Absinthe, the Green Fairy

[SteamEmperor]

Lighting the sugar on fire, however, is asinine. I'll give you that.

Clearly, I was out of my mind with absinthe sickness.

I thought you were all talking about the practice described in the above quote. It made me cringe and furrow my brow that such things still went on in this world.

My B. (lol wut? An anachronism on a board devoted to anachronism? This is madness.)

[Adml. Etherington]

I feel I must side with Suzanne here. I believe the sugar helps to develop and reveal the whole spectrum of the absinthe.

When I drink absinthe, it gets the whole deal. Sugar cube, ice water, time to contemplate as I prepare the drink, and of course, time to reflect and appreciate the complexity. If that's not what I plan, I'll just drink whiskey or something. For me, the "absinthe ritual" is of supreme importance.

[rogue_designer]

Clearly, I was out of my mind with absinthe sickness.

I thought you were all talking about the practice described in the above quote. (ed. sic. lighting sugar on fire)

All is explained then. No, we were talking about adding sugar with water, traditionally. Anyone who advocates the czech method of lighting the sugar on fire gets roundly and soundly chastised.

[Atterton]

*So come on baby light my fire*

[SteamEmperor]

All is explained then. No, we were talking about adding sugar with water, traditionally. Anyone who advocates the czech method of lighting the sugar on fire gets roundly and soundly chastised.

As well they should be.

[GypsyGurl]

I feel I must side with Suzanne here. I believe the sugar helps to develop and reveal the whole spectrum of the absinthe.

When I drink absinthe, it gets the whole deal. Sugar cube, ice water, time to contemplate as I prepare the drink, and of course, time to reflect and appreciate the complexity. If that's not what I plan, I'll just drink whiskey or something. For me, the "absinthe ritual" is of supreme importance.

Bravo! Taste and preference for preparation is a very personal matter, my taste is with sugar and prepared accordingly. I also love those magical moments of watching the water trickle over the sugar and spoon to collect and swirl within the Absinthe in the glass below.

I also love a whisky served with a dash of iced water or over a single ice cube and enjoy the subtleties of its aroma and taste. There is a ritual in enjoying this liquor but tis a different orientation of experience.

The peaty earthiness of the whisky appeals to the nostalgia for my celtic ancestry and is often closely followed by singing Scots/Irish folktunes at an outrageous volume around a fire somewhere!
VS.
The anise creaminess of the absinthe appealing to my theatrical, tactile and somewhat hedonistic tendencies often followed or accompanied by....activities that do not bear repeating here   

I have tried it also without sugar and (though I am somewhat embarrassed to admit it  ) with lemonade. Without the sugar it left me wanting for a depth of subtle sweetness that enhances the anise flavours in my opinion. And as for the lemonade it cut what was an ungodly brand of Absinthe that I couldn't bear to drink any other way and permitted me to get uproariously giggly but left me with a nasty headache 

As for "Mansinthe"...it definitely wasn't to my taste  I personally think that the creator namesake (Marilyn Manson) would be better placed remaining in his chosen field of endeavour (how to define it though?) rather than as a maker of Absinthe.

But I will submit, that is obviously only my own personal taste.

[geraldduval]

No proper absinthe drinker would dare put sugar in it. Dabblers, perhaps, not to mention the Czechs, but a connoisseur would never even consider it.
On a side note, I recommend Mansinthe. Quite good, but a bit pricy.

Ack! there is so much wrong here i have trouble even forming a coherent reply...

*edit* Reading on I am glad to find I misjudged you. I apologize. fire+sugar=evil
water+sugar=mmmm...opaline. that being said, i'm a fan of just a tiny bit of sugar, i normally bite a cube in half. while my girlfriend on the other hand uses 2 cubes. we both find it nearly impossible to drink the others concotion.

also, along te lines of the same topic, the Virtual Absinthe Museum has a new article up about that very subject. A very interesting read if you are an absinthe nerd...
http://www.oxygenee.com/absinthe-drink/ritual4.html

[Difference Engineer]

Maybe the meltdown was absinthe induced?

That was one bored reactor core.

[NazT]

Another article this time debunking some of the myths... supposedly... pity really cuss I like myths, oh well.

http://www.salon.com/mwt/food/eat_drink/2007/12/21/absinthe/

[Gazongola]

Mon dieu! Absinthe doesn't come cheap does it?

[Gnome]

Mon dieu! Absinthe doesn't come cheap does it?

At least you can just skip over (or under, as it were) the English Channel to pick some up... Us colonials often wind up paying more for the shipping than the actual absinthe.

[HAC]

This pic of a storefront in Paris, taken by a friend who was visiting there, seems appropriate..





Cheers
Harold

[Lux]

A bit old, but I thought I would post this article for those who are charting the progress of absinthe across the United States:

Absinthe, illicit and alluring, is now available in Boston

This happens to be a bar I am rather partial to, so I was quite happy about it.  They sell both Lucid and Kubler, but alas they still stare at me in confusion every time I order and tell them to keep their flaming sugar the hell away from my absinthe.

Also, I did not see this wonderful absinthe information source posted yet, so here you are:

The Wormwood Society

And a great place to buy absinthe accouterments:

La Maison d'Absinthe

I received a great set of glasses and a fountain for Christmas and am already scheming my inevitable absinthe party!

[Gazongola]

Does anyone know of some CHEAP absinthe places in Paris?

[Siliconous Skumins]

I've been avoiding this topic, mainly due to my expectations of the usual brand of myth & legend that goes with conversations about Absinthe - while I was not totally without validity of my doubts, there was a surprising level of real knowledge and lack of F.U.D. 

I've been drinking Absinthe for quite some time now...about 7 years or so. I've tried numerous brands from various different countries - and I am in agreement that Czech Absinthe is paint stripper.  I have settled on my favorite "daily" brand being Serpis (65% version), but my all time favorite for flavour and deleterious effects would have to be a swiss brand called "Clandestine" - which as the name suggests, had it's origin in "moonshine" type production, and is still made to the original recipe. This particular brand has won several awards - and rightly so. Very nice, if somewhat expensive. Must warn you though, it comes with a Cork stopper......and the Ethanol is more than strong enough to eat the cork - so DO NOT store on it's side, or you could have an expensive leak - or worse, a "corked" drink!

Absinthe should be 'louched' (the cloudy mix of water + sugar to taste) to allow the full flavours to develop. The sugar is required (depending on the palate of the drinker) to reduce the bitterness of the oils and other extracts as they drop out of solution, and form small crystals (giving the cloudy appearance), which are only fully soluable in high strength ethanol. Typically Anis (aniseed) containing Absinthes may not need much, or even any sugar, unless the drinker prefers the sweeter taste, as Anis is used as a sweetening agent anyway. Absinthe that contains little or no Anis, is known as a "bitter" - and as the name would suggest, it's somewhat more 'sharp' tasting than the Anis variety, and is especially 'dry' and bitter when louched. Sugar is generally *required* for this to be enjoyable (unless you think even battery acid is "too sweet"...).

The correct way to louche Absinthe is one part Absinthe, to three / four parts VERY fresh & pure water (NOT chlorinated tap water). Sugar should only be added to TASTE - there is no set level, it depends entirely on your *personal* taste. Typically Sugar would only be required for the "bitter" Absinthes.

While I DO appreciate the louched drink, I also tend to drink it neat, and slowly sip away while enjoying the strong aroma and vapours that cannot be detected with a louched drink.  And contrary to most people's beliefs, not everyone drank Absinthe louched, during the 19Th century, and indeed the "locals" of the Absinthe producing areas, still tend to drink it neat to this day (at least according to a "local" chap I spoke to, that is.).

SS

[Gazongola]

Oh thats alright then, I can use Birmingham tap water.

[Siliconous Skumins]

Does anyone know of some CHEAP absinthe places in Paris?

I don't know of any places to buy it direct, I normally just use spirits corner to ship it over to me from spain:

http://www.spiritscorner.com/ing/index.html

The prices are reasonable, but shipping costs can be high, so better to order 3 bottles on the same order. there are a couple of other online shops that can be cheaper for certain items - so best to compare (lists of good shops on some of the Absinthe forums / websites)

Oh thats alright then, I can use Birmingham tap water.

Brummy tap water tastes like absinthe then ?!?!!? 

I usually just use cheap bottled water (no difference to the expensive stuff - it's all H2O) which doesn't have the chemical taste of tap water.  Plus you can keep it in the fridge, so it's nice and cold.

SS

[aquafortis]

it gives me the fear. I've never seen anyone so horribly, infernally drunk as a man on absinthe.

[Stefan Freestate]

it gives me the fear. I've never seen anyone so horribly, infernally drunk as a man on absinthe.

Indeed. There is nothing more fiendish and depraved than a gentleman in the depths of an absinthe binge.

[elShoggotho]

Except maybe a gentleman filled up with every other alcoholic beverage available at the pub...

[Gazongola]

Does anyone know of some CHEAP absinthe places in Paris?

Oh thats alright then, I can use Birmingham tap water.

Brummy tap water tastes like absinthe then ?!?!!? 

I usually just use cheap bottled water (no difference to the expensive stuff - it's all H2O) which doesn't have the chemical taste of tap water.  Plus you can keep it in the fridge, so it's nice and cold.

SS

Oh no!! Itjust happens to be the purest and best in the country. No chlorine, or at least very little. It has fluoride too. I shall have to check out that spiritdscorner. How much is it normally? Or maybe I can twist your arm next time you order some...

[geraldduval]

This pic of a storefront in Paris, taken by a friend who was visiting there, seems appropriate..





Cheers
Harold

That's Verte d'absinthe, an excellent store. Hands down the best place in the city to find the stuff. The staff is extremely knowledgable and very helpful. I can't reccomend it more.

[Gazongola]

I know, it is a little more expensive than I anticipated. iwouldn't hesitate at buying parephenalia there, but the Absinthe is pricey, although I understand it is quality.

[Mr. Pack]

Not sure if this has been posted yet, but I found a most wonderful Absinthe fountain set:

http://www.thegreenhead.com/2007/11/authentic-french-absinthe-fountain-set.php

[Gazongola]

I bought some Absinthe from paris, and I am not impressed. It is Elle Arnaud Denoix. Then I find out the place down the road from me sells La Fee. Shit happens.