Unleash the Louche:
The Re-emergence of Absinthe in New Orleans
By John BreerwoodNow, absinthe is quite a cloudy subject for most. So instead of ranting, I’ll try and clear the confusion.
Isn’t real absinthe illegal? No. Granted, there are many faux products out there, but many are now legal and authentic. Lyons Brown, owner of Altamar Brands, which imports Kubler from Switzerland, says, “There is a sense of nervousness or trepidation about if people are getting the real thing, and the answer is emphatically ‘yes.’” Ironically, absinthe cannot be found in any particular law, but only liquors exceeding 10 parts per million of thujone. “Kubler meets that criteria, with 9 parts per million.” This amount of thujone is representative of the pre-ban absinthes, but it wasn’t until Fall 2007 when both Kubler and Lucid were the first to hit the U.S. market.
But doesn’t it cause hallucinations or insanity? Contrary to legend, absinthe delivers a mellow, clear-headed buzz that is unmatched by any other alcohol. The myths about “absinthism” include: causing marijuana-like effects, hallucinations, chronic addiction, suicidal tendencies, and so on.
What else can we tack on to this Fox News-type list? Absinthe expert Ted Breaux, founder of Lucid, says, “There’s absolutely no scientific evidence. Millions of people drank absinthe on a daily basis. They weren’t hallucinating and walking around like zombies. That is all completely fictitious.” In fact, a study in April 2008 by the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry concluded, “All things considered, nothing besides ethanol was found in the absinthes that was able to explain the syndrome absinthism.” So the only thing potentially harmful in absinthe is the alcohol itself. And, since absinthe is over 100 proof, anyone who does straight shots is already insane. The absinthe has nothing to do with it. Granted, this is coming from someone that spent a night in Prague shooting “A-bombs.”
So, what purpose does the fire serve? If you mention “fire” to an absinthe enthusiast, you’ll only get a fiery rebuttal. Believe it or not, the flaming sugar cube originated in the 1990s. After communism, the Czech Republic began making “absinth” when they were re-introduced to a little something called tourism. These knock-offs labeled as “absinth” rekindled interest, but their poor quality almost extinguished it. Breaux says, “They needed a distraction, so they created this fire ritual.” Not only was it successful in retaining interest, it convinced everyone that it was tradition. I guess marketing gimmicks and Hollywood theatrics are better justifications than “caramelized sugar” will ever be. Of course, this is coming from a guy who nearly burnt a Berlin Bar to zee ground after spilling a lit “absinth.”
The traditional way to prepare a glass of absinthe: 1) pour a moderate portion of absinthe into a glass 2) set an absinthe spoon (with a sugar cube) on the rim 3) slowly drip cold water from a fountain, or pour water from a carafe over the sugar cube. Water/absinthe ratio should be around 4:1. The water will turn the absinthe to cloudy white. This is called the “louche” (pronounced loosh), which is caused from certain ingredients’ solubility in alcohol, but not in water.
What is absinthe? Absinthe requires many herbs, but three main ingredients are: 1) anise 2) fennel, and 3) Grande Wormwood (artemisia absinthum). Anise and fennel are the herbs that give the licorice-like flavor. Grande Wormwood is the ultimate ingredient of absinthe, from which thujone is derived. And the misconception concerning thujone is essentially what led to absinthe’s unjust infamy. Rhiannon Enlil from the Old Absinthe House says, “You would die of alcohol poisoning before feeling any bad effects from the thujone.”
What’s its history? Even though the ancients used wormwood for various medicinal purposes, absinthe emerged in Switzerland in the late 18th century. At a time when the cost of wine was outrageous, absinthe became very popular in the 19th century, especially in France. New Orleans’ French citizens possibly drank more absinthe than the rest of the U.S. combined. During the Belle Époque, it became the artist’s drink, which Van Gogh, Hemmingway, and many others embraced. Brown says that many of the writers and painters drank it because “they believed ‘it gave them a heightened sense of clarity’ which enhanced their creative ability.”
Then many cheap absinthe imitations hit the market that contained toxins such as copper (for adding color). If a green absinthe contains anything other than its natural herbs’ chlorophyll, it loses its claim to authenticity. These faux “absinthes” probably caused the negative effects claimed by those wishing to ban absinthe. Prohibitionists attacked thujone as being the culprit of “absinthism.” In 1861, a San Francisco newspaper states: “The nervous system of a person addicted to it becomes disorganized, the knees tremble, the skin becomes the color of green coffee, the mucus membrane assumes a violet hue, the hair falls off, and the man becomes prematurely old, with a diseased brain, which nothing can cure.” Sounds more like Stephen King than science. And keep in mind, this is the same time period when mixing kerosene in the people’s water supply was believed to be a safe way to prevent mosquito breeding.
This was the first time anything was considered “illicit.” Breaux explains, “To the artists and poets, it became an icon of freedom.” But the prohibition of absinthe would eventually occur in 1912. “They basically took a drink that was very popular, and shut it down overnight.”
Which ones are authentic?
Kubler is a Swiss clear absinthe. Yves Kubler is distilling it, as his ancestors did four generations prior. Brown says, “The Swiss prefer not to use herbs (for color) so not to diminish the taste profile. Its not a question of quality, but opinion.” It is a “La Bleue” absinthe that takes its name from the bluish hue of the louche. Taste Profile: Very flavorful, softly hits the back of the tongue and top of mouth with a clean, light finish. Brown says, “When we initially came to absinthe, we were very hopeful that it was going to be drinkable, and it certainly is.”
Lucid is the brainchild of former New Orleans resident, Ted Breaux, whose Lakeview home got flooded during Katrina. It is a classic green absinthe with a full flavor that clings to the cheeks, leaving the lips sweet. Breaux has been very influential in the authentic absinthe resurgence. This chemist styled Lucid after certain aspects of actual pre-ban recipes, which he personally analyzed. “I became determined to bring the real thing to the world, and I did just that.” Breaux also makes other lines in France, such as the Jade Nouvelle-Orleans, which will be predominately allocated for New Orleans. Le Tourment may provide an alternative for curious drinkers who dislike anise (or licorice) flavor. It contains additional herbs such as oleander and eucalyptus, which give it more of a minty finish. It is lower in alcohol than your standard absinthe and does not need dilution with water, and Le Tourment is open to new ways to drink absinthe, such as in cocktails using fresh fruit. Ashley Garver says, “Who are we to judge how people should consume it? 100 year old recipes may not be conducive to modern-day palates.” But with all the innovative additions, many absinthe experts don’t recognize it as being authentic.
Where in New Orleans to get it? Other brands that will hit the local market soon: Pernod has a strong anise flavor and is tingly around the tongue. La Fee, I find, is a bit more bitter than the rest at first. The Marteau possesses a more ‘woody dry’ taste, where the angelica root equalizes the anise sweetness very well.
Countless bars have it, but many don’t have the proper equipment. But, a few places worth mentioning: 1) Old Absinthe House, 2) Pravda, and 3) Hostel. Old Absinthe House (Bourbon and Bienville) has a long retired fountain, but drip from a bottle. Bartender Rhiannon Enlil says, “I’ll serve up to 50 absinthes a day, but I just want to inform everyone of the traditional way.” Michael Kenny, an owner of Hostel Restaurant (329 Decatur), says, “We haven’t experienced any of the crazy drunkenness that has been associated with absinthe.” Pravda (1113 Decatur) also has fountains and serves absinthe.
Cary Bonnecaze owns La Maison d’Absinthe, that supplies all absinthe accessories to the U.S., and he has opened an absinthe museum in conjunction with his retail store (formerly Vive La France) at 823 Royal Street, which sells everything from spoons to fountains. It opened officially July 19th, and contains beautiful displays and collections. “I think this is going to be good for New Orleans,” he says. They held an absinthe tasting before opening, where four brands were sampled. Marie-Claude Delahaye, who has an absinthe museum in France, was present signing books. Many would say that her influence in the absinthe world is uncanny. The absinthe aside, the event alone was interesting. One guy tried convincing me that NPR was ran by vampires. But besides that, no one was hallucinating or anything. For absinthe products go to www.lamaisondabsinthe.com.
Surely, we’re all in store for a learning curve about this highly complex spirit. Breaux says, “Education on absinthe is essential. People can drink it how they like, but education prevents overconsumption.” To learn more about absinthe, go to wormwoodsociety.org.
Americans are uncertain about absinthe with good reason. But with time hopefully the only cloudy perception about absinthe we’ll have is when we admire its louche.