Absinthe

[TxBrew]

So here in the USA you can't get the good stuff, or can you?

However, for those who travel outside their counties unlike me or live in the greatness that is not the USA, what are some "top-shelf" absinthe producers?

 

[drainbamage]

My first experience was one called Abisinthe, found in Italy about 10 years ago. I had been told to steer clear of the neon green stuff that they put out for tourists, which is pretty much grain alcohol with food coloring. Didn't hallucinate, but man did I get drunk.

The only other one I've had since then is Lucid. I bought it while out of the US, but I'm pretty certain they sell it here too.

 

[CrimsonYeti]

I have had lucid. But if you are referring to the good stuff. Pernod is the brand and usually has some roots of sorts floating in it.

 

[murphyslaw]

I broughb ack the neon green stuff from Prague about 10 years ago. I had to chug a full bottle of water after each shot to prevent it from coming back up. It was terrible. And I did not hallucinate.

 

[CrimsonYeti]

I mix it with red bull.

 

[BrewerBrad82]

In a past life I was a bartender, and my favorite absinthe we served was a Swiss absinthe called Kubler. Its not that green crap, it actually turns a slightly cloudy white/blue color when properly mixed with sugar and ice water. Its some damn good stuff!

 

[brrman]

The US ban on absinthe was removed in 2007.

 

[secondbase]

My favorite stateside absinthes are St George (California) and Corsair (TN/KY). They both employ the use of a vapor basket and the result is a complex, botanical forward absinthe. Very delicious stuff.

 

[hunter_le five]

My first experience was one called Abisinthe, found in Italy about 10 years ago. I had been told to steer clear of the neon green stuff that they put out for tourists, which is pretty much grain alcohol with food coloring. Didn't hallucinate, but man did I get drunk.

I bought a bottle in Spain back when I was in college. I'm pretty sure it was just the neon green-dyed grain alcohol tourist ****, because that sounds exactly like something I would have done. Tasted awful, like drinking black liquorice.

I didn't hallucinate or anything, but I DID manage to get black out drunk in a club in Ibiza with it, and woke up on a beach somewhere not close by the next morning, next to a couple of nice Romanian gents. They shared their breakfast of red wine and more red wine with me, and explained to me at great length why Romania is the greatest country in the world, and why they thought all the gypsies needed to die.

Can't remember what the brand name of the absinthe was.

 

[drainbamage]

The ban on absinthe was removed in 2007.

Yeah, I felt like a total badass "smuggling" it back in my luggage. Ah, college.

 

[howamidriving]

If absinthe is made properly it contains only a very small amount of the hallucinaginic chemical (forget what it's called). You would die of alcohol poisoning long before you started hallucinating.

The whole "absinthe makes you hallucinate" thing was started by french wine makers back in the 1800s when a grape blight hurt a lot of vineyards.

History lesson aside I like absinthe on special occasions. My college roommates and I did absinthe and champagne for graduation. Which was very good. The tradition sugar and water and also great. Even straight up is doable if you're careful

 

[drainbamage]

If absinthe is made properly it contains only a very small amount of the hallucinaginic chemical (forget what it's called). You would die of alcohol poisoning long before you started hallucinating.

Thujone.

And yeah, the alcohol content more than makes up for the fact that it won't make you trip balls.

 

[hunter_le five]

Does seeing two of everything count as hallucinating?

 

[motobrewer]

yes, you can get real absinthe here in the US. One of our local microdistillers makes an authentic version; Great Lakes Amerique 1912 Absinthe Verte.

Pernod makes pastis as well as an absinthe. Pastis is an anise-flavored spirit, made after the absinthe ban in france.

 

[Gavin C]

Here is a great video on it's commercial manufacturer from our Canadian friends. Had no idea it was ever illegal. Love watching videos of beer/wine/spirit manufacture.

Great show.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6HhqgSLU9Q[/ame]

 

[slym2none]

The US ban on absinthe was removed in 2007.

But I believe the use of wormwood is banned in all absinthe production everywhere (believe being the key word here, I could be wrong) as wormwood is what caused any hallucinogenic effects. It is also used in making LSD.

 

[motobrewer]

But I believe the use of wormwood is banned in all absinthe production everywhere (believe being the key word here, I could be wrong) as wormwood is what caused any hallucinogenic effects. It is also used in making LSD.

nah, that's not true.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

Regarding absinthe's legalities, I guess there are a few ways to look at it: http://www.wormwoodsociety.org/inde...tems/187-yes-real-absinthe-is-legal-in-the-us

Anyways, I bought a bottle of Lucid and it's absolutely disgusting to me. I only bring it out as a novelty to my visitors...like Malort.

But I was in Europe recently and saw a man sit down with the whole ordeal: slotted spoon, sugar cubes, water pitcher and he seemed to enjoy it. Maybe I should have taken the opportunity to try it there. When in Rome, right?

 

[DrunkleJon]

I looked into it back when I was in college (before it went legal in US). Supposedly it was only illegal to buy in the US, but not to own. There were and still are companies that will ship you the 'real stuff' in a plain brown package so you can get your fix. Wanted to buy some back then but never went through with it. Had some of the make a tea with these herbs and everclear and it was absolutely undrinkably horrid.

 

[m_c_zero]

I tried to make my own "absinthe" once. I bought a bottle of anise liqueur and put it in a mason jar with a pack of wormwood purchased at a homebrew store. I left it in my closet for two weeks shaking it up once a day. I then strained the wormwood from the liquid. Me not knowing anything about wormwood I squeezed the hell out of it to get all the liquid I could out of it. It was New Years Eve several years back and I brought to a friends party. I lined up shots for everyone at the party and we shot them at midnight. All of sudden everyone looks at me in disgust as I was trying to choke down the filth myself. It was soooooo freakin bitter. Nobody tripped and everyone forgave me by the end of the night, but I've since learned my lesson.

 

[NickTheGreat]

I was in Australia about 12 years ago in college, and we walked about 10km to a small town bar. And I remember being served and drinking "absinthe." I believe it was that neon green crap too. We stumbled back home, with no hallucinations. Other than the liters and liters of crappy Aussie beer . . .

 

[SharonaZamboni]

I ordered some online years ago, forgot what brand. I hated the taste but tried to drink enough to get some effect other than drunk. Nothing happened.

 

[MaddBaggins]

I've never had it. By the time it was legal here, I was too scared of hallucinating. A bad trip back in the 90's cured me of ever wanting to hallucinate again.
After reading this thread, maybe I'll give some a try someday.

 

[unclebrazzie]

Had some Absinthe in an Antwerp bar which prides itself on its selection of absinthes. They also indicate the thujone levels in each brand so that's convenient for the layman too.

While the flavour is not for everyone, it's someting I do enjoy from time to time. Certainly not something I'd have two in a row of again: it tends to really numb the tongue and dull the senses. Definitely more a soporific than a tonic

 

[dmtaylor]

Absinthe is no longer illegal in the USA. I have some sitting right here next to me.

The one I have is from France, called Libertine. 72% ABV. It's very tasty. Tastes like licorice, and the warmest warmth from ethanol that you've ever experienced, except maybe for Everclear (which I have never tasted straight up). You're supposed to mix with sugar and water for a more reasonable strength. Try it both ways, traditionally blended vs. straight up. It's great both ways.

Stories of toxicity and hallucinogens are essentially false, except for the fact that too much spirits of ANY sort taken all at one time can kill you. Now it is more regulated and the old stories of going wacko or blind from it are not valid. In moderation, it is simply a very tasty beverage like any other spirit.

Part of the allure also is the ritual of blending with sugar and water to dilute it down to a more reasonable level, while also turning it cloudy. It's just kind of fun to try. Plus there's paraphernalia used to do this (NOT required, just fun) which makes it seem like you're doing drugs or whatever when you're really just tasting a very strong distilled spirit.

 

[DrunkleJon]

Stories of toxicity and hallucinogens are essentially false, except for the fact that too much spirits of ANY sort taken all at one time can kill you. Now it is more regulated and the old stories of going wacko or blind from it are not valid. In moderation, it is simply a very tasty beverage like any other spirit.

I believe the reason it was banned as much as it was in the past was because a lot of the time it was fake bootlegged stuff much like was around the US during prohibition. I think that is also what contributes to the whole hallucination and going mad stories too.

 

[Bosh]

Friend made some homemade absinthe by taking a some vodka and Bacardi 151 and putting them in a big tupperware container with a bunch of herbs including wormwood for a week or two and then straining everything multiple times through a coffee filter until all the herb stuff was completely gone. Was pretty damn good too.

Then he poured a bottle of cheapass vodka over the leftover herbs rather than throw them out and tried to make a second batch that way. That stuff was foul.

 

[ebstauffer]

As for brands of absinthe, two stand out in my opinion: Lucid Absinthe from Hood River Distillers in Oregon is very nice. Also the absinthe vert from Ridge Distillers (I think they are called Vilya Spirits now) is good. They also make a very anise-forward gin if that's your thing.

If you can find it (or purchase from overseas) Verte de Fougerolles 72 is in my opinion fantastic and a good example of a traditional recipe. It's bitter, clean taste requires a sweetener to balance and the color is not fixed and can appear a bit muddy. Some complain of a grassy note but I love it.

The compound of concern as a few here have noted is in fact thujone. The TTB requires absinthe (or for that matter any distilled spirit) to be "thujone free" which oddly enough is 10 PPM.

Also, as others have noted here, the thujone comes from both grand (used in the maceration step) and petite wormwood (used in coloring step). It was never the thujone that provided the halicinatory effects, bur rather the fact that absinthe is generally bottled at above 70% abv and (unfortunately) immensely drinkable.

Although not especially difficult to make (expensive yes, difficult no), anyone who purchases an "absinthe herb kit" from their LHBS shop and simply soaks them in a purchased spirit will be in for an unpleasant experience.

Edit: Spelling

 

[gicts]

Isn't what is sold in the US essentially devoid of any thujone?

I may have known someone who used a little gallon water distiller to make some absinthe. It was a very unique feeling - physically you were drunk, but you had a very precise mental clarity. It was an acquired taste similar to gin (I think mixing it with Sprite was best), and you could drink an alarming quantity.

 

[lowtones84]

ebstauffer pretty much has it right. You can only purchase stuff with a certain thujone content here in the states. Thujone can, however, have psychoactive effects in the right quantities, aided by alcohol. Actual hallucinations are highly unlikely, though.

 

[k1ngl1ves]

To me, it tastes like moldy licorice. The whole sugar cube bs process didn't make it any better. It may have actually made it worse. It was a cloudy, somewhat colorless liquid. If this was that bad, I can only imagine how nasty the green crap must be. One of the worst things I've ever drank. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.




Basically, it's not for me. Lol!

 

[MaxStout]

I have several varieties of absinthe in my liquor cabinet. Lucid is the most commonly found brand and it's not bad to start out on. Better brands include Delaware Phoenix, a micro distillery in New York, and Mansinthe (Marilyn Manson's commissioned absinthe). Kubler is quite good, too.

Avoid the brands from eastern Europe--those tend to be fakes, made from grain alcohol with infused botanicals. Tourment comes to mind, but there are many others to avoid. Also, be aware that Pernod does not make true absinthe anymore, just pastis. If you just ask for "Pernod" in the store, you will get pastis. The difference: pastis is an anise-flavored liqueur, which has added sugar, but no wormwood. Absinthe is distilled from a mash containing several botanicals, including grand wormwood and anise. No sugar added.

Absinthe was banned in the early 1900s, primarily due to lobbying from the wine industry, which saw it as a threat. The fact that the drink was popular with a bohemian crowd didn't help its image. The stories of absinthe-fueled lunacy and crime were completely fabricated, and prime examples of the yellow journalism that was common in the day. I believe it was banned first in France, then a few other European nations followed suit, then the U.S. The U.S. ban was lifted in about 2007, allowing a limit of 10 ppm thujone. Some absinthes sold in Europe may have thujone levels up around 35 ppm. The toxic threshold of thujone is orders of magnitude higher; you won't hallucinate from absinthe.

 

[Britinusa]

Just reading about Absinthe, it was saying the Chlorophyll in the botanical s gave it a green tint, i guess the ones who tried to make a cheep copy faked the green?
I have never tried it.

 

[MaxStout]

Just reading about Absinthe, it was saying the Chlorophyll in the botanical s gave it a green tint, i guess the ones who tried to make a cheep copy faked the green?
I have never tried it.

Anise is the dominant flavor, but the wormwood adds a complexity to it. If you don't like anise, you won't like absinthe. If you do, try to find a bar that serves it before spending upwards of $50 on a bottle. Don't drink it straight--it's awful that way. It needs to be slowly diluted about 2:1 with ice-cold water (the "louche"), to bring the oils out of solution. This really opens up the flavor. When louched, it tastes entirely different than straight. Some people prefer the sugar cube, but really good absinthe should not need it.

 

[ebstauffer]

Thujone can, however, have psychoactive effects in the right quantities, aided by alcohol. Actual hallucinations are highly unlikely, though.

We've (I work at a distillery) done considerable research before deciding against producing absinthe (low consumer uptake, high cost of production, consistency difficulties, trouble with fixating color, on and on and one) and never came across a well controlled study that showed any quantity of thujone caused hallucinations: convulsions and short-term memory effects yes (as you noted), hallucinations no Here's a reasonable, freely-available article on the subject:

http://pubs.acs.org/cen/email/html/cen_86_i18_8618sci2.html

 

[ebstauffer]

Just reading about Absinthe, it was saying the Chlorophyll in the botanical s gave it a green tint, i guess the ones who tried to make a cheep copy faked the green?

That may be the case. There are two distinct steps in the production: the first is to macerate botanicals in neutral spirits for some period of time. Grand Wormwood is traditionally in this first step. This is this distilled and results in a clear spirit. The second part is the coloring -- additional herbs are soaked in the distilled spirits including petite, or roman, wormwood that lend color to the spirit. This is then filtered and bottled. It's (in my experience) very difficult to keep the color a nice green. The solution we tried is a deeply tinted bottle which prevents (well, actually slowed ) the browning of the spirit. Although the TTB does allow artifical coloring, I'm uncertain if doing so completely eliminates the need for the second step; in other words, I dont know if the second imparts any flavor to the spirit.

Edit: punctuation
Edit 2: spelling

 

[mirrored]

So what other psychoactive effects are possible if not hallucinations?

And does it mess with serotonin levels in brain? Does anybody know - as far as I know, it might be since it's hallucinogenic (thujone), and some things like ayahuasca do have that effect and their usage yields a possibility of serotonin storm.