Absinthe is currently once again a favorite alcoholic drink, thanks to its legalization in the USA and also other countries after many ages for being illegal. Many young people are attempting it the very first time and knocking it back with virtually no contemplation on its alcohol content. So, what is Absinthe proof?
Absinthe is usually an anise flavored liquor which is produced from distilling alcohol which has a mixture of herbs together with wormwood (artemisia absinthium), aniseed and fennel. It is often called the Green Fairy, La Fee Verte, due to the feature emerald green colouring of classic verte styles of Absinthe.
Absinthe is usually consumed diluted with iced water according to the Ritual. You need to drip the water on the sugar lump on a slotted spoon and in the Absinthe which then causes the Absinthe to louche – a lovely effect.
Absinthe was restricted in early 1900s not because of its high alcohol content but because of the wormwood within it. Dr Valentin Magnan examined worwmood on guinea pigs in 1845 and discovered that a guinea pig given wormwood oil had convulsions, whilst, a guinea pig given alcohol just got drunk. By 1872 Magnan had isolated the chemical thujone from wormwood and, right after tests on dogs, recognized that thujone was much more dangerous than ethanol (alcohol) and so Absinthe was much more harmful than other kinds of spirits. He and others in the medical career were convinced that thujone was psychoactive and triggered psychedelic effects. Absinthe was for that reason banned.
Even just in 1975, a nature magazine claimed that a thujone particle was similar in structure to THC from the drug cannabis and that they therefore acted in a similar manner.
We now know that all these claims are incorrect and false. Thujone just isn’t like THC, although it does act on the GABA receptors of the brain, when drawn in large amounts. We also learn from testing Absinthes, including vintage Absinthe, that Absinthe only consists of really small quantities of thujone, nowhere near adequate to be harmful. You would have to drink huge amounts of Absinthe and die of alcohol poisoning before suffering any effects from thujone!
Although Absinthe won’t cause us to hallucinate or convulse, it’s a remarkably alcoholic drink which must be taken properly because it will get you drunk quite quickly.
What is Absinthe proof?
Let’s examine what the proof of well-known manufacturers of Absinthe is:-
Lucid Absinthe 62% abv (124 proof)
La Clandestine Absinthe 53% abv (106 proof)
Sebor 55% abv (110 proof)
Pere Kermanns 60% abv (120 proof)
Pernod Absinthe 68% abv (136 proof0
Mari Mayans Collectors 70 70% abv (140 proof)
La Fee XS Absinthe Suisse 53% abv (106 proof)
La Fee XS Absinthe Francaise 68% abv (136 proof)
La Fee Bohemian 70% abv (140 proof)
La Fee Parisian 68% abv (136 proof)
Kubler 53 53% abv (106 proof)
Doubs Mystique Carte D’Or 65% abv (130 proof)
Roquette 1797 75% abv (150 proof)
Jade PF 1901 68% abv (136 proof)
Jade Edouard 72% abv (144 proof)
Jade Verte Suisse 65% abv (130 proof)
Jade Nouvelle Orleans 68% abv (136 proof)
If we examine that to other alcohol-based drinks we can see that Absinthe is quite strong:-
Absolut Blue Vodka 40% abv (80 proof)
Jose Cuervo Gold Tequila 38% abv (76 proof)
Beer happens to be 4 or 5% alcohol by volume (8-10 proof).
Table Wine 9-12% alcohol by volume (18-24 proof).
Johnnie Walker Black Label Scotch Whisky 40% alcohol by volume (80 proof).
Everclear 95% abv (190 proof)
If someone makes homemade Absinthe making use of essences from AbsintheKit.com then your homemade Absinthe’s proof will depend on what neutral alcohol you make use of.
What is Absinthe proof? Extremely high is the answer!