How to Prepare Absinthe

Co-authored by Tom Blake

Last Updated: May 6, 2021 References

Absinthe is a high-alcohol spirit that's distilled from fennel, anise, and wormwood, and flavored with other herbs. The dominant flavor of the spirit is black licorice, thanks to the anise and fennel used to make it. Preparing absinthe involves pouring a shot into a glass and slowly dripping cold water into the alcohol. Many people like to add sugar to offset the bitterness of the spirit. You can also use absinthe to make a variety of cocktails. Adding water is important to weaken the absinthe, because it's meant to be sipped slowly, typically as an aperitif before a meal.

Ingredients

Traditional Absinthe

5 ounces (148 ml) water
10 ice cubes
1 ounce (30 ml) absinthe
1 to 2 sugar cubes, to taste

Makes 1

Absinthe Frappe

1 tablespoon (15 ml) simple syrup
7 large ice cubes, crushed
1½ ounces (44 ml) absinthe
2 to 4 tablespoons (30 to 59 ml) club soda

Makes 1

Sazerac

Absinthe to rinse
1 fluid ounce (30 mL) Rye whiskey
1 fluid ounce (30 mL) Cognac
3 dashes Peychaud's bitters
1 dash Angostura bitters
.25 fluid ounces (7.4 mL) simple syrup
.25 fluid ounces (7.4 mL) chilled water
Lemon peel for garnish

Makes 1

Sun Also Rises

2 ounces (59 ml) light rum
¾ ounces (22 ml) fresh lime juice
½ ounces (15 ml) fresh grapefruit juice
½ ounces (15 ml) maraschino liqueur
1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) absinthe
Ice, for chilling
5 ice cubes, crushed, for serving
Grapefruit wedge, for garnish

Makes 1

Death in the Afternoon

1½ ounces (44 ml) absinthe
5 ounces (148 ml) sparkling wine

Makes 1

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Setting up the Glass and Spoon

1
Combine the ice and water in a pitcher. Transfer the ice cubes to the pitcher and pour cold water over them. Stir the water to help chill it faster, and transfer the pitcher to the refrigerator until you're ready to add it to the absinthe.
- It's important to chill the water, because you don't add ice cubes directly to the absinthe.^{[1]
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- You can also use a glass beverage dispenser or an absinthe fountain for the ice water. An absinthe fountain is a special beverage dispenser on a pedestal that makes it easier to slowly pour the water into the absinthe.
- You can buy an absinthe fountain online, and possibly from a bar and restaurant supply store.
2
Choose a glass that can hold at least 8 ounces (237 ml). Absinthe is prepared by adding between 3 and 5 ounces (89 and 148 ml) of water to 1 ounce (30 ml) of absinthe. Using a larger glass will prevent spills and give you room to stir the drink.
- You can use any type of glass to prepare the absinthe, including a wine glass, old fashioned glass, Irish coffee glass, or a tumbler.
- There is also a special type of glass that's designed specifically for absinthe, called a Pontarlier glass. It has a special well at the bottom so you can pour the absinthe without measuring.^{[2]
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  Research source} Specialty glasses like this can be purchased online, or through bar and restaurant suppliers.
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3
Pour 1 ounce (30 ml) of absinthe into the glass. Measure the serving with a shot glass or measuring cup if you're not using a special absinthe glass. Transfer the shot to the glass.^{[3]
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Research source} If you're using a Pontarlier glass, pour in enough absinthe to fill the bottom reservoir.
4
Rest the absinthe spoon across the mouth of the glass. An absinthe spoon is a special slotted spoon that sits on top of a glass and holds a sugar cube. That way, you can pour water over the sugar and into the glass to dissolve the sugar into the absinthe. Some spoons will have a notch on the back of the spoon to secure the spoon to the rim.^{[4]
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- If you don't have an absinthe spoon, lay a fork across the mouth of the glass so you can place a sugar cube on the tines.^{[5]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Adding Water and Sugar

1
Place 1 to 2 sugar cubes on top of the spoon. Make sure the cubes are over the holes in the spoon so the sugar will drip into the glass as it dissolves. For a slightly bitter absinthe, add 1 sugar cube. For a sweeter absinthe, add 2 sugar cubes. You can also have unsweetened absinthe if you want to fully taste the bitterness of the herbs.^{[6]
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- It's important to use sugar cubes, because granulated sugar will fall through the holes in the spoon.
- Sugar won't dissolve well in the absinthe because of the high alcohol content, which is why you have to dissolve the sugar with water first.^{[7]
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2
Remove the ice from the pitcher. Remove the pitcher of ice water from the refrigerator. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to pick out the ice cubes and discard them. You don't want the ice falling into the absinthe, so it's important to remove them before adding the water.^{[8]
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- If you're using a beverage dispenser or absinthe fountain, you can leave the ice in the water, as the spigot will prevent the ice from falling into the glass.
3
Saturate the sugar with a few drops of water. Pour 3 to 4 drops of water over each ice cube to soak it with water. Leave the water to saturate the sugar for about a minute. This will give the water time to start dissolving the sugar.^{[9]
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4
Measure out 3 ounces (89 ml) of cold water from the pitcher. You can add between 3 and 5 ounces (89 and 148 ml) of water to the absinthe depending on how strong you want it. To start, measure out 3 ounces (89 ml) and transfer it to a container with a spout. You can add more water to the absinthe if you don't like it strong.
5
Add the water to the absinthe glass very slowly. When the sugar has had a minute to start dissolving, add the first 3 ounces (89 ml) of water. Position the water container over the glass and tip it gradually so the water slowly drips onto the sugar. A good rate is about 1 drop per second. Add the remaining 1 to 2 ounces (30 to 59 ml) of water, if you want the drink weaker.^{[10]
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- As the water slowly mixes with the absinthe, the absinthe will louche, or become cloudy, as the plant oils mix with the water. This will also help to bring out the flavors of the herbs in the absinthe.
- If you're using a beverage dispenser or absinthe fountain, turn the tap to open the spigot to allow the water to drip out slowly.
6
Stir the drink to fully dissolve the sugar. When the sugar is completely dissolved and you've added all the water, remove the spoon from the mouth of the glass and stir the water, sugar, and absinthe mixture. This will help to dissolve any sugar that's settled on the bottom of the glass.^{[11]
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7
Enjoy the absinthe in small sips. Absinthe is meant to be sipped slowly, like a glass of wine. This will allow you to fully appreciate the flavor of the absinthe, which is similar to black licorice.^{[12]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Making Cocktails with Absinthe

1
Try a refreshing absinthe frappe. In a heat-proof bowl, dissolve ⅔ tablespoon (9 g) of sugar in ⅔ tablespoon (9 ml) of boiling water to make the simple syrup. When the sugar has dissolved, transfer it to the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes. Then, combine the crushed ice, absinthe, and chilled simple syrup in an old fashioned glass. Stir until the drink has a slushy consistency, and add soda water, to taste.^{[13]
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2
Mix up a Sazerac cocktail. Put enough absinthe into a chilled glass to rinse the glass, then pour out the absinthe. Put ice cubes into your cocktail mixer, then pour 1 fluid ounce (30 mL) rye whiskey, 1 fluid ounce (30 mL) cognac, 3 dashes of Peychaud's bitters, 1 dash Angostura bitters, .25 fluid ounces (7.4 mL) simple syrup, and .25 fluid ounces (7.4 mL) chilled water over the ice. Shake the cocktail mixer hard for 10 to 15 seconds, then strain the cocktail into the glass you rinsed with absinthe. Add a twisted lemon peel to the glass as a garnish.^{[14]
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- Discard the lemon peel after you finish your drink.
3
Shake up a Sun Also Rises cocktail. Combine all the ingredients in a martini shaker. Fill the shaker the rest of the way with ice, put on the lid, and shake the mixture vigorously. Strain the mixture into a martini or cocktail glass filled with crushed ice. Serve the cocktail with a wedge of grapefruit on the rim of the glass.
4
Make a Death in the Afternoon. Transfer the absinthe to a champagne glass. Hold the glass on a 45-degree angle and slowly pour in the sparkling wine. Holding the glass like this and pouring slowly minimizes bubbling. Add ice to chill the drink before serving if you like.^{[15]
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Warnings

In the 1990s, some people started to prepare absinthe by dousing the sugar with alcohol and lighting it on fire. This method isn't recommended, as it can ruin the spoon, the glass, and the taste of the absinthe.^{[16]
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