I know that DITAs have been discussed before but I thought to update some impressions.

Basically, Kübler + Martini & Rossi Asti = A very drinkable/enjoyable way to reach the upper stratosphere quick. Think "Mountain Dew strapped to a rocketship." A few friends and I indulged in 3 or 4 of these and then put on Fear and Loathing. Can't remember when I've had such a great (read: intoxicating) time.


Just in case others have had bad experiences with other champagne brands/types, Asti is so far the hands-down best to use. Because let's face it, sometimes, just sometimes the French method needs a break.


-Beau

I have had good DITAs with semiseco cava before.

I've enjoyed a couple DITA's and that was fine for me.


<----------Lightweight

When I feel like having just one drink (and want max effect) DITA's are a nice!

Toro Negro=bad, Freixenet=bad. Asti=good, Gran Cinzano=good, Igristoje=good. Any absinthe is ok with.

Can't remember the champagne, but I tried it once and it was absolutely vile.

My feeling, too. Maggie sez DITAs need cheap bubbly. The Asti is probably a good bet but I haven't had a sip of one that I was willing to follow with another sip. I think I'll hang with the cold spring water.

Funny thing is I've still never had a DITA. Since I never buy champagne anyway, after reading people's reports I haven't been curious enough to pick any up to try a DITA.

I love champagne. I love absinthe. I still don't like mixing the two together.

I just finished "Death in the Afternoon" two nights ago and found it an interesting read.

Have yet to try the drink.

If you're using a drier champagne, a pinch of superfine sugar doesn't hurt.

edit - ...and yeah, not a cocktail to have if you are planning on driving.

BTW, it is also another of the cocktails sometimes referred to as a "Corpse Reviver." According to Colin Field's "Cocktails of the Ritz Paris" invented by Frank Meier at that bar during his tenure there.

~Erik

In my study and pursuit of the perfect DITA I have found that dry sparklers lead to a vile concoction, while a semi-sweet to sweet sparkler makes the drink a highly enjoyable beverage, which has in one instance led to my clutching the toilet and crying, but I digress.

My sparkling recommendations are to find a cheap bubbly (Ballatore or Asti Spumante, Cooks) that is at least semi-sweet to full on sweet (read Extra Dry, Sec, Demi-Sec, or Doux on the label). If you want to go for something a little more fancy that is still sweet enough for the drink to work, I highly recommend Saracco Moscato d'Asti. It runs about $17 a bottle, but it makes the best high class DITA around. And when you're paying top $ for the absinthe in it, why not splurge a little for the sparkling that makes up most of the drink?

I didn't say cheap! I said sweet! Like me.

What she said. I'm glad I only fell in the juniper bushes and lost my favorite sunglasses. I think I got off easier than the Doc.

What Doc, said said.

What are you doing up at 3:59am!?!

BTW, in the name of full disclosure on the impact of excessive DITA ingestion on one's physical and mental state, the SO has asked that I add the following warning:

Ingesting more than 3 DITAs in an evening can result in laying on the bathroom floor while one's adorable little doggy takes advantage of one's leg, arm, head, etc. Also, you may find yourself asking for sweet death the following morning.

First, if that time reference was in regards to me, the answer is because I am an overnight security guard with a lot of free internet time

Secondly, I do not understand this *common* inability to handle DITAs. I'm not trying to boast and am certainly not the fraternity type but I enjoyed 3 DITAs and 2 french methods in a matter of 4-5 hours and felt great the whole time. The next morning? My cold was still there (not a surprise) but woke up without hardly a hint of a hangover. You guys must be louching with meds and not sugar... just kidding

-Beau

P.S.
Another fellow NIN (fixedspiral) is always nice to see. Looking forward to the YZ followup.

Hey, Beau. She was referring to me. No worries, still the same.

Happy Holidays!

Well,

I took the advice and bought some Asti which is sweet.

So far I tried it with CLB wine base and it was pretty good.

Now, I'm drinking it with the Marteau and it is incredible!!

I guarantee if you use the Marteau you will not be disappointed.

Thanks again Hiram!

I used Sant'Orsola Asti.

Next, I'm going to try Sant'Orsola Brachetto D'acqui (which is red with the La Maitresse Rouge.

Thanks for all the advice everyone!!

Glad to hear you liked them. The better the absinthe, the better the DITA. I figured that out when I used the original Doubs to make one.

I really do not enjoy the DITA. Tried once with Asti Martini but had to sink it. As T73 I prefer to mix my absinthe with spring water.

I'm surprised that so many people don't like them. I found it surreal, nothing like what I expected. The type of champagne we used escapes me right now, but I know it was Spanish, sweet, inexpensive and I think it was pink. You guys make me thirsty.

As an absinthe n00b, the idea of mixing it with anything other than ice water to me is scandalous... though it does kinda sound interesting.

I can just imagine how it tastes on the rebound though...

I prefer it with cava, but it is just fine with asti.

Un grand Tremblement de Terre?
I just happen to have a bottle of Asti in the fridge and Kübler. Super Bowl Sunday in BC? Hmmm...

Looks like a waste of Marteau to me.

Death in the Afternoon
The official drink of the New York Giants.

Cowbwoy, what do you think of the Risque? I've heard it is on the sweeter side (perfect for a DITA), but I'm wondering how it rates in general.

Sorry WBT.
I hate those bastids and their cheatin' coach, too.

Go Pats.

Like Alyssa, I love champagne and absinthe but the thought of them together makes me, well...I think I would rather drink gin. And for those who know me, that is saying a lot!

My first attempt at a DITA was with Lucid and Cook's (I think it was Dry). I thought it was yucky. The revival of this thread gave me a hankerin' to experiment with supplies on hand. Trying some Korbel Extra Dry with Kübler now. It's okay, but I've ended up adding a bit more Korbel.

Someone said recently (totally sorry, forgot who it was) that they were diggin' on some Obsello and some Korbel Brut. Might have to try that some day, but for now, I'm in the "Like 'em both, but better by themselves" mindset.

I guess I missed this earlier this year.


I actually drank most of it before the DITA, quite tasty certainly on the sweet side, good after dinner toast kind of bubbly. I really bought it for the 750 ml flip top bottle, perfect for homebrew saisons and the like. I have another bottle that I put down last spring for maybe New Years?

And techy, bold spicy absinthes like Martau work best in cocktails, a little goes a long way.

That was me, GB. I was doing a little experimenting with DITAs on Thanksgiving. The Korbel Brut and Obsello was good, and the Korbel with Duplais Balance was even better! The flavors complemented one another nicely. Despite what others have said about absinthe pairing better with sweet champagnes, I found that the light, dry sweetness of the Brut went well both with citrus, vanilla, and mint notes of the Obsello and the floral, honey notes of the DB. (Indeed, as I said in my earlier post, the DITA has now become my favorite way to drink Obsello!) Also, the lower ABV (and the fact that I only had one bottle of champagne at my disposal) may have helped me avoid the morning-after (night-of?) unpleasantness others have associated with this cocktail. In both cases, I used a 1:3 absinthe to champagne ratio.

After having read this thread (thanks again for the link, OMG!), I have a few more pairings that I'd like to try. I haven't tried a blanche like Clandestine yet and wonder whether the grain vs. grape neutral base will make any difference in how well it goes with the bubbly.

Interestingly enough, I made my first DITA using Lucid and another inexpensive champagne (can't remember which now--may have been the Korbel, which my wife likes and often buys) and it was not good. I could barely finish it. So I'm not sure why I was suddenly inspired to give it another go on Thursday, but I'm glad that I did! If anyone else tries the pairings above (especially someone who hasn't cared for DITAs in the past), I'd be interested to hear what they think!

Well then, being that I've never been known to keep my opinions to myself... here it is!

Champagne (the real stuff)
Champagne was a very sweet wine really through the end of the 1800's. The first true "brut" Champagne did not make it's debut until about 1880, but the style was only really popular in England, somewhat in the US, and it did not catch on worldwide until after WW1. So it is likely that in the early days of the DITA, the sparkling wine used was probably somewhat sweet.

As far as mixing Champagne with another ingredient, it needs to be approached as a pair, not unlike a successful food/wine pairing. My personal opinion on pairing Champagne is that it pairs very readily with a great range of foods. In fact, there are only two wines, I am aware of that I think have the versatility, and range of styles necessary to pair through a multi-course meal, and one is Champagne (Riesling being the other). The caveat here, however is that when it comes to particularly assertive and spicy flavors, the combination of carbonation and acidity in Champagne works to amplify those flavors, desirable and undesirable. I have, more than once, read opinions that Champagne pairs well with spicy Asian foods, but in reality, I have never found it to be palatable with very spicy food.

So that being said, I think the DITA can not only be enjoyable, but can serve as a training tool to teach the taster to really take a detailed look at the absinthe one proposes to pair, especially if the sparkling wine is dry. I think any absinthe with an especially bitter un-sugared profile should be avoided with brut sparklers (a lesson I learned my first time out with a DITA, when I used an absinthe with a notoriously bitter flavor profile). Your reaction to the Lucid experiment does not surprise me. If you want to use a particularly bitter absinthe, I would do what many have suggested here, and use some off-dry or sweet sparkler.

To sum this up, I think absinthe selection is key, if one uses a brut sparkler. I'm looking at a list of 14 absinthes I currently have open, and I see 4, maybe 5, that I think would make a really enjoyable DITA, paired with a brut.

As to the "f### you up" factor, I think you need to be careful with these! Do the math... if you're using 1 oz of average absinthe, and 4 oz of wine, the resultant drink is around 20% - 22% abv, add in the carbonation and...

Concerning La Clandestine, you're reading my mind. I think this would make a great DITA, and be pretty to look at, as well. My two faves so far were Kübler and Vieux Pontarlier, both done with a quality prosecco. The VP was sublime!

I'm new to this idea of drinking absinthe any other way than louched with spring water. Is it any good? Does the drink still louche? What do people mean by "max effect"? Uh-oh, I said "effect"... sorry!

The drink kicks my candy ass but it's not bad if you find the right combination. As for me, I prefer absinthe and water. It's more predictable.

Champagne does cause absinthe to louche, and quite nicely--at about the same rate as water does. The Obsello DITA I had louched rapidly and was fully opaque at about 2:1, which is the norm for me when I add water to this absinthe. The DB took a little longer, as is to be expected given the slightly higher ABV. Once louched, the cocktail itself is quite lovely to look at, as well, with the bubbles rising up through the clouded glass. And as I've been saying, I found both the DITAs I tried to be quite good. Clearly they're not to everyone's taste here. I'm glad I tried it...

But there's no substitute for the traditional method of preparation, of course.

As to your question about the effect of the cocktail, I think FPB says it best.

Absolutely!
When you introduce the variables of acidity, sugar, carbonation, and flavor profile, you will always have more complications than just adding 2 H's and an O.

But remember...



And effects... there, i said it! Effect! Effect! Effect!

All I can say is, to celebrate while posting my intro here, I did the VP and prosecco combo I referred to a couple of posts back. Afterword, I went down to the kitchen to whip up my fave... a mushroom, onion, brussels sprout, and truffle cheese omelette, and finished it in record time... by a lot!

The alcohol of a DITA kicks my candy-ass as well, the fringe benefits, depending on the absinthe... priceless!

I didn't say it was a bad thing. It just has that EFFECT on me. I'm of an age that hangovers and I don't work well together. I prefer to set with friends and sip versus pass out under the kitchen table.

Yes it's happened. I really did have a life once upon a time.

Ah, finally a use for the lucid, shouldn't hurt the taste of boones farm too much

Y'all have inspired me. I have a bottle of sparkling wine (I'll grant those Frenchies the term "Champagne") from Chateau Ste. Michelle that I was gonna open tonight with the wife anyway, so I'll taste, decide where it falls on the sweet/brut scale, and make an Absinthe pairing with that in mind.

I haven't had a DITA yet, but, to quote Styx, "Tonight's the night/We'll make hisss-tor-eeee!"

God bless you, every one!

And a mighty fine choice is the CSM. One of the best $10 - $12 sparklers around. This will support the absinthe just fine, and there's nothing wrong with it, and trust me, there's plenty wrong with most sparklers at or below this price!

I remain uninspired. DITAs make you fall into juniper bushes and you never find your sunglasses ever again.


Ask Maggie.

Solution... seatbelts on dining chairs!

We have got to get those dining chairs installed in the forest.

Those sunglasses are forever gone. <sigh>
Once I figured out that a splash of absinthe in the sparkling wine does the trick things were much better.
I don't fall down as much. Most of the time.
Moderation can be a good thing.


From time to time.

HA! More propaganda. Sit on the ground. You won't fall as far and it ain't that bad. Cheers!

So, khiddy: what about it? Did you ever put that bottle Chateau Ste. Michelle to good use? Whither did your inspiration lead you?

New Year's Eve is coming up pretty soon and I need some more DITA ideas to try out!

I believe I've weighed in on this before. They'll knock you on your ass, if that's what you're looking to do. That's about it. Personally, I think it ruins both ingredients.

Over the years, I've found the following to be true:

champagne = hangover
absinthe = minimal hangover (if any, depending on on the quality of the base)
absinthe + champagne = uber hangover

Now this might be due to the fact that I've only had a DITA a handful of times and most of the times I've attempted this, I've used shitty absinthe and cheap champagne. I was then stupid enough to try this with Jade N.O. and a much higher-end champagne a few years back and it still tasted rather shite.

DITA's look pretty, to be sure. However, it tastes like a chemistry set and obliterates one more quickly than a swift kick to the head. You might as well mainline ethyl alcohol if you have more than three of these.

The wife downed once one (not a big absinthe drinker to begin with) and then decided to take a hot shower before her body began to absorb this vile concoction. I've never seen consonants dissolve so quickly...