TAC Squad makes the Chicago Tribune...

[kproche]

ETA: The article has been updated with a lead-in photo of all three of us, and we're mentioned by name in the caption!

No photos alas, but I'm mentioned by name in this story about the release event yesterdy at St. George Spirits.

No diluting absinthe's lure

Comments

[kproche.livejournal.com]

Well, dripping water through a sugar cube is only traditional if one wishes to sweeten the absinthe; I like the balance of Lance's Absinthe Verte without any additional sweetness.

For the release tasting, they were doing several things. Reservoir glasses are quite expensive (and they wanted to pour small tastes) so they were using the grappa glasses instead.

They were also having fun with the fact that when a piece of ice is dropped into 120 proof spirits, it sinks rather than floats. As the ice melts, it will rise up on top of the meltwater, staying at the bottom of the liquor. The louche forms in the meltwater. It was a really cool effect.

It also meant you could easily get a small taste of the pure spirit (STRONG anise flavor) before it mixed into the water. I added more icewater after the party trick finished to get the full balance of the herbal blend in the absinthe. I really liked it, with a slightly but not overly bitter finish, in part from the stinging nettles in the recipe.