alcohol content, around 68% and nearly
double the strength of most spirits.
Absinthe remains legal in a number of
countries and has recently enjoyed a
modest and moderate revival.An Ancient Ingredient
Because fermented plant juices naturally turn
sour with acetic acid, our ancestors discovered
wine and vinegar together. In fact, a major
challenge in winemaking was to delay this
souring by limiting the wine’s exposure to the
air. The Babylonians were making vinegar
from date wine, raisin wine, and beer around
4000 BCE. They flavored their vinegar with
herbs and spices, used it to pickle vegetables
and meats, and added it to water to make it
safe to drink. The Romans mixed vinegar and
water to make an ordinary drink called posca,
pickled vegetables in vinegar and brine, and
judging by the late Roman recipe book of