Post: #1

Absinthe can be a wonderful drink, and the theater that is involved with preparing an absinthe drink can be used at home when entertaining special guests. Here's what you need:

1. A bottle of quality absinthe. The following articles give information on good brands, mainly French and Swiss: 1, 2, 3. Please do not drink the cheaper, Czech stuff.

2. An absinthe spoon, like the one below, can be ordered off the internet.

3. Sugar cubes.

4. A liqueur or wide-rimmed shot glass.

5. Cold water

Pour the absinthe into the glass. Place the spoon across the rim with a sugar cube perched on top, then slowly pour the ice-cold water over the sugar cube. The cube will melt into the absinthe and turn it an attractive, milky color. Absinthe is too strong for most people to drink any other way.

Making absinthe drinks is usually a big hit women guests, because they like the colors and by way of the preparation you can add some theater to making the drink.

In my experience, the stimulant effect of the wormwood/thujone counteracts, to some degree, the depressive effect of the alcohol. So, when I drink purely absinthe in an evening, I often have a clearer memory of what took place. My friends have reported similar effects.

Post: #2

Yock, stay away from that stuff. Nothing good has ever started from Absinthe.

Post: #3

(07-06-2014 07:30 AM)Chaos Wrote:  Yock, stay away from that stuff. Nothing good has ever started from Absinthe.

Because of how strong it is, I think it's safer to use it as a nightcap when you bring your date back to your place, rather than drinking it earlier at the club or bar.

Post: #4

I don't know how hard it is to purchase in the states, but here in Australia it is impossible. I have a bottle I bought back from Amsterdam and I tell you, I sure as hell won't be sharing it with any damn woman haha

Post: #5

Haha couldn't have said it better.

Post: #6

I had some in Czech rep, I didn't bother with the sugar and had it straight.

After that it was lights out.

Post: #7

A couple years ago I went on a week bender with this stuff.

I was slapped by girls, thrown out of bars, hit by a car, and got laid with a few 6's.

Jesus, what a week.

Post: #8

(07-06-2014 10:15 AM)rudebwoy Wrote:  I had some in Czech rep, I didn't bother with the sugar and had it straight.

After that it was lights out.

I did the same thing a few years ago by gulping directly from a bottle.

Blackout around 1hr later, woke up in my car (can't remember how did I get in..) 7hrs later...

Post: #9

^ lol that makes me feel better, thought I was a lightweight.

I had also finished a bottle of Remy Martin beforehand with the ex, funny she never passed out.

Post: #10

Pretty sure it's de facto illegal in N. America. Or it's least it's hard to find places that sell it.

Last time I tried it was in Lisbon, where you can buy it from a ginja shop right off the street.

Nice idea OP, for pre-parties/after-parties.You can also try absinthe mojitos.

Post: #11

Nah, you can get it here now, they legalized it about 4 years ago.

NYC has bars that promote themselves as absinthe specialists.

Post: #12

(07-06-2014 12:14 PM)Espresso Wrote:  You can also try absinthe mojitos.

I agree. Adding a splash of absinthe to a mojito tastes good and raises the alcohol level.

Post: #13

You can get it here in Germany without any problems. I didn't drink Absinthe in the last few years. It gave me raging boners a few minutes after drinking, most likely the effect of the concentrated alcohol.

Post: #14

(07-06-2014 12:17 PM)Goldmund Wrote:  Nah, you can get it here now, they legalized it about 4 years ago.

NYC has bars that promote themselves as absinthe specialists.

Good to know. I looked up this page about absinthe sale around the world: http://www.absinthe101.com/laws.html
and apparently this stuff called thujone, which a key ingredient giving absinthe it's 'powers', is a regulated substance in the States and Canada still:

"The sale of absinthe is currently permitted in all E.U. countries, with thujone levels allowed at a much higher rate than in the United States and Canada."

Seems like a lot of people are saying it's not 'real' absinthe. Don't think I've ever seen it sold here in Ontario, real or fake or anywhere in between. Shame.

Post: #15

Is it really that strong?

Post: #16

(07-07-2014 06:54 AM)Moma Wrote:  Is it really that strong?

It's in the region of 50% - 70%, so not that much stronger than vodka and such, but I don't think it's just the alcohol content, it's the stuff inside it.

I've never personally felt anything out of the ordinary though, or even got particularly drunk with it. Probably just didn't drink enough.

Post: #17

This stuff is water compared to Everclear.

I actually quite enjoyed it when already drunk, theres a hint of black liquorice, but I can't say I remember much else.

Post: #18

Real absinthe is not sold in Canada, I think in NYC you can get it at some backwater places. I have had a lot of strong alcohol, overproof rums and tequila.
That stuff was like paint remover, not in a hurry to revisit that.

The memory of my Czech ex dropping the bottle of that on the table, after finishing a litre bottle of cognac was priceless. "Now we drink" .