Lets talk water quality...

[dillon]

Now being a brewer I know water quality and mineral content is a BIG deal for the style of beer your making. Now this got me thinking, with the amount of water used to prepare absinthe, quality and mineral content could effect the character of the absinthe no?

I was simply thinking about this wile cooking this morning and figured I would present it as a talking point.

[Ron]

You're definitely not alone in your thoughts!

 

Here

Here

Here

and here

[dillon]

Ya know right after I posted this, I did think, I could not possibly the first the pose this question.

[Ron]

Hahaha. No worries. You'll find lots of different answers to the water question, as it's a subjective taste thing. Just like with sugar!

[Belarmin]

I'm sure someone has vintage Parisian water from the epoque.

[Ron]

Probably so. Check with Oxy!

[baubel]

I really don't know enough about chemistry...but I think differences in the quality of the water used to distill absinthe might play a larger role than differences in the quality of water used to prepare a glass.

Edited July 8, 2010 by baubel

[Brian Robinson]

While that could well be true, I'm skeptical. If you strictly look at ratio, the amount of water in an end-product absinthe is significantly less than the amount of water you add to prepare it.

[OMG_Bill]

I've read that distillation removes the nasties. I took that to mean that the tiny amount of water in absinthe is close to pure. <shrug>

 

[Absomphe]

Check with Oxy!

 

I think he prefers PayPal™.

[baubel]

Well, I feel a little bit face palmy, as both Brian's and Bill's comments seem a bit more obvious to me now.

[Jack Griffin]

I have a 5 stage system that removes 99% of the chlorine and nasties, that allows me to set the ph where I want it, usually at 8, which is just slightly alkaline. I notice everything involving water for prep tastes better.

[sixela]

Water matters. Period.

[oglala56]

I use a RO system with 4 water filters, a calcite filter, and a UV filter.6 filters in all...PH is 7.3...works great..

[Belarmin]

I'd still like to know what that water tasted like in the epoque.

[Jack Griffin]

Remove the floride and chlorine, then add in trace elements of sewage and decaying organics and assorted bacterium. You'll be very close, but will it improve the louche?

[oglala56]

Remove the floride and chlorine, then add in trace elements of sewage and decaying organics and assorted bacterium. You'll be very close, but will it improve the louche?

 

[scuto]

Remove the floride and chlorine, then add in trace elements of sewage and decaying organics and assorted bacterium. You'll be very close, but will it improve the louche?

 

I'm going to go ahead and blame sewage and bacteria for the supposed absinthe "hallucinations," DTs be damned.