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Louching is a technique used to prepare absinthe by adding cold water to create a milky glow. Sugar cubes can be used to sweeten and mask the bitter taste, but some prefer to skip it for a more complex flavor. The amount of louching depends on the aniseed level in the absinthe, and it also dilutes the drink to make it less potent.
Louching is a technique used to prepare absinthe for consumption. While people don’t need to chill absinthe to drink it, many do, because the chilling gives absinthe the distinctive milky glow that many people associate with this drink. Most establishments that serve absinthe also provide facilities for you to relax or self-perform before serving the beverage.
When absinthe is loosened, cold water is added to the drink, triggering a reaction that causes the drink to cloud over and become milky. When louching is done with a practiced hand, fluctuations of milky color ripple across the glass, creating a luminescent glow that is quite distinctive. The ratio of water to absinthe varies, depending on absinthe and personal taste, although a 1:3 ratio of absinthe to water is very common.
In some cases, louching is done by dripping cold water through a sugar cube placed on an absinthe spoon at the top of the glass. This form of relaxation sweetens the absinthe and dulls it, masking the bitter taste of natural absinthe. The sugar cube also acts as a filter, slowing the flow rate of the water to ensure it drips slowly into the glass, as dumping water into an absinthe glass does not achieve the desired aesthetic effect.
Other consumers prefer to skip the sugar cube, simply dripping water with a steady hand directly into the glass to generate the desired cloudy absinthe. Water can also be drizzled through a spoon to control the rate of flow. This type of louching is recommended for absinthe or naturally sweet consumers who are familiar with the bitter taste of unsweetened absinthe. It has the benefit of passing the natural flavors into the absinthe, resulting in a more complex mouthfeel.
Different types of absinthe mess in various ways. The amount of louching depends on the amount of anise in the absinthe. Higher aniseed levels result in a cloudier liquid, with some absinthes turning almost white in response to cold water, while lower levels result in less cloudiness. Other beverages that traditionally contain aniseed, such as ouzo, are also sometimes washed down before serving. Louching provides a useful visual indicator that the drink has been diluted, making it less potent than it would be in straight form. In the case of absinthe, dilution is desired, as this drink is extremely strong.
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