I love the flavor of anise, and ever since I got a bottle of Absinthe from Spain, I've wanted to make my own. I've been trying for a month now, and I'm starting to get a handle on the process.

The first recipes were from the 1800's. All of these recipes were incredibly bitter and harsh. Times must have been tough back then.

The next recipes came from Scientific American, and a forum post I found by googling. These were a little more modern, but still rough. It became clear that the wormwood is where the bitterness comes from. After trying a couple of modern recipes from homedistillers.org, I was able to start making my own based on these examples. The base is green anise, fennel, and wormwood. I prefer at least 5:1 anise to wormwood by dry weight.

You need to start with neutral spirit. 180 proof is optimal, but illegal in California. Without a reflux still, Costco Vodka is your least expensive source of neutral spirit. I'm coming to believe that the herbs impart better flavors in higher proof liquors, and I'll be shopping around for some real 'shine in the next few batches

The Absinthe is known for its louche, the opaque milkiness that appears when enough water is added. I was pleased when my recipes began to louche.

Here's St. George's Absinthe louching in a cocktail glass

The results have become very drinkable, but it doesn't give that whole-mouth anise glow that some brands do, and I'll be updating this post as I learn more about how to get there.