Absinthe | Uncovering the Drink's Greatest Myths

Absinthe was the drink of choice for the literary stars of 19th century Paris. Picasso, Hemmingway, Wilde, and Van Gogh were known to sip on the green spirit as they thought in cafés, painted in their lofts, and discussed issues of the times. As potent as the alcohol was, it was a tool for creative expression, and drinking the "Green Fairy" was socially acceptable.

Absinthe Doesn't Make You Hallucinate

But like most good things in life, absinthe was abused, and after too many people got drunk off it, it was banned across the globe. Many blame the drink's effects on Wormwood, the herb that supposedly gives the drink its psychoactive effect, but recent studies have proven this assumption to be wrong. Regardless, Absinthe has since gotten a bad rep, and people shy away from it out of fear for losing their minds.

Now after 100 years of prohibition, absinthe is being legalized across the globe. In fact, it's been legal in the U.S. since 2011- and yes, it is REAL Absinthe. It contains the same amount of wormwood that was in the 19th and early 20th century bottles, and it has the same, black licorice flavor. As people become aware of the truths behind the spirit, and the unique methods for preparing and consuming the drink, it will be likely to find its place in the booming spirits market.

Reinventing Absinthe

In looking at the current alcohol industry, we're seeing a huge shift in consumer preferences. Drinkers are looking for craft beer, flavored vodka, and bitter infused cocktails. Essentially, they're looking for different flavor combinations and new experiences, and Absinthe can fit these wants. And not only does absinthe offer a unique taste for drinkers, it brings with it an exciting and historical culture that makes it attractive for beverage connoisseurs.

Absinthe has the potential to reach a new market of alcohol drinkers- especially millennials looking for something different- and it's already seeing a exponential growth and sales abroad. According to Business Insider, a French absinthe distiller has increased output from 7,200 litres to 30,000 liters in the past 15 years- a substantial boom that may begin to take rood in the U.S.

Right now you can find absinthe in specialty stores such as Total Wine, but the options are limited. Normal grocers don't sell any of it, and while the cheapest bottle might cost you $25, the average runs about $60. It's no problem that the market can't solve, demand just needs to be there. And as millennials continue to explore their drink options and experiment with new flavors, absinthe may be the next thing to get big.

You can check out some more history of absinthe and ways of drinking it in the latest Munchies video:

Why Every Millennial Should be Reading David Foster Wallace

Readership for literature is dying. Statistics back the argument, and I’m not here to argue against it. What I think could possibly be the problem is that young people are failing to find writers that speak to them. But I’ve been a fan of one such writer that's spoken to me deeply and could possibly speak to many other millennials as well. The writer I’m talking about is the late David Foster Wallace.

In the history of Literature, it's easy to pinpoint writers that reflect a certain era. Examples of this are Mark Twain during the late 1800’s, F. Scott Fitzgerald during the Jazz Age, Jack Kerouac during the Beat Generation, and Thomas Pynchon during the counterculture of the late 1960’s and early 70’s. It could be possible that the reason it's hard for all of us to agree on one writer for our time is that there are actually a higher number of talented writers working the past few decades than ever before. Another reason is that our culture has become more fractured with the dawn of the internet, so it’s difficult for a writer to connect with a wide spanned readership. That could very well be true, but I still feel that there should be a writer that Millennials can unite under—someone we can look to for wisdom.

First off, the themes Wallace explores are subjects that Millennials find important, such as entertainment, drugs and addiction, the environment, solipsism, politics and government, loneliness and depression in everyday American life, and relationships. I’m sure many of you will find his work to be difficult, and let me assure you, it’s supposed to be. He believed modern entertainment was becoming too easily digestible, and that literature should be more demanding of it’s readers, as if it is exercising a part of our brains that other forms of modern entertainment are not engaging.

Here are some of his works that Millennials may find relevant to their lives right now:

Infinite Jest: This is considered his magnum opus. Cited by Time Magazine as one of the best english language novels since 1923. Millennials will find this novel relevant to them because it takes place in a world where entertainment and drugs have become so good, that people can’t escape them. The novel is long and tough to read, but the reward for getting through it could be unlike any other reading experience you’ve ever had.

Consider the Lobster: A book of essays that touch on many subjects such as the porn industry, September 11th, talk radio, and Fydor Dostoevsky. The two essays that Millennial’s may find most interesting at this time are the title essay and “Up, Simba” about John McCain’s 2000 presidential campaign. “Consider the Lobster” is about his visit to a Maine lobster festival and many will think the essay is solely about animal rights, but I find it to be about how much of our own thinking is dominated by what’s being marketed to us.

And for you recent graduates, Wallace’s commencement speech at Kenyon College is one of the best: 

by Darin Milanesio

Image via Animal New York