Dear Absintheur! This week you are in for a special post, because we are talking about the maybe second-biggest thing for Absintheurs: Water. Why is water so important? Well, because you use it every time that you prepare your Absinthe! We feel that this is not talked about enough, which is why we want to discuss Absinthe and Water in this week’s post.
Absinthe and Water: Water = Water?
The question is: Is every water equally good? The simple answer is: No. Water can taste differently, although it is “unflavored”. It can change the taste of your glass of Absinthe. So it is about finding your own taste, similar to your preferred choice of Absinthe. But what is it, that makes the difference?
When it comes to the taste of water, it is all about the nutrients / minerals that it contains, either naturally or added. Have you ever noticed, or even wondered, why most people tend to enjoy rather cheap waters (purified waters for example) more than more expensive ones (spring waters)? This is to some extent due to the lower nutrient-density. The more nutrients are in the water, the more it tastes strange to us. Calcium and magnesium taste somehow soft and slightly sweet. Sodium, who would have thought, gives water a salty taste.
Absinthe and Water: What to look for
As mentioned above, everybody has his/her own taste, so the water is a very individual choice, just as your Absinthe is. This at the same time means that you can actually change the flavor of your drink by using the same water, while staying with your favorite Absinthe. Regarding the amount of minerals in the water, it really boils down to what you like and even more what you are used to. As you most likely do not want your Absinthe to be a mineralized sports drink, just try out whatever flavors you like.
We often use Evian or Vittel. Why? Because these waters, have a low level of sodium (do not taste salty) and a moderate level of calcium and magnesium (makes the water soft). Here is a list of the nutrients:
- Evian: Calcium 80 mg/l. Magnesium 26 mg/l. Sodium 7 mg/l.
- Vittel: Calcium 94 mg/l. Magnesium 20 mg/l. Sodium 7,7 mg/l.
- Volvic: Calcium, 12 mg/l. Magnesium, 8 mg/l. Sodium, 12 mg/l.
- Fiji Water: Calcium, 18 mg/l. Magnesium, 14 mg/l. Sodium, 18 mg/l.
Evian and Vittel are also available in large parts of the world, which is also a good thing when you are traveling and still want your Absinthe to taste the same.
We are curious: Did you until now pay a lot of attention to the type of water that you use for drinking Absinthe? If yes, we’re happy to hear from your experience! If no, are you going to from now on?
As always: we do hope you enjoyed our post this week. Share it with your friends and let them know how important water is – in life and when it comes to Absinthe. We love feedback! 😉
With much love from the ALANDIA Team & until next time,
Nico