Misleading Absinthe Information

One book “Absinthe The Cocaine of the 19th Century: A History of the Hallucinogenic Drug and its Effect on Artists and Writersin Europe and the United States” by Doris Lanier, compares Absinthe to drugs such as cocaine because it was said to be addictive, to give a sense of euphoria, have psychedelic effects and weaken the brain and other faculties.

Absinthe became popular at the end of the 19th century and early 20th century, a time known as “The Great Binge”. People used illegal drugs of today at that time for medicine, on prescription for coughs etc. Even in drinks. Some of the popular drinks in bars were Absinthe, Vin Maraiani and Coca Cola. These drugs and drinks were claimed to be harmless and were widely consumed all over Europe.

Due to it’s popularity with Bohemian artists and writers and with the courtesans of the Moulin Rouge and Montmartre Absinthe was linked with these drugs.

Thujone was also claimed to be psychoactive and same as THC in the drug cannabis. Both THC and Thujone are terpenoids found in the essential oils but THC is harmful for the central nervous system and thujone for the GABA receptors in the brain. When wormwood is smoked as a joint or consumed in large quantities, it has been known to cause effects similar to cannabis intoxication – to cause hallucinations and fantasies, to make the person feel euphoric, to relieve pain and to act as an aphrodisiac.

Absinthe was banned along with some drugs in the early 1900s in most of the countries all over the world. Everyone knows that it was banned due to madness of the time. Drugs like heroin (the White Fairy), cannabis and cocaine were lumped with Absinthe and also lots of people and websites mention it as magic mushrooms, LSD, weed, cannabis and ecstasy. 

Absinthe Information – What we now know

We know that medical studies on Absintheand wormwood in the past were not accurate and were “colored” by the prohibition movement of the time and the worry that Absinthe was a drug. Absinthe contains very small amounts of thujone after it is distilled which is insufficient to cause any harmful side effects or hallucinations. Even tests on vintage pre ban Absinthe has shown that it hardly contained any thujone at all. Thujone is not so harmful as the alcohol.

One can enjoy Absinthe all over the world as it has been legalized in many countries.

However it may not make trip or get high, it is easy to get drunk on Absinthe because of it’s high proof. It should be drunk carefully because it contains double amount of the alcohol. The alcoholism experienced by Absinthe is far different from other spirits or fermented beverages. It is said to be a “lucid” or “clear headed” type of drunkenness. A mixture of sedatives and stimulants can explain this. A few people improve these qualities by making cocktails containing Absinthe and the caffeine loaded drink Red Bull!

A person can be disappointed with some of the confusing Absinthe information. The preparation of this anise flavor alcoholic beverage is entertaining. One can get real, top-quality Absinthe essences from AbsintheKit.com to prepare his own wormwood Absinthe at home.One can enjoy Absinthe on less expense at AbsintheKit.com.

First you need to buy a quality Absinthe which is rich in essential oils and that contains wormwood. Many Absinthe substitutes or fake Absinthes are for sales but you should buy Absinthes that contains common wormwood. Make sure you buy a proper real Absinthe. If you live in a country where it is hard to find a good quality Absinthe then you could make your own Absinthe using essences from AbsintheKit.com.

When you have your Absinthe, you will need to learn The Ritual or La Louche. This is the traditional Swiss or French way of preparing Absinthe and uses one shot of Absinthe. The instructions are:-

The Ritural is peformed with a slotted Absinthe spoon, a lump of suger, iced water and Absinthe glass.

– Pour 25-50 ml of Absinthe into the glass.
– Rest the special spoon over the rim of the glass and place a cube of sugar on it.
– By either pouring from a carafe or dripping from the tap of the fountain, slowly drip iced water over the sugar. After giving the sugar a chance to dissolve and drip it slowly through the slots of the spoon. You will see a lovely “louche” effect as the water mixes into the alcohol. The Absinthe louches because the essential oils of the herbs are soluble in alcohol but not in water and so make the mixture cloudy or milky when water is added.
– Sit down and enjoy your drink.

The Czech or Bohemian Method is very similar to the Ritual but is a modern way of preparing cheap Czech Absinthes. The Bohemian method is scorned by Absinthe followers.

Tips and instructions for using the Bohemian method:-

– Pour 25-50 ml of Absinthe into the glass and dip the sugar cube into the Absinthe and soak the sugar.
– Place the sugar cube on the Absinthe spoon and rest the spoon on the rim of the glass.
– To allow the sugar to carmelize and melt, set the sugar cube on fire for one minute. The sugar will drip through the slots of the Absinthe spoon and into the Absinthe.
– Place the spoon into the glass and pour the iced water into the Absinthe to put out the flames and to cause the Absinthe to louche.
– Enjoy your Absinthe drink.

If you want to enjoy your Absinthe properly the you will want some Absinthiana – Absinthe glasses, spoons and perhaps even an Absinthe fountain to control the flow of the water. You can find replicas of antique spoons and glasses for purchased from AbsintheKit.com.

To Prepare Absinthe drink, what is the rcommended amount of Absinthe to use? Use approximately 45 ml or a shot glass full. Absinthe can be use in cocktails and you can search online for recipes.