A bottle of absinthe at a sitting? Sure, you might be hallucinating, but you’d also probably be dead from alcohol poisoning, I’d think.
Touche`I suppose I meant a bottle of the diluted stuff, not pure absinthe. I’ll try to be more specific.
~Ferry
I am from the UK and used to enjoy Absinthe quite legally whilst living there. I find that Absente is a decent (no wormwood) alternative easily available in California and I susspect most non-dry states.
Cheers, Keithy
I have a bottle sitting in my liquor cabinet. I’ve had it since the summer. It is absolutely god awful tasting stuff. The only time I bring it out is when I’m pretty pissed already and start doing shots with friends.
2 or 3 good sized shots of it will put you well on your way to nighty-night. Mine is 75% Alcohol by volume (which I think is pretty standard).
I’m pretty sure the hit of the alcohol is far more noticable than anything from the wormwood.
I’m very surprised that this thread was never updated.
When it was created, absynthe was illegal in most countries. Now it is legal almost everywhere. Extensive objective scientific analysis of pre-ban absynthe has essentially proven that there never was anything dangerous or hallucinogenic about absynthe Part of the reason for the ban was prohibitionist/reefer madness-type mentality. It was impossible to ban alchohol, but marijuana and absynthe were not so deeply ingrained in the popular culture, so both could be banned, with sufficient propoganda and hype. Currently, it is believed that the primary causes of the absynthe ban were 1) extremely rare cases of low-quality (moonshine-type) absynthe made with dangerous/harmful additives, 2) propoganda and slander from the wine industry which was seriously threatened by the popularity of absynthe in Europe, especially in France, 3) general “prohibitionist” movement.
Today, it is believed that the effects of wormwood in absynthe that are reported in the folklore are scientifically unsubstantiated, and scientific analysis of pre-ban absynthe indicates that there was never as much thujone in it as is generally believed, and that the effects of wormwood just aren’t that great at the concentrations that existed in pre-ban absynthe. The evidence strongly suggests that, while thujone may have a minor non-hallucitory effect (reducing the normal lethargic/depressive effects of alchohol, but not altering consciousness in any significant way, there’s nothing (and never was anything) very dangerous or mind-altering in absynthe.
It’s a delicious and complex/subtle drink, however, which explains why it became so very popular in Europe before the ban. It can now be purchased freely in most countries including the U.S.
That’s because it’s generally considered bad form 'round these parts to resurrect old, dead threads.
And yes, absinthe is tasty and finally completely legal in the US. More or less.
Can we finally clear up the notion that there’s “real” absinthe and then there’s the kind you’re most likely to find available in the US that’s lacking the hallucinagenic properties?
Wired ran an article in 2005 (after this thread and Cecil’s column) about the effort to reverse engineer absinthe, which is worth a read. Seems to confirm what Kamonohashi says.
Did you try this link?
I know this is a zombie, but the quote is from 2002. I brought a bottle back from Spain in 2001 so I think this statement was factually incorrect in 2002. Unless maybe customs ignored it. I’m pretty sure I declared it.
I notice the original posting date of this thread was late 2002.
Here is an email I got from my sister recently (June, 2011).
“We went to SF last night to a restaurant/bar that is well-known and in [her son’s]neighborhood. We all tried absinthe–the name of the restaurant and the reason for it’s fame.”
Followed up by this when I objected that she must be mistaken:
" Absinthe is now legal, because the whole drug thing was bogus. They used to serve it with Ladinum…"
(She means “laudanum:” opium dissolved in alcohol and used as a pain killer; origin of about the 1500’s).
It would appear the laws on absinthe have changed rather dramatically.
The laws were changed in 2007:
Note, however, that for absinthe to be legally sold in the US, it must be “thujone free”, which actually translates to very low levels. It’s likely that any “absinthe” you were served in a public establishment has been effectively defanged as far as the thujone content is concerned. Many such products are being made.
ETA:
Note that whether or note thujone levels in absinthe were ever sufficient to do anything to you is a different question.
I wonder…wormwood is artemisia, which is fairly common as a garden plant. Could you somehow process your garden artemisia into an additive to put the wormwood back into wormwoodless absinthe?
I figured there was a catch 22 in this somewhere. I’m fairly interested in this debate on EXACTLY what they are serving to the public in San Francisco, compared to the controversial product consumed in, say, France, in the 19th century by the likes of Toulouse-Lautrec (who drank it in a high-alcohol cocktail called an “earthquake”). Guess I’ll go read your quoted site.
My sister is a bit casual on such things (despite a graduate degree). If it says on the menu that it’s “real” absinthe and entirely safe: case closed. Drink up.
According to this months (Sept 2011) Wine Spectator:
Legal limit for American brands is 10 parts per million of thujone and
So wei ji’s sister seemed to be right on the money. It was always a myth.
Well, I didn’t need to hear THAT. No need to tell her, of course. I printed out the Wiki article and will read it tonight.
Random thing I learned from an absinthe distiller recently: the high proof of absinthe actually isn’t about getting you plastered. The various botanicals and whatnot don’t stay in solution under ~120 proof. That’s why it clouds when water is added before serving.
Some greater detail on those studies alluded to in that article here:
“Brompton” 
Brompton cocktail - named for the Royal Brompton Hospital in London where it was invented.