What is absinthe proof actually

Absinthe is now once again a well known alcoholic drink, because of its legalisation in the USA as well as other countries after many ages for being illegal. Many young people are attempting it for the first time and knocking it back with no thought on its alcohol content. So, what is Absinthe proof?

Absinthe is usually an anise flavored liquor that is created from distilling alcohol using a combination of herbs which includes wormwood (artemisia absinthium), aniseed and fennel. It is popularly known as the Green Fairy, La Fee Verte, due to the feature emerald green coloring of classic verte types of Absinthe.

Absinthe is usually ingested diluted with iced water based on the Ritual. You need to drip the water over a sugar lump on a slotted spoon and in the Absinthe which then causes the Absinthe to louche – an attractive effect.

Absinthe was banned in early 1900s not because of its high alcohol content but because of the wormwood within it. Dr Valentin Magnan tested worwmood on guinea pigs in 1845 and discovered that a guinea pig given wormwood oil had convulsions, whereas, a guinea pig given alcohol just became drunk. By 1872 Magnan had isolated the substance thujone from wormwood and, soon after tests on dogs, recognized that thujone was a lot 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 caused psychedelic effects. Absinthe was therefore prohibited.

Even in 1975, a nature magazine reported that a thujone particle was identical in composition to THC from the drug cannabis and that they therefore acted in the same way.

We now know that all these claims are incorrect and wrong. Thujone isn’t like THC, though it does act on the GABA receptors of the brain, when consumed in huge amounts. We also know from testing Absinthes, including vintage Absinthe, that Absinthe only contains really small levels of thujone, nowhere near enough to be damaging. You would have to drink huge amounts of Absinthe and die of alcohol poisoning prior to suffering any results from thujone!

Although Absinthe won’t cause us to hallucinate or convulse, it is a remarkably alcoholic drink which must be consumed properly since it will get you drunk quite swiftly.

What is Absinthe proof?

Let’s see 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 along with other alcoholic beverages we can see that Absinthe is very 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 utilizing essences from AbsintheKit.com in that case your homemade Absinthe’s proof depends on what neutral alcohol you use.

What is Absinthe proof? Quite high is the response!