Many people have heard that Absinthe is different, that it’s not like other alcoholic beverages. By why is this? How is it different? What does Absinthe do?

Absinthe, also known as the Green Fairy, is a wonderful anise flavored liquor which is made from distilling alcohol with a recipe of herbs including wormwood, fennel and aniseed. The wormwood (artemisia asbinthium) is the herb that gives Absinthe its name and its characteristic slight bitter taste. Wormwood is also the reason why Absinthe was banned in the early 1900s.

The medical profession and the prohibition movement, in the late 19th century and early 20th century, were determined to get Absinthe banned. They claimed that Absinthe contained large amounts of thujone, a chemical found in wormwood, and that thujone was like THC in cannabis. They claimed that Absinthe caused psychedelic effects such as hallucinations and that made people addicted to Absinthe and drove them to insanity. It was even alleged that Absinthe caused a man to murder his family.

Absinthe was eventually banned in many countries in the early 1900s because governments believed that Absinthe was a danger. In countries where it was illegal, Absinthe could not be bought, sold or served. If people wanted Absinthe, they either had to get it shipped from abroad or buy bootleg clandestine Absinthe. Bootleggers in Switzerland distilled clear, or La Bleue, Absinthes so that people did not see that it was Absinthe.

So, is Absinthe dangerous? Does it cause hallucinations? What does Absinthe do?

We now know that Absinthe is just as safe as any strong spirit. Test and studies on vintage Absinthe have shown that Absinthe did not contain large amounts of thujone, only very small amounts, and that it could not possibly cause hallucinations. Ted Breaux, an Absinthe distiller who tested vintage bottles of Absinthe, found that pre ban Absinthe only contained a maximum of 6mg/kg of thujone. Absinthe with up to 10mg/kg of thujone is now legal in the EU and US but as Ted Breaux 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.”

Of course, Absinthe is an incredibly strong liquor, about twice the strength of whisky or vodka, so it will get you drunk easily! The drunkenness from Absinthe is said to be a strange “clear headed” or “lucid” drunkenness where your mind is freed and your senses are heightened – curious!

The difference between Absinthe and other beverages is the preparation involved in serving the perfect Absinthe. The traditional method of preparing the drink is called “The Ritual”. Follow this guide to make the perfect Absinthe:-

– Buy a good quality Absinthe containing wormwood from a shop or make your own using essences from AbsintheKit.com.
– Pour a shot of Absinthe into an Absinthe glass.
– Place a sugar lump or cube onto a slotted Absinthe spoon.
– Drip iced water over the sugar so that the sugar dissolves into the Absinthe.
– Watch the Absinthe louche as the essential oils of the herbs come out of the alcohol and cause the mixture to cloud and go milky.
– Stir and serve.
A ratio of 3:1 to 5:1 water to Absinthe is the recommended dilution.
Enjoy your drink of the Green Fairy.

So, what does Absinthe do? Well, it isn’t dangerous and it doesn’t cause hallucinations but it can make you drunk, a weird drunkenness, and it’s a drink that louches when diluted. That’s what Absinthe does.

Gone are the days when Absinthe was thought to cause hallucinations, people these days just drink it as part of an active nightlife. Although it contains a chemical called thujone, Absinthe will not cause psychedelic effects and cannot be compared to cannabis, LSD and other drugs. The drink of the Green Fairy will not make you see fairies and will not make you think that you can fly, whatever the likes of rock musicians, artists and writers say. So, what does a Absinthe buzz feel like?

What does a Absinthe buzz feel like?

Here are some answers. This is a list of descriptions of the Absinthe buzz according to Absinthe drinkers:-
– The first sip of Absinthe makes your tongue tingle and then go numb.
– Absinthe opens your mind to new ideas and concepts.
– Absinthe gives you heightened awareness.
– A “clear headed” drunkenness, clarity, lucidity.
– A drunkenness without a loss of control.
– “Brain-warming, idea-changing liquid alchemy” – Ernest Hemingway.
– The effect of “illuminating the mind” – French doctor 1872.
– “The darkest forest melts into an open meadow” Arthur Rimbaud explaining the effects of drinking a glass of Absinthe.
– Heightened senses.
– The feeling that it evaporates through the roof of your mouth.

Absinthe is unlike any other alcoholic beverage because it is a herbal liquor. Its unique blend of herbs with high proof alcohol mean that it is a curious mixture of sedatives and stimulants. Many people comment that they do not have a hangover after getting drunk on Absinthe.

Absinthe was banned in the early 1900s in many countries because it was thought to be dangerous. The prohibition movement, wine producers and the medical profession all claimed that Absinthe was like a drug and that it made people hallucinate and drove them to insanity. Thujone, the chemical found in wormwood, was blamed. Thujone was said to be similar to THC in cannabis and to be psychoactive and to cause psychedelic effects. We now know that thujone is not like THC and, although thujone can cause convulsions and spasms when ingested in large amounts, Absinthe only contains very small amounts of thujone – not enough to have any effect whatsoever.

Thujone levels in commercial Absinthe is controlled in most countries. The EU limit thujone levels to up to 10mg/kg in alcohol with an abv of over 25% and to up to 35mg/kg in “bitters”. The USA requires beverages to be “thujone free” but this just means containing less than 10mg/kg of thujone.

Some people argue that Absinthe is dangerous, after all, the news that Absinthe is safe seems to be coming from the distillers. Isn’t this just like Al Gore’s speech in 2000 about the dangers of drugs but not even mentioning the dangers of alcohol, which many people feel wasn’t mentioned because the alcohol industry fund political campaigns. Should we really believe Ted Breaux, distiller of Lucid, who claims that even pre ban Absinthe contained only trace amounts of thujone? Is Absinthe really safe or will it give me more than a buzz and drive me insane?

The answer to these questions is that Absinthe IS safe. In 2005 a German food safety group tested pre ban Absinthe and came up with the same results as Breaux. Absinthe was vindicated. Absinthe is intoxicating and will give you a different intoxication than you get from other alcohol, but it is not a drug.

What does an Absinthe buzz feel like? Most people agree that it heightens the senses and gives you a clarity of mind. Find out for yourself by drinking best quality bottled Absinthe or by making your own from essences like those from AbsintheKit.com. Just don’t overdo it!

In this time of Absinthe revival, most countrys permit Absinthe to be bought and sold. Even in countries like Ireland, where Absinthe is banned, you can still purchase it online from abroad and get it shipped for your own personal consumption, it is perfectly legal to order it this way.

Companies like AbsintheKit.com sell their Absinthe essences worldwide so that people can make their own Absinthe at home. These essences are great because they are already distilled and all you have to do is mix them with vodka or Everclear. Brilliant for people in countries where Absinthe is illegal or hard to find.

Absinthe is an anise flavored liquor which is made from natural herbs including aniseed, fennel and wormwood. Wormwood contains a chemical called thujone which, in the late 19th century, was thought to be like THC in cannabis. Absinthe was banned in many countries in the early 1900s because of concerns about its thujone levels and claims that thujone caused hallucinations, convulsions, insanity and death.

We now know, through research, that Absinthe is just as safe as any strong alcoholic drink. It does not contain large amounts of thujone, only small amounts, and will not cause any weird psychedelic effects. Many countries have now relaxed their Absinthe laws and people can now enjoy buying Absinthe once again.

So, what countrys permit Absinthe?

United States – It was thought that US law banned Absinthe in 1912 but this is not entirely true. US legislation states that only “thujone free” beverages can be bought and sold in the United States BUT testing equipment allows Absinthe with less than 10 parts per million of thujone (less than 10mg per liter) to count as thujone free. A few brands of Absinthe are now available in the US.

The EU (European Union) – Since 1988 Absinthe with a thujone content of up to 10mg/kg is allowed in alcohol with more than 25% alcohol by volume, and up to 35mg/kg in alcohol labeled “bitters”.

Australia – In Australia “bitters” can have a thujone content of up to 35mg/kg and other beverages can contain up to 10mg/kg.

Brazil – Absinthe of up to 10mg/kg thujone and with less than 55% abv can be sold.

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

Czech Republic – Czech Absinthe is famous and Absinthe has never been illegal in the Czech Republic.

France – French law of 1988 allows thujone beverages to be sold if they comply with EU laws and if they are labeled “spiritueux à base de plantes d’absinthe” and not Absinthe. Fenchone, the chemical found in fennel is also regulated in France and beverages are only allowed up to 5mg/liter of fenchone.

Hungary – Absinthe is legal and has been since 2004.

Israel – Absinthe is on sale in Israel.

Ireland – Thujone containing beverages are illegal to buy and sell but can be imported for personal consumption.

Netherlands – Absinthe must meet EU requirements.

New Zealand – Absinthe is legal.

Portugal – Just like the Czech Republic and Spain, Absinthe was never banned in Portugal.

Russia – Absinthe is perfectly legal in Russia and even high thujone Absinthes (up to 75mg/kg thujone) are available.

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

South Africa – From 2005, Absinthe has been legal.

Sweden – Absinthe has to meet EU guidelines and be labeled as containing wormwood.

Switzerland – In 2005, Absinthe was finally legalized in its home country after over 90 years of being illegal.

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

So, what countrys permit Absinthe? Lots of countries permit Absinthe which is great news because it is a wonderful mysterious drink and should be enjoyed by people all over the world.

Many people want to know if Absinthe has any effect on the body and what are the physical effects of Absinthe? Many people have never tried Absinthe because it was banned in the 1900s and was illegal for decades.

Absinthe, also known as the Green Fairy or La Fee Verte, is an anise flavored distilled alcoholic beverage made usually with a wine base and flavored with herbs. The three main herbs used in Absinthe distillation are common wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium), aniseed and fennel.

Absinthe was created by a doctor, Dr Pierre Ordinaire, in Couvet, Switzerland in the 18th century. He created it as a tonic or elixir for his patients out of herbs renowned for their medicinal properties. Henri-Louis Pernod managed to get hold of the recipe and started making Absinthe in Couvet and then in Pontarlier, France.

Absinthe became a very popular drink and was used by French soldiers in the 1840s to treat malaria. It soon became popular in France and even took over from wine as the favorite drink of the French in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Absinthe became a “pick me up” used all over France and in many countries – bars even had Absinthe hours or “L’heure verte”.

Absinthe was served with apparel such as a special Absinthe glass, a slotted Absinthe spoon and an Absinthe fountain or carafe of iced water. It was not generally served straight but, instead, diluted with a sugar and water solution.

An article from “Sweat” magazine “Battle Cry” from the 1960s talks of how the medical profession in France were concerned about Absinthism, a “disease” caused by prolonged Absinthe drinking. Doctors claimed that it was far worse than normal alcoholism and had the following symptoms:-

Initial Symptoms after consuming Absinthe:-

– A feeling of exhilaration
– Hallucinations
– Restless nights with terrible nightmares
– Nausea and vomiting
– Trembling
– Dizziness

Symptoms of long term Absinthe abuse:-

– Frothing and convulsions
– Delirium
– Hypersensitivity to pain
– Loss of libido
– Sensitivity to hot and cold
– Insanity
– Paralysis
– Death

The French Academy of Medicine asked that Absinthe be forbidden in 1900 but their pleas were ignored. It took the murder of a family by an Absinthe drinker in Switzerland in 1905 for governments to act. Switzerland banned Absinthe in 1908, Italy in 1913 and France in 1915.

Thujone, the chemical in wormwood, was blamed for Absinthe’s physical effects. Thujone was said to be psychoactive, a neurotoxin and to act on the GABA receptors in the brain. It was even compared to THC in the drug cannabis.

However, recent research with traditional pre ban Absinthe recipes and gas chromatography tests on vintage bottles of original Absinthe have all shown that, contrary to belief, Absinthe only contained a maximum of 6mg of thujone rather than 350mg which is what people believed it contained. This amount of thujone was nowhere near a harmful level.

Many now believe that Absinthe was unfairly blamed and that Absinthe is no more dangerous than any other strong liquor. It should be consumed with care and in moderation though because it has a high ABV (alcohol by volume), twice as strong as other spirits like whisky and vodka.

What are the Physical Effects of Absinthe Today?

Most believe that Absinthe has no physical effects like causing hallucinations but those who consume bottled Absinthes, or stronger Absinthes made using kits like those available from AbsintheKit.com, and get drunk, talk about a very different drunkenness – a “clear headed” or “lucid” drunkenness. This may be due to Absinthe’s blend of herbs. Some of the herbs act as stimulants and others as sedatives.

So, what are the physical effects of Absinthe? A feeling of pleasure and enjoyment and perhaps a clear headed drunknenness.

Now that Absinthe is once again legal in many countries around the world, people are asking “What are the effects of Absinthe?”, “Will it make me trip or hallucinate?”, “Will I see the Green Fairy?”.

Absinthe is a mythical drink with many legends and stories surrounding it. Created in Switzerland as an elixir by Dr Pierre Ordinaire, it quickly became a best selling alcoholic beverage when Henri-Louis Pernod started distilling it in France. In fact, it overtook beer, cider and even wine as the most popular drink in France in the period known as La Belle Epoque, the golden age leading up to the First World War.

Famous drinkers of the Green Fairy include Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso and Oscar Wilde who said “After the first glass of Absinthe you see things as you wish they were. After the second you see them as they are not. Finally, you see things as they really are, and that is the most horrible thing in the world.”

Pernod made Absinthe from a wine base and flavored it with natural herbal ingredients such as wormwood, fennel, aniseed, star anise, veronica, dittany, lemon balm, hyssop, nutmeg, angelica and dittany. Some manufacturers used additional herbs such as coriander, calamus root and mint.

So, what are the effects of Absinthe?

Absinthe was popular in the time known as “The Great Binge”, a time when beverages containing cocaine were popular and the time when heroin was thought safe to use in medicine. It was linked to these types of drugs and was thought to be psychoactive and to cause:-

– Hallucinations
– Hyper excitability
– Convulsions and spasms
– Weakening of the intellect
– Insanity
– Addiction
– Brain damage
– Violence
– Death

Artists and writers consumed Absinthe to help them get inspiration and many said that it was responsible for their genius.

Absinthe, so the prohibition led people to believe, was going to drive the French people insane, make them immoral and cause the collapse of the nation. Doctors tested wormwood and thujone, the chemical from wormwood , on animals and claimed that it was like cannabis and that it caused epileptic fits and the prohibition movement blamed Absinthe for causing a man to murder his whole family, despite the fact that he had only consumed two glasses of Absinthe and copious amounts of other alcoholic beverages. Absinthe was also famously blamed for Van Gogh cutting off his own ear and for his suicide.

Absinthe was thought to contain huge amounts of thujone, up to 350mg per liter but high tech tests on original vintage bottles have proved that claims about thujone levels and the safety of Absinthe were completely false. Absinthe only contained very small amounts, up to 6mg, not enough to cause anyone to even hallucinate a little. Studies have shown that Absinthe is just as safe as any other strong alcoholic drink.

I’m afraid that Absinthe won’t help you to see green fairies but it is a very strong drink, up to 75% alcohol by volume, and so will get you drunk rather quickly and easily. Also the mysterious blend of alcohol and herbs will give you a strange drunken experience, a “lucid” or “clear headed” drunkenness – a completely new experience!

So, what are the effects of Absinthe? Well, there are no bad effects except perhaps a hangover if you overdo it. Absinthe is a drink to be enjoyed and to make you feel good. Buy good quality Absinthe which contains real wormwood or make your own with essences from AbsintheKit.com and enjoy the great taste of the Green Fairy.

Now that Absinthe is once again legal in many countries around the world, people are asking “What are the effects of Absinthe?”, “Will it make me trip or hallucinate?”, “Will I see the Green Fairy?”.

Absinthe is a mythical drink with many legends and stories surrounding it. Created in Switzerland as an elixir by Dr Pierre Ordinaire, it quickly became a best selling alcoholic beverage when Henri-Louis Pernod started distilling it in France. In fact, it overtook beer, cider and even wine as the most popular drink in France in the period known as La Belle Epoque, the golden age leading up to the First World War.

Famous drinkers of the Green Fairy include Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso and Oscar Wilde who said “After the first glass of Absinthe you see things as you wish they were. After the second you see them as they are not. Finally, you see things as they really are, and that is the most horrible thing in the world.”

Pernod made Absinthe from a wine base and flavored it with natural herbal ingredients such as wormwood, fennel, aniseed, star anise, veronica, dittany, lemon balm, hyssop, nutmeg, angelica and dittany. Some manufacturers used additional herbs such as coriander, calamus root and mint.

So, what are the effects of Absinthe?

Absinthe was popular in the time known as “The Great Binge”, a time when beverages containing cocaine were popular and the time when heroin was thought safe to use in medicine. It was linked to these types of drugs and was thought to be psychoactive and to cause:-

– Hallucinations
– Hyper excitability
– Convulsions and spasms
– Weakening of the intellect
– Insanity
– Addiction
– Brain damage
– Violence
– Death

Artists and writers consumed Absinthe to help them get inspiration and many said that it was responsible for their genius.

Absinthe, so the prohibition led people to believe, was going to drive the French people insane, make them immoral and cause the collapse of the nation. Doctors tested wormwood and thujone, the chemical from wormwood , on animals and claimed that it was like cannabis and that it caused epileptic fits and the prohibition movement blamed Absinthe for causing a man to murder his whole family, despite the fact that he had only consumed two glasses of Absinthe and copious amounts of other alcoholic beverages. Absinthe was also famously blamed for Van Gogh cutting off his own ear and for his suicide.

Absinthe was thought to contain huge amounts of thujone, up to 350mg per liter but high tech tests on original vintage bottles have proved that claims about thujone levels and the safety of Absinthe were completely false. Absinthe only contained very small amounts, up to 6mg, not enough to cause anyone to even hallucinate a little. Studies have shown that Absinthe is just as safe as any other strong alcoholic drink.

I’m afraid that Absinthe won’t help you to see green fairies but it is a very strong drink, up to 75% alcohol by volume, and so will get you drunk rather quickly and easily. Also the mysterious blend of alcohol and herbs will give you a strange drunken experience, a “lucid” or “clear headed” drunkenness – a completely new experience!

So, what are the effects of Absinthe? Well, there are no bad effects except perhaps a hangover if you overdo it. Absinthe is a drink to be enjoyed and to make you feel good. Buy good quality Absinthe which contains real wormwood or make your own with essences from AbsintheKit.com and enjoy the great taste of the Green Fairy.

Absinthe is famous for being the hallucinogenic drink that was banned in the early 1900s after it sent people insane and drove people to murder and suicide. Now that Absinthe has once again been legalized, many people are understandably asking “What are the dangers of Absinthe?”

Absinthe is a strong liquor which is distilled at high proof but generally served diluted with iced water or in cocktails. It has an anise taste and is flavored with natural herbs including common wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium), fennel and aniseed.

Absinthe has a very colorful history. It was originally created as an elixir or medicinal tonic in Switzerland in the late 18th century but rapidly became popular in the period of history known as La Belle Epoque in the 19th century. The Green Fairy, as Absinthe was known, was particularly popular in France and bars even had special Absinthe hours. Famous drinkers of Absinthe including Van Gogh, Degas, Pablo Picasso, Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemingway all credit Absinthe with giving them their inspiration and being their “muse”.

As well as being associated with the Golden Age of La Belle Epoque, Absinthe is unfortunately linked with “The Great Binge” of 1870-1914, a period when cocaine was used in cough drops and beverages and where heroin was used to make children’s cough medicine. Absinthe became associated with these drugs, in particular with cannabis. It was claimed that the thujones found in wormwood in Absinthe was similar to THC in cannabis and that thujones were psychoactive and caused psychedelic effects. Many were convinced that the Green Fairy made you see green fairies, that Absinthe was an hallucinogen.

The medical profession and prohibition movement made many claims about the dangers of Absinthe and Absinthism, prolonged drinking of Absinthe. They alleged that Absinthe contained large amounts of thujone which caused:-

– Hallucinations and delirium
– Convulsions
– Weakening of the intellect
– Insanity
– Addiction
– Brain damage
– Violence
– Death

It was claimed that Absinthe drove Van Gogh to suicide and made a man murder his family.

So, are these claims true or are they urban myths?

These claims have been proved false by recent research and studies. Let’s look at the facts:-

– The man who murdered his family had consumed two glasses of Absinthe earlier in the day and then copious amounts of other spirits and liquors. He was a well known alcoholic and a violent man.
– Van Gogh was a disturbed person who had suffered bouts of depression and mental illness since childhood.
– Thujone is not like THC.
– Thujone can be harmful and can act on the GABA receptors of the brain causing spasms and convulsions but only when consumed in large quantities.
– Absinthe only contains very small amounts of thujone, not enough to pose any danger. It would be impossible to ingest harmful amounts of thujone from commercial Absinthe because you would die of alcohol poisoning first!

What are the dangers of Absinthe then? Well, there aren’t any. Absinthe will get you drunk quickly because it is so strong but being intoxicated is very different to hallucinating! When Absinthe is consumed in moderation, it poses no threat to your health and wellbeing and has now been made legal in most countries. Enjoy bottled Absinthe or try making your own using essences from AbsintheKit.com – it’s fun to do and also very economical.

Even though Absinthe is now legal in many countries, some people still find it hard to get hold of quality Absinthe which contains wormwood. These people either get Absinthe shipped from abroad or they want to learn how to make it at home.  However you make Absinthe, whether you distill it, steep herbs in alcohol or use Absinthe kits, you will need to use an alcohol base. So, what alcohol is use in Absinthe?

Henri-Louis Pernod, who first distilled commercial Absinthe in the early 19th century in Pontarlier, France, used a wine alcohol base. He distilled the alcohol with herbs such as wormwood, fennel, aniseed, hyssop, angelica, lemon balm, star anise, juniper, veronica, dittany and nutmeg. Wine is the traditional base for Absinthe but some distillers use other types of alcohol.

If you look for Absinthe recipes online, you will see that most of them involve steeping blends of herbs in liquor like Everclear, white rum or vodka.

How Do You Make Absinthe at home?

Although some recipes online are for distilling Absinthe, distillation of liquor without a license is illegal in many countries and also you need the right equipment and you need to know what you are doing. So, are there any other ways of making Absinthe?

– Steeping and Filtering – This usually involves steeping herbs such as wormwood, fennel, aniseed, calamus root, star anise, mint, coriander seeds, cloves etc. for a few days or even a couple of weeks in the neutral alcohol base and then filtering. Only distillation will give you a true Absinthe, this will just give you an Absinthe flavored vodka.

– Using an Absinthe Kit – Most of the kits available online, like the ones from Green Devil, are just steeping kits. They are easier than finding and preparing your own herbs but you are just steeping the herbs in vodka again and making a flavored vodka.

– Using an Absinthe kit form AbsintheKit.com is a much easier and better way to make Absinthe at home. AbsintheKit.com produce essences for the Absinthe industry and the essences are produced by distilling traditional Absinthe herbs in alcohol. The distillation is done for you and all you have to do is mix the essence with vodka or Everclear and you have a true Absinthe drink.

The essences come in four different varieties:-
– Classic Green Essence to make a classic “verte” Absinthe with a thujone content of 35mg per bottle.
– Clear Absinthe Essence to make a clandestine La Bleue style Absinthe. This also has a thujone content of 35mg.
– Orange Essence to make Absinthe with a twist. This essence will make a yellow-orange colored Absinthe with a natural orange flavor and a thujone content of 35mg.
– Strong 55 Essence will make an Absinthe with a higher thujone content (55mg) and a more bitter wormwood flavor.

You can either buy a 20ml bottle of essence for $3.95 to make one 750ml bottle of Absinthe or buy a kit for $29 to make 14 bottles of Absinthe. A kit also includes a handy plastic measure and 14 artistic bottle labels. All you need to supply is the neutral alcohol base. Just remember that the alcohol content of your Absinthe will depend on your alcohol base. Be careful, drink Absinthe in moderation because it is a much stronger beverage than other spirits and fermented drinks.

What alcohol is use in Absinthe? A wine alcohol base or a neutral alcohol which does not have a strong taste of its own – Everclear, vodka or 151 rum.

Due to its legendary reputation and a certain aura of mystique around it, absinthe is still considered somewhat of a mystery. So, what is absinthe? This is a question asked by many people who have little or no knowledge of fine liquors. Well, absinthe is the legendary liquor made popular by the likes of Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemmingway, and Oscar Wilde just to name a few.

This legendary liquor started out as a digestive tonic after a French doctor Dr. Pierre Ordinaire discovered its magical properties in the late eighteenth century. Absinthe was then prescribed to treat various stomach ailments. However, soon after it became the most popular alcoholic beverage in Europe. It was common to see people drinking this liquor in the cafés and bars of Paris and other European cities in the nineteenth century. Absinthe was considered as a creative stimulant by many great artists, authors and other creative people.

Absinthe is anise flavored liquor with high alcohol content. It is prepared by distilling neutral grain spirit or wine with different herbs such as wormwood, anise, fennel, angelica root, dittany leaves, hyssop, juniper, nutmeg, Melissa, veronica and coriander. Absinthe liquor may be colorless or have a bright green hue. The green color is due to the presence of chlorophyll from herbs such as hyssop and Melissa.

Absinthe has a very bitter taste and is usually taken with sugar and ice-cold water. The bitter taste is due to absinthine a substance found in wormwood. The alcohol content is generally between 50% and 75%. When at its peak, absinthe rivaled wine in popularity. Thujone, a chemical present in the herb wormwood, is the active ingredient in absinthe However, due to its mild hallucinogenic effects, misinformation and unsubstantiated rumors were spread by vested interests from the wine industry. This had the desired effect and absinthe was ultimately banned by most western countries at the beginning of the twentieth century.

In the last decade of the twentieth century new research proved that absinthe did not contain abnormal levels of hallucinogenic substances. Absinthe was once again legalized and since then has made a terrific comeback in most European countries. Absinthe production and sale continues to be banned in the United States; however, drinking and possession of absinthe is not considered as a crime. Absinthe is not drunk like other everyday spirits such as whiskey or rum; an elaborate ritual is followed to prepare the absinthe drink. Special absinthe glasses, absinthe fountains, absinthe bottles, absinthe spoons, sugar cubes, and ice-cold water are a part of the classic absinthe ritual.

In the classic French ritual absinthe is poured in a special absinthe glass and a special absinthe slotted spoon is place over the rim of the glass. A sugar cube is placed over the spoon and ice-cold water is poured over the spoon from an absinthe fountain. As the sugar cube dissolves in the water it falls through the perforations into the glass. The clear green absinthe in the glass turns opaque due to the louche effect as essential oils in the liquor are released. Ice-cold water is added to dilute the absinthe and the drink is then ready.

Since absinthe is still outlawed in the United States, US citizens are denied the pleasure of authentic absinthe. US citizens can source absinthe essence and absinthe kits from European producers and make their very own absinthe liquor. Genuine absinthe essence is mixed in neutral spirits such as vodka to prepare absinthe liquor.

Absinthekit.com is one place where you can get genuine absinthe essence, absinthe kits, and other absinthe accessories.

Thujone is a monoterpene and ketone found in various plants – wormwood (especially the wormwood plant Artemisia Absinthium or common wormwood), tansy, sage, some types of juniper, mugwort, nootka cypress and arborvitae (an evergreen cypress).

The chemical thujone is known to act on the GABA receptors of the brain and, when consumed in large amounts, is claimed to have a psycho active response causing convulsions and muscle spasms. Thujone is also toxic and is thought to damage the cells of both the liver and brain.

It was alleged many years ago that thujone was similar to THC in cannabis causing psychedelic effects but this claim has now been found to be false.

Thujone is famous for being one of the reasons that Absinthe was banned in many countries around the world and many countries now have laws regarding the amount of thujone in food and drinks.

EU (European Union) regulations regarding thujone are:-

– up to 0.5mg/kg of thujone is allowed in food, not containing sage, and non-alcoholic beverages.
– up to 5mg/kg is allowed in alcoholic beverages with an ABV, alcohol by volume, of 25% or less.
– up to 10mg/kg of thujone is allowed in alcoholic beverages with an ABV over 25%.
– up to 25mg/kg is allowed in food containing sage.
– up to 35mg/kg is allowed in alcoholic beverages if they carry the label “bitters”.

The USA has until recently banned any food or drink containing any plants of the Artemisia family but other herbs, such as sage, which contain the chemical thujone have been allowed. In 2007, Ted Breaux, an Absinthe distiller, was able to prove to the US authorities that Absinthe contained only tiny amounts of thujone and so his brand “Lucid” is now legal to buy and sell within the USA.

Thujone and the Absinthe Ban

Absinthe, which contains thujone, has a very interesting history. Absinthes are classed as spirits not liqueurs and are about twice the strength of other spirits such as whisky and vodka. The Green Fairy, the nickname for Absinthe, is a green liquor made usually from a wine base with a variety of herbs, most notably grand wormwood, aniseed and fennel. It has an anise taste and is prepared by diluting with water.

Absinthe was a popular drink in the 1800s especially in Bohemian Paris. Absinthe bars were popular and the drink was enjoyed by many French people at both the start of the day and the end of the day. Absinthe bars even had Absinthe hour – “L’heure vert” or “the green hour”.

Absinthe devotees include many famous historical figures including the artists and writers Van Gogh, Gauguin, Pablo Picasso, Degas, Verlaine, Baudelaire, Ernest Hemingway and Oscar Wilde. These artists and writers claimed that drinking Absinthe gave them inspiration and their genius. Oscar Wilde said:
“After the first glass of Absinthe you see things as you wish they were. After the second you see them as they are not. Finally, you see things as they really are, and that is the most horrible thing in the world.”

Many Absinthe drinkers claimed that getting drunk on Absinthe gave them a strange “clear headed “ drunkenness. This is thought to be caused by the sedative effects of the alcohol and some herbal ingredients combined with the stimulating effects of other herbs.

The prohibition movement blamed Absinthe for driving people insane, for it causing hallucinations, convulsions and making people violent. The work of Dr Valentin Magnan into alcoholism and the effects of wormwood oil on animals added fuel to the prohibition campaign when Magnan claimed that wormwood oil caused epileptic fits. He said that Absinthe was far more dangerous than other types of alcohol. Absinthe was thought to contain large amounts of toxic thujone and so was banned in many countries in the early 1900s.

Thujone Today

Until recent times, it was thought that the Absinthe of the 19th century contained as much as 350mg per liter of thujone but studies on recreated recipes of that time have shown that it probably only contained 4.3mg per liter. Tests were carried out on a vintage bottle of 1900s Absinthe and that bottle only contained 6mg of thujone per liter.

The claims of Dr Magnan have been completely disproved and it has been found that a person drinking Absinthe would die first of alcohol poisoning before suffering any effects of thujone, so little are the quantities of thujone.

It is perfectly safe to drink Absinthe in moderation and if you want real Absinthe you need to look for Absinthe containing wormwood, or thujone, as it is the wormwood which gives Absinthe its characteristic bitter taste. Absinthe essences containing real wormwood, and other traditionally used herbs, are available to buy online at AbsintheKit.com.