The Traditional Method for preparing a glass of absinthe is very simple.
A 1 ounce / 30 ml measure (also known as a ‘dose’) of absinthe is poured into a glass. A flat, slotted spoon is placed across the rim of the glass and a sugar cube added on top of the spoon. Add — slowly — 3 to 5 parts iced water to the drink, pouring directly onto the sugar cube. The sugar will dissolve and mix into the absinthe below. As the absinthe dilutes, you will witness a change in the translucency of the drink— the louche will form. A good louche occurs when the herbal chemicals of the absinthe react with the water to form a cloudy and often opalescent beverage.

There are several methods for delivering cold water into absinthe. Most common is the use of a carafe, but there are historically relevant devices such as the Auto Verseur Brouilleur, the Absinthe Fountain, and Brouille. Fountains are perfect for social absinthe drinking, whilst other methods are perhaps more individual.

The Bohemian method — or Fire Ritual — is a modern creation from the late 1990’s and is typical of Czech absinth consumption. The preparation order is reversed and water is added to the glass first, a sugar cube placed on a spoon across the rim, then absinth poured over the cube. The flammable sugar is then lit on fire and after several seconds of cooking the bubbling cube, it is dumped and stirred into the beverage. This inauthentic preparation has been popularised in several movies and is practised in many bars, especially for party crowds. Absinthe-Shop does not recommend this potentially dangerous method of preparation and it should especially never be carried out with a quality absinthe as the burnt sugar will eliminate many of the herbal nuances of a traditional absinthe.