Absinthe

[Wicky]

Christmas is coming and theres something about strong absinthe at the holidays I think goes well. Maybe its the sparkling lights and tinsel.

Any of you guys enjoy die grune fee?

[ChanceSchmerr]

I love Absinthe on a rare occasion. I enjoy the Bohemian variety a little better than the Parisian. Too Much Anise is not the greatest lol.

Havn't seen any fairies yet!

[Colt45]

I've never tried it - for no real reason other than it's never struck me to. Perhaps this season

[docbp87]

Love the stuff. Big fan. You have to be careful though, as there is a lot of garbage out there that calls itself Absinthe, when really it is nothing of the sort. My favorites are those made by Matter-Luginbühl in Switzerland. The Brevans bottles are particularly good in my experience. Emil Pernot's 1797 is another favorite. Great stuff, Absinthe. Never burn your sugar though!

[ChanceSchmerr]

Love the stuff. Big fan. You have to be careful though, as there is a lot of garbage out there that calls itself Absinthe, when really it is nothing of the sort. My favorites are those made by Matter-Luginbühl in Switzerland. The Brevans bottles are particularly good in my experience. Emil Pernot's 1797 is another favorite. Great stuff, Absinthe. Never burn your sugar though!

True "Absinthe" is the French type, that exhibits a Louche when the sugar/water mixes in the glass - and that can be fine stuff. But the "Absinth" coming out of other areas like Czech Rep, Greece etc, in which you burn the soaked sugar before mixing - this is not bad stuff either! At least, I don't think so! To each their own!

[docbp87]

True "Absinthe" is the French type, that exhibits a Louche when the sugar/water mixes in the glass - and that can be fine stuff. But the "Absinth" coming out of other areas like Czech Rep, Greece etc, in which you burn the soaked sugar before mixing - this is not bad stuff either! At least, I don't think so! To each their own!

Oh I know, but there are a lot of brands out there who add artificial color to their Absinthes, as well as syrupy flavoring, etc. If it glows neon green... don't buy it. There is nothing authentic about it, and the taste will certainly disappoint! As for the burned sugar, I have prepared Absinthe both ways in the years I have been drinking it, and have always found that burning the sugar adds a slight metallic character that I just do not care for. There is also the issue of the differences between Bohemian and Swiss/French Absinthe... basically one is not Absinthe, but rather a wormwood steeped distillate (with a lot of artificial flavors in many cases), while the other is steeped in history. Call me an Absinthe snob, so be it...

EDIT* I knew there was a good article on the subject out there somewhere:

http://www.wormwoodsociety.org/index.php?o...39&Itemid=1

[samb]

Oh I know, but there are a lot of brands out there who add artificial color to their Absinthes, as well as syrupy flavoring, etc. If it glows neon green... don't buy it. There is nothing authentic about it, and the taste will certainly disappoint! As for the burned sugar, I have prepared Absinthe both ways in the years I have been drinking it, and have always found that burning the sugar adds a slight metallic character that I just do not care for. There is also the issue of the differences between Bohemian and Swiss/French Absinthe... basically one is not Absinthe, but rather a wormwood steeped distillate (with a lot of artificial flavors in many cases), while the other is steeped in history. Call me an Absinthe snob, so be it...

EDIT* I knew there was a good article on the subject out there somewhere:

http://www.wormwoodsociety.org/index.php?o...39&Itemid=1

Interesting site, thanks for sharing.

[Wicky]

Glad to see some Absinthe lovers here. I think more people should give it a try. With so many different brands and recipes available, there's probably something to suit most tastes. Many dealers offer small samplers so you can experiment before commiting to a full bottle.

Personally I tend towards Amers or Bitter spirits and have enjoyed both distilled and macerated absinthes, but have yet to find any that require sugar in any form. Except perhaps King of Spirits Gold. (VERY bitter)

p.s.

No fairies here either Chris, but I do enjoy a unique sort of alertness in mind and vision with the higher thujone types.

[thechenman]

Never tried it, but have always wanted to. Who knows...maybe soon.

[Wicky]

To you guys who havent tried it yet, I would only suggest that you don't start with types available in the states.

[Ken Gargett]

my understanding was that the real stuff was banned in many countries, including the states, but that could be out of date. anyone else heard thaty?

and be real careful of the real stuff - it can massively alcoholic. the concerns about the hallucegenic (sp?) properties of it might have some basis but you would die of alcoholic poisoning long before they ever caused real harm.

[Wicky]

Banned in the early 1900s I believe it is now legal in much of Europe and other parts of the world as well.

The US ban was lifted in 2007 but as I read somewhere, absinthe bought in the states is akin to decafe coffee.

e.g. thujone levels are regulated to <10ppm

The taste is one thing but I believe it is the thujone level what makes absinthe, absinthe!

[Ken Gargett]

Banned in the early 1900s I believe it is now legal in much of Europe and other parts of the world as well.

The US ban was lifted in 2007 but as I read somewhere, absinthe bought in the states is akin to decafe coffee.

e.g. thujone levels are regulated to <10ppm

The taste is one thing but I believe it is the thujone level what makes absinthe, absinthe!

interesting and agree re what makes the real absinthe. it would have been pre 07 last time i looked so that would make sense.

it was never banned here but so many people in the industry thought it was, and many think it still is.

i had a few bottles of the good stuff a few years ago and a scumbag neighbour stole them and a bunch of cigars. his excuse was he thought that the cigars were only worth 50c each, because that was what he used to pay. some justice - he stole a cuaba diadema and it made him vomit heavily.

[jackohalloran]

my understanding was that the real stuff was banned in many countries, including the states, but that could be out of date. anyone else heard thaty?

and be real careful of the real stuff - it can massively alcoholic. the concerns about the hallucegenic (sp?) properties of it might have some basis but you would die of alcoholic poisoning long before they ever caused real harm.

its banned in Ireland... not sure why though, we have everything else

[habone]

I seen Marilyn Manson was peddling some sort of absinthe...his name for it is Mansithe. Has any 1 heard of it? Wonder what the thujone levels are?

type in "mansithe" for a webpage

[docbp87]

Honestly, Thujone levels make ZERO difference in Absinthe, because the concentration, even at its highest, would require you to drink gallons and gallons of the stuff to have any effect, and the alcohol would kill you long before the thujone would have any effect. The stories of Absinthe madness, if you do some research are all based on events involving men who imbibed crazy combinations, like 5 cognacs, 15 beers, 10 whiskies, and 3 absinthes, then killed their wives. Pretty sure the MASSIVE alcohol intake was the source of madness, not the miniscule thujone level in absinthe. These stories eventually led to the illegality. The stories are all told in much the same way that the youth become raving lunatics after smoking a little marijuana in "Reefer Madness" There IS plenty of modern anectodtal evidence to support the assertion that Absinthe invokes a clearheaded, and "intellectual" (God, that sounds self righteous!) state of drunkenness, unlike other spirits. As for having any hallucinogenic effect... go smoke DMT, hippie.

Mansinthe, despite being branded by Marilyn Manson, is actually made by a reputable Swiss manufacturer, and is pretty good. Not amazing, but not bad.

[JMH]

Can anyone give a few good names to look out for? I see it around occasionally, but have a feeling it's probably the lower end stuff.

some justice - he stole a cuaba diadema and it made him vomit heavily.

Finally a use for cuabas.

[#2 man]

I have recently discovered this ... have only had the french made.Have never played with sugar cubes or spoons just shots and I like the green licorice flavor! makes me happy but regretfully must confess no fairies