Archives of THE ABSINTHE BOOK 2/98 thru 8/98
_________________________________________________
Property of La Fée Verte:
http://www.feeverte.net
©1998 Kallisti & the Author
(cannot be reprinted without permission)
_________________________________________________
Entry number 41 --
Name: simon
E-mail address: simonfb@aol.com
Homepage URL:
Comments:
i was lucky enough to be brought a bottle back by a friend from Spain - made by Phillippe, and labelled "Le Vrai Absinthe" - it was 60% (120 US proof) and I believe it was the equivalent of £7uk. It didnt go as cloudly as Pernod, Ricard etc and tasted a lot "fresher". It was not as sweet as Pastis but was not too bitter to drink unsweetened.
As far as I am aware Absinthe was never outlawed in the UK as it was never really popular here. I have requested bottles from several friends visiting spain, but all have failed to find it - one guy phoned me from the liquor store!!!
re ethanol - the Polish make a 80% vodka - that works well
Date: Tue Mar 3 13:00
Entry number 52 --
Name: Lost Sailor
E-mail address: pcongen@epri.com
Homepage URL:
Comments:
Regarding the recipe for distilling "true" Absinthe. The
author does not give any specific temperatures for the
distillation process. Distillation is a fairly complex
process requiring specific temperature. There are a number
of different types of alcohol and if your not careful you
will poison yourself. The goal of distillation is to get
Ethanol (EtOH - drinking alcohol) without getting Isopropyl
(C3H8O - rubbing alcohol) and Methanol (CH4O - wood
alcohol). Isopropyl alcohol will make you sick, but
Methanol will kill you. During Prohibition in the U.S. many
people died drink "bathtub gin" with Methanol in it. (They
wer also using automotive radiators as condensers. The
standard method of repairing these radiators was with lead
patches. They were making a lead tincture!). I would
highly recommend research on the distillation process,
before any attempt at absinthe manufacture is undertaken.
Date: Thu Mar 12 14:19
Entry number 60 --
Name: Kallisti
E-mail address: kallisti@sepulchritude.com
Homepage URL: http://www.sepulchritude.com
Comments:
Just a brief note to let you all know I posted the page
"Absinthe Herb & Oil Vendors", with a small selection of
online vendors who can supply you with your absinthe needs.
let me know your experiences with the vendors if you use
them, as I would like to know how reliable etc they are.
Also, I just posted the following message to a newsgroup,
and though it is slightly out of context, I thought I would
include it here for your edification. Here goes:
True absinthe though must be *distilled* to resemble
something akin to the aperitif of old. The steeped absinthe
recipes one finds on the net (and I have recipes for both on
my site) can indeed produce something rather noxious, and it
takes some experimenting to get a decent flavor, though it
can be done. Wormwood and all ingredients called for in
absinthe brewing are perfectly legal in the U.S., some of
them are quite common. Everclear (pure grain alcohol),
though, is not legal in all states. And when recipes *do*
call for pure grain alcohols, they are meant to be diluted
with distilled water as well, rendering the alcohol at
approx. 120 proof. Where grain alcohols are illegal, a
flavorless alcohol is subsituted, like vodka, and the water
is left out of the recipe. This, of course, ONLY applies to
steeped absinthe. Distilled absinthe *must* use pure
alcohol.
The psychoactive attributes of absinthe are not experienced
by all, indeed, very few claim to have experienced them, and
it certainly takes a rather intense binge to get there. But
it is certainly *different* than your standard alcohol high.
Date: Fri Mar 20 17:42
Entry number 66 --
Name: Kiddo
E-mail address:
Homepage URL:
Comments:
New Orleans is the place, and Herbsaint (with wormwood bitters) is the drink. I shall return.
Date: Tue Mar 31 15:16
Entry number 71 --
Name: Kate
E-mail address:
Homepage URL:
Comments:
I tried Absinthe when I lived in Prague in '94 and even
managed to bring several bottles back to the States with me
without any problems at Customs (I didn't know at the time
that this was illegal).
Since then, I've haven't been able to find Absinthe in any
other European country. I tried many liquor stores in Spain
and Portugal without any luck. I'll be going to Amsterdam in
a couple of weeks and wanted to see if anyone has been able
to buy Absinthe there. If you have, could you please post
the name of the exact store. Thanks.
Date: Fri Apr 10 09:14
Entry number 77 --
Name: Kallisti
E-mail address: kallisti@sepulchritude.com
Homepage URL: http://www.sepulchritude.com
Comments:
Oh! The many questions that have arisen ... I will endeavor
to answer them.
Pernod is an absinthe substitute, aside from the color, the
only thing that is very similar is the strong anise flavor.
If it is the anise(licorice) that you object to, you are
probably out of luck on that score. Absinthe is a very
strong (120 proof) liqueur with an extreeeeemly bitter
taste. Sugar and anise (among a sundry of other herbs) were
added to conteract the intense bitterness. Much like
children's cough syrup. Absinthe, like so many other sodas,
drinks & liqueurs, had its start as a health tonic, to aid
digestion, among other things.
As for the recipes, aside from the distilled recipes I've
posted, these are a crude approximation of absinthe, and
most of them will taste questionable. Experimentation and
research are your best friends in this regard. Don't expect
to get a lovely batch of bathtub absinthe with the first
try. But don't give up either ... its the journey that is
the reward (yadda, yadda!).
As for an absinthe community, there is perhaps on the web,
but the sense of "community" probably stops there. Before
there was common internet access, I think we all hovered in
small dark rooms buried beneath mounds of Rimbaud & Wilde,
dreaming of absinthe because we believed THEY did. It is
certainly more widely known of these days, and more people
have been showing interest in it. But the word "community"
doesn't quite fill the bill, as it were.
And, unfortunately, I don't know of anyone currently
distributing Absinthe from Spain or Portugal ... If anyone
else does, please let me know!
Date: Fri Apr 17 19:48
Entry number 78 --
Name: nick jones
E-mail address: NICKYSPLENDID@yahoo.com.
Homepage URL:
Comments:
During my wilder years in 1996 I lived in Prague. It was
there that I first 'got into' Absinthe. My stay lasted 6
months and I smuggled 2 bottles back to Wales UK. That x-mas
my friend Sam and I used the stuff to get very drunk indeed.
I certainly believe that it makes you drunk like no other
drink I've tried. My pals in Prague (the Czech ones) warned
me to leave the stuff alone telling me horror stories to
scare me eg:- people 'shitting themselves' at clubs having
drunk the stuff, or getting run over by cars on the way
home.
All in all I find it a pleasurable drink. A damn sight nicer
than Pernod!! But where can I get another bottle??
Date: Sat Apr 18 05:39
Entry number 79 --
Name: "Devildog"
E-mail address: lvpham@hotmail.com
Homepage URL:
Comments:
Concerning the procurement of wormwood essential oil...
The Essential Oil Co. is currently out and will be for at
least 4 mo. This according to the customer service rep I
spoke to as of 4-15-98. I found another source via the
internet: www.global-perspectives.com -- This is a company
out of North Carolina and there prices are roughly twelve-
fold more expensive (14.95 for 1/8 oz.) compared to the
Essential Oil Co. Recently, ordered some, will keep you
posted on the quality of the product.
Date: Sat Apr 18 14:07
Entry number 81 --
Name: Antoine Breaux
E-mail address: tabreaux@neworleans.com
Homepage URL:
Comments:
Being a scientist and having had the opportunity to drink
100 year old Pernod absinthe from an original bottle (!),
let's clear up some wishful thinking in favor of facts: (1)
The Czech stuff (Hill's) is horrible tasting garbage with
green food coloring, and is nothing in flavor or effect
like real absinthe (yuk!). Sorry, but this stuff is a
marketing ploy. Don't waste your time nor money just to get
sick on this foul garbage. (2) There is only one way to
make real absinthe, and that is to distill it from the
proper balance of whole herbs. The ethanol concentration
must be high enough to extract the essentials. The notion
that putting crumbled wormwood in vodka, etc., is nonsense,
and certainly makes a horrible tasting concoction. (3) Dr.
Arnold almost got the distillation recipe correct, but
there is a critical error which must be resolved from it to
have an acceptable conclusion. I had a conversation with
him about this very subject some time ago. (4) Real
absinthe is a very delicately balanced, pleasant floral
liqueur, with pleasant bouquet and complex flavors which
can only be acquired via distillation. It does not taste
like Pernod. Pernod is simply oil of star anise macerated
with watered down ethanol, and that is it. (5) The 'effect'
of absinthe which people like to exaggerate so much (no
doubt out of pure romanticism) is not simply due to
wormwood, but rather to the combination of sedatory
wormwood with excitatory herbs. In effect, it is an herbal
'speedball'. It sort of gives you a wide awake, slow
motion sensation. Nothing overly dramatic however, just
different. Without the distilled proper balance of other
herbs, it is not the same as real absinthe.
Just some FYI from an educated individual who chose to
share knowledge and experience.
Date: Tue Apr 21 15:54
Entry number 82 --
Name: Dutch dude
E-mail address:
Homepage URL:
Comments:
In response to Kates request, forget about trying to get
Absinthe Amsterdam. No way. Stick to either Spain, Portugal,
Japan I think. And forget about Czechia. I see lots of
references to Czech absinthe. But that is just crap stuff.
The Czech absinthe tastes like pure alchohol
and a very slight other taste. Not anise flavoured at all.
A slight menthol flavour, but that's it. When you add it to
water nothing happens and you have practically no flavour
left over. So you are buying alchohol with a green colour,
although some people say that it has some "effect", it
tastes so disgusting and bears no resemblance to the
original that there is no point in trying to drink it.
When I bought some once in Prague, the lady behind the
counter started abusing me wildly in Czech as if to say
"stupid foreigner fools". I have no idea what she said.
I've never tasted Spainish/Portugese absinthe, but by all
accounts it's at least it is intended to be like a real
absinthe.
Date: Wed Apr 22 03:32
Entry number 89 --
Name: Verdigo
E-mail address: odcs@aol.com
Homepage URL:
Comments:
Vive la Fée Verte!
In Portugal, four years ago, I was introduced to "Absinto".
I am ashamed to say that-Philistine that I was-I drank it
via the shot glass. I brought back a bottle and finished it
with friends who marvelled at its effects.
I had no idea that there was so much ceremony and
controversy involved. However I have just finished Barnaby
Conrad's wonderful book. I want my bottle back!
So where can we get some?
Date: Fri May 1 18:20
Entry number 91 --
Name: Mike I.
E-mail address: absinthe2@hotmail.com
Homepage URL: http://www.mcs.net/~mikei/absinthe/
Comments:
Thought I'd stop by to check out the forum. This is my
favorite absinthe web site and the forum just makes it
better!
I see there's a lot of questions regarding commercial
absinthe. Maybe I can be of some help in this area since
I've been fortunate enough to be an avid consumer of said
products.
Absenta (Spain): My favorite. Very tart with a lemon and
anise after taste. If I had to limit myself to only one
drink for the rest of my life, this would be it. It's hard
to imagine pre-ban Pernod being better.
Lasala (Spain): Also quite good. However it does have a
strong (and I do mean strong) wormwood smell and flavor. If
you don't like wormwood, keep away from this stuff. I get
visual effects after about number three or four.
Hill's (Czech Republic): This is a case of comparing apples
and oranges. It is made with wormwood so technically it is
absinthe although not the traditional Pernod type. It is
made to be drank straight up (blah). Must be an aquired
taste or something - gives me the willies just to think of
it. I have found it to be quite acceptable when mixed 50-50
with Pernod or Ricard and then served up in the usual
manner.
Hope this helps clear up some of the myths.
Mike
ps: Please don't email me asking where to get the stuff. Be
creative and I'm sure you'll find a way.
Date: Sat May 2 17:58
Entry number 95 --
Name: gregor
E-mail address: sisyphus2000@webtv.net
Homepage URL:
Comments:
hello all.....
i am going to england next week, where i shall finally get to try some authentic absinthe.as everyone may or may not know, absinthe was never outlawed in england. everyone just assumed it was so. i have the names of two bars that serve it (absenta, i believe) in london,
and i plan on seeking them out as soon as i arrive. i will post my findings and experiences when i return......cheers!
Date: Fri May 15 17:12
Entry number 97 --
Name: Spawn
E-mail address: delican13@usa.net
Homepage URL:
Comments:
g'day all - i've been living in Prague just over 2 years now
and have been drinking Absinth from time to time - an
American friend of mine recently got very sick and was
diagnosed as suffering from ( as i understood it ) extended
absinthe intoxication. Does anyone know anything about this
condition? If so, please mail me.
Date: Mon May 18 03:08
Entry number 98 --
Name: Rizla
E-mail address:
Homepage URL:
Comments:
Drinking Pernod with wormwood extract:
I'm sorry to say that this doesn't really work. I tried
drinking a lot of this, and the only thing that happened is
that I started to get drunk. I tried raising the amount of
extract in each shot, until I got to the point where I drank
almost a half ounce of it straight. I didn't die, or get
sick, or anything. Maybe the quality of the extract was
lacking, but after drinking so much of it I'd have to say
that wormwood extract has no intoxicating effects.
Date: Wed May 20 09:02
Entry number 102 --
Name: Kurt
E-mail address: kfingu01@sprynet.com
Homepage URL: http://www.lycaeum.org/drugs/plants/brews/absinthe.html
Comments:
Hello all!. Yes, this is the best absinthe page..Kallisti
asked me if I would put my page in the absinthe ring, but it
is not "good enough" for it..I have zip for info..Just a few
pictures and a absinthe related name..(Wings of Artemis/Le
fee Verte's den)
Well, I have done an absinthe article and it can be found at
a few places on the net..One place is the Lyceam drug
archives in the "brews" section..Entheogen dot hosts it as
well, in the archives.
I have always been baffled by the recipe's for steeped
absinthe that call for less than an oz of wormwood.
If I have high grade, fresh as heck, wormwood, an OZ will
do, but barely..
If it is so so quality, 2 oz is needed...
I always use an oz of wormwood powder sold at a local herb
store, along with the other wormwood herb..
I made steeped absinthe for weekly for six months..I got
good at it, and was able to make a product I could feel.
It took a few times before I felt it...But I DID feel the
wormwood, not just the alcohol, as I only drank less than an
oz of liquid.
Eventually, I got the mix of all the herbs down good, but I
had to put a higher than normal amount of wormwood in it to
get an effect...
2 or 3 oz works really well, steeped in everclear(95% alc)
slight visual distortion, kinda like if you stand up too
fast..sometimes certain colors dominated in my field of
vision(blue, yellow, and green..)
But mostly, an interesting mellowing effect along with a
stimulant effect..Higher doses caused the visual distortion.
Left me feeling burnt out each time, but I came back for
more..Every day..every morning(sick, huh?)..Before school,
after class, in the evening, all the time..
Tolerance did seem to develop, so I just put more absinthe
in..Also, the quality of anise seemed to matter, as the
anise seems to help achive clouding effect..
I used to use oil of anise..By itself, if water is added to
oil of anise, it will get a strong milky white color..More
so than the absinthe milky appearance..
After awhile, I got the anise down right, and used herb and
herb powder of anise..The strong wormwood would also cloud
beautifully(I would take samples before addition of other
herbs to see how much wormwood oil was in it, and added
more accordingly then added everything else..).Eventually, I
got the amounts right, and added it all at the same time.
I gave it up quite quickly, and made a batch in October.
It is still brewing with herbs at the bottom(I brew it in a
french press, which makes straining easy)
The alcohol keeps evaporating, leaving me with a soaked,
black heap of herbs at the bottom..I add more alcohol and it
is darker each time..(the bulk of the herbs in it is
wormwood)I tried it once about 6 months ago, and it was very
strong..Right now, it must be EXTREMELY strong.
This one will not taste very original..Indeed, I would only
even dare to say that one of my 40 or so brews have been
even remotly reminiscent, in taste, of the original brands..
But this one brewing right now will be very strong and send
me into oblivion.
I put it down cuz I was taking it for granted..Now, I will
enjoy it a few times a year and savor each time..(it also
seemed to be doing a number on my acedemic performance, but
I guess that would be expected if drank daily(and in class!)
My memory seemed to be the most effected, and absinthe was
the only "chemical" ingested during that time period.)
There is an effect from absinthe...At least in some
people..I can vouch for me that it is very noticable..
But with the low-wormwood recipes, I can see how it would
not be that strong(barring distillation, which would, I
imagine, make a wonderful brew.)
Steeped wormwood is, I would guess, many times more bitter
than distilled absinthe(I have been told this too)
The main bitter principlem in wormwood, absinthin (not
absinthine, or thujone, etc..) I think I remember hearing
that it is mainly soluble in water...There are a number of
bitter chemicals in it, but absinthin is the main one(I may
have the name wrong, but that IS the name given by two
sources)That would explain why wormwood tea is so horribly
bitter. IMO, more bitter than alcohol based
absinthe..(whatever the method)..With a high alc %, I have
found that the repulsive bitterness is diminished, but the
persistent, sharp, and stomach churning bitterness is still
there..It just seems different than the bitter taste from
wormwood tea, and my low alchol content attempts..I use
anisette once to brew it...It was just brown and gross and
did nothing.
Using my regular recipe, I achived a nice green color, than
turned a wonderful opal, very "thick" cloudy appearance, and
when water is added slowly, the clouding is very nice to
watch..With earlier recipes, the clouding of the water was
kinda dull and fast...(One drop and its not cloudy, and a
few drops later and its suddenly a hazy cloudy appearance
that doesn't get better) With my standard recipe, it gets
cloudy from the first drop, and with each drop, a marvelous
play of swirling clouds develops..The great part was that
this happened with each drop for awhile, even though it got
slowly more cloudy as a whole..Eventually, it wouldn't
happen as the whole thing was cloudy...But the final
cloudiness was beautiful as well..I had not heard of
"Opaline" or any of those descriptions till Kallisti wrote
me and I followed the link here(a few months ago).But that
is the perfect description, one that eluded me for a long
time..I knew it looked like an opal color, cuz opals have
that slight mix of rainbow colors in them..But i was shocked
when I read the description "opaline" cuz I didn't realize
that this was a desired color..I only knew that it should be
cloudy and greenish...It affirmed that I indeed did
something right(with all that practise!)
Well, I could go on, but this is too long..Proably the
longest on the page(I tend to write long posts wherever I
go, so I limit the amount of posting that I do.)
Please write me if ya have any questions, or any info that
you want to share with me..I gave a link to my article with
this post...PLEASE NOTE that I never use calamus anymore,
and only used it once, and it made me feel awful, and ruined
an otherwise exceptional batch that took some time to
perfect..The article was written quickly for someone, and
then I was asked by many people if they could put it on
their site..I did not revise it(only one sentence was
omitted) and that is why it is not written that well..
anyway, look it at if ya want...
If ya made it all the way through this post, BRAVO!.
I will continue to come here and read all ya'lls posts(as I
do routinely)..This is a great site, and is beautiful..I
have learned much here, possibly more than what my personal
experience has taught me(which is alot)..
Get to know the green fairy and she can show you a differnt
side of life..One that is beautiful and exposes the splendor
of everything, but one that taxes the mind after awhile.It
shows you a different side of life..One that I yearn to
revisit, but know I am to not go there again.....yet..
BTW, music from the classical period and romantic period
seemed to enchant me more than usual under the effects of my
absinthe...My emotions were triggered easily, and my
imagination flowed freely as I listened to it..Try berlioz's
Symphony Fantasique under the effects of absinthe..Quite
incredible...Music and absinthe seem to go hand in Hand..For
me..Ahhh, I do remember those absinthe intoxicated mornings,
driving up the scening route to class, absinthe ignighting
my mind and causing a sea of fuzzy colors to blur my
vision..I would stumble into class quite dazed looking and
often quite pale from the drink 10 minutes earlier..A tinge
of anxiety would overtake me for a good while and that was
common with my absinthe drinking...But the dreamy
imagination that it produced could take me away from that
anxiety ridden state...
Oh how I miss those days..
They were wonderful.
Take care.
Kurt
Date: Tue May 26 03:09
Entry number 103 --
Name: james bongd
E-mail address:
Homepage URL: http://www.linda.com/052597.htm
Comments:
Absinthe may be legal in the Czech
Republic but there is none available
there! That bogus lighterfluid and
windex combination called "Hill's
Absinthe"is NOT absinthe and in fact
bears not even scantiest resemblance to
absinthe. It is truly an abomination to
avoided. yeuchhhh gag me w/ an
absinthe spoon!
That said, I can recomend a nice
absinthe bar in Barcelona. In the
Barrio Chino on Calle San Jaon (abt 5
blocks from The Ramblas on a corner)
is The Marsaillies , where for over a
hundred years they have been pouring
Absenta brand absinthe.The redheaded
Californian behind the bar is Scotty
and he will happily pour u a glass or
sell you a bottle.
Date: Wed May 27 02:32
Entry number 106 --
Name: Mark
E-mail address: postbus@megavit.demon.nl
Homepage URL:
Comments:
Hello, I bought an extract from absint in Amsterdam and made a drink containing several psycho-active herbs.
I balanced them for proper use. Some combinations can be very dangerous, so don't mix without knowledge about what you are doing or what the result can be.
The pure extract of absint only, I haven't used yet, so I can't tell what is the efffect of it.
For the whole drink I made, I experience some changes even after some days; feeling more in my body and less in my head.
This can be positive, but also negative.
I think it is the same as with pure absint, if you take to much, your normal way of thinking, behaving and controlling yourself can disappear and one can go crazy.
So, I say to myself and to you: listen carefully to your body about the effects it has; especially on your conciousness (clear thinking, memory, etc.)
Herbal regards,
Mark
Date: Wed May 27 14:07
Entry number 107 --
Name: Dawn
E-mail address: oneiromncy@hotmail.com
Homepage URL:
Comments:
A slightly tweaked version of Dale Pendall's Pharmako/poeia
recipe was declared better than a bottle of the real thing
smuggled in from Potugal. Similar reports came back from an
earlier batch of the same brew that they had at Burning Man.
Since grain alcohol is hard to find upwards of 153 proof
these days, one must really experiment with the herb to
alcohol ratio. The effects were reported to be very
different from alcohol alone, but not hallucinations. More
of a profoundness of space, thought and time. Synergistic
effects (much like one experieces from THC mixed with other
substances) were also reported; but not to the same degree.
The flavor of the distallate was very smooth with only
slight bitter overtones (which turned to a bittersweet with
the sugar). The screw-ups usually happened in the flavor
when the attempts came to colour it. The green colour comes
from the chlorophyl in the wormwood; but if too much is used
or is left in too long it makes the drink utterly
unpalatable. There are other herbs with high chlorophyl
levels that can be substituted for some of the colouring
herbs. The recipe was never canonized from region to region
so it is perfectly correct to play around.
Also, there are indeed places to get the proper spoons
without having to forgo paying rent. I know a silversmith
and antique dealer in my area that offered a fair price for
copying a set if I could get an original. Barring that,
there are round teaspoonse perferated that I find by the
armful out here that could easily be used for the same
purpose.
By the way, you have a wonderful site. I have bookmarked
it and have shown all of my friends. Thank you for the
wonderful information. Thank you.
Date: Thu May 28 00:26
Entry number 116 --
Name: gregor
E-mail address: sisyphus2000@webtv.net
Homepage URL:
Comments:
hello all....
just got back from london. did not get to try any absinthe. the bar that normally serves it (the fridge bar:in brixton) was out of stock for the time being (just my luck).....oh well, still on the elusive trail of la fe verte......
Date: Thu Jun 4 21:53
Entry number 118 --
Name: Brenda
E-mail address:
Homepage URL:
Comments:
What an interesting page. What's more interesting is the number of people who sound as if they are desperately searching for new ways to hallucinate.
I'm new to the subject, but I spent quite a while in Greece, where the old folks often pour you a small amount of OUZO, fill the glass with water, which then becomes milky. I understood that it, too, was made with wormwood (or cured in wormwood barrels) and often did the same evil things to those who drank in exess hoping for hallucinations (which, I was told, could occur). OUZO is perfectly legal here, and may be a better starting point than Pernod for home concoctions.
Date: Fri Jun 5 08:50
Entry number 122 --
Name: Antoine Breaux
E-mail address: tabreaux@neworleans.com
Homepage URL:
Comments:
I've been reading some of these posts with amusement. Just
to get you pointed in the right direction without
needlessly wasting money and time in search of this severly
misunderstood and alluring liqueur, here are a few free
pointers:
The Czech "Hills Absinth" is pure garbage. This is not
absinthe, not even close. Sorry.
You'd probably have somewhat better luck with the Spanish
liqueur, but I have heard that at least one brand has a
syrupy, sugary base. This is not absinthe.
Trying to make an extract using Pernod is a fruitless
proposition. The ethanol concentration of Pernod (or other
liqueurs and liquors) is not sufficient to extract the
complex alkaloidal essentials from the herbs. This is why
85+% ethanol must be used in an extraction. Furthemore,
you still won't get all of the essentials without a heated
distillation step. Distillation of a flammable substance
can certainly be very dangerous, don't try it without
proper equipment and expert supervision.
Finally, macerating a beverage with increasing amounts of
wormwood oil (as was posted previously) is a STUPID
proposition. One person has departed this planet as a
result of this experimentation. Furthermore, the mild,
pleasant effects of real absinthe is due to a proper blend
of herbs with opposing properties, and not an overdose of
absinthin (i.e. essence of wormwood). Wormwood oil is
toxic to the nervous system. Real absinthe contained only
a little. Taking sublethal doses to try to see a
hallucination is just the stupidity that would call enough
attention to activate the legal 'killjoy' process. Avoid
the 'if some is good, then more must be better' attitude,
and ignore ignorance. Just the facts from someone who
understands the liquer absinthe from scientific aspects as
well as experience.
Peace
Date: Mon Jun 8 13:25
Entry number 128 --
Name: Chris
E-mail address: demonheart@hotmail.com
Homepage URL:
Comments:
Great page with some really good info.I wanna add one thing
though.I'm stationed in Okinawa Japan right now and me and
some friends found Absinthe downtown.Now it's a weekend
ritual to go downtown and get a bottle to drink every
weekend.We also found out it mixes well with Coke.I prefer
straight but when that starts getting too rough we go for
the coke.if you wanna know anything else contact me i'll be
glad to let ya know anything i can.
Date: Fri Jun 12 01:47
Entry number 134 --
Name: Gulliver MacLean
E-mail address: clurichu@hotmail.com
Homepage URL:
Comments:
I spent some growing-up time in Spain, and one of the
rituals in the house of a friend was to drink a kirsch glass
amount of absinthe. It was meant to help digestion. I'll
never forget that experience although this happened twenty
years ago. I hardly drink nowadays but the scent and the
taste still linger with me upto today. A votre sante.
Gulliver.
P.S. Did I forget to mention that you have a wonerful Web
page? *smiles*
Date: Sun Jun 14 01:28
Entry number 137 --
Name: Name required
E-mail address:
Homepage URL:
Comments:
I returned from Spain with 7 bottles of Absinthe. I was hard
to find and I thought that I would share a few tips.
1, Ajenjo is the word the spanish use to refer to what is
called absinthe in France. If you ask for "Ajenjo", no one
will understand you.
2, Absenta is both a brand name and the type of liquor we
call "Absinthe".
3, Thus, i bought three type of absenta (One of which was
called Absenta).
4, Most people from Spain buy liquor in small stores or in
supermarkets, but in Madrid and the south of Spain (at
least), you will not find absinthe. Most people in Madrid
and in the south, have never herd of "absenta"
5, To find absinthe, you need to find a "wine store" or a
liquor store which sells only liquor. As these stores are
rare, and it is hard to find absinthe.
I found three brands: Absenta, Segarra, and Fabrica de
Licores Mariano Absenta (100, 80, 110 proof). Other than
absinthe, Segarra makes brandy that goes for $3,000-135,00 a
bottle. Its absinthe cost $30. Purists in Spain swear by
this brand. Fabrica de Licores, the strongest, is made by a
mom and pop store, which won a prize in the 1840's. The
Abinthe, so they claim, is the same now as it was then. It
goes for about $15 a bottle. Both may be bought in Madrid.
The Absenta, I bought in Saville.
I saved the names of the stores and where they are located.
If anybody would like this information, ask for it on this
page, and I will respond.
I also went to Prague, the czech stuff, not only does not
change color, but the buzz a drunk and no the high that one
gets from absenta
Date: Tue Jun 16 11:09
Entry number 142 --
Name: Name
E-mail address:
Homepage URL:
Comments:
In Madrid, Absinthe can be found in two places that I know
of. I bought Segarra (see below) at LA Bodega del Alcalde.
This is a small shop located in a mall on the Calle Serrano.
The name of the mall is ABC Serrano Cento Comercial. There
are two malls on the Calle Sarano and this is the one that
is theleast chi chi.It is at 61 Serrano. Anyway, to find it,
first go to the U. S. Embassy. From there, without crossing
the street, start walking in the toward the Corte Ingles
(the big dept.store). The first mall that you find will be
the one that you are looking for. The store's e-mail is
bodegaalcalde@solitel.es and the web site is
www.solitel.es/bodegalcalde. The other absinthe that I got
in Madrid, the 110 proof absinthe, I got at Mariano Madrueno
located at 3 Postigo de San Martin. (Tel. 521-1955). It is a
very small st. (so make sure that you have a "Streetwise"
map of Madrid) about a 7min walk from the Palacio Real (
Royal Palace). If your with someone who doesn't like
or doesn't want to look for absinthe (a wife or girlfriend),
go to the Calle Sarrano to shop (it has the best stores in
Madrid) or take the Postigo de St. Martin to get to the 700
year old Royal Monastery (well worth the visit and and
opened by order of the Pope in the 1960's). In Saville, one
can find Absenta at the Casa de Licores. It is a few blocks
away from the bull ring (Plaza de Torros de la Maestranza)
on the Paseo de San Cristobal. If you start from the
intersection of Reyes Catolicos and the Paseo de Cristobal
and walk down the Paseo toward the Parque Maria Luisa, you
will pass by the store. It hard to miss as it has put up
large inflated liquor bottle on the sidewalk by the store.
NOTE: MOST STORES ARE CLOSED IN SPAIN FROM 2-5 PM (For those
hours the bottle is not left inflated). No English is spoken
in any of these stores, but everyone who works there will
understand the word "Absenta". This walk is also well worth
it (as it goes by a river and leads you to a park which will
melt the heart of your loved one).
Date: Sat Jun 20 12:06
Entry number 145 --
Name: Allen
E-mail address:
Homepage URL:
Comments:
To "Me", who asked, on June 20, as to the "letter of the
law" regarding absinthe:
Under the FDA regulations (Code of Federal Regulations,
Title 21, Part 172 ("Food Additives Permitted For
Direct Addition to Food For Human Consumption"),
Subpart F ("Flavoring Agents and Related
Substances"), Section 172.510(21 CFR 172.510):
"Natural flavoring substances and natural adjuvants may be
safely used in food in accordance with the following
conditions.
a)They are used in the minimum quantity required to produce
their intended physical or technical effect and in
accordance with all the principles of good manufacturing
practice.
b) In the appropriate forms (plant parts, fluid and solid
extracts, concretes, absolutes, oils, gums, balsams, resins,
oleoresins, waxes, and distillates) they consist of one or
more of the following, used alone or in combination with
flavoring substances and adjuvants generally recognized as
safe in food, previously sanctioned for such use, or
regulated in any section of this part."
A table of plants and plant parts follows, which includes:
"Artemisia (wormwood)...Limitations...Finished food thujone
free".
This limitation is attached to all of the other substances
on the list which contain thujone as well. I'm afraid that
puts "real" absinthe legally off-limits in the U.S.
Date: Wed Jun 24 11:10
Entry number 147 --
Name: Allen
E-mail address:
Homepage URL:
Comments:
I have tried Hill's Absinth (the Czech stuff), and whew! is
it vicious! The reek is unbelievable, although it gets
better once you've cut it with water (5:1 at least) and
sugar (in the traditional fashion, of course). I had two
glasses last Friday night (about 3-4 ounces, total), and
paid for it the rest of the weekend. I spent all day
Saturday with my head swelling and exploding, which was also
what my digestive tract did all day and all night whenever I
dared veer a degree from horizontal. Sunday, I just had a
normal hangover.
This is pretty nasty for something that basically just gives
you a light buzz. What's in this stuff, anyway?
On a related note, I noticed that someone posted that there
were at least two labels of Czech absinthe. Could that
poster give some more info, compare and contrast, perhaps?
On an only vaguely related note, does anyone know if
Herbsaint is still manufactured, and, if so, if there is any
liquor store that will sell it mail order? I have started
making little collection of anise liqueurs (including
anesone, which I had never heard of, and La Muse Verte
pastis (thanks, Kallisti!)), and would like to pick some up,
but it is definitely not available in the Northeastern U.S.
Any help would be most appreciated.
Allen
Date: Fri Jun 26 20:35
Entry number 149 --
Name: Dude
E-mail address: absinthe@thegym.net
Homepage URL:
Comments:
Oh no, not Hill's absinthe again. The makers of Hill's
absinthe must be pissing themselves laughing at the success
of their drink, which seems to be nothing more than
alchohol, water and food colouring. I'm told that the
numbers on the bottom right of the label are the numbers of
the standard European food colouring used. It would not at
all surprise me of the thujone content, if any is
practically nil as there is no bitter taste at all and if
one adds water to it it becomes pretty much tasteless. Must
be helluva cheap to make. As to the "traditional way" with
water, this may be, but not with Hill's absinthe, the
Czech's have never heard of this method. Really guys, don't
let yourselves be fooled by Hill's absinthe, I've heard that
Sebor absinthe is more like the traditional absinthe, those
it's hard to find there as Hill's absinthe is all over the
place. Stick to Spanish, Andorran or Portugese absinthe,
because Hill's absinthe is essentially a scam IMHO. I think
the only reason that Hill's absinthe is to be found so
prolific in Czechia is because of it's high alchohol
content. i.e. it's a great drink for alchoholics to poison
themselves on. Has anyone ever done an analysis of the
thujone content of this drink? Maybe then we can finally
bury this drink for the scam that it is.
Date: Sat Jun 27 08:10
Entry number 163 --
Name: LHOON
E-mail address: LHOON@monarchy.com
Homepage URL:
My Favorite Absinthe Is:
Portuguese: Absinto
Comments:
Congratulations with this site: it is the best and most
comprehensive absinth site I ever found.
My first connection with Absinthe was a bottle I once
brought from Portugal. I quite like it, but most other
people whom I drank it with just disliked its taste. It is a
pale green drink, which, unlike I expected, did not turn
cloudy when water was added.
I had no opportunity to buy the stuff since then (no more
visits to Portugal, and did not find it in Spain). However,
I have made some own concoctions. I made a base extract,
letting 10 grams of dried wormwood (sold in capsules in
health shops) steep in 200 ml of 96% alcohol for one month.
I then filtered of the herbs obtaining an emerald green
extract. This could be used directly, diluting it with water
(once again, it did not turn cloudy), or adding it to
Pastis. The taste is extremely bitter, of a bitterness which
stays in your mouth well into the next day. However, it
gives a hard-to-describe effect, which may not be caused by
the alcohol alone. Is it real or is it just the imagination
surrounding the absinthe scene?
Does anyone else have similar experiences, and how close
would such a concoction be to the "real" stuff from before
1915? Please feel free to mail me at the a
Date: Tue Jul 7 10:47
Entry number 185 --
Name: ASilver
E-mail address: asilver76@hotmail.com
Homepage URL: http://i-don't-have-one.com
My Favorite Absinthe Is:
Haven't tried it yet, but want to!
Comments:
Hello fellow absinteurs!
I just have a few quick requests for the readers of this
fantastic site:
1) Can someone PLEASE put together a comprehensive list of
ALL know brands of Absinthe commercially available,
including their country of origin, typical price in native
currency, and a short description of each brand's particular
aesthetic (i.e. strong, weak, well-bananced, cloying,
medicinal, crappy, changes color properly, doesn't change
color, has an appealing bouquet, is best used to euthanize
small animals, works great as a bug repellant but should be
ingested by consenting adults, etc...). I think it would be
a great help to all of us would be absinthe conneseiurs...
2) Can someone find a way to access the old guestbook posts?
There are quite a few interesting ones that now seem to be
gone...(sniff!)
3) Does anyone know where's the cheapest place to get
servicable authentic absinthe spoons and glasses? They don't
have to be high quality or in mint condition...I'm merely
looking for pieces that can be used again, once the proper
beverage is obtained. The internet sites are EXPENSIVE, so
I'm looking for a down-home alternative. So, if anyone knows
of such a place anywhere in the US (preferrably) that would
part with such items for a reasonable price, I would be most
obliged.
Thanks again, and keep up the good work Kallisti!
Date: Mon Jul 27 09:54
Entry number 187 --
Name: Rei
E-mail address: Rei_kard@hotmail.com
Homepage URL: http://alumni.dee.uc.pt/~moutinho/galifoes
My Favorite Absinthe Is:
What's Absinthe?
Comments:
I am a portuguese student and I am write this letter, one
day before my travel to Czech Republic.I am very happy to
know that Czech Republic has Absinthe. Absinthe is my
favorite drink and here in Portugal we have a very good
Absinthe, with 57% of alchool, called "Neto Costa".
Rei
Date: Tue Jul 28 08:53
Entry number 191 --
Name: Kyle
E-mail address: Kyle@jes.czn.cz
Homepage URL:
My Favorite Absinthe Is:
Czech: Sebors
Comments:
Here is some information to clear-up issues
surrounding Czech Absinth. Spelled without an 3e2 at
the end as Czech is a phonetic language. There are
two distillers: Hill1s and Sebor1s. Hill1s is the
bright green liqueur which people have given bad
reviews. I have spoken to both Mr. Hill and Mr. Sebor
regarding their products. First Hill1s. Hill1s
claims to be based upon original Swiss and French
recipes from the 18th century. However, it does
contain artificial colours the reason it does not turn
opaque. It contain less than 1 mg/kg alpha and beta
thujone. It contains 19 different herbs, from the
Alps and Central Europe, some of these are: chamomile,
fennel, anise, coriander, mint, and wormwood. Yet not
much can be tasted in its undiluted form. It is in 140
proof alcohol solution.
Sebor is a much more herbal Absinth, made from
basically the same herbs, but in greater quantities
and balanced proportions and not overpowered by
alcohol (it is 110 proof) and free of artificial
colours. His recipe he researched from historical
sources and made changes to make it more tasty (and it
is!). The Sebor is characterized by a strong anise
aroma and taste, sweet at first giving way to a warm
bitterness with the other herbs balancing the taste,
an arousing elixir. It turns opaque when ice or cold
water is added. The thujone content is around 5 mg/
kg. However the maximum allowed under Czech law is
35mg/kg. Yet no distiller attempts to reach this. If
you are interested in sampling some Sebor, (or Hill1s)
drop me an email. I had a Sebor tasting yesterday at
the pub and after having quite a few I awoke earlier
than normal and felt better than usual. I will post
the Sebor label translation later, it is interesting.
Date: Wed Jul 29 14:03
Entry number 195 --
Name: the absinthe minded professor
E-mail address: sorry, gotta stay low-profile
Homepage URL:
My Favorite Absinthe Is:
Spanish: Absenta
Comments:
i went to spain late '96 and easily found absinthe in the
liquor stores on las ramblas in barcelona. clerks didn't
know what i was looking for, but two brands were for sale:
absenta (90 proof which i bought), and phillipe (138 proof
which scared me). drank 1/2 bottle of absenta and had aural
hallucinations for maybe 8 hours, really anxiety ridden.
the next day, i had the most irritating hangover, lasted for
2 more days. can't say i recommend use of absinthe for
everyone, but something you might want to try if you want to
get inside van gogh's head.
also, have brewed my own with pernod and wormwood, but it is
quite unlike the distilled european version.
try campari if you want something bitter without the
hallucinations...
Date: Thu Aug 6 09:23
Entry number 201 --
Name: MC
E-mail address: MayNotLast@aol.com
Homepage URL: http://
My Favorite Absinthe Is:
Other ...
Comments:
I have also heard absinthe is still available in Japan as "Hermes Liqueur Absinthe." However, in researching the web, I haven't seen Japan mentioned as a place where TRUE, LEGITIMATLEY MANUFACTURED (as opposed to "bath tub absinthe") is available.
Does anyone know more? Is Hermes Liqueur Absinthe REAL absinthe, or one of the Pernod-style absinthe substitutes?
Hope you can help
MNL
Date: Thu Aug 13 13:51
Entry number 203 --
Name: Allen
E-mail address:
Homepage URL: http://
My Favorite Absinthe Is:
Other ...
Comments:
A comment on absinthe substitutes, rather than absinthe
itself. I have tried Pernod, Ricard pastis, La Muse Verte
pastis, ouzo, etc., but the absolutely best substitute I
have found is Herbsaint. It's a pain to find outside of New
Orleans, but it tastes and smells like the descriptions I
have read of old absinthe (i.e., pre-ban). It is a much
more subtle blend of herbs, and not just whacking you over
the head with anise, like most of the others.
Allen
Date: Fri Aug 14 10:54
Entry number 207 --
Name: Bryan
E-mail address: BPennin106@aol.com
Homepage URL: http://
My Favorite Absinthe Is:
Other ...
Comments:
Here is the best way I have found to enjoy the effects of
wormwood safely. Use wormwood anise bitters.(they are
available from a source on the main page of this site and
are completely legal.)Regular Pernod works fine and by
adding a little bit of the bitters to a glass of Pernod,
water and sugar you will get the desired effect. Do not
simply dump the bitters into a bottle. You will have to
adjust the ammount of the bitters to your own taste and
desired effect. Take it from someone that has tripped many
times on various substances, done correctly and using
common sense this mixture give great results. A suggestion
to those who don't care for the taste of Pernod. Insted of
using water and sugar use Sprite. It works just fine that
way and it still clouds up like the real thing. If anyone
has or knows of a source to purchase Absinthe items such as
spoons, glasses Etc at a reasonable price please E-mail me.
Date: Sun Aug 16 08:35
_________________________________________________
Property of La Fée Verte:
http://www.sepulchritude.com/chapelperilous/absinthe/
© 1998 Kallisti (cannot be reprinted without permission)
_________________________________________________