A lot of people think that absinthe is bitter but it isn’t really that bitter. There is a bit of bitterness in the drink but it is easy to cope with and goes a little unnoticed. The bitterness in absinthe actually goes well with the drink and keeps it tasting good for most people. Compared to most cheap beer, absinthe isn’t really that bitter. The reason that people think that absinthe is bitter is because of the wormwood contents.
Wormwood
The main ingredient in a bottle of absinthe (besides alcohol) is definitely wormwood. Rue is the bitterest plant in the world but wormwood comes in a close second. However, the bitterness in the wormwood is mostly removed when added into the absinthe drink to make sure that it doesn’t ruin the flavor of the drink. Just the positive desired characteristics of wormwood are carried on with the ingredient into the drink. This would include the amazing and strong smell that it gives absinthe.
Adding Sugar
A lot of people would add a lot of sugar into their absinth drinks to get rid of the bitter taste. However, this is something which just people who never really enjoyed absinthe before would do. Anyone who is a regular and experienced absinthe drinker would know that you are just ruining the drink by putting a lot of sugar in it because it is already sweet enough.
It would be fair to conclude that absinth is not really bitter but it could be. Some people have a lower tolerance and some people have a stronger sweet tooth than others. The overall choice on whether absinthe is bitter or not will vary between people as everyone is different as to what they like. |
