When you have bought or made your own Absinthe how to prepare it is the next issue because Absinthe is not like any other alcoholic beverage, it is usually served diluted with iced water. This way of serving Absinthe is the traditional way that Absinthe was served in La Belle Epoque in France and Switzerland. A person can learn “The Ritual” or “La Louche” without any difficulty.

Absinthe How to Prepare using The Ritual

To perform the Ritual, you will need the following:-

- Absinthe – A good quality Absinthe containing real herbal ingredients such as wormwood, aniseed and fennel. It is necessary to have thujone in the Absinthe.
- One will need an Absinthe glass – An antique Absinthe glass or replica one. One can get replicas of antiques from AbsintheKit.com.
- One must take a slotted Absinthe spoon.
- One can utilize a cube of sugar.
- Iced water in a carafe or in an Absinthe fountain.

Instructions for preparing the perfect Absinthe drink:-

- Pour 25-50ml of Absinthe into the glass.
- After resting the Absinthe spoon over the rim of the glass place a cube of sugar on it.
- Slowly drip iced water over the sugar either by dripping from the tap of the fountain or by using a steady hand to pour from a carafe. The sugar dissolves by it’s slow dripping and drip from the opening of the spoon. A person can see a “louche” effect after mixing the water into the alcohol. The Absinthe louches because the essential oils of the herbs are not soluble in water.
- Absinthe is popular as the Green Fairy which one can sit back and enjoy.

The Bohemian or Czech Method

This method of preparing Absintheis not traditional but is a modern way of preparing cheap Czech Absinthes. Several Absinthe followers scorned the Bohemian method.

You will need:-

- Absinthe
- An Absinthe glass
- An Absinthe slotted spoon is important
- Use a cube of sugar
- One must have a lighter or a match
- Iced water

Instructions and tips for using the Bohemian method:-

- Pour 25-50ml of Absinthe into the glass and dip the sugar cube into it to soak the sugar.
- Place sugar cube on the Absinthe spoon and rest on the rim of the glass.
- The sugar will caramelize and melt by keeping it alight for one minute. The sugar should drip through the slots of the spoon and into the Absinthe.
- Put the spoon into the Absinthe and pour the iced water into it for making it free from any flames and causing it to louche.
- Absinthe drink can be enjoyed like this.

* Care should be taken with this method because the Absinthe in the glass may set alight too *

Absinthe can also be used in many cocktails. Ernest Hemingway always mixed it with champagne, he called it “Death in the Afternoon”.

There are many mysteries, stories and legends surrounding Absinthe about it’s preparation, its history, the ban and the revival. Now one can enjoy drinking this famous mythical drink.