Absinthe Minded

The peculiar (and legal!) elixir has found its feet in Philly.

by Tim Hyland

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Published: Jun 3, 2008

Sam Shaaban LIQUID GOLD: Apothecary Bar + Lounge's absinthe fountain. (CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VERSION)

With the possible exception of moonshine, it's hard to imagine a drink with a bigger bum rap than absinthe.

The spirit, once known as "the green fairy," was said to cause hallucinations and turn drinkers into outright junkies. It's been blamed for everything from murder to self-mutilation — some claimed Van Gogh cut off his ear not because of mental illness, but rather because he drank too much of the stuff.

None of this, of course, was true.

But the myths accumulated in such great number that, by early last century, absinthe was banned in much of the Western world, including here in the United States, in 1912. It was a surprisingly sudden fall for a spirit that was loved by the intellectual and everyman alike and, in its early-20th-century heyday, even outsold wine in the grape-obsessed nation of France.

But here's some news: Absinthe is now legal.

Following the lead of several European nations, the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Trade Bureau eased its regulations on absinthe last year, allowing distribution of the spirit here in the States for the first time in decades. Turns out that the levels of thujone — the substance present in key absinthe ingredient wormwood to which its psychedelic effects are attributed — have long been misrepresented. In fact, an April 2008 study proved that there were no major chemical differences between pre-ban "illegal" absinthe and the varieties that are now considered legal.

Today, the distinctive drink — both potent and peculiar, and often served with great pageantry — is being offered at bars across the country, including some here in Philadelphia. It's even offered on the PLCB's Web site.

And people seem to like it.

"They're actually drinking it more than we thought they would," says Jason Evenchik, co-owner of Time at 13th and Sansom, which has served the stuff in its third-floor "Bohemian Absinthe Lounge" since opening in April.

It's a surprise, because absinthe can take some getting used to. In a nation of vodka and whiskey drinkers, absinthe — traditionally distilled from three primary ingredients: wormwood, green anise and Florence fennel — presents a significant challenge to the taste buds: Think gin, but with a whole lot more going on. Or maybe a significantly souped-up Green Chartreuse.

"It's not a taste the American palate typically prefers," says Nick Jarrett, a bartender at the newly opened Apothecary Bar + Lounge, located just around the corner from Time at 102 S. 13th St. "But I think people can enjoy this drink for all of its pomp and ceremony, and maybe discover they like something that they've never tried before."

So what exactly is it?

According to the Seattle-based Wormwood Society, which bills itself as "America's Premier Absinthe Association and Information Network," absinthe derives its trademark green color from the chlorophyll in its herb ingredients and can weigh in anywhere from 110 to 144 proof, or 55 percent to 72 percent alcohol. That makes it almost twice as strong as whiskey.

In other words, it's not something to drink straight. And typically, it's not. Traditionally, water is poured from an absinthe fountain at a ratio of up to five parts water to one part absinthe. A glass of straight absinthe is placed under the fountain, with a sieve-like spoon holding a sugar cube on top, and the water is poured in. "At the end of the process, it's no more alcoholic than a glass of wine," says Jarrett.

As for the taste? Absinthe's primary flavor is often compared to licorice — that's the anise and fennel. And that flavor is so prominent, both on the nose and on the tongue, that it may take several tastings before a newbie can pick up on complexities. "A premium-quality absinthe will balance the anise flavor with the wormwood and other botanicals," says Wormwood Society founder Gwydion Stone. "A true craftsman can work with those flavors the way an artist works with a palette of color."

Still, many drinkers may not go for it. Even the Wormwood Society admits it can be "an acquired taste."

At Apothecary, though, Jarrett has been impressed with how absinthe has been received. And it doesn't hurt that they're serving cocktails that help make the spirit more approachable. The French Buck, for one, is a summery drink that combines absinthe, Briottet Crème de Cassis, lemon, ginger beer and ginseng. The absinthe's there, but it's not overpowering.

Evenchik, meanwhile, says absinthe has been a consistently strong seller. Even first-timers are coming back for more. "That 'wow' factor is there when they first come in," he says, "but they don't have just one glass — they have a couple. We have repeat customers. The market is growing, and I think it will keep growing."

(editorial@citypaper.net)

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