Jade Absinthe is a range of premium handcrafted Absinthes which are clones of vintage Absinthes produced in the Belle Epoque period of French history – the time when Absinthe was one of the most popular drinks in France and was linked with the Bohemian culture of Montmartre, the Moulin Rouge and the artists and writers who resided in Paris at the time. Absinthe is an anise flavored liquor made with wormwood and prepared in an Absinthe glass by pouring iced water over a cube of sugar on a special slotted Absinthe spoon.

Ted Breaux, from New Orleans in the USA, has made it his mission to clone the fine Absinthes of the late 19th and early 20th century for people to enjoy today. Every one of his Jade Absinthes is distilled in the Combier Distillery in Saumur, France – a famous Absinthe distillery. These Jade Absinthes are even distilled using equipment such as alambics and stills which were used by the Pernod distillery until it was hit by lightning in 1901 and in the still room designed by Gustave Eiffel, designer of the Eiffel Tower!

Breaux is committed to producing Absinthe by hand, using original antique equipment and using 19th century production techniques. Breaux was even able to get his hands on vintage bottles of original Swiss style Absinthe, created by C F Berger in 1830, to study so that he could learn from it and clone this fine Absinthe.

The Jade Absinthe Collection

The Breaux collection of Jade Absinthes includes:-

– Jade PF 1901 (68% ABV 136 Proof). Winner of a Silver medal at the 2007 London International Wine and Spirit Competition. This Absinthe is named after the date that the Pernod Fils Distillery in Pontarlier was struck by lightning. The Jade line of Absinthes is produced in the copper stills purchased from Pernod Fils after the fire. Jade PF 1901 has been described as a classic traditional “old school” Absinthe and people who have had the opportunity to taste vintage bottles of Pernod Fils Absinthe and Jade PF 1901 have said that they are very similar.

– Jade Verte Suisse 65 (65% ABV 130 Proof). This Absinthe won a Gold Medal at the 2007 London International Wine and Spirit Competition. This Absinthe is cloned from the vintage bottle of Swiss Absinthe that Breaux was able to secure. Switzerland was the home of Absinthe and known for the quality of its Absinthes.

– Nouvelle-Orleans (68% ABV 136 Proof). This Absinthe is said to be light with a floral aroma. It is a clone of the Absinthes which were served in the French parts of New Orleans in the USA. It won the silver medal at the 2006 London International Wine and Spirit Competition.

– Edouard 72 (72% ABV 144 Proof). Winner of a Silver medal at the 2006 London International Wine and Spirit Competition. This Absinthe is a clone of the famous Edouard Pernod Absinthe and is a traditional Belle Epoque Absinthe.

– Combier Blanchette (60% ABV 120 Proof). This Swiss style clear Absinthe won Gold Medal at the Pontarlier Absinthiades competition in 2006. Based on the La Bleue Swiss Absinthe, this Absinthe is the original Absinthe that was distilled at the Combier Distillery at the turn of the 20th century. It is said to have the traditional anise and wormwood flavors with flavors of alpine herbs.

Breaux has also been involved in creating an Absinthe for the American market. In the USA, thujone, the chemical found in wormwood, is strictly regulated and so normal Absinthe is still banned. Breaux’s expertise, coupled with the legal knowledge of Gared Gurfein, has led to the production of Lucid, an Absinthe created from traditional Absinthe recipes which only contained minute quantities of thujone. Breaux’s dream of re-introducing Absinthe to his home city, New Orleans the Paris of the USA, has been realized and Lucid is available to buy in the US. Breaux has been looking forward to seeing his Absinthe being served with the traditional glasses and spoons in bars in the US for a long time.

Jade Absinthe is available to buy online or you can create your own traditional Absinthe using real wormwood Absinthe essences from AbsintheKit.com – an easy way to enjoy the Green Fairy.

Jade absinthe or the fabled green colored aperitif is making a stunning comeback in most parts of the world. Today, almost all west European countries have lifted the century long ban imposed on absinthe. No drink in history has been so wrongfully blamed as absinthe. Absinthe has been blamed for almost all miseries from madness to serial murders.

Absinthe also nicknamed as the “Green Fairy” was the most popular liquor of nineteenth century Europe. Original absinthe was a potent blend of various alpine herbs soaked in alcohol. Several artists and writers in the nineteenth century were devotees of absinthe. This liquor was liked by both the masses and classes of nineteenth century Europe. At one time it was more popular than wine.

Since, lifting of the ban absinthe has generated a great deal of interest amongst connoisseurs of fine liquor. Younger people today want to taste pre-ban absinthe. Vintage absinthes of the pre-ban period recovered from old cellars in Europe are fetching astronomical prices; however, not everyone can afford to pay huge sums to taste the original absinthe.

Thankfully, T.A. Breaux a professional scientist has taken it upon himself to offer connoisseurs the opportunity to taste and relish the experience of original pre-ban absinthe. T.A. Breaux established Jade liqueurs in the year 2000 to produce recreations of classic absinthes of nineteenth century Europe. A chance discovery of rare pre-ban absinthe bottles in a Corsican cellar have allowed Mr. Breaux and his other associates to use modern analytical tools to unlock the secrets of vintage absinthe.

Jade absinthes are made using accurate and authentic recipes. The herbs used in making absinthe are harvested from specific areas of Europe and at particular time of the year, as was done during the pre-ban era. Some of the stills used for distillation are carefully restored and date back to the nineteenth century. Ted Breaux and his associates have done huge amount of original research to produce or recreate original absinthe. Jade absinthe is balanced and has the same herbal aroma and the lingering taste of vintage absinthe. Tasting this absinthe is bound to take the connoisseur back in history when the Green Fairy was the favorite muse of great masters like Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, and Oscar Wilde.

Vintage absinthe accessories such as absinthe spoons, absinthe glasses, absinthe labels, and absinthe fountains are also in great demand; however, they come with a heavy price tag. Silver plated stylish copies of absinthe spoons glasses and other accessories are available online and lovers of absinthe can buy them online. Absinthekit.com is a reliable source for authentic absinthe essence, classic absinthe spoons, glasses, and other absinthe accessories.

There has been much debate and controversy during the past few years over the question “Is Absinthe legal in the US”. It has always been thought that Absinthe was illegal due to its thujone content.

Absinthe, or the Green Fairy (La Fee Verte in French) is a strong alcoholic distilled drink usually made from a wine base and flavored with natural herbs such as wormwood, aniseed and fennel. It is much stronger than other spirits and fermented beverages like beer and cider. Absinthe has an anise taste and is famous for its “louche” or clouding when it is diluted with water. Iced water is poured over a sugar cube on a slotted spoon to mix with the water.

Thujone is a chemical found in the herb wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium) and was in the past thought to be psychoactive and to cause psychedelic effects, convulsions, insanity, brain damage and ultimately death. Wormwood is a key ingredient in Absinthe, it is the herb responsible for the characteristic bitter taste of the liquor. It was claimed that vintage pre ban Absinthe, like Pernod Absinthe, contained up to 350mg of thujone per liter.

Absinthe and alcohol containing thujone were made illegal in the United States in 1912 and only thujone free beverages were able to be bought, sold or shipped to the US such as Pernod Pastis, an Absinthe substitute.

The claims of the prohibition movement and doctors of the 19th and early 20th centuries, regarding the effects of Absinthe drinking, have since been disproved by further research and studies. Absinthe with up to 10mg/kg of thujone was made therefore made legal in the European Union.

But what about the US? Many people in the United States became frustrated with the laws regarding thujone and Absinthe. Absinthe distiller Ted Breaux, an American but distilling Absinthe in France, was determined to see Absinthe, the Green Fairy, being sold legally in the US. Breaux tested vintage bottles of Absinthe from the pre ban era by gas chromatography and was surprised to find that they actually only contained very low levels of thujone, a maximum of 6mg.

Lux and Fire Erowid contacted both the FDA and the US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) to seek clarification regarding the US laws on Absinthe and found that a thujone amount was not specified and “thujone free” meant less than the limit of detection in the testing that was used – less than 10 parts per million in this case. So, Absinthe with less than 10ppm would be legal in the US!

Ted Breaux and lawyer Gared Gurfein also spoke to the US authorities and Veridian’s brand of Absinthe “Lucid”, made with Breaux, was legalized for sale in the US in 2007 along with other brands containing less than 10ppm of thujone.
Suddenly, the Green Fairy was back in the US!

US citizens still cannot buy stronger Absinthe in the US although the website for Sebor Absinthe says that they can get around the law by shipping their Absinthe to consumers in the US for personal consumption as they interpret the law as only applying to resale of Absinthe.

There are kits available for people to make their own Absinthe at home without the need for distilling which is illegal in the US unless you have a license. These kits allow you to make a drink with a slightly higher thujone level than commercial Absinthe on sale in the USA.

The company Green Devil make kits which contain herbs that you have to mix with alcohol and then filter. AbsintheKit.com produce essences which they sell to the Absinthe industry and to consumers world wide. These essences are already distilled from the traditional Absinthe herbs, all you have to do is to mix the essence with Everclear or vodka for a real wormwood Absinthe.

So, is Absinthe legal in the US? Yes, it is, at last!

The answer to the question “Is Absinthe available in Canada?” is rather simple really – yes! It may not be fully legal to buy and sell throughout Canada but it is perfectly legal to order it and ship it in to Canada from other countries for personal consumption.

In March 2007 Canadian law stipulated that it was up to the liquor board of each individual Canadian province to regulate the chemical called thujone. Thujone is a chemical found in wormwood and is the reason why Absinthe was banned in many countries around the world in the early 1900s. Thujone was thought to be psychoactive like THC in cannabis and Absinthe was compared to drugs like cannabis, cocaine and heroin. Medical professional of the time alleged that Absinthe contained vast amounts (up to 350mg) of thujone and that Absinthe was responsible for causing:-

– Hallucinations
– Convulsions
– Delirium
– Insanity
– Brain damage
– Death

Is Absinthe available in Canada or not?

The United States banned Absinthe in 1912 and although it was never properly banned in Canada, liquor boards have managed to prevent it from being available to consumers. Canadian consumers have had to be content with Absinthe substitutes, like Pernod Pastis, that don’t contain wormwood.

Since it has been established through testing that Absinthe only contains small amounts of thujone which are perfectly safe and that the claims and allegations were just part of the mass and hysteria fueled by the Prohibition Movement, Absinthe laws all over the world have been relaxed so that the drink can be experienced by modern consumers.

Many Canadian provinces are now reviewing their legislation regarding Absinthe. The provinces of Quebec and Ontario allow Absinthe with a thujone content of up to 10ppm, just like EU and US legislation. British Columbia does not have any legislation regarding thujone levels but the smaller the better. Hills Absinth and a Canadian distilled Absinthe called “Taboo”, which is distilled in British Columbia in the Okanagan Valley, have been approved and are available to buy in many provinces.

If you are a Canadian in a province where it is hard to get hold of a quality wormwood Absinthe in a store, you should consider Absinthekits like those available from the company AbsintheKit. This online company produce Absinthe essences for the Absinthe industry and for consumers. The essences contain traditional Absinthe herbs such as wormwood, aniseed and fennel and are already distilled. Simply mix 20ml of Absinthe essence with 730ml of vodka or Everclear and you have your very own real Absinthe.

AbsintheKit.com do world wide shipping, simply order an essence or Absinthe kit on their web shop. The essences either come individually in 20ml bottles or you can order a kit containing 280ml to make 14 bottles of Absinthe, artistic bottle labels and a handy plastic measure. The essences come in 4 varieties – one to make a classic verte Absinthe, one to make a clear La Bleue style Absinthe, an essence to make a yellow-orange colored Absinthe flavored with natural orange oil, and a strong essence to make an Absinthe with a higher content of wormwood. The strong essence makes an Absinthe with 55mg of thujone and the other essences make Absinthes with 35mg of thujone.

So, what we can say to “Is Absinthe available in Canada?” is that it can be ordered online for personal consumption wherever you live in Canada but you may not be able to buy it in your local liquor store.

Absinthe was banned in many countries around the world in the early 1900s because of worries about its safety. Absinthe is a strong liquor with an anise taste which is served diluted with water to cause the drink to louche.
One of the key ingredients of Absinthe is the herb wormwood which contains a chemical called thujone. Thujone was thought to be similar to THC in the drug cannabis and to be psychoactive. The medical profession and prohibitionists in 19th century France were convinced that Absinthe was more than an intoxicant, it was a dangerous drug totally unlike other alcoholic beverages. The government listened to these claims and were worried about growing alcohol abuse in France so they banned Absinthe in 1915. It became a crime to buy or sell Absinthe, you could get into trouble with the police if you distilled it illegally.

Studies have since shown Absinthe to be perfectly safe, as safe as any strong alcohol. Absinthe only contains small amounts of thujone and certainly not enough to cause any harmful effects. It is easy to get drunk on Absinthe though and, because Absinthe contains herbs of both a sedative and stimulant nature, it is a very different drunkenness!

Absinthe was legalized in many countries from the 1980s onwards depending on its thujone content. Bottles of Absinthe can be found online or in liquor shops or you can make your own from top-quality essences like those from AbsintheKit.com.

In what countries is Absinthe legal today?

United States – Some brands of Absinthe were approved for sale in the US in 2007 after being banned since 1912. Brands such as “Lucid” are now legal because of their low thujone content. The USA law allows “thujone free” beverages to be sold but because of US test procedures, Absinthes with less than 10 parts per million of thujone (less than 10mg per liter) count as thujone free.

The EU (European Union) – Absinthe was banned in many European countries in the early 1900s but was legalized in the EU in 1988. There is a regulation regarding thujone content in drinks in the EU. Up to 10mg/kg of thujone is allowed in alcohol with more than 25% alcohol by volume, and up to 35mg/kg in alcohol labeled “bitters”.

Australia – Bitters can have a thujone content of up to 35mg/kg and other beverages can contain up to 10mg/kg. Absinthe is legal for sale if it complies with the law.

Brazil – Brazilian law states that Absinthe should have less than 55% alcohol by volume and contain 10mg/kg of thujone or less.

Canada – The Canadian provinces each have their own liquor boards to make laws regarding alcohol. Many provinces do not allow any thujone containing alcohol to be sold but Absinthe is legal in British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec. Quebec and Ontario legislate that Absinthe with up to 10mg/kg thujone can be legally sold and there are no limits regarding thujone in British Columbia.

Czech Republic – Absinthe is a Czech tradition and has never been banned in the Czech Republic.

France – La Fee Verte or The Green Fairy (Absinthe) was famously banned in 1915. Since 1988 Absinthe has been legal in France as long as it is not labeled Absinthe but is labeled “spiritueux à base de plantes d’absinthe”. France also regulates the chemical fenchone which is found in fennel so beverages must contain 5mg/liter or less of fenchone. Many distillers make low fenchone Absinthes especially for the French market.

Hungary – In 2004 Hungarian law made Absinthe legal.

Israel – Absinthe can be sold in Israel.

Ireland – Absinthe can be shipped into the country for personal consumption but Absinthe containing thujone is otherwise illegal.

Netherlands – In 2004 Absinthe was made legal as long as it complies with the EU legislation.

New Zealand – Absinthe is legal in New Zealand.

Poland – Absinthe seems to be illegal in Poland.

Portugal – Like Spain, Absinthe was never banned in Portugal.

Russia – Russia allows Absinthe to be bought and sold, even high thujone Absinthe of up to 75mg/kg thujone.

Serbia – Serbia does not allow Absinthe over 50% abv or containing thujone to be sold.

South Africa – In 2005 Absinthe was made legal.

Spain – Absinthe was never banned in Spain where it is known as Absenta.

Sweden – Sweden allows Absinthe complying with EU legislation to be sold as long as it is labeled as containing wormwood.

Switzerland – Absinthe was finally legalized in 2005 in Switzerland, more than 90 years after it was banned.

Turkey – Thujone containing Absinthe is illegal.

UK – The UK never banned Absinthe. Absinthe must comply with EU legislation.

So, the answer to the question “In what countries is Absinthe legal?” is that it is now legal in most countries where it was previously popular.

At present there seems to be an Absinthe revival, a renewed interest in information on Absinthe, due to the fact that Absinthe has recently become legal in the United States. In 2007 the Absinthe “Lucid” was legalized in the USA and a few other brands have followed suit. The Green Fairy can once again be enjoyed in bars and homes across America.

Information on Absinthe

Absinthe is a strong spirit which was actually developed as an elixir or health tonic in the 18th century in Switzerland by Dr Pierre Ordinaire. From these humble beginnings in its heyday, in the late 19th century and early 20th century, it was even more popular than other alcoholic beverages such as wine, beer and cider.

Made from a wine alcohol base and flavored with natural herb oils, Absinthe is a very different kind of alcohol. It is approximately twice the strength of whisky or vodka but is traditionally served diluted with iced water. Its main herbal ingredient is wormwood or Artemisia Absinthium. Absinthe gets its name from this plant and its characteristic bitter taste. The anise flavor comes from aniseed, fennel and anise which are classic herbal ingredients.

Wormwood has been used since ancient times in medicine for the treating of:-
– Fevers
– Parasitic intestinal worms
– Digestive problems
– To counteract poisoning from hemlock and toadstools.
It was also used as a tonic or “pick-me-up” and so was a natural choice for Ordinaire’s elixir.

Wormwood was responsible for Absinthe’s ban in the early 1900s. The chemical thujone, found in wormwood, was thought to be psychoactive, to cause psychedelic effects, addiction and insanity. Absinthe was compared to the drug cannabis and prohibitionists and members of the medical profession campaigned for Absinthe to be banned.

Studies have since shown that Absinthe contains only very small amounts of thujone and is perfectly safe to drink in moderation. EU and US legislation control the amount of thujone in Absinthe and other drinks but even vintage pre ban Absinthe would be able to be sold today.

Contrary to myths and urban legend, Absinthe will not make you hallucinate or “trip”. It is a lovely drink and will get you drunk quite easily but it does not contain enough wormwood to cause hallucinations.

There are many recipes online and kits available to make your own Absinthe at home. Making Absinthe from first ingredients such as blends of herbs is tricky and also illegal in the US where distillation of alcohol is only allowed if you have the correct license.

Some kits contain blends of Absinthe herbs which you mix with alcohol, steep and then filter after a few days but essences are far easier to use. AbsintheKit.com sell their already distilled Absinthe essences to the Absinthe industry and to the public. There are four essences available – a classic green essence, a white essence to make clear La Bleue style Absinthe, an orange flavored essence and a strong essence for those who like a stronger wormwood flavor.

Absinthe essences from AbsintheKit.com are easy to use – simply mix with vodka or Everclear and you’re done! They contain real herbs and essential oils such as wormwood, aniseed and fennel and will make a true classic Absinthe.

You will be able to find plenty of information on Absinthe online and why not use your homemade Absinthe to make tasty cocktails? Enjoy being creative with your Absinthe.

Here is some information about the mythical drink Absinthe, the Green Fairy, the favorite drink of the likes of Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Oscar Wilde, Ernest Hemingway, Gauguin, Baudelaire, Verlaine, Degas and many other famous artists and writers.

Absinthe is a strong alcoholic beverage distilled at high proof but generally served diluted with iced water or in cocktails. Absinthe liquor is usually made from a wine alcohol base and is flavored with herbs and essential oils including wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium), aniseed and fennel. Other herbal ingredients used in the manufacture may include hyssop, lemon balm, star anise, angelica, juniper, nutmeg, dittany, calamus root and mint.

Information about Absinthe History

Absinthe has a very long and interesting history. Its main herbal ingredient, wormwood, has been used in medicine since ancient times as a tonic and to stimulate digestion. Legend says that Absinthe was created by a French doctor Dr Pierre Ordinaire in the late 18th century, in the Swiss town of Couvet in the Val-de-Travers. Ordinaire used it on his patients, as an elixir, with miraculous results.

By the turn of the 19th century, Henri-Louis Pernod was using the Absinthe recipe to distill Absinthe in Couvet and then the French town of Pontarlier, under the name of Pernod Fils. By the middle of the 19th century, the Pernod company were producing 30,000 liters of Absinthe each day!

Absinthe was a popular drink in France, in La Belle Epoque, and also many other countries. Absinthe’s popularity affected wine producers as it overtook wine as the favorite drink of the French people. At the same time, there were concerns about health and the effects of Absinthe. The liquor was linked to the Bohemian culture of Montmartre with its loose morals and artists and writers. People became convinced that thujone, the chemical in wormwood, was psychoactive and caused psychedelic effects, convulsions, insanity, brain damage and death.

Absinthe was blamed for Van Gogh’s insanity and his suicide, for a man killing his family and for the rising rate of alcohol abuse in France. Absinthe was banned in the USA in 1912 and France in 1915. Other countries also made it illegal to buy and sell Absinthe.

Absinthe Revival

During the ban, people either drank Absinthe substitutes, such as Pernod Pastis, or bought bootleg Absinthe. Many people were convinced that the claims made about Absinthe were untrue and studies and research took place.

Studies showed that Absinthe was no more dangerous than consuming other strong alcoholic beverages, such as whisky and vodka, and that Absinthe contained only very small amounts of thujone – not enough to cause any harmful side effects.

Absinthe with up to 10mg/kg of thujone was legalized in the EU in the late 20th century and in 2007, in the USA, certain brands of Absinthe, those containing up to 10 ppm, were legalized and Americans can now enjoy buying brands such as “Lucid” .

France, home of Pernod’s original Absinthe still has a ban on products labeled “Absinthe” and France also strictly regulates drinks containing fenchone, a chemical in fennel which is a key ingredient in Absinthe. To be sold in France, Absinthes have to be called another name like “spirit a base de plantes d’absinthe” and only contain up to 5mg per liter of fenchone.

In these times of revival, it is possible to order Absinthe online, buy it in a liquor shop or buy real wormwood Absinthe essences to make your very own Green Fairy – see AbsintheKit.com for further information about Absinthe essences. They also sell replica Absinthe glasses and spoons like a Pontarlier glass and Eiffel Tower spoon.

Many people want to find more info on the alcohol Absinthe which has become popular again after being legalized in many countries.

Absinthe is the mysterious, mythical drink enjoyed by artists and writers such as Pablo Picasso, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Degas, Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemingway. They claimed that the Green Fairy gave them their genius and their inspiration and it was featured in many works of art and books.

But what is Absinthe?

Absinthe is a strong alcoholic beverage which has a mysterious blend of natural herbs and alcohol which don’t cause hallucinations, contrary to Absinthe legend, but do give a very different kind of drunkenness. Absinthe contains herbs of a sedative nature and herbs and alcohol that are stimulants. The result? A “clear headed” or “lucid” drunkenness.

Absinthe contains the herb wormwood along with others like fennel, aniseed, star anise, hyssop and lemon balm. It has a wonderful anise flavor and is served diluted with iced water. It is famous for the “louche” – the clouding that happens when water is added to the alcohol. The essential oils of the herbs in Absinthe are soluble in alcohol but are not soluble in water and so cause the drink to louche or go cloudy – a wonderful effect to watch.

Absinthe is not a drug. Although there is a book by Doris Lanier entitled “Absinthe the Cocaine of the 19th Century”, Absinthe is definitely not a drug. It was a popular drink during the time of “The Great Binge” 1870-1914 when drugs like cocaine and heroin were developed and consumed freely before the dangers were known. Unfortunately, Absinthe was lumped together with these drugs and was also blamed for being addictive, an intoxicant, psychoactive and causing hallucinations and insanity. Absinthe was banned in 1912 in the US and in 1915 in France.

The claims surrounding Absinthe’s psychedelic effects and dangers have since been proved false and it is commonly agreed that Absinthe is no more harmful than any other type of strong alcohol.

Info on the Alcohol Absinthe and Making It

In some countries it is still hard to find a bottle of quality Absinthe which contains real wormwood. Many fake or substitute Absinthes were developed during the time of the ban and are still on sale today. But Absinthe just isn’t Absinthe without traditional ingredients such as wormwood!

Absinthe essences from AbsintheKit.com are a great way to make real traditional tasting Absinthe. These essences contain the classic Absinthe herbal ingredients of wormwood, fennel and aniseed and are already distilled so that you do not need to distill Absinthe at home. Simply mix the essences with a neutral alcohol base such as vodka or Everclear and you have your very own vintage style Absinthe. Using essences is also an economical way to buy Absinthe – just $3.95 for an essence that will make a 750ml bottle of Absinthe!

AbsintheKit.com also sell wonderful slotted Absinthe spoons, known as cuilleres, and Absinthe glasses which are replicas of famous antiques. Check out the website for further info on the alcohol Absinthe and Absinthe products.

After being banned since the early 1900s, Absinthe is now legal in many countries and a few brands of Absinthe were legalized in the United States in 2007. People are excited about Absinthe and want to know more info on Absinthe. They are searching online for info and reading articles and books for answers to their questions – What is it? How do you prepare it? What is it made from? Why was it banned? Is it safe? What is wormwood? Etc. Let’s answer a few of those questions.

Info on Absinthe and its history

Absinthe is a strong distilled alcoholic beverage which is usually made from a wine base and is flavored with natural herbs and essential oils. The three main herbs used in Absinthe production are common wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium), green aniseed and fennel. The fennel and aniseed give Absinthe its anise flavor and the wormwood gives Absinthe its characteristic bitter taste and its name.

Wormwood has been used since ancient times as a natural remedy for many medical conditions and so was a natural choice for Dr Pierre Ordinaire’s elixir or health tonic. Ordinaire invented Absinthe in the late 18th century in the Swiss town of Couvet as a pick-me-up for his patients, unaware of the potential of his recipe. By the early 19th century Henri-Louis Pernod was producing Absinthe and selling it commercially and by the middle of the 19th century it was a popular drink in France, Switzerland and later the United States. Bars even had Absinthe hours (L’heure de verte) and Absinthe soon overtook other beverages such as wine and beer as the most popular drink.

Wine producers, doctors and the prohibition movement began their anti-Absinthe campaign in earnest in the late 1800s. Absinthe was associated with the loose morals of the courtesans of the Moulin Rouge, Montmartre and the Bohemian artists and writers and prohibitionists blamed it for damaging society as an intoxicant.

Absinthe was also blamed for causing many health problems due to its thujone content. Thujone is a chemical found in wormwood which doctors claimed was psychoactive and caused psychedelic effects. Absinthe was thought to contain huge amounts of thujone and to be similar to the drug cannabis. It was blamed for:-

– Hallucinations
– Convulsions
– Brain damage
– Insanity
– Death

Absinthe was even held responsible for a man murdering his family even though he had only consumed two glasses of Absinthe and copious amounts of other alcohol!

Absinthe was believed to be dangerous and so was banned in 1912 in the USA and 1915 in France.

Is Absinthe Safe?

Research and studies over the past few decades have shown that pre ban Absinthe only contained very small amounts of thujone, not enough to be harmful or to cause hallucinations. We now know that the claims were just mass hysteria and just excuses for the wine producers and the prohibitionists to get Absinthe banned.

Thujone quantities are now controlled by legislation and Absinthe is just as safe as any of the other types of strong spirits. It is easy to get drunk on Absinthe though because of its high alcohol by volume (up to 75%), so care should be taken especially when mixing it in cocktails with other spirits.

The blend of herbs and the alcohol in Absinthe act as both a sedative and as a stimulant so being drunk on Absinthe is unlike any other state of drunkenness. Some describe it as a strange “lucid” or “clear headed” drunkenness.

Info on Absinthe Preparation

Preparing the Green Fairy (Absinthe) is part of the fun of drinking Absinthe. You will need:-
– Quality Absinthe
– An Absinthe glass
– An Absinthe slotted spoon
– Iced water
– A cube of sugar
Pour a shot of Absinthe into the glass and rest the spoon over the rim. Place the sugar on the spoon and slowly drip the water over the sugar and into the Absinthe. As the sugar and water solution mixes into the Absinthe, the drink will louche – turn from a transparent green to a milky or cloudy paler mixture. This “louche” is the desired effect and is caused by the essential oils of the Absinthe not being water soluble. Stir and enjoy your drink.

You need a quality Absinthe containing natural essential oils for the drink to louche. Absinthe essences from AbsintheKit.com make wonderful Absinthes with a high content of natural essential oils. The company also sells glasses and spoons which are replicas of antiques. You will also find lots of info on Absinthe on their website.

Absinthe is famous for being the green drink that sent Van Gogh insane, that made him hallucinate, cut off his ear and eventually commit suicide. It’s the drink of the Green Fairy that gives artists and writers inspiration, that makes you trip like cannabis – isn’t it? Does Absinthe really cause psychedelic effects? Now that Absinthe is legal again in many countries, people want answers to these questions and want to know how to tell real Absinthe make you hallucinate. Here is some information on Absinthe.

Absinthe is a very strong liquor which is made by distilling herbs such as wormwood, fennel and aniseed with alcohol. It was invented by the legendary Dr Pierre Ordinaire in the late 18th century as an elixir or tonic for his patients in Couvet, Switzerland. By the turn of the 19th century, Absinthe had gone from being a tonic to being an alcoholic beverage produced by Pernod Fils in their distillery in Pontarlier, France.

From its humble beginnings as a medicine, Absinthe became a highly popular alcoholic beverage during the period known as La Belle Epoque, a golden age. It soon surpassed wine and beer as the most popular alcoholic drink in France and this made wine producers, the Prohibition movement and the medical profession worry.

Absinthe became associated with the Bohemian culture of Montmartre and the Moulin Rouge with its loose morals, and also with drugs such as heroin and cocaine which were being used in children’s medicines and drinks at the time. The medical profession claimed that the chemical thujone, from wormwood, was just like THC in the drug cannabis and was psychoactive and could cause psychedelic effects. Prohibitionists claimed that Absinthe was destroying France, it was leading to addiction and alcoholism and one politician famously argued that it Absinthe was not banned then half of the population would be employed in fitting the other half of the population into strait jackets! Absinthe was banned in France in 1915.

Were these claims true?

Although artists and writers claimed that the Green Fairy was their muse and that they got their weird and wonderful ideas from hallucinations from Absinthe, we now know that Absinthe does not make you hallucinate. Who knows what else the artists and writers were taking? It is said that Van Gogh mixed his Absinthe with turpentine and we know that he had been mentally ill since childhood anyway.

Thujone is not like THC. If it is ingested in large amounts, then thujone can act on the GABA receptors in the brain, causing convulsions and spasms, but only in large amounts. Tests and studies on modern Absinthe and pre ban vintage Absinthe show that Absinthe only contains very small amounts of thujone, nowhere near enough to make you hallucinate even a little. Ted Breaux, Absinthe distiller and tester says “I would have to consume about three liters of Absinthe at the European limit to have any clinically discernible effects from thujone, and I’d be long dead from the alcohol by that point.”

Absinthe has now been redeemed and we know that it is no more harmful than any other strong spirit. It will not give you hallucinations, it will not drive you to insanity but it can make you very drunk. If you think that Absinthe is twice as strong as whisky and vodka, then you can see that Absinthe will get you drunk quickly and easily, whether you use a commercial Absinthe or one you’ve made from a kit like those on sale at AbsintheKit.com.

Although Absinthe will not make you hallucinate, the drunkenness you will experience when drinking Absinthe will be unlike the drunkenness that you feel after drinking other types of alcohol in excess. It has been described as a “lucid” or “clear headed” drunkenness and it is thought that this is caused by the mysterious combination of the sedative effect of the alcohol and the herbal ingredients which are stimulants. So, no green fairies but perhaps a bit of an alcohol high and heightened senses.

So, the answer to the question “How to tell real Absinthe make you hallucinate” is that no Absinthe will make you hallucinate but it’s a wonderful drink. Drink it to enjoy it.