Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Ivory Tower, USA
Posts: 1487

Absinthe

I've become fascinated with the whole sub-culture of late-nineteenth century absinthe. After a virtual world-wide ban in the early 20th century, my understanding is that the "green fairy" is legal once again in several European countries, including Britain.

Anyone experienced? How potent? How readily available? Is it indeed the "true brew" that inspired such diverse artists as Van Gogh, Jarry, Strindberg, Picasso, et. al., nearly a century ago?

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"Wisdom comes with winters."--Oscar Wilde

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Clevelaund Ohissy
Posts: 722

Wow, they made that stuff legal again?

Interesting....

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If your frightened of dyin' and then you hold on, you see that the devil is tearin' your life away. But, if you made your peace, then the devils are really angles that freed you from the earth.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Location Location
Posts: 26415

quote:

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Originally posted by lo-key:
Wow, they made that stuff legal again?

Interesting....

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Ivory Tower, USA
Posts: 1487

Another question: there are a number of merchants selling alleged "absinthe" on the internet. Is this the *real* stuff? Or just some green-colored alcohol with an exorbitant price?

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"Wisdom comes with winters."--Oscar Wilde

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: b0ulder
Posts: 5128

It's been available for a while in parts of Europe, and there are even sites that will tell you which contain the most wormwood, the active ingredient in the "true brew". People think of Absinthe as some sort of hallucinagenic drug, which it is not. However, over the time of a long winded alcoholic addiction the wormwood is said to "build up" (easy way to put it) in one's system and begins causing hallucinations and what not, but that would be years of drinking. My understanding is that one would become intoxicated by the alcohol long before the wormwood takes affect. That's why it takes a true addiction to get nifty, inspirational visions.

I also read that it's kind of nasty by today's standards. For other types of beverages look at Jager and Tuaca. They have some strange ingredients as well which cause a different kind of drunk. In my opinion they're both nasty also.

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marbles

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: b0ulder
Posts: 5128

quote:

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Originally posted by Agoust:
Another question: there are a number of merchants selling alleged "absinthe" on the internet. Is this the *real* stuff? Or just some green-colored alcohol with an exorbitant price?

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1010

Absinthe? What the hell is that? Can someone explain please?


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I stopped being sexist because bitches hate that shit.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 5526

research on absinthe:
http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/...3-22-2000a.html

(mutter...contains ...a potent toxin that scientists say causes neurons to seriously malfunction...mutter)

I knew people that made their own. I haven't tried it myself.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Location Location
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Yeah, people always say it is hallucinagenic but I've never had that.

Then again, people say LSD is hallucinagenic as well. I am one of the LSD peeps that doesn't see little bugs crawling all over me after I dose.

[This message has been edited by Paint CHiPs (edited 02-18-2001).]

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Ivory Tower, USA
Posts: 1487

I spent parts of today and yesterday reading through the absinthe webring. Some cool, beautifully done sights. And just came across this link a bit ago: http://hbd.org/brewery/library/absfaq.html

And thanks for the link, Sphinxie! How've you been?

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"Wisdom comes with winters."--Oscar Wilde

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1010

Never mind, looked in the dictionary *hugs dictionary* it is my friend! Anyway, Absinthe, the plant wormwood, also an alcoholic drink made with brandy and the wormwood plant. Interesting.


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I stopped being sexist because bitches hate that shit.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Ivory Tower, USA
Posts: 1487

quote:

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Originally posted by Paint CHiPs:
[B]I am one of the LSD peeps that doesn't see little bugs crawling all over me after I dose.

/B]

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Nanaimo, BC
Posts: 1122

quote:

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Originally posted by Paint CHiPs:
Yeah, people always say it is hallucinagenic but I've never had that.

Then again, people say LSD is hallucinagenic as well. I am one of the LSD peeps that doesn't see little bugs crawling all over me after I dose.

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Well, in the strict clinical sense of the word, LSD is *not* a hallucinogen. Hallucinogens are classified as substances which cause someone to see things that clearly aren't there, like little bugs crawling up your arm. LSD just distorts and amplifies visual input.

The war on drugs warps everything far more than the drugs it's supposed to stomp out. *sigh*


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Rebel from the waist down.

[This message has been edited by Hedonism (edited 02-18-2001).]

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Location Location
Posts: 26415

quote:

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Originally posted by Agoust:
You're obviously not taking enough!

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: A New England
Posts: 9187

For the London crowd, they sell it in Tu-cans off Oxford Street.

It's okay for a laugh.

Tu-cans also sells Poteen, need I say more?

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A closed mouth gathers no feet.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Ivory Tower, USA
Posts: 1487

quote:

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Originally posted by Paint CHiPs:
Joking, right?

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Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Sweden
Posts: 267

Here in Sweden you can buy a brand called Pere Keremans absinthe (spelling?). Its 60% volume. Very expensive about US $37 (and this is with a historically good exchange rate for americans, I might add).

I have tried it a couple of times in bars. You can mix it with water, or take a sugarcube which you dip in the absinthe and then set the sugar on fire. When the sugar has melted and turned brown, you dissolve it in the absinthe and drink (this is the way they did it in 19th century france). I just took shots. Burns quite a lot, but is not unpleasant.

Here you can buy several types of snaps that contain wormwood ("malört" in swedish). It just gives a bitter taste, and is not dangerous or halucinagenic, unless you drink so much that you allready are an alcoholic.

In Cszecoslovakia (spelling!!) you can buy stronger types of absinthe, about 74% volume.

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If you can't avoid it, relax and enjoy it!

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: NYC
Posts: 3598

Wormwood = wolfsbane? i think i read it in a harry potter book somewhere!


...shutup.

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I loved you Slim, we could have been together, think about it
You ruined it now, I hope you can't sleep and you DREAM about it
And when you dream I hope you can't sleep and you SCREAM about it
I hope your conscience eats at you and you can't BREATHE without me

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: London
Posts: 3041

Had a bottle of this about 2 months ago when I got back from the czech republic, excelent stuff and it tripped me out big time, but I could only drink half the bottle, (I was going for the whole bottle, to see if I would hallucinate, bit sad I know.)

My dad has a few bottles at home, think I'll chore one off him.

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Roses are groovy Violets are funky I'm thinking of you And spanking my monkey.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Essex, England
Posts: 4523

Yay absinthe - bloody lethal stuff, but it gets you pissed quick

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I don't have to sell my soul,
He's already in me.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: London
Posts: 3041

quote:

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Originally posted by Rav:
Yay absinthe - bloody lethal stuff, but it gets you pissed quick

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Hey rav, next time I get a bottle, I'll invite the UK Asylum crew over for a mad one.

You game mate?


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Roses are groovy Violets are funky I'm thinking of you And spanking my monkey.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Essex, England
Posts: 4523

quote:

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Originally posted by CzEcH rEcK:
Hey rav, next time I get a bottle, I'll invite the UK Asylum crew over for a mad one.

You game mate?

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Am I game for a mad drinking session???
Always

I have about 3/4 of a bottle at home. Thing is all my friends are to scared to drink it with me and I do hate drinking alone!


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I don't have to sell my soul,
He's already in me.

[This message has been edited by Rav (edited 02-19-2001).]

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Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Playa d'en London
Posts: 9825

quote:

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Originally posted by CzEcH rEcK:
Hey rav, next time I get a bottle, I'll invite the UK Asylum crew over for a mad one.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: London
Posts: 3041

quote:

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Originally posted by urbanjunkie:

UK asylum get-together? great idea, we should really do this.

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