Absinthe

[Ransom]

With Michael's blessing, I have started this thread for those among the pyrate brethren who take a break from drinking rum once and a while, and flirt with le Fee Vert.

I admit, I am a newbie at this, and have only sampled two brands thus far. Thus far, I have tried:

Lucid...The smell is not its best feature. And Jamie warned me it would taste on the sweet side, and remarked that it reminded him of Good & Plenty candy. He was dead on. As stated on the Wormwood Society review, it's a good starter, but not top of the line.

Pacifique...The bouquet is marvelous! As is the taste. In comparison, Lucid tastes like Thames Embankment. Alas, I had already bought a bottle of Lucid, but will use it in cocktails, not straight, already too spoiled by the Pacifique.

So, anyone else? Rate your favorites, post links, etc. Oh, and let's not forget those spoons! LOL I told Jamie, that even if I ended up hating Absinthe, I would collect the spoons.

The Wormwood Society is a great site, as it gives reviews of hundreds of different brands, plus much more info. Check them out.

Wormwood Society

[Bos'n Cross]

you know i havnt yet had my favorite drink(oh and i ddooonnttt at all believe the hallucination claims, i have yet to see a thiinnng!)sense turning 21, i shall have to order a bottle!

[Tartan Jack]

My first "exposure" was through the "From Hell" film, where they heavily altered the real-life detective that looked for Jack the Ripper into a drugged out, clairvoyant genius. He was addicted to the green stuff (and they show how they used to drink it too). I've heard a fair about the stuff since then . . .

I haven't tried it myself . . .

Not yet . . .

[Honour Bright]

The Absinthe Drinker by Viktor Oliva

I love the stuff myself.

[Tartan Jack]

More:

[Quartermaster James]

There's a lot of bunk and myth surrounding Absinthe.

Bad science and bad politics too.

Come join the Wormwood Society forum if you're interested in learning more or in just sharing the joy of Absinthe.

[Bos'n Cross]

i shall sir, im actually after a bottle of pacifique absinthe if i can get me handson it lolol

[Silkie McDonough]

A bit of history would be nice here. When was Absinthe invented for starters, how long was it in use before it was made illegal, what countries made it illegal when? Is this a GAoP thing or just a fantastic diversion. I too love the stuff.

[Tartan Jack]

As I recall . . .

The drink we know of was created in Switzerland around 1790, as one of the "miracle cures" of the era. As such, it WELL post-dates the "classic" Golden Age of Piracy.

It's main popularity was in the 19th C., with a public downfall as part of the Prohibition targets. It was blamed as as the worst of the alcoholic spirits and attributed w/ lots of psycho-drug effects making it worse than most "classic" spirits like whiskey, rum, cognac, and the like. Like has been said before, those psycho-effects are HIGHLY exaggerated and overblown in comparison to other spirits. Of course, such assumes that the producers of the time were actually making absinthe the way it was intended and known today and not including additives that WOULD produce the accused psychological effects . . .

Some history links:

http://www.absinth.com/links/history.html

http://www.absinthebuyersguide.com/history.html

http://www.absinthefever.com/absinthe/history

http://www.greendevil.com/absinthe_history.html

http://www.absintheonline.com/acatalog/History.html

http://www.oxygenee.com/absinthe-museum.html

http://www.a1b2c3.com/drugs/abs04.htm

The "required" Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absinthe

And a book on the subject: http://www.amazon.com/Absinthe-History-Bottle-Barnaby-Conrad/dp/0811816508

[Ransom]

Yesterday I sampled two more.

Kubler 53 Swiss Absinthe Superioure — Aroma and taste heavy on the anise, but was a refreshing contrast to the ham, cheddar cheese, and crackers I was eating at the time. I liked it.

Duplais Swiss Absinthe Verte — The color is very pale green, and the taste light. I thought it a bit bland, but that may be due to the fact that I think I mixed it too weak. Deserves another try.

Pacifique is still my fav. Just the bouquet will seduce you, and the taste is marvelous.

BTW, from what I have read so far, it would appear that the French wine industry was behind the campaigne to malign absinthe, because it was becoming so popular it was outselling their product. Some of the anti-absinthe poster art is pretty amazing.

[Tartan Jack]

I just wanted to add a note about my comment on psychological chemical additives . . .

At the time, folks had a VERY different attitude toward drugs than we do today. Things we consider HIGHLY addictive and dangerous weren't negative at the time. Rather, they were elements and ingredients in the various elixirs and "snake oil" medicines sold on the street and to doctors. They varied from a waste of time, to mildly poisonous, to actually having real effects (but not really doing hat claimed), to actually working as advertised (the chemist created an early form of our modern over-the-counter medicines).

In many products, additives were introduced to "enhance" the intended benefit of that product. One of the additives from then that still dominates today is caffeine. Others that are gone today are opium, cocaine, marijuana, and a number of other drugs.

My intent: As known and bottled today, absinthe is quite safe. To say what was drunk in the mid-late 19th C was the same makes the assumption that the accused effects were PR and not based on (legal) additives of the time to enhance the creative aspects of the drink. Based on what I know of the era, such was very possible and would have fed the reaction later in the century, even if the more "pure" products really weren't dangerous or mind-altering.

[Ransom]

Facinator Cocktail

2 dashes Absinthe

1/3 French Vermouth

2/3 Dry gin

1 Sprig fresh mint.

Shake with ice, then pour into a cocktail glass.

(Copied from the Wormwood Society's list of classic absinthe cocktails)

Absinthe brands you found less worthy to drink on their own could be used for something like this.

[Red Sea Trade]

I tried absinthe for the first time this past Christmas. My father-in-law made a great show of it, flourishing his special spoons, glasses and water carafes. Alas, I felt nothing special at all, except a terrific desire to cut off my father-in-law's ear, but that is a fairly regular thing.

I had a dreadful experience with Ouzo on my 22nd birthday, so perhaps I am not well disposed towards any member of the licorice family.

[MarkG]

I just wanted to add a note about my comment on psychological chemical additives . . .

At the time, folks had a VERY different attitude toward drugs than we do today. Things we consider HIGHLY addictive and dangerous weren't negative at the time. Rather, they were elements and ingredients in the various elixirs and "snake oil" medicines sold on the street and to doctors. They varied from a waste of time, to mildly poisonous, to actually having real effects (but not really doing hat claimed), to actually working as advertised (the chemist created an early form of our modern over-the-counter medicines).

In many products, additives were introduced to "enhance" the intended benefit of that product. One of the additives from then that still dominates today is caffeine. Others that are gone today are opium, cocaine, marijuana, and a number of other drugs.

My intent: As known and bottled today, absinthe is quite safe. To say what was drunk in the mid-late 19th C was the same makes the assumption that the accused effects were PR and not based on (legal) additives of the time to enhance the creative aspects of the drink. Based on what I know of the era, such was very possible and would have fed the reaction later in the century, even if the more "pure" products really weren't dangerous or mind-altering.

Wired has covered absinthe several times. Here's one article. People have managed to get a hold of bottles from the 19th century and have them analyzed. It was not poisonous - just very high alcohol (140 proof) with an unusual taste.

[michaelsbagley]

I seem to recall reading a lengthy article about absinthe a few years back...

From what I recall, it contains a narcotic element known as thujone. Apparently the modern stuff has one-hundredth (1/100th) or less the level of thujone as the 19th century stuff (on top the different alcohol levels Mark G mentions).

I wonder if it is still there, but when I moved out of Toronto about 5 years ago, there was a Absinthe bar on Queen Street East, just outside of downtown. I only went once, but it was a neat place. There was also a bar up on Bloor West near Landsdowne that served it with the full slotted spoon and all.

On the whole, I enjoy Absinthe... But only in small doses. A glass or a single serving in an evening is about all I can take before not wanting any more.

[Quartermaster James]

I seem to recall reading a lengthy article about absinthe a few years back...

From what I recall, it contains a narcotic element known as thujone. Apparently the modern stuff has one-hundredth (1/100th) or less the level of thujone as the 19th century stuff (on top the different alcohol levels Mark G mentions).

This is probably the single biggest myth, spawned by 150 year old bad science and hysterical politics.

As to Alcohol levels, current Absinthes range around 50-70% (100-140 proof).

Thujone Madness

Is Absinthe A Drug? Is It Poisonous? Is it Dangerous?

The FAQ Short Form

[Quartermaster James]

i shall sir, im actually after a bottle of pacifique absinthe if i can get me handson it lolol

DrinkUpNY

Unfortunately they have just run out of stock. This happens. They expect to ship again around the end of the month.

[Tartan Jack]

So, no known additives?

Kinda surprises me, actually.

I had suspected that the attributed hallucinogenic properties were the result of something added to the alcohol besides what was supposed to be there, a bit like the "extra" stuff added to the caffeine in modern energy drinks- only MUCH more powerful and of a different nature.

I had thought there was a kernel of truth behind the accused effects, but the absinthe itself doesn't seem to have anything close to it except high alcohol and suggestion. So, an additive (as was oft done at the time) would have made sense to give at least some of the effect attributed at the time.

I bow to those others in this thread . . .

Edited May 6, 2010 by Tartan Jack

[Quartermaster James]

He was addicted to the green stuff (and they show how they used to drink it too).

On Fire & Absinthe

Postscript: Mixing opiates with Absinthe was not a common practice. People who took laudanum may have added it to their drinks, and they may have drunk Absinthe. The jury is still out on this, but the historical evidence of this as a common practice among opium users is scant. But this is not Twill

[Quartermaster James]

So, no known additives?

Kinda surprises me, actually.

Additives? I do not understand this question.

To put it concisely: Absinthe is an anise and wormwood flavored spirit, distilled from anise, fennel and absinthium wormwood. Absinthe takes its name from the main adjunct flavoring aside from anise, Artemisia absinthium, the common French name for which is “grande absinthe”.

Copied from: What is Absinthe?

[Tartan Jack]

OK, OK . . .

It wasn't 100% correct, but it did show the general idea . . .

[Quartermaster James]

Okay. One more link then I am leaving this discussion: Systematic Misinformation about Thujone in Pre-ban Absinthe

I look forward to seeing those of you interested in Absinthe over at the Wormwood Society forum.

[Grymm]

La Fée,

available in supermarkets in the UK like Tesco and taste like blackjack sweeties when you mix it with Red Bull

Edited June 29, 2010 by Grymm

[PearlyHawkinsHooke]

I have been drinking absinthe for many years now and find it a very refreshing lift as opposed to the buzz you get from beer, for example. I began drinking it and researching it when I became interested in the French Symbolist poet, Arthur Rimbaud. At the time, I was clueless as to it's effects, ingredients, etc. Now, I grow wormwood, both noble and Roman, lemon balm, hyssop, yarrow and lavender in my garden and so have the ingredients for my own absinthe. I have made both Swiss style and European style absinthes and I find that the Swiss style (like Pernod) is sweet on it's own and doesn't need sugar, but the European styles are typically heavy on the wormwood and so benefit from the addition of sugar, either simply added by the absinthe spoon drip method or by the Bohemian method where you burn the sugar cube and melt it into your glass. Recently, I've gotten into enameling and am in the process of making absinthe spoons for all of my friends. I've even made an absinthe fountain.

One reason why absinthe got a bad reputation was that in order to quickly and cheaply produce all the absinthe being demanded at the time (and it was popular because the grapes for making wine had failed), unscrupulous absinthe producers would add aniline dyes to color their product instead of greening it up naturally by infusing Roman wormwood and extracting the chlorophyll cells. Needless to say, the consumption of aniline dyes is a pretty dangerous thing, almost like ingesting arsenic. It made holes in people's brains and made them violent and completely deranged.

As far as thujone content, I believe it's not terribly huge even in traditional absinthe and the effects of the alcohol in absinthe would kill you before any effects of the thujone would because absinthe (at least the stuff I make) is very high proof.

My favorite commercial absinthe is Mansinthe produced by Marilyn Manson. It's pretty damn good.

Reminds me, I have to make some more soon because we drank all my stock at my last party! 'zooks.