does all absinthe do the same thing, taste the same?

[surftb15]

hey quick question,

for those of you who have drank absinthe, does all the absinthe taste the same, or is there different variations like in wine?

also, do they all produce the same effects?

[EPSkis]

It's difficult to say, as there are generally no "Absinthe Tasting" parties. Believe me, after the FIRST one, it doesn't matter. It's 140 proof = There's no way to make is taste "good".

Effects? Errr - drunk. As best I can tell, it's the ONLY reason anyone would ever ingest the shit.

[Kirby]

I am no expert, but I know there is a variation in the percentage of alchohol and worm wood in diffferent kinds of absynth. Some have say 40% alchohol and 60% wormwwod, while another might have 60% alchohol and 40% wormwood. Thus, there will be a difference in the affects different kinds will have on you. Along with this I have heard stories of people drinking absynth in Checkoslovakia and the stuff they have there seems to be much more intense then the absynth I have gotten at my local liquor store.

[ChowdahRidah]

If you bought the absinthe in the US, it's not nearly the same absinthe people talk about and sell in certain countries in Europe. There are several different brands and the ones sold in the US are not anything like the ones sold in Europe. The stuff I had in Slovakia and the Czech Republic was 2 shots and blacked out. Although I am told I had a really good time for the rest of the evening. So basically it was like a roofy. But I know what I had can not be sold in the US and it tastes like burning.

[acostiga]

the us version has none of the properties that make people but off their ears. that chemical is illegal in the states. there are great variations between the other types. spanish absinthe is popular these days, as is the czech stuff. i've seen stuff in the uk that looked super dodgy. allegedly, the best types come out of switzerland. these are supposed to be small-batch kind of things, herb liquors that are created according to very exacting, old recipes.

the high alcohol content is necessary for the stuff to have the properties that people rave about. if the stuff isn't really strong, then it can't have the wormwood contents that are kind of similar to the thc in marijuana. the taste, past the burn of the alcohol, is like anise- or black licorish. like greek ouzo, but on flavor steroids or something. the sugar and water that are added to the hooch are largely to help ya choke it all down.

[surftb15]

yea, im gonna get the Czech version i think.

should be a good time

[A-wreck]

Anything you need to know about Absinthe is here: www.drunkard.com


Lots of other useful information for an up and coming drunk there too.

[acostiga]

the us version has none of the properties that make people cut off their ears. that chemical is illegal in the states. there are great variations between the other types. spanish absinthe is popular these days, as is the czech stuff. i've seen stuff in the uk that looked super dodgy. allegedly, the best types come out of switzerland. these are supposed to be small-batch kind of things, herb liquors that are created according to very exacting, old recipes.

the high alcohol content is necessary for the stuff to have the properties that people rave about. if the stuff isn't really strong, then it can't have the wormwood contents that are kind of similar to the thc in marijuana. the taste, past the burn of the alcohol, is like anise- or black licorish. like greek ouzo, but on flavor steroids or something. the sugar and water that are added to the hooch are largely to help ya choke it all down.

edit: by "but" i meant "cut". D'OH!

[surftb15]

http://www.drunkard.com/issues/11-02/11_02_absinthe.htm

seems sweet to me

[aspenskibum]

look it up onm the internet, any absinthe worth buying, or even drinking, you should be able to find out how much wormwood/thuzone it has. (i think the speeling on thuzone might be wrong) But thats the stuff that really gets you f'd up, some "absinthe" is just flavored vodka and doesn't even have any of it.

[aspenskibum]

also, absinthe is a waste of money, unless you're rich. Any bottle that will actually get you fucked up the way you want is going to cost $200+ for 750ml. Anything cheaper than that isn't even worth buying.

[cantunamunch]

thujone(s)

you can make it pretty cheap.

[aspenskibum]

thujone(s)

you can make it pretty cheap.

yea, thats the stuff, and how would you go about making it?

[cantunamunch]

A. absinthium is very common as an ornamental; there are at least three nurseries near me that sell it at $3/seedling. If I got it as nursery seedling I'd have enough for one bottle of finished liquor by the time it's in a gallon pot.

Then I'd trim enough to loosely fill a (clean) pickle jar or two, pour a super high-proof (over 100) liquor over it so that all the voids are filled, all the bubbles come up to the top, and there is no air at the top of the jar. Then I'd seal it and leave it in the pantry for a few days for the tincture to form.

After straining, I'd pour it back into the original liquor bottle with maybe some caraway and fennel seed for a slightly more palatable licorice taste.

Palatable with sugar (the great helper of home booze makers) that is, and sugar won't readily dissolve in that mix as described. So, I'd add sugar to water 1:1 then pour that in.

[aspenskibum]

but do the seeds you can buy have the goods? wasn't wormwood the stuff that got you fucked out of your head anyway?

[dubu]

all I know is that the home made stuff I had was way more 'potent' than the stuff I got in the europe.. Somehow eI ended up at a pegan party in freemont one night a few years back.


get some of the home made stuff... its interesting..

[surftb15]

how do u aquire the home made stuff though?

[cantunamunch]

but do the seeds you can buy have the goods? wasn't wormwood the stuff that got you fucked out of your head anyway?

It's not the seeds I'd look for. It's the foliage. It'll have various concentrations depending on growing conditions, pest exposure, time of year. Looking for more concentrated wormwood is missing the point though- the trick is to get more of the essential oils into solution. By avoiding water, hence the high proof and some recipes even call for dried leaf.

Avoiding oxygen, heat, and sunlight is just to keep the green chlorophyll color. If it goes stale it tastes like sushi wrapping.

Once the essential oils are dissolved in alcohol the object is to get the flavor into something one can swallow without gagging on the bitterness. That's where the tricky part is. That's where a good recipe is gold, and individual preferences vary. Think of what one drinks as a capirinha with the nastiest (but psychoactive) cachaça ever.

To answer the thread title: No, Yes but not that many variants, No.

[dubu]

how do u aquire the home made stuff though?

just got lucky, some guy at that party brewed it.. it was a very random event I only had it once, I had the european stuff a few times.

the stuff the guy brewed was much sweater and less alchoholy.. than the comercial stuff.. it was like a very relaxed low key acid trip..

[surftb15]

it was like a very relaxed low key acid trip..

isnt that the goal of buying absinthe?
although im sure the stuffed produce u can get online isnt like that at all

[Mrs Roo]

hey quick question,

for those of you who have drank absinthe, does all the absinthe taste the same, or is there different variations like in wine?

also, do they all produce the same effects?

I can't remember!