Have you heard that absinthe is back? Banned for nearly a century, it is now being produced domestically and imported. For a time it was the drink of choice of writers and artists like Hemingway, Poe, Van Gough, Wilde, Rimbaud and Picasso. So what is absinthe anyway and how do you drink it? I turned to Steve Hoffman, Beverage Manager at the St. Regis in San Francisco to learn more. Thanks Steve!

What exactly is absinthe?
Absinthe is a spirit made with herbs and aromatics including star anise, fennel seed, and crushed wormwood leaves. It is pale green to medium green in color.

How do you drink it?
To classically prepare absinthe, chilled water is slowly dripped over a sugar cube which sits atop a special slatted silver spoon. The water dissolves the sugar into the glass below which contains the absinthe. The resulting mixture is white and creamy in color.

Why was absinthe banned?
Absinthe was banned at the start of the 20th century because of the perceived psychotic effects of the wormwood. As a result, producers of absinthe reformulated their liqueurs to eliminate wormwood. The resulting liqueurs were called Pastis. Ricard, Pernod, and Herbsaint are examples. Absinthe is legal today because the amount of wormwood has been lowered to a certain level that has been deemed harmless by the FDA.

What cocktail do you make with absinthe at the St. Regis?
The Ame Tremor takes its inspiration from a cocktail called the “Tremblement de Terre” (Earthquake) which was allegedly created by the infamous post-impressionist painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. This concoction called for equal parts Cognac and absinthe, a combination that borders on the undrinkable.

We decided to lessen the amount of absinthe, use Arnagnac instead of Cognac, and add Carpano Sweet Vermouth and Peychaud’s bitters. The ingredients are placed in a mixing glass, stirred vigorously, then strained into a chilled cocktail glass and garnished with a lemon peel. The resulting cocktail takes on a Manhattan-like flavor profile, but is more complex and aromatic. The addition of the Absinthe gives it a slightly herbaceous character. It is infinitely more palatable than the potion concocted by Monsieur Toulouse-Lautrec. It is certainly more of a “tremor” than a full fledged “earthquake.”

How else can you use absinthe in cocktails?
I would advise that absinthe be used very sparingly when mixing it in cocktails. It has the tendency to overpower all other elements of a cocktail. For example, the classic cocktail The Sazerac Cocktail is made with Rye Whiskey and just a wash of absinthe to coat the cocktail glass. Darker spirits such as Whiskey or Congnac tend to mix well with absinthe.

The Ame Tremor
By St. Regis SF Beverage Manager - Steve Hoffman

1 1/2 oz Chateau de Briat Armagnac
3/4 oz. Carpano Sweet Vermouth
1/4 oz. Kubler Absinthe
2 dash Peychaud’s Bitters

Add ice and all ingredients to a mixing glass and stir vigorously.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with lemon rind.—–Amy Sherman

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