pkbites, keep yer eyes open for the email that I just sent you.
A friend of mine snuck a bottle back in to the US from the Czech Republic. Its all right. I have never had more than 2 shots of it at any one time, but it made me feel numb and limber, which I think had more to do with the fact that it was 140 proof than anything. Anyway, the point is that she snuck the bottle through, so if you really want some I guess it can be done.
Ahh, absinthe. Beloved of period movies and artsy-fartsy nostalgics everywhere. But what’s the deal with this stuff? There’s a ridiculous amount of ritual prescribed to consuming it (the whole spoon-and-sugar routine), many notable writers and artists are said to have consumed it to fuel their imaginations. I know many people who would love to try the stuff.
Anyway, when one actually looks into where you can consume absinthe, it becomes vague and difficult to figure out what it’s even supposed to be.
It’s commonly agreed that the “active” ingrediant in the absinthes of old was thujone, which I believe is extracted from wormwood. This is the supposed chemical which makes absinthe scheduled. Nobody can agree on exactly how it affects you (some say it’s a mild hallucinogen, some say it’s just the ridiculous amount of alcohol present in the drink that hits you).
In the United States, there are several absinthe-esque beverages which are produced to this day (Herbsaint comes to mind). Most are essentially absinthe without the offending chemical thujone.
Then, you hear that it’s legal (and even commonly consumed) in myriad other countries. However, any attempt to track down honest-to-goodness absinthe typically just produces potent liquors using the name “absinthe”, but apparently having nothing to do with the original recipe. Also, apparently nobody actually drinks this stuff anymore.
(Man, this is starting to sound like an OP, instead of the bastard hijack it is).
So anyway, what’s the friggin’ deal? Was absinthe ever as popular as it’s portrayed as being in movies and such? Were there any real mind-altering characteristics, other than the fact that it’s got a lot of al-kee-haul in it? Is true, wormwood-based absinthe consumed anywhere, or is it just strong booze sold to tourists?
Yeah, anyone who tells you that the proper way to take in tetrahydrocannabinol is to light it on fire and consume the fumes is just full of it. 
Hey! That is just not right Czarcasm! I did NOT give a recipe, I said one could find a recipe on the net for it!
I gave an explanation on how to perform the ritual of burning the sugar and mixing it into the drink. And the drink I said to do this with was a mixture of Pernod and Everclear, both of which are legal. Thanks for the back-up on that pulykamell.
I’ve read my exact comments in 5 other posts, but you’re letting them ride…Next time why don’t you actually READ the post before editing it!
And now, for the serious offense of telling people how to make completely LEGAL Absinthe in their own kitchens: mix 3 parts Pernod to 1 part Everclear. Pernod is the base for Absinthe, but modern Absinthe is just 140 proof Pernod with 10ppm of tujone in it (when the original contained 250-300ppm).
:Tomcat goes grumbling off to exercise, mourning the loss of a (self-described) great post, one that was researched, funny and well written to boot:
Never had absinthe back in the day (I’m a recovering alkie now), but I did have this crazy-ass booze from Columbia called ‘aguarente’ (SP?).
I don’t know what was in it, but it was licorice-flavored and did WEIRD things to my head. Supposedly it’s sugar kane based. My Columbian pal cut up orange slices to use while taking shots which he said was the traditional method of drinking it (ala’ tequilia), and it was fairly smooth.
I didn’t think it was doing much to me till I stood up. Wow! The rest of that night is kind of a blur. I didn’t hallucinate, but no booze or drugs ever did that to me before (and at the time I was a hardcore boozer). It was a lot like a stimulant. Anybody know anything about this stuff?
(I won’t even mention the ‘Tarantula’ brandy…)
Thanks for pointing out where I made as ass of myself…
I understood Lady_of_eeees’ post as meaning that ‘lit and inhaled’ and ‘hallucinogen’ went hand in hand. Actually, thujone would probably have a stronger effect if inhaled than if swallowed, which would demolish the pathetic point I was trying to make anyway.
The real point is this:
Thujone is present in Hill’s Absinthe and Sebor absinth. It is present in much lower quantities than in the original absinthe as quaffed by artists and poets years ago. True wormwood based absinth in produced and sold in Europe. However, in order to be legally sold in the European Community, it must have a thujone content of 10ppm or lower. Original absinthe would have had a thujone content of 250ppm or so.
There is a lot of hype surrounding absinthe, based on the wormwood content and the sugar ritual. The thujone content of absinthe available in the European Community today is IMHO not enough to justufy the hype.
‘Sugar Kane?’ What am I, Sonic Youth? Sorry about the SP.
Of course brimstone isn’t going to lay havoc over the land if you don’t drink it this way. Modern Absinthe, for the most part, doesn’t need the sugar added.
These numbers are just estimates. There is no way to accurately measure the Thujon levels.
I got curious about absinthe a few years back. I was under the impression that only Portugal legally produced absinthe with the same recipe that was used in France. I was not aware that absinthe could be bought in Ontario (I live in Quebec) – I’ll look it up; I thought it was illegal in Canada. Then there was this rock video (I don’t remember which one – I think it related to The Crow – NIN?) where you saw someone doing the water-pouring ritual. I recently read a few weeks ago that one company in France has begun to manufacture real, legal absinthe again, albeit with a recipe containing much less of the toxic ingredient, which makes it similar to most other liqueurs and “eaux-de-vie” produced today. Makes me wonder why they bother – apparently, it tastes almost the same as Pernod. I have never had it myself – there’s so much stuff out there, I can’t bother going out of my way.
Anyhow, I have set out below a brief history of absinthe in France. Many recipes for absinthe are available in books and on the Internet – making it, however, is a whole other story. And with all the designer drugs out there that destroy your brain/body/life, why would someone want to add to the list? There’s enough junk available at your neighbourhood teen party to make absinthe seem like Kool-Aid. If you want to get high, grow your own organic pot without additives, or have a couple of Canadian beers (microbrew Mort Subite is particularly intoxicating). Or try Oozo (sp?), or Benedictine Brandy (B&B) (for this last, tastes MUCH better with a SO around – wreaks havoc on your inhibitions), or even sake. They all give a different thrill, one to suit every occasion. Any excess will ruin the effects. As with absinthe in 1900 or beer in 2000, “la modération a bien meilleur goût!”
Absinthe has been known since Antiquity, when it was used as medicine against worms, fevers, and as a digestive stimulant and general relaxant. There are two similar plants that contain the active ingredient, but only the “grande absinthe” is used in the preparation of the drink. In the 18th and 19th century, absinthe was used as medicine and was quite bitter; just a few leaves distilled or infused with pure alcohol (eau-de-vie). The use of absinthe as an intoxicant began during the African colonial wars, in Algeria. At about the same time, the Swiss began manufacturing absinthe as a liqueur. In France, Henri-Louis Pernod also begins manufacturing the liqueur, and tempers the bitterness with fennel and aniseed, coriander, etc., as well as hyssop and other products for the green color – absinthe turns white when you add water.
Drinking absinthe in the late 19th century had become a fashionable social event in France, with a complex ritual (pouring water over a sugar cube through a perforated spoon into a tall glass). Van Gogh, Toulouse-Lautrec, Degas, Maupassant, Verlaine, Apollinaire, other great artists, philosophers and thinkers were all fans of the stuff. An important number of paintings of the era show people drinking absinthe on terraces, sidewalk cafes and restaurants. Eventually, the financial and political elite join in. Absinthe is popularly considered the national drink of the French. It is marketed as luxury and well-being, and is affordable. Around 1900, absinthe production is a huge business, with a dozen producers and hundreds of men and women working in distilleries and related agricultural industries.
At about the same time, the medical community begins to look at the health effects of absinthe abuse: vertigo, muscle spasms, convulsions, epilepsy. Researchers began experimenting on pigs and even put absinthe in water containing fish, to compare with prussic acid in another vat: the fish contaminated with absinthe die sooner. It is being compared to morphine and opium in its effects. The first organized fight against absinthe and alcoholism in general comes from anti-tobacco groups (drinking encourages smoking, and vice versa). Symptoms are not limited to the working class, but affect the upper classes as well. Absinthe is blamed for absenteeism, work-related accidents, brawling, abuse; it is said that children of absinthe drinkers are “retarded”; it is also blamed for the degradation of the family unit.
The process of banning absinthe begins with higher taxes in 1907, but this enterprise is difficult when one considers the size and political power of the industry at that time. A special commission finds a harmful component, thuyone, which provides ammunition for the opponents of the product. Manufacturers are relieved – they only have to change a couple of ingredients, and still sell the liqueur under another form. Absinthe is forbidden in Belgium in 1906, in Switzerland in 1910 – certain states in the U.S. are banning alcohol altogether. The French Army forbids the sale and distribution of absinthe on military-controlled territory. In 1915, a general ban on absinthe finally came into effect.
Good grief - sorry about that! It didn’t look that long in Word when I was typing it… What a way to introduce myself… (would add a sheepish smiley, but I still have to figure out where/how to get them…)
[moderator underoos on]Tomcat, in my opinion the details you gave on how to prepare absinthe were too extensive. Sometimes I have to call it as I see it, but you do have a point about the recipe being repeated less extensively in other posts.
People, I would appreciate it if you do not post the actual recipe for a substance not legal in this country. This would include posting a recipe for mock-absinthe, then adding in a small aside what the actual recipe should include. The Chicago Reader has been very good to us so far, and I would rather their lawyers not get inqueries about this message board, whether justified or not.[/moderator underoos on]
The video was “the perfect drug” by nine inch nails. I don’t remember it being in The Crow, but it may have been in the sequel.(The NIN song in the original was called “lost souls”, i believe. It came out around the same time as the movie version of Interview with the Vampire, and was, IMHO influenced heavily by the story(or maybe just the period and mood)
Hey Marc;
Sorry, man…You get the next crappy pun, I promise!
A bit of a detour: Lucifer, I haven’t heard of that specific liquor, but the name “aguarente” is pretty funny. A Latin American salute upon drinking is “aggarante la boracherra”, literally, “grab onto the binge”. If the name really uses “agua” in it’s permutation, it’s a swell pun.
The toxicity of absinthe is a matter of inappropriate use. Most bitter herbs are properly used in alcohol solution as an apertif; they stimulate digestion and are meant to be taken in small quantities. In moderation, absinthe might be a nice little buzz. Unfortunately, people’s mind’s wanting to heave on out to yonder makes em want too much of a good thing. The fact that the thujone is used in a quickly-absorbed alcohol solution makes it more prone to problems with liver and kidney toxicity.
This brings up an interesting point: why don’t we see * cannabis sativa* used in an alcohol solution? I’m wonderin’…
Actually, pot is only soluable in alcohol and oil, not water.
It used to be sold like this - Around the turn of the century tincture of cannabis was made and sold/prescribed. I read it was sold in small bottles that had 100’s of doses (so, 1 drop = 1 dose or something).
As for today, there are a few companies here (Czech Republic) making Cannabis Beer and Cannabis Vodka (made from the industrial hemp plant and seeds, not the one we wish they would make it out of).
And lastly, some medical marijuana books and sites advocate the usage of pot tinctures because then you don’t have to smoke the pot, just put a few drops in your mouth.
Czarcasm I know, you have a tough job. There was probably a questionable line or two stuck in the middle and you just highlighted it all and hit delete. I was just upset because this was something that I know a lot about because I talked with a distributer of it here one night…
-Tcat
As one of the most long-winded posters on the board (seems I can’t say “Hello” in 500 or less), I’d like to personally welcome you aboard. Don’t sweat it AngelFelina at least your post was relevant to the topic at hand.
I’ve actually made real absinthe based upon a recipe I found on the web. It tasted a little like turpentine, a little licorice-y, and was not as green as I would have liked it (I think this is because I didn’t put in enough mint). It in fact came out as more of a brownish color. And yes, it did contain wormwood (it was tough to find, but any good occult shop should be able to help you). All in all, I would actually like to get my hands on some good green absinthe (Any suggestions emailed to me would of course be graetly appreciated :).
oops! I meant greatly.