# Absinthe **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 20, 2019, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/845121 "2019-12-20T02:10:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/845121/1 "2019-12-20T02:10:14Z")
I really want some absinthe. I like Pernod, and I like ouzo. I should like absinthe, right? ---
**Author:** ![Hatchie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hatchie/32/3983_2.png) [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/845121/2 "2019-12-20T02:16:26Z")
Well sure. Are you asking me to buy you some? ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/845121/3 "2019-12-20T02:41:32Z")
Absinthe maketh the head grow funnier. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/845121/4 "2019-12-20T02:42:14Z")
> [@Hatchie](#): > > Well sure. Are you asking me to buy you some? Yes, please. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/845121/5 "2019-12-20T02:47:50Z")
Some manufacturers are making things they call absinthe. They may have gotten around the thujone legally by reducing the amount some way, or the laws changed, or theyā€™re using thujone-free wormwood, or theyā€™ve proved it was never an issue, or ā€¦ what Iā€™d heard is, theyā€™ve greatly changed the recipe to avoid it. Because basically no one kept the ancient pre-ban recipes, we can never experience it as it truly was. So thereā€™s nothing stopping them from selling us anything. All previous comments are unsourced and strictly YMMV. Iā€™d love to try it myself, but it would have to be absolutely authentic. Bitter, small batch, thujone loaded, poured over a sugar cube through a slotted spoon into a thick-walled glass, served in an old-timerā€™s bar in a village in rural France, with no women in attendance, while I am dressed like the antagonists in the film _Jean de Florette_. Because I donā€™t want to skimp on _ **any** _ of the experience if I can help it. Although, I would like to use a replica of Picassoā€™s glass and spoon, at some point. [Picasso's Rarely-Seen Sculptures Stir Absinthe Culture Back to Life | Bon AppĆ©tit](https://www.bonappetit.com/entertaining-style/trends-news/article/picasso-absinthe) ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/845121/6 "2019-12-20T03:18:11Z")
Itā€™s good if you like the occasional herbal liquor/spirit. Just be careful with the stuff: the bottle I got (I believe it was from Czechoslovakia) had 80% alcohol. I still drank about 1/3 of it straight (no, not in a single evening) as it had an interesting aftertaste. ETA huh, according to Wikipedia Czech absinthe is quite different to French absintheā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/845121/7 "2019-12-20T03:50:44Z")
Yeah, the Czech absinthes Iā€™ve had have been heavy on the mint flavor and low on the anise flavor, which is quite different than French absinthes. Iā€™m not a fan of the Czech absinthes, especially one called ā€œHillā€™s.ā€ Itā€™ll get you smashed in a hurry with its high alcohol content, but itā€™s not the anise-based drink French absinthes are. I mean, if you donā€™t like anise, I suppose thatā€™s a feature, not a bug. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/845121/8 "2019-12-20T05:18:37Z")
Yeah, you sound like you know what youā€™re getting into so I canā€™t imagine youā€™d hate it. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/845121/9 "2019-12-20T11:45:28Z")
> [@Arkcon](#): > > Some manufacturers are making things they call absinthe. They may have gotten around the thujone legally by reducing the amount some way, or the laws changed, or theyā€™re using thujone-free wormwood, or theyā€™ve proved it was never an issue, or ā€¦ what Iā€™d heard is, theyā€™ve greatly changed the recipe to avoid it. Because basically no one kept the ancient pre-ban recipes, we can never experience it as it truly was. So thereā€™s nothing stopping them from selling us anything. > > All previous comments are unsourced and strictly YMMV. > > Iā€™d love to try it myself, but it would have to be absolutely authentic. Bitter, small batch, thujone loaded, poured over a sugar cube through a slotted spoon into a thick-walled glass, served in an old-timerā€™s bar in a village in rural France, with no women in attendance, while I am dressed like the antagonists in the film _Jean de Florette_. Because I donā€™t want to skimp on _ **any** _ of the experience if I can help it. > > Although, I would like to use a replica of Picassoā€™s glass and spoon, at some point. [https://www.bonappetit.com/entertaining-style/trends-news/article/picasso-absinthe](https://www.bonappetit.com/entertaining-style/trends-news/article/picasso-absinthe) Historic absinthe appears to have been low in thujone, similar to modern recipes: J. Agric. Food Chem. 2008, 56, 9, 3073-3081 DOI 10.1021/jf703568f If you want thujone, eat sage. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/845121/10 "2019-12-20T12:38:04Z")
Iā€™ve tried absinthe, and I loathe it. Of course, I hate licorice and anise, and most absinthes are heavily flavored that way, which could explain my dislike. Iā€™ve done the whole ritual, with chilled water from a flask poured over sugar cubes on a slotted spoon balanced atop the glass of absinthe. I saw the liquor turn from clear green to milky opalescence. I appreciate the ritual, but it doesnā€™t make up for the taste. If you want to get into absinthe, there are plenty of places to get it and its accoutremonts online. Or at places like science fiction conventions, which is where I picked up my spoon and sampled various different absinthes. There are even people selling what they claim are antique, pre-ban absinthe in unopened bottles, thujone and all. Iā€™m not sure how much of it is real. Itā€™s too pricey for someone who hates the stuff, though. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/845121/11 "2019-12-20T12:38:45Z")
There is a lot of crap absinthe made for the tourist trade. Jade Makes absinthe based on original recipes ([Jade Liqueurs Fine](http://www.bestabsinthe.com/index2.htm)). It is available in the US, but expensive. I have a bottle that has lasted a long time, but I only use it to rinse my glasses when I make sazeracs. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/845121/12 "2019-12-20T14:34:06Z")
If youā€™re going to historical accuracy I love the guys over at [Golden Moon](http://goldenmoondistillery.com/ourspirits). They make great spirits in general but use antique stills and recipes from the 1800. Their master distiller Gould has the best library of historical ingreadients and techniques. I donā€™t like absinthe but their stuff is world class. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/845121/13 "2019-12-20T15:21:03Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > If you want to get into absinthe, there are plenty of places to get it and its accoutremonts online. Or at places like science fiction conventions, which is where I picked up my spoon and sampled various different absinthes. For the absinthe itself, it should be easy enough to find at a decent liquor store, I would think. I just came back from Christmas shopping at the local liquor store (so not any of our mega liquor marts), and I found four different absinthes on the shelves, all from France. One was the Pernod (a good place to start as a baseline.)another was Lucid (which I have never tried but have seen heavily marketed here, so Iā€™m a bit suspicious of it.) And then two other brands I donā€™t remember. Prices from $40-$60 for 750mL. Looking at the local mega mart online (Binnyā€™s), it seems they have a lot more to choose from. The barware may be a bit more difficult to find without resorting to online retailers. ---
**Author:** ![adhemar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@adhemar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhemar)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/845121/14 "2019-12-20T15:30:33Z")
I had a small amount many years ago that had been smuggled in from another country where the wormwood kind was available. I did not like it at all. it was very very intense both in alcohol and licorice flavor. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/845121/15 "2019-12-20T15:32:51Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Iā€™ve tried absinthe, and I loathe it. > > Of course, I hate licorice and anise, and most absinthes are heavily flavored that way, which could explain my dislike. I didnā€™t like it either and I donā€™t even hate those flavors, but they were too strong in the brand I tasted. I donā€™t like Ouzo either. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/845121/16 "2019-12-20T15:33:54Z")
> [@adhemar](#): > > I had a small amount many years ago that had been smuggled in from another country where the wormwood kind was available. I did not like it at all. it was very very intense both in alcohol and licorice flavor. You are supposed to dilute it like you do with pastis about 3:1 to 5:1 with water, usually dripped through a sugar cube on an absinthe spoon. This will cause the drink to louche (become cloudy) and release some extra flavors and aromas or something like that. I donā€™t bother with the whole spoon ritual (since I donā€™t have that), but I do drink it diluted. Itā€™s not meant to be drunk straight, though some do drink it that way. ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/845121/17 "2019-12-20T16:07:59Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > Historic absinthe appears to have been low in thujone, similar to modern recipes: > > J. Agric. Food Chem. 2008, 56, 9, 3073-3081 > DOI 10.1021/jf703568f Thank you for the reference. That would help, if someone wanted to really replicate the recipes intelligently. Likely the people linked above. > [@](#): > > If you want thujone, eat sage. Thanks, but I donā€™t really want to. According to wikipedia (sigh, I know) the psychoactive effects are mis-attributed to thujone. Thujone is a GABA antagonist, and is only going to cause spasms and convulsions. Wikipedia ref: [Thujone - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thujone#Pharmacology), with inline references. And if I want to taste anise, Iā€™ll drink anisette. Or just have some anise. ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/845121/18 "2019-12-20T16:12:04Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > There are even people selling what they claim are antique, pre-ban absinthe in unopened bottles, thujone and all. Iā€™m not sure how much of it is real. Itā€™s too pricey for someone who hates the stuff, though. Yeah, and add to that the cost of submitting a sample to an analytical lab, to be certain the green color isnā€™t copper salts, and the _louche_ hasnā€™t been enhanced with antimony salts. Ref: sorry, wiki link ref dead. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/845121/19 "2019-12-20T16:21:18Z")
I actually just picked up a bottle of _Le Clandestine_ absinthe for a friend I will be seeing at Christmas who canā€™t find it in his area. I got it at Bevmo of all places. I generally loathe anise, so he will have the bottle to himself. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/845121/20 "2019-12-20T16:21:29Z")
Oh, yeah: I forgot I like sazeracs. šŸ™‚ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/845121.md?page=2)