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Absinthe... discuss. |
OceaOtica
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Sep 29, 2003
Posts: 971
From: near Atlanta, Georgia
|  Posted: 2004-03-27 12:17 am Permalink
http://www.seborabsinth.com, my fave. Best flavor, high Thujon count.
stay away from Hills Brothers.
4oz. Sebor
1/2 oz. Barenjager
shake with ice or stir and serve neat
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[ This Message was edited by: tikitanked on 2004-03-27 12:16 ]
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tikiapprentice
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Nov 20, 2003
Posts: 17 | Posted: 2004-03-27 02:48 am Permalink
I tried a bottle of absinthe from Germany a year or so ago. A bit on the heavy side. I can't remember the brand.
I recently ordered a bottle of La Fee Absinthe from France and got it here in CA within 4 days. This absinthe is very light with a mild but noticable high. My friends and just fill a shot glass halfway with absinthe and top it with 7-up. Add a small amount of sugar and just shoot it. Sounds like an odd mix but it goes down smooth with the absinthe layers your throat with that beautiful black jellybean taste.
try it.
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Geeky Tiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 15, 2002
Posts: 533
From: Las vegas
| Posted: 2004-04-18 11:59 pm Permalink
OK, finally got it to work....
More when I can type.
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Scrimshaw
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Mar 30, 2004
Posts: 18
From: Dark Acres, Marin, Ca
| Posted: 2004-04-24 9:14 pm Permalink
I've been making absinthe for a few years now, and found there are some things you can do to make it more palatable, without losing any delicious wormwood effect. I should bring some by the Foggy Grotto one of these days... IF I can ever find it.
First you want to use neutral wine spirits. Don't use vodka. Neutral wine spitits are hard to scome by, esp in CA, where the 180 proofage may be considered illegal. Make friends in the brandy business.
There are a couple ingredients that are quite nasty, and cutting down on them helps a lot (and you are then free to add more wormwood and a couple of the other ethnogenic items...). Email me for a thorough list. I did some individual trials with all the ingredients to test for taste, smell, color and opalescense, and adjusted accordingly. The current recipe is a beauty to behold, and a joy to drink. Mixed with water it's a perfect summer drink. But if you hate anise, I can't help you.
Also, distill carefully. Do not allow any of the faints into your finished product! Throw it away! And, yes you must distill. I sampled what was left behind after distilling. About 3 pin-heads' worth on the tip of my finger, and the bitter taste in my mouth lasted a day.
If you want opalescence when mixed with water (that nice opacque milky color) you'll need to use more of the woody ingredients than called for in many of the available recipes. Star Anise, licorice root...
The bright green absinthe from the Czech Republic & Bulgaria has wormwood, but is also really artificial, and will induce headache more readily than the natural stuff. The color should be a nice rich grassy green, not nuclear or bilious green. Unfortunately, I haven't had any commercial absinthe that's not cheap and nasty. That sebor looks good, though I worry that they left off the "e" at the end of "absinthe." Fee sounds interesting, too. Still looking for my Ron Anejo of the absinthe world...
As for effects... Most of it comes from its high alcohol content, but there definately is more to it. Visual acuity increases, dappled light is especially groovy, and a sort of observant mellow seeps in during the late afternoon, in which your chin gravitates toward your hand. In higher doses, mild insanity ensues.
The whole burning of the sugar thing is fun to look at, but the texture and flavor of burnt sugar is not entirely pleasant in a drink, and most drinkers back in the day wouldn't think of doing it. I usually take absinthe without sugar entirely, but you can also put a lump in the absinthe spoon and pour water over it to dissolve the sugar into the drink. Modern cubes are pretty solid, so pouring a thimblefull or 2 onto the cube and waiting a minute before proceeding helps get more sugar into your drink
(the reason for the spoon and water is that sugar won't dissolve into pure absinthe as its proof is far too high - it's best to pour sugar water in)
I recommend not mixing other alcohols with it, especially whiskeys/scotches/etc (at least with the proper grape-based absinthe). I and others have awoken with the tremons. I was going to call 911, but I preferred to avoid moving.
Absinthe spoons and glasses (antique & repros) can be bought at this one really groovy used kitchen store on Divis in SF, right next to where Candles and Curios used to be... (I forget the name)
~scrimshaw
[ This Message was edited by: Scrimshaw on 2004-04-26 10:47 ]
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Nepenthes
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Feb 15, 2003
Posts: 14 | Posted: 2004-05-07 10:11 pm Permalink
OK, I have been a fan of absinthe for 10 plus years, and I have to say that traditional French style absinthe is an amazingly delightful drink. It is nothing like the Czech stuff.
Absinthe can only be made by distillation. Any kits that you can buy are only going to make a bitter nasty concoction that is best used as window cleaner.
For the most accurate information on absinthe and its history, check out;
http://www.feeverte.net/
The FAQ there is very informative.
Quality absinthe is now being produced again in France. It isn't up to what it was in the past, but still very drinkable. The best site that I have found is;
http://www.absintheonline.com/
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Morning comes.
Veins warmed by the bean.
Day begins.
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Scrimshaw
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Mar 30, 2004
Posts: 18
From: Dark Acres, Marin, Ca
| Posted: 2004-05-11 2:51 pm Permalink
Great sites! And it dispells the myth of absinthe necessarily being nasty. Absinthe isn't nasty - people are nasty. (or somthing like that)
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On 2004-05-07 22:11, Nepenthes wrote:
Any kits that you can buy are only going to make a bitter nasty concoction that is best used as window cleaner.
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Actually, a couple kits out there are good, include all the esoteric ingredients, and insist on distillation to create true absinthe. The basement shamen sells one with a traditional recipe that's servicible, if not perfect.
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captnkirk
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 06, 2002
Posts: 322
From: Hockessin, Delaware
| Posted: 2004-05-23 11:14 pm Permalink
I think you all missed the point, the best thing you can do with a nice bottle of absinthe is mix up some old school tiki drinks.
I know the original zombie and several other of Don's original creations were mixed with absinthe. By the time his imitators showed up real absinthe was getting hard to find so they probably didn't use it. You can still find some even in this country if your lucky. Several brands of real absinthe are finally being sold too.
I'm not a real big drinker of the stuff but I have collected the spoons for about 17 years now.
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Doctor Z
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 01, 2002
Posts: 1617
From: The Hale Moana Lounge, Torrance, CA
| Posted: 2004-05-23 11:59 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2004-05-23 23:14, captnkirk wrote:
I know the original zombie and several other of Don's original creations were mixed with absinthe.
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Speaking from experience, I can tell you you don't really want to use the absinthe in a Zombie! I was going to use Don's Original recipe in the "Zombie Taste-off" at the Oasis this year, but after trying it out ahead of time (mixing it exactly to Don's specs), it came out tasting simply awful - I's got 5 ounces of rum in it already - I'm not sure what he was thinking when he added the absinthe to it! Absinthe is extremely dry, and after a sip of the Zombie, it felt like someone had wiped my tongue with a bar towel - plus the anise flavor (even in very small amounts) overpowers any fruit juices in the drink and renders it unpalatable.
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On 2004-04-24 21:14, Scrimshaw wrote:
I recommend not mixing other alcohols with it, especially whiskeys/scotches/etc.
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I disagree - being able to finally use absinthe in a Sazerac is a real treat - in this case, the anise compliments the rye and lemon very nicely, and when followed with a sip of ice water, leaves an aftertaste that is surprisingly smooth.
I have yet to do the "fire & water" ritual - waiting to get my hands on a real absinthe spoon (yeah - I know there's hundreds on eBay...)
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Nepenthes
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Feb 15, 2003
Posts: 14 | Posted: 2004-05-24 10:15 pm Permalink
Remember that the "fire & Water" ritual was an invention of Czech swill sellers from about 10 years ago. It doesn't have any history older then that.
Sugar cube on top of the spoon and a slow drip of water. Thats the way to go.
_________________
Morning comes.
Veins warmed by the bean.
Day begins.
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Tikiwahine
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 09, 2003
Posts: 3293
From: Victoria, BC
| Posted: 2004-05-25 2:07 pm Permalink
I'll officially be at the Hukilau this year, and unfortunately won't be doing a road trip down to southern CA this time.
(if it's legal)I'll be bringing a bottle of Absinthe with me, they're $50-$80 each so unfortunately one will have to do. I'd like to share it with any and all that would like a taste. I'm going to leave my vintage spoon at home, but I'll bring some reproductions with me.
This is one more reason to join in the fun, I hope to see many of you there!
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Great Minds Drink Alike
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OceaOtica
Grand Member (first year)
Joined: Sep 29, 2003
Posts: 971
From: near Atlanta, Georgia
| Posted: 2004-05-27 07:56 am Permalink
I have been using absinthe in the Sazerac for quite some time, but was unaware that it (absinthe)was ever used in the Zombie. Thank you for posting that bit of information. By complete coincidence, I have a version of the Zombie, the `Ona Zombie, that I developed to accompany the `Ona Tiki Zombie mug, which uses absinthe as key ingredient.
it took many attempts to fine tune this cocktail; the recipe I have stayed with is smooth with a very complex flavor. I will have to post this recipe later.
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absinthia
Member
Joined: May 29, 2004
Posts: 1
From: New York
| Posted: 2004-05-29 10:05 am Permalink
Absinthes are hugely different than they used to be - there's a whole new set of 'thujon optimized' wormwood-based alcohol being made in the EU being called absinthe which do not taste like licorice at all. And if you want that special buzz - you get something Mata Hari - 35mg/litre thujon -
!pow!
Best place to find these without the intercontinental shipping time or the Customs risk would be www.absinthecity.com and you can't just click 'Buy It', you have to use a text box at the bottom of the page to contact someone. But after that everything goes well.
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shroud
Member
Joined: Jun 20, 2004
Posts: 5 | Posted: 2004-06-20 03:45 am Permalink
I picked up two bottles from Barcelona Spain on my recent trip. I just wrapped them up in newspaper and packed them along with my rum. Had no problems bringing them back. Also the price was very cheap, 10 Euros a bottle ($12).
The taste is a cross between Black Licorice and Peppermint. The Absinthe was made in Tarragona Spain.
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Trader Woody
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 2301
From: Tiki Manor, Forest of Bowland,UK
| Posted: 2004-06-21 4:57 pm Permalink
You can buy it in supermarkets here, so if anyone would like me to send them a bottle, get in touch and I'll wing it to you at cost, though I wouldn't take responsibility for the customs in the 'land of the free' deciding that you're not free enough to drink it!
Trader Woody
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Mike the Headhunter
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 24, 2004
Posts: 190
From: Wastelands of western NC
| Posted: 2004-06-24 12:09 am Permalink
It's definitly an aquired taste, and I find it compliments guinness well. I got the sabor shipped to nc a couple of times and have tried the make-your-own from a group in Florida. The first time I tried it things seemed to vibrate(I stared a sponge for 3 min). My Goddess said I was stoned. I took her word for it, I have not gotten high from anything other then the booze, so I have no standard for comparison. My word of advice enjoy in small doses, and when you do, enjoy it for what it is, not what is not (some people like onions). Usually it's almost akin to a really warm wine buzz, beware of the hangover. I keep a true distilled(sabor) version and a homemade bottle(in the purple munktiki xxx bottle) in my collection always. Boat-drinks ya mugs
[ This Message was edited by: Mike the Headhunter on 2004-06-24 00:11 ]
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