Getting Your Louche On

With so many people trying out absinthe for the first time, accessories for the ritual are in high demand. Even Hammacher Schlemmer is offering a nice kit, though you could assemble it for less from the specialty vendors.

The key, really, is having a comfortable setup so you can add as much or as little cold water and sugar as you would like-- folks aren't missing anything if all they have is a small glass and a little ice water. But paraphernalia and rituals are fun...

Absinthe glasses:

• Simon Pearce glasses and carafes at Liqueurs de France from ~$70 (that's my double bubble in the photo above...:),
• Cristalerias San Miguel, reproduction, and Jade promotional glasses and brouilleurs at Liqueurs de France from ~$10,
• An interesting assortment of glasses at Absinthe Suisse from ~$9,
• Glasses, drippers, and saucers at AbsintheSpoon.com from ~$14,
• Great deals on six reservoir or torsade glasses from Absinthe.de for only ~$38,

Absinthe spoons and substitutes (only if you're adding sugar):

• Maison d'Absinthe in New Orleans has an assortment of spoons starting at $9,
• Reproduction spoons at AbsintheSpoon.com starting at ~$9,
• Fine silver spoons, drippers, and tongs by Kirk Burkett at AbsintheSpoon.com starting at ~$130,
• The Tempus Fugit spoons and dripper at Liqueurs de France from ~$25, the spoon also available at Absinthe.de,
• Reproduction spoons and bruoilleurs at Liqueurs de France starting at only ~$5, most available (along with others) at Absinthe.de starting at ~$8, and at Absinthe Suisse too,
• The Lucid store has cheap pressed spoons for 6/$36 (not a great deal)...
• Anyway, a tea strainer like this will balance on a glass's edge and hold a sugar cube nicely-- probably $3 at your grocery store.

Absinthe fountains:

• The Lucid store has the best prices I've ever seen for 2- and 4-spigot Frenchman fountains-- $135 and $185
  Update 3/28/08: Heard on a forum that the fountains are out of stock, but they expect a shipment soon of non-Frenchman reproduction fountans,
• La Maison d'Absinthe has six fountains starting at $185,
  Update 3/25/08: They now stock a 2-spigot fountain for only $48-- might have to get one of those... though Spoon got one and says it's a little chintzy,
• Frenchman fountains are also available from AbsintheSpoon.com,
• Absinthe Suisse has a few glass fountains from ~$65, one also available from Absinthe.de for a bit more.

Makeshift absinthe fountains and supplies:

• (But... do you really need a fountain?! A carafe works great and is as "authentic" as using a fountain...:)
• Vodka infuser jars with spigots go for ~$50 or so and work great if your glasses are short enough or if you put it on a taller pedestal, plus you can have a glass shop drill holes for more spigots,
• Spigots from aftosa from ~$7.50,
• Spigots from InfusedVodka.com from $7,
• The infamous Lowe's Mouthwash Dispenser on a little pedestal-- $25,
• Make your own dripper with whatever's on hand-- I made a little MacGyver dripper ("green beret" survival skill...:) for kicks once with two yogurt cups and a length of wire,
• And if you're really desperate and want to drip, you can always use a sink, but you'll need some ice in the glass to keep it cool.

Now go drink up!

Update: I'll keep this post around and add to it when I find more vendors and prices change. PLEASE leave a comment if you hear of any new products or vendors!