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I’m sure many of you have heard all kinds of rumours about Absinthe. Here is the straight up truth, Absinthe, with or without wormwood and high thujone levels will not make you high or hallucinate. Yes, I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
Back in the 1800s, Absinthe, which was incredibly popular at the time was used as a scapegoat for the murderous rampage of some individual and banned in France. Many countries followed suit. In the 1970s an incorrect research paper claimed thujones had the same molecular shape as THC found in marijuana and thus the same chemical reactions. All these elements have shrouded the spirit in mystery and misunderstanding.
Enough with the science.
One thing is for sure: Absinthe gets you messed up.
However, the reason being is it’s high alcohol content (45 – 75%). After drinking it, some people report a different sort of buzz and I’m going to agree. I’m sure many of you have found that drinking whiskey vs wine vs beer all provide a different drunken experience. Absinthe is no different.
JoeBartender was lucky enough to have some free samples of Le Tourment Vert sent to us to test out (Thanks Kayla). I had my drink after a few beers and there is no doubt, it kicked my ass. My delicious Sundance Lift zoned me out and sent me to bed for the night.
Often Absinthe is mixed with water and some burning carmelized sugar, but there are actually some tasty recipes out there. Here are a few provided by Le Tourment Vert branded Absinthe:
Le Tourment Vert Poison Apple Martini
Le Tourment Vert Triple French Martini
Le Tourment Vert Tourment Trance
Le Tourment Vert Green on Main
Le Tourment Vert Sundance Lift
For those of you who have tried Absinthe how did it make you feel? Did you see the lucky charms leprechaun flying around the room after a glass, did it get you wasted, or did it just make you sleepy, or maybe wasted and sleepy?
Let us know!
Popularity: 49% [?]
March 27th, 2009 at 3:10 am
“Enough with the science”
LOL. Been listening to the lobbyists, Joe? How about UC Berkeley….
“The UC Berkeley researchers discovered that alpha-thujone acts on the same brain receptor responsible for a form of epilepsy. The receptor controls the chloride channel that regulates excitation and keeps neurons under control.
“Basically, alpha-thujone blocks the channel and allows the neurons to fire too easily,” said UC Berkeley postdoctoral researcher Karin Höld, co-author of the study along with Casida; fellow UC Berkeley postdoc Nilantha Sirisoma; and two collaborators at Northwestern University Medical School, Tomoko Ikeda and Toshio Narahashi.
“In light of the findings on how alpha-thujone works, it’s not surprising that absinthe had such a remarkable effect,” Casida said”
UCB are a real academic institution. A series of “tests” carried out, and sponsored by, the new absinthe industry with an eye on the American market doesn’t = science. This is where the spin that you are repeating above originated.
Of course thujone matters and causes the absinthe effect. So why do some folks claim otherwise… just one small problem the FDA have decided that all US absinthe must test “thujone free” It is a question of selling “thujone free” absinthe to Americans as the “real thing” and making $$$$$
As you see below the product must be thujone free and cannot even call itself absinthe:
1.We approve the use of the term “absinthe” on the label of a distilled spirits product and in related advertisements only if the product is “thujone-free” pursuant to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) regulation at 21 CFR 172.510.
2.The term “absinthe” may not stand alone on the label; it must be accompanied by additional or dispelling information so as not to appear as the class and type designation. 27 CFR 5.42(a)(1).
March 27th, 2009 at 7:13 am
Just a clarification: The US legal absinthes are considered “thujone free” but the FDA’s definition of thujone is “containing less than 10 parts per million of thujone”. This is ABOVE the thujone concentration of the pre-ban absinthe. It should also be noted that it is the combination thujone and alcohol that give the “absinthe effect”. Check out this blog if you are interested in more info: http://blog.lib.umn.edu/rodr0069/absintheeffect/
March 27th, 2009 at 7:52 am
Aden:
Wikipedia claims otherwise, and everyone knows Wikipedia is 100% accurate.
March 28th, 2009 at 5:15 am
Wikipedia is of course right and so are the industry funded reports that suddenly appeared and contradict generations of science. The Wormwood Society is a “non-profit educational and consumer advocacy organization”, Elvis Presley is alive and well, and you, Joe, are the rightful heir to the throne of Scotland.
Viva thujone free absinthe…and Viva Las Vegas.
March 28th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Wikipedia claims otherwise, of course Wikipedia can be wrong, but it means unlikely.
March 29th, 2009 at 9:26 am
Edgar:
Sarcasm is not your strong suit I see.
Aden:
I look forward to having Scotland under my rule!
April 5th, 2009 at 9:40 am
Thanks for the information on this. I guess in this economy we all need something to help us sleep.
April 10th, 2009 at 5:02 am
“Wikipedia claims otherwise, and everyone knows Wikipedia is 100% accurate.”
Not so. Wikipedia gets its sources like we do so there’s no 100% accuracy to it. Though the information above is enough to keep us thinking.
April 10th, 2009 at 5:29 am
Thanks for information
\
April 13th, 2009 at 2:40 am
Numpang tenar
April 14th, 2009 at 11:39 am
I don’t think Wikipedia is 100% accurate, just 99%…I had found some historical notes about the II World War that are really plain wrong…
April 14th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
I found absinthe to be simular to Bacardi 151.
April 20th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Medyum | Medyum Umut | Medyum | Medyumlar | Medyum | Medyumlar | Büyü Bozma | Y?ld?zname | Tarot | Fal | Medyumbul | Medyumara | Medyumsitesi | Fal | Muska | Buyu | Astroloji | Burclar | Kirmizibuyu | Akbuyu | Karabuyu | Bioenerji | Dualar | Remil |
April 21st, 2009 at 12:18 am
Wikipedia may be wrong. It depends on ‘when’ you read an article on the wiki. Sometimes miscreants edit an article, and before its corrected you get to read it.
April 21st, 2009 at 8:23 am
I love it
I am a student
April 21st, 2009 at 3:59 pm
the one who makes the WIKIPEDIA is also a person so he/she can be wrong. NO ONE IS PERFECT you know that!(www.kika.ca)
April 22nd, 2009 at 3:55 am
well who has to drink will drink regardless of what research says what.
and for the researches , these are the same people who say, if one of your leg is in freezer, and second in boiling water, on an average, you will be ok, so i prefer to use my own brain instead of outsourcing my mind so someone else.
April 25th, 2009 at 3:26 am
Elvis Presley is alive and well, and you, Joe, are the rightful heir to the throne of Scotland.
April 27th, 2009 at 2:24 am
My Grandfather told a tale of hiding in a French church during World War 2. He maintained that after drinking this potent drink the night before. His fellow soilders became drunk again after drinking water the next morning.
Dunno if he was just pulling ma leg!
April 27th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
This is something new I learned today
April 28th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Yes, love to learn new stuff.
April 30th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
Haha no absinthe doesn’t make you hallucinate. It’s actually regularly sold in Australia and when I moved here, I was so eager to try it. It’s actually quite a foul tasting drink. No idea what those Bohemians were thinking.
May 2nd, 2009 at 9:58 am
Medyum | Hoca Zeynel Eroglu | insanligin yuz karasi | buyu yaparken yakalandi | sivil polislere buyu yapm?s| Medyumlar | Tarot | Fal
May 3rd, 2009 at 12:18 am
Nice one, after a few glass the fairy will come and bring you luck, until you are driving. LOL
May 3rd, 2009 at 9:04 am
Absinthe is my favorite.
Tequilla, absinth, vodka – best!
May 5th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
The only time I’ve had absinthe I remember the intoxication washing over me like waves. Not to be poetic, but literally, One minute stone sober, the next falling over drunk.
I got home, a wave of drunkness hit me, and I half flipped/mostly fell into my bed. I woke up the next morning in the same position I passed out in. With my head hanging off the foot of my bed.
May 7th, 2009 at 1:25 am
This is a very interesting article indeed. What even caught my attention was the discussion about the Wikipedia – classic.
May 9th, 2009 at 7:01 am
Nice post, clarified the absynth mystery for me..
May 12th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
I believe that any “Absinthe” sold in the USA legally *cannot* have wormword or thujone in it… so any buzz from American Absinthe is going to be strictly from the alcohol.
Of course, there are ways of importing it…
May 14th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
I have always wanted to try it , but i have read that most of it that can be found in the US isn’t quite the same , so i have been hesitant.
May 16th, 2009 at 5:17 am
Dude this is great, I tried it once and I never get sick of it.
May 16th, 2009 at 11:53 am
Thanks for this post
May 18th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Well many people have already talked about wikipedia and when they say that its right , its true that wikipedia is always right
May 20th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
I had some incredibly bad nights with this in europe, cant wait for it to come here!
May 20th, 2009 at 11:03 pm
This is nice, in my country absinth is not forbiden. I live in Europe and that is why, in Eastern Europe in ROmania
May 22nd, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Absinthe is just a higher percentage alchohol – that’s it. It requires lower amount to get you drunk, heh
. But it does not have superficial properties, like getting you high or anything. I love absinthe btw 
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:23 am
bahut achi story thi .. thank you
May 23rd, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Very interesting article! I would love to try one of those recipes you listed.
May 23rd, 2009 at 11:42 pm
Hello master bartender
we meet again… 1 year I’m not visit this blog 
May 25th, 2009 at 7:44 am
start visiting!
May 26th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Absinthe, that anise-flavored drink derived from herbs, commonly referred to as “grande wormwood” or “The Green Fairy”, is unlike any other drink and that includes the way it should be drank. Although Absinthe is sometimes mistakenly called a liqueur, because it is not bottled with added sugar, technically the drink is a spirit. And this spirit gives a lot more spirit to the drinker as it contains more alcohol.
May 28th, 2009 at 1:40 am
I absolutely adore the stuff. Yummy.
May 28th, 2009 at 2:57 am
To be honest,I do not know anything about absinthes. I think, if it is not that much harmful and if it is like any other alcohol like Beer or whiskey, then people should not have extra fear about it. However, one thing is for sure that any kind of alcohol is bad for our health.
May 28th, 2009 at 10:37 am
Some buddies and I drank Absinthe before, got through the whole bottle and not a damn things happened each we were all pretty lit.
June 1st, 2009 at 8:56 am
I never had any experience of alcohols… Nice info for future
June 1st, 2009 at 10:09 pm
LOOOVE absinthe. The way I drank it the most, BY FAR, is in a b-57. Layered shot: kaluha, amarula, absinthe on top. Light the abisnthe on fire and drink quickly thru a straw while burning.
June 3rd, 2009 at 10:25 pm
great article i like your article……
June 4th, 2009 at 12:26 am
thanks for info.
June 4th, 2009 at 3:17 am
The only time that I consider drinking absinthe to be a ‘good idea’ is if I’d had too much to drink (ha! what a daft concept. I meant ‘the right amount to drink’). There is no doubt that from this rather precarious position it kicks my ass every. single. time.
June 5th, 2009 at 6:20 am
I am not drinking but it is a nice info for many people I guess.. by the way..I trust to wikipedia..
June 5th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
I love the gin and tonic
June 6th, 2009 at 7:32 am
thnx
June 10th, 2009 at 8:25 am
Hoho….. Wikipedia could be wrong..?? I hope so hehe
June 11th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Thank you.Turkey hello My name is Eda
June 13th, 2009 at 11:01 am
i drunk this absinthe in Czech Rupublic
that was so funny
June 14th, 2009 at 8:26 am
In Bosnia it is almost imposible to buy it somewhere, but we have some variants of similar drinks…
June 14th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
I really think they should allow this in the States becauase we would love to all get our hands on this awesome stuff!
June 17th, 2009 at 2:59 am
the new absinthe industry with an eye on the American market doesn’t = science. This is where the spin that you are repeating above originated.
June 18th, 2009 at 1:07 am
Hello everyone. Great post. Need more of these tips. thanks a lot.
Great Roulette Technique.
June 19th, 2009 at 2:11 am
Tell me about it – I had some recently and as I lay in bed, drunk and trying to pass out to sleep it off I had a kind of trip where I felt amazingly strong and powerful. God like.
It was my first time, and hasn’t happened since – but it was crazy.
June 21st, 2009 at 9:59 am
There are ways in which Absinthe can be prepared in order to amplify the effect of potential hallucinations, but in my eyes Absinthe only makes you very drunk. Let’s be honest… you drink alcohol to dampen reality, not completely destroy it!
June 22nd, 2009 at 7:09 am
interesting article very informative
June 22nd, 2009 at 10:02 pm
I had never heard that it was called the green fairy before this, although i do remember my first night on the stuff. That will also be my last night on the stuff. It made things go all funny, and I said a ton of things I really shouldnt have.
June 22nd, 2009 at 10:54 pm
very excellent post here … the movie euro trip makes fun of the green fairy thing also after drinking absinthe.
June 25th, 2009 at 2:24 am
Excellent post, and by the way, nice blog. Thanks for sharing.
June 26th, 2009 at 8:17 am
Thank you.Turkey hello My name is ilyas :p
June 26th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
I love this blog.
June 28th, 2009 at 1:00 am
very excellent post here … the movie euro trip makes fun of the green fairy thing also after drinking absinthe.
thnks for sharing
June 29th, 2009 at 8:08 am
Wonderful post, I found your site and I’m loving it so much! Some countries are forbidden to produce and sales but history of an absinthe is medicine. It’s a great information in deed. Thank you so much!
June 30th, 2009 at 11:58 am
I was given the opportunity to sample it in the south of France, only not enough to do any damage. It did seem “lighter” than alcohol, in the sense that it just kind of evaporated from your tongue.
July 3rd, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Very good article, nice piece of information, I really like it.
July 6th, 2009 at 11:22 pm
Wikipedia is of course right and so are the industry funded reports that suddenly appeared and contradict generations of science. Interesting article very informative.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
I love this blog.Very good article.Thanks for info.
July 7th, 2009 at 11:45 pm
Thanks for gave such a good information. I love your blog and your posts.
July 9th, 2009 at 6:05 am
I havent had any negative experiences with absythe but many people I know claim to feel light-heaaded afterwards. Much of the hype is probably due to the placebo effect. Would make for a good social pyschology experiment.
July 9th, 2009 at 6:07 am
I loved reading your blog and i thank you for the information you provided.
July 11th, 2009 at 8:50 am
aint this a poofs drink
July 15th, 2009 at 1:54 am
great article i like your article…
July 16th, 2009 at 12:54 am
I love it.
July 19th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
I tried absinthe in Czech Republic during a trip and I have to admit the only thing it provokes is to get you messed up. Maybe by drinking it too much it might cause you more than this but didn’t want to try this experience !
July 22nd, 2009 at 4:09 am
great info, thanks
July 23rd, 2009 at 8:20 am
Wew… That’s great info master. Continue sharing ok
July 25th, 2009 at 8:48 am
I’ve just bought it from China. Don’t know what type it is. It’s the long bottle with greenish liquid inside, smell like listerine. Mixed with Water and some other syrup. 1 Shot and then…….ZZZzzZZ
July 27th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Thanks for the information on this. I guess in this economy we all need something to help us sleep.
July 29th, 2009 at 11:28 pm
Thanks for the information. The surroundings and area sure help also. Plus not to far if I am staying awhile.
July 30th, 2009 at 2:41 am
Excellent Post!
July 30th, 2009 at 5:09 am
Thank you !
Very informative
Excellent
July 31st, 2009 at 12:45 am
Does this drink will let you see fairies after a couple of shots? If it is, now, I got to get myself a try.
July 31st, 2009 at 2:26 am
Really wonderful piece of information and I appreciate it that you share something so useful with the readers of this blog.
August 4th, 2009 at 12:47 am
Thank you for sharing good articles, posts and more are waiting, in respect
August 6th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
Interesting…thanks for the information.
August 10th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
Absinthe Wine Bar has a great brunch
http://newyork.joonbug.com/scenetracker/sunday-best-scenetracker-new-york/q1tyeC1×04s
August 14th, 2009 at 3:58 am
Thank you for sharing good articles, posts and more are waiting, in respect
August 17th, 2009 at 1:38 am
This is a very interesting article indeed. What even caught my attention was the discussion about the Wikipedia – classic. Thanks for sharing.
August 17th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
You didn’t get the real absinthe effect because Le Tourment Vert es a real bad brand of absinthe … read the reviews about it and you’ll se why this brand is an aweful absinthe compared to the real thing
August 20th, 2009 at 8:22 am
I love it…
August 21st, 2009 at 2:22 am
Well many people have already talked about wikipedia and when they say that its right , its true that wikipedia is always right. nice post.
August 23rd, 2009 at 5:48 am
Thank you for sharing good articles, posts and more are waiting, in respect
August 23rd, 2009 at 5:50 am
This is a very interesting article indeed. What even caught my attention was the discussion about the Wikipedia – classic. Thanks for sharing.
August 24th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
ive had absinthe a couple of times. the 1st was for my 21st birthday and it really did not go down well after shots of chilli vodka and goldschlager. never again. i think ill just stick to my lovely rum!
August 27th, 2009 at 9:55 am
dunno if i could drink that : p
September 1st, 2009 at 12:12 pm
as much as i know, after apropriate quantity of absent start danger zone
September 1st, 2009 at 12:13 pm
absent is dangerious, for sure
September 2nd, 2009 at 1:48 am
nice article ..
thanks for the information
liked it
September 5th, 2009 at 12:27 am
Chasing the Green Fairy
“After the first glass you see things as you wish they were. After the second you see things as they are not.” ~Oscar Wilde
September 8th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
thank you for the post
September 14th, 2009 at 2:50 am
We went to Prague (which isn’t that far form Denmark were we live) and bought loads of Absinthe home. Too bad I realised too late that I didn’t like the normal waty.. But now I’m going to try your recipies, – thanks!
September 14th, 2009 at 10:46 am
iv tried absinthe on numerous occasion but i guess it was thujone – free, id really like to put back a couple shots of the absinthe with thujone in it see wtf happens to you…anyone know????
September 17th, 2009 at 1:31 am
Yes, love to learn new stuff.
September 22nd, 2009 at 10:41 pm
thax
aroos
September 28th, 2009 at 7:47 am
I would love to give it a try. One to treat with a lot of respect though eh.
September 28th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
I would really like to try some of that!
September 28th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
I was so psyched to learn it was legalized here but I really haven’t had a chance to try it. Maybe when the kids are a little bigger
September 30th, 2009 at 11:59 am
ive heard of it and i always wanted to try it too
October 6th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
nice information, thanks for share
October 6th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
good drink
October 9th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
I have yet to try it – but back when it did have wormwood, those who partook would not have had any parasites at least! and it would definitely beat a session on Combantrin…..
October 12th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Really wonderful piece of information and I appreciate it that you share something so useful with the readers of this blog.Reverse Phone Number
October 16th, 2009 at 9:46 am
Haha. This stuff will definitely get you good. Many places in France still feature the proper taps, etc.
October 16th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Absythne. Glad its legal, many good nights which i hardly remember
October 20th, 2009 at 3:44 am
this is seriously something new i have learnt!!
October 20th, 2009 at 7:49 am
I never tried Absinthe yet but heard that you will not remember anything from the last night.. is that really so powerful?
October 22nd, 2009 at 1:48 am
this is seriously something new i have learnt!!
October 23rd, 2009 at 4:37 am
This drink should be banned.
November 6th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Joe Bartender good article, I loved it
November 10th, 2009 at 12:23 am
It is a highly alcoholic drink. It’s a shame about the taste. I guess it’s an acquired taste tho.
November 11th, 2009 at 3:21 am
I am fond of new search,great stuff.Keep sharing.
November 14th, 2009 at 2:23 am
Very interesting. I’ve been wondering what exactly this stuff does, and now I know! Thanks
November 19th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
absinthe tastes like black liquorice, just 3 shots of this stuff will make you feel like your on e, not that i have tried e before heheheh
November 22nd, 2009 at 4:52 pm
Love you from the core of my heart.Wanna Be your Valentine 4ever
November 30th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
have u seen what the people are writing to U, i mean commenting- i didn’t find anything interesting in the comments
December 1st, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Great blogs! Thanks for posting valuable information..
December 4th, 2009 at 12:04 am
This is a great blog! I would really like to keep reading your blogs. Cant wait for the next post. Good blogs are hard to find!
Winter boots
December 5th, 2009 at 9:24 am
not expeimentei it.
A friend has seen a pink elephant.
December 12th, 2009 at 10:34 am
Thanks for the information on this
December 15th, 2009 at 3:36 am
A friend has seen a pink elephant.
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:20 am
Thanks for this article. It was a pleasure to read it, because Absinthe is my favorite.
December 23rd, 2009 at 11:19 am
Thanks for the post! I read even the comments with pleasure!
January 7th, 2010 at 12:26 pm
Thanks alot for information.
January 21st, 2010 at 2:26 am
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February 1st, 2010 at 10:07 am
An amusing set of spam comments above but back to the main subject… my first and only experience of the naughty sweet little green drink left me very drunk VERY quickly. An hour into a quietish night on the tiles and it hit me like a steam train and before I knew it I was on my way home.
Beware the fairy!
February 1st, 2010 at 12:06 pm
Too bad people don’t know their limits. In highschool i learned a few neat tricks about alcoholic drinks from my chemistry teacher. He brewed a very VERY strong batch of “moonshine” that well, didn’t get you drunk. Well that’s not totally true, it did get you drunk, but because of it’s small % of impurities getting drunk wasn’t an easy thing to do which was awesome, and hangover wasn’t as bad as the rest, quite easy actually.
February 7th, 2010 at 5:23 pm
Like you said yes this week about the re valentine’s day
February 8th, 2010 at 8:01 pm
UGH, one of the worst hangovers I have ever had is from Absinthe… nasty stuff…