumes of water (as per the traditional dilution procedure) gave a slight but unmistakable louche, its color remaining yellowish with opaqueness. Its taste was dominated by the anise, but not overly so, and was quite complex with a pleasant bitterness to it.
All in all it was an interesting and rich Absinthe, distinct from the French/Swiss Absinthes but nontheless definitely a close relative.
Now comes the hard part, which is letting it ripen a few months before drinking it too often
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Asante
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Re: Absenta Verde -- a recipe for a Spanish Absinthe. [Re: Asante]
#7329991 - 08/24/07 02:21 PM (16 years, 7 months ago) |
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Two months later, time to give my Absenta a try.
Its a beautiful liquid with a good balanced absinthe scent. Ive just prepared it using the traditional Parisian ritual. (petit absinthe = 20ml Absinthe + 60ml water + 1 sugarcube)
The Absenta only produces a slight louche, but a louche nonetheless. The golden yellow is preserved but there is a slight greenish tint.. just like it should be.
Mmmm its flavor is really smooth, it takes a while for the herbs to take hold. Unlike French Absinthes this Absenta is definitely one that would please many on first taste.
Its aging has caused the Absenta to become very smooth, but after a while there's the bite to the back and sides of the tongue of strong herbs. A well-balanced drink, aftertaste and aroma is delicious also. It by no means is cheap or watery, its quite mild at first but more than makes up for that later on.
What you're tasting is not overpowered, but rather dominated by anise and the other herbs blend in well. In its rich anise taste it is a bit minty, peppery, yet you clearly taste the wormwood if you know what that's like.
Here's an Absinthe thats easily made from generally available herbs at low cost, but which has quite some flavor and depth to it. I'd initiate people to Absinthe with it - its strong, typically Absinthe, yet it doesn't come on so strong as to put a novice off.
It cost me $5/liter to make, but it tastes like a $75/liter absinthe to me.
Tasty
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Quoiyaien
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Re: Absenta Verde -- a recipe for a Spanish Absinthe. [Re: Asante]
#7332261 - 08/25/07 08:22 AM (16 years, 7 months ago) |
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Glad to hear it worked out
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Asante
Omnicyclion prophet
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Re: Absenta Verde -- a recipe for a Spanish Absinthe. [Re: Asante]
#8518912 - 06/13/08 09:13 AM (15 years, 9 months ago) |
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For the sake od science I just took a glass of this Absenta, prepared with 20ml Absenta, one sugar cube and 50ml cold water.
The smell from the bottle was delicious and balanced. The liquid had a golden-brown color reminiscent of whiskey. There was a very slight sediment on the bottom.
Upon preparation a light but unmistakable louche was apparent. I found out this Absenta is best diluted with 2.5 parts of water (instead of the usual 3 parts) for optimum taste.
The taste was downright delicious. It aged very well. Despite the use of star anise the anise component was strongly present, but by no means overwhelmed the palette of flavors which was very balanced, and left an long-lasting pleasant aftertaste.
Aromatic, tasty, ages very well.. This is a VERY good Absinthe (or rather Absenta) to distill. Herbs are very available and used in small amounts, but its a strong-tasting, well-balanced Absenta.
Go Spain, for taking Belle Epoque Absinthe and developing it further with finesse
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Asante
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Re: Absenta Verde -- a recipe for a Spanish Absinthe. [Re: Asante]
#11663720 - 12/16/09 05:30 PM (14 years, 3 months ago) |
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Two and a half years later, I rediscovered my bottle, untouched for a long time.
Beautiful whiskey color, rich bouquet.. Light louche. Taste is in one word professional, with three parts water and a cube of sugar.
The Absinthe has aged wonderfully, it smoothened out and became more unified.
And to think I have a stock bottle tucked away, that is still untouched
I'd have no hesitation to let an absinthe connaisseur have a go a this bottle
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dstark
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Re: Absenta Verde -- a recipe for a Spanish Absinthe. [Re: Asante]
#11665975 - 12/16/09 11:38 PM (14 years, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
Wiccan_Seeker said: Two and a half years later, I rediscovered my bottle, untouched for a long time.
Beautiful whiskey color, rich bouquet.. Light louche. Taste is in one word professional, with three parts water and a cube of sugar.
The Absinthe has aged wonderfully, it smoothened out and became more unified.
And to think I have a stock bottle tucked away, that is still untouched
I'd have no hesitation to let an absinthe connaisseur have a go a this bottle
Very nice seeker I love anise taste, dunno why many people doesnt...
-------------------- What is a mind, if not something to be messed with? What is consciousness, if not a state to be altered? ~I Feelat Home~
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astatide
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Re: Absenta Verde -- a recipe for a Spanish Absinthe. [Re: dstark]
#11668771 - 12/17/09 02:10 PM (14 years, 3 months ago) |
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Thanks for bumping this thread. I've been meaning to try making absinthe for a while, even bought some wormwood herb 2 months ago and forgot about it. Unfortunately I'm moving in 3 weeks and my distillation set-up will not be coming with me. Nice to hear that it worked out so well, though!
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She weeps time, starts unspoken, but when the gate swings there she'll be; There she'll be: in green sun, on blue earth, under warm running showers
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