Homemade Absinthe

[Luc_H]

Hot off the press:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/12/ar...=1&oref=slogin

Luc H.

[MikeLM]

Luc-
Thanks for the link. That was very interesting.

Mike

[BonViveur]

You guys should read what Jad Adams, an absinthe expert has to say too:

JAD ADAMS, AUTHOR, “HIDEOUS ABSINTHE”: Well, the main dangerous from absinthe is it is very highly alcoholic. It‘s up to 75 percent alcohol by volume. So that‘s 150 proof. That‘s the most important danger from it, is that you‘re not likely to drink that much strong alcohol normally with any other kind of drink.

The other thing that it has is a chemical called thujone, which is a mind stimulant. And this was the stimulant that the artists of the 19th century were interested in taking because it gave them new and different ideas and bizarre fantasies. And that‘s the other factor that makes absinthe a different kind of drink from any other kind of thing.

COSBY: Yeah, Jad, you were hearing about these reports of hallucinations. How wide-ranging are they? And how severe could they be?


ADAMS: Well, that depends on the strength of the thujone. Now, you can buy absinthe in a lot of countries in Europe, but the European Union restricts the amount of thujone, the active ingredient, to 10 parts per million. So that‘s not very much. However, there is available a lot of black-market absinthe with people make in their own private stills, producing this stuff for sale on the black market, and that can be five or 10 times stronger. So you can actually get a much more strongly hallucinogenic product.



Source: Rita Cosby: Live and Direct January 24th 2006




The USA absinthes have 0 ZERO thujone - 'cus the FDA won't let y'all drink the real stuff.

There's a big difference between a fresh wormwood forest absinthe like Century Absinth 100 with 100mg like the good old days, and this modern stuff they are talking about in the article.

[eatdrinksleep]

didn't know absinth was like that
thanks for the information
saw lots of it over in Europe
should've tried it...darn.

[mad pearl diver]

One of the main reasons why your absinthe didn't taste good is probably because you didn't distill it again after soaking the herbs; which is what was done traditionally. As for why it is not potent... even if the correct wormwood was used, it could be several years old. Maybe harvested five years ago. Sat around in the open for a while exposed to light and air... then ground up and left to to sit for later, etc.. Maybe all the thujone oxidized.

Although you can't buy it in liquor stores in the states... you can order the stuff online from overseas legally. There are some really nice French ones out there, as well as the Czech knock-off newbie brands.

As far as thujone being found in sage... You must be referring to Artemisia sage (the kind indians burn like incense), not the Salvia sage used in cooking. Either way, I don't know if I would put that in my absinthe.

If you don't want to fork over the money to import some, I would buy or make your own still. Which is not too hard to do. Then try making it again with the freshest herbs you can find. I think the result will be more rewarding.

[Luc_H]

an additional link that could be of interest:
How to Drink Absinthe - wikiHow

Luc H.

[BonViveur]

One of the main reasons why your absinthe didn't taste good is probably because you didn't distill it again after soaking the herbs; which is what was done traditionally. As for why it is not potent... even if the correct wormwood was used, it could be several years old. Maybe harvested five years ago. Sat around in the open for a while exposed to light and air... then ground up and left to to sit for later, etc.. Maybe all the thujone oxidized.

Mad Pearl is correct that you must get HIGH quailty herbs. The skill involved in picking the right part of the plant, drying and storage is key to the thujone levels. It is not the case that you must use a still (see below) the key is the blend and quality of the herbs and skill required.

Here is a recipe that I found that shows that Americans were making absinthe at home since 1866!

The Independent Liquorist: OR, The Art of Manufacturing and Preparing All Kinds Of Cordials, Syrups, Bitters, Wines, Champagne, Beer, Punches, Tinctures, Extracts, Essences, Flavorings, Colorings, Worcestershire Sauce, Club Sauce, Catsups, Pickles, Preserves, Jams, Jellies, Etc, Etc. by L. Monzert, Practical Liquorist and Chemist, Published by Dick & Fitzgerald, 18 Ann Street, New York, 1866.

117.-Absynthe Syrup.

This is a very rare syrup, and has never been prepared in this country. The following is the original Swiss method: Take of Swiss wormwood or absynthe plant 4 ounces. Make of it a tincture with 1 pint good brandy; add to the above 2 ounces extract of dandelion roots, 1 ounce tincture of gentian; filter through paper prepared filter; and add to the whole 1 gallon of thick plain white syrup.

151.- Absinthe

Take 26 ounces of fennel seed.
5 ounces anise-seed.
13 ounces liquorice root.
8 gallons alcohol 95 per cent.
6 do. water
4 ounces peppermint.
12 ounces wormwood.

Let the whole infuse ten days. Press it in a fruit-press, and filter through a paper pre-pared filter. (See filter No. 1.)

As I love making natural things at home to give to my friends I just ordered an absinthe making kit from Absolutely Absinthe (absolutelyabsinthe.com) I will post the results of my farmhouse kitchen experiment in the coming week.They also have a lot of information about the different herbs that you should use like calamus

[newman8r]

If you want good absinthe, just buy some, don't make it yourself.

I'm too new to the board so I can't post links, but there's a good selection available online with varying levels of thujone.

The thujone is the other active compound in Absinthe, besides ethanol (and theres a lot of that too)

All those absinthe kits will do for you is make fake absinthe. You can also sweeten it with cane sugar.

[Botanique]

Diver -- part of my graduate work focused on the effect of herbivory on alpha-thujone content in Salvia officinalis. Yes, the stuff you have in your garden and spice rack. FYI -- those with epilepsy should stay away from absinthe, and anything with thujone content. Cheers! S

[BonViveur]

I'm too new to the board so I can't post links, but there's a good selection available online with varying levels of thujone.

In the USA the legal level is ZERO due to an archaic law. In Europe the level is 10 parts per million or 35 parts for a classification called Bitters. The real stuff had levels of 100 mg plus. The bad effects do not come from wormwood / thujone which has long been recognised by antiquity as a mind stimulant. The effects of the thujone act in opposition to the alcohol and create a lucidity which is unique. You will not get this from commercial absinthe, which is just coloured vodka, or bottles with silly French names etc and no thujone.

The alleged bad effects of absinthe were caused by adulturants / chemical dyes etc. That is why it's best to go "free range" and make it yourself...it's also fun

All those absinthe kits will do for you is make fake absinthe. You can also sweeten it with cane sugar

No. These recipes have been used for generations actually - see my earlier comments on Piołunówka and the recipe I found from USA circa 1866

[newman8r]

Originally Posted by BonViveur

In the USA the legal level is ZERO due to an archaic law. In Europe the level is 10 parts per million or 35 parts for a classification called Bitters. The real stuff had levels of 100 mg plus. The bad effects do not come from wormwood / thujone which has long been recognised by antiquity as a mind stimulant. The effects of the thujone act in opposition to the alcohol and create a lucidity which is unique. You will not get this from commercial absinthe, which is just coloured vodka, or bottles with silly French names etc and no thujone.

Then this website is either making false claims or the products they're selling are illegal.

www dot originalabsinthe.com/absinthe-king-gold-p-56.html


and yeah if you're going to distill it yourself you can get some real absinthe... but if you're just soaking stuff in high proof vokda then you're just getting flavored vodka, and that's what a lot of the kits make the process out to be

you seem to know a lot about it though - check out that link and tell me if the site looks legitimate.

[Hans]

1. A kit you blend with vodka does not make absinthe. Absinthe is a distilled spirit- you macerate the herbs THEN distill it. These kits are merely flavoring.

2. Absinthe is legal in the US. The Fed government requires that thujone levels be kept to under 10ppm. This is not a problem nor has it ever been, although no one realized it until recently when it was discovered that if you distill Wormwood very little (under 10ppm) of the thujone carries through the distillation process. So, consequently a bunch of Absinthes have recently come onto the market and more are coming out.

google the wormwood society for the best info online.

[firerose0801]

Thanks for that recipe BonViveur! I really don't think absinthe is terribly regulated in the US anyway...I brought some back with me last time I was in Amsterdam (recently) and customs didn't particularly check... or care.

[andy009g]

Thank you for the link

[tella.star]

how to drink absynthes are kinda interesting. thanks for that link