Absinthe

i'm in the Absynthe-curious group, myself....

ebay is loaded with absinthe bottles, glasses, spoons, and kits to make it at home.

I finally got to try some Absinthe that a friend ordered online. Without the sugar, I'd have to say that it's some of the most foul-tasting stuff ever,,,,,But yeah, I'd drink it again

go to absinth.com

I tried some bathtub absinthe once. It was the foulest tasting stuff I have ever had. The whole experience was me taking a drink and then going bleh over and over again. It might have been better if I had added sugar though.

After reading this post I'm really intrigued! I've heard of Absinthe before but was never sure what it was.... i want to try!!

Whether bathtub or imported, sugar (or cream soda, apparently) is an absolute must for absinthe consumption. It's pretty foul on its own. Even with the sugar, you're drinking it more for the effects than the flavor. I've yet to encounter anyone who actually liked the taste.

This is the best stuff :sebor absinth

Buy it here:mail order

Dunno about laws re the US and importing it, but it's by far the best, based on wormwood content rather than alcohol proof. Cheaper/inferior brands disguise the lack of effect by selling you 120 proof lighterfuel.

It is an acquired taste, neat. Poured over ice is good, a little soda water if you want a fizz, or real (ie cloudy)lemonade if you want to hide the taste. If you're serious about it you'll need a sipping pipe

Now, I must go try out that absinth/red bull mix I've been hearing about....

I've been told the kind they sell in the US contains no wormwood whatsoever. ::shrug::

i picked up a bottle in london just to try it, but it wasn't the good stuff. so at some point i'm going to order something better. i have an article somewhere that gave websites, but i think my love has it. the stuff we tried was definitely gross though. it doesn't help that i hate the taste of licorice.

edited because i really can't spell

[Edited on Jun 24, 2003 by delirium_faerie]

I had a friend bring some back from prague once and with the sugar in it was pretty tasty. Of course I did some pretty embarassing things with his girlfriend after that.

test

Okay, Get ready: Absinthe.

The best recipe for absinthe can be found in Charles H. Bakers' South American Gentleman's Companion, two volumes 1951, Crown publishing. But why bother. There are lots of absinthe producers who make as close to the original product as you can get with out openning a distillery youself. The vodka thing just doesn't cut it. More on commercially produced absinthe later.

First, original absinthe was produced with high proof brandy, then, as it became popular, industrial produced beet alcohol, hence why it was so cheap to buy. most of the stories, recipes, etc... that are available on the net are hype, much of it laden with myths, such as the hallucinogenic thing. much of this stems from the fact that it was just very very high alcohol content, and the fact that it was cheaper than wine (due to the phyloxera [spelling?] epidemic that killed off france's grape harvest), so workers, poor people (including arists) drank it all the time. Seeing as absinthe was often up to 160 proof, this resulted in alcoholism and delerium tremens.The fact that it was made illegal has to do more so with political reasons (levies from wine producers and the military's fondness for it in he years before world war one) than with any drug-like qualities of the drink.

The best commercially produced absinthe that you can buy is La Fee Verte, which is made in France, but sold in the U.K., and based on an original recipe found by Marie Claude Delahaye, who is the curator of the absinthe museum in Auver Sur Oise near Paris. this is 68% alc. or 132 proof. Next, I would say, would be the Spanish and Portuguese absinthe (it was never illegalized in these countries), specifically the brands Partus (100 proof) and Ferreira Duque (114 proof). Next would come the Czech absinthe, but many of these are just jumping on the absinthe fashion bandwagon. And very expensive. There is something called Absente available in the states, but this sucks, is much too sweet, and is not real absinthe. It is a pastis like Pernod or Ricard, which are more of less the absinthe without the Wormwood, hence sweeter and better than Absente. Real absinthe should taste like good n' plenties, but with a very strong medicinal, bitter undercurrent, hence why you add the suger.

For books about absinthe, in English, the best is barnaby Conrad's History in a Bottle, then the Dedalus Book of Absinthe, by Phil Baker, but much better are any by Maria-Claude Delahaye especially L'Absinthe- Son Histoire; L'absinthe, Muse des poetes; and Absinthe, muse des peintres. But you have to read French for those, though the one on painters is a great coffee table book in any language. All of these are much better than either of those in English.

By the way, too much wormwood can be poisonous, so be careful making your own.

okay, i'm done.

[Edited on Jun 24, 2003 by kingbugs]

here in the US it is prohibited. oddly i found bottles for sale over Ebay, but i never bought any. you can buy kits through ebay as well, but they are...ok. www.makeabsinthe.com has nice sets too. even distilling units for the best brews. or, just find recipies and grab the herbs required from an herbal store. they carry most herbs needed, save for wormwood. but you can shop for that online. i love the net. anyway. i prefer to make it on my own and twink it a bit. what you are looking for is thujone. wormwood contains the most, but other herbs contain it as well (sage even). most ppl use vodka as a base, but the alc. content needs to be at a decent level (40% +). the higher the better. i use clear springs 190 proof grain. it's a ton of bricks
i tasted some that other friends made and it is better used as paint thinner, just as some manufactured brands. i believe Pernod (spell?) is said to be the best, but i never tried it. pardon me as i am obsessed with the stuff. it's like magic. best to be insane before you start it. oh, and no ears of mine will be mailed to anyone. i do have some self-control
until later,
Abyssus Abyssum Invocat

i could be wrong about the Pernod. it wasa just mentioned to me. i was told that most manufactured contained little thujone anyway, so those must be for just taste which is odd. another note: most sets sold just tell you to soak the herbs in vodka for about a week. i strongly suggest using a distiller for the best product. they say use whatever 40%, but i say go for the gold and get the highest % possible, while not killing yourself or going blind. just be careful.

i could be wrong about the self-control part too...

anyone know where to pick up any antique bottles of absinthe?...particularly bottles with absinthe still in them...

Antique

I'll see what else I can find since a lot of those are already sold....

You can check here as well. Though most of those have already been sold as well, check back periodically or contact the site owner. You can also be put on a waiting list for future bottles. If you're looking for full bottles though, be prepared to shell out quite a bit of money. Good luck

Weird. I'm going to an absinthe party on Friday. We're trying this stuff:

Is that Jade PF 1901 in the middle? Jealous.....

I'd love to try it. However, like pomegranate, acai and noni juice, I'm keeping my fucking money until the supply better meets the demand.

i usually drink absintheX Zele...but i just made a nice batch home made self recipe with added Opium Somniferum....very very nice i can feel it all day in me between clouds thujone yield of around110mg at 195%acl.....and yes i am an opiate addict

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hpuu_xODUpo