absinthe

[asdf]

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=2647788

Drink recently legalized now gaining popularity in Utah
February 11th, 2008 @ 9:15pm

Whit Johnson reporting

A drink that's been blamed for hallucinations, madness, suicide and murder was recently legalized in the U.S. Now, absinthe -- one of the most banned substances throughout the world -- is gaining popularity in Utah.

The ritual that surrounds absinthe and its vivid green color has captivated and almost hypnotized some of the world's most creative minds. To put things in perspective, absinthe was banned in the United States in 1912, before marijuana, before cocaine. Now, with the ban lifted, the question is, what harm can this drink really do?


Credit: Virtual Absinthe Museum

From the silver screen to the earliest of silent films, the drink has long been purported to have psychoactive effects. Its popularity was at its peak in France in the late 19th century and became an obsession among famous artists and writers. One of many rumors at the time was that absinthe drove Vincent van Gogh to cut off his own ear.

But in 2007, after nearly a century, the United States followed a worldwide trend, lifting its ban on absinthe.

Local musician and artist Joe Ashton said, "There's never been one absinthe that's ever gotten me to the point of seeing something that's not there, ever."

Ashton is pushing for more brands to be sold in Utah. "I think in most aspects, the herbal qualities, the floral notes of this make it more of a fine wine than anything else," he said.


One herb in particular, grand wormwood, contains a chemical called thujone, which for years was said to rot your brain.

Dr. Martin Caravati, the medical director of the Utah Poison Control Center, said, "I think that's probably a lot of myth involved there."

Doctors now say that low levels of thujone, found in absinthe, likely have little effect on the body. That belief has led to the drink's legalization.

"You could not drink enough to get enough thujone to cause a seizure, because you would be so drunk you wouldn't be able to drink any more," Dr. Caravati said.

But the fear among local advocates for alcohol policy is that people who drink absinthe may search for an experience beyond intoxication.


Joe Ashton

Dr. George Van Komen, chair of the Alcohol Policy Coalition, said, "The preparation of absinthe and the whole ritual that's associated with it is where I have my greatest concern."

Currently, Absente is the only brand you can buy in Utah. It contains a refined species of wormwood, one without thujone.

Joe Ashton said, "It's not necessarily an absinthe by any means, but it's definitely a close ringer."

According to the state, as demand for the drink increases more brands -- what some consider real brands -- will come to Utah.

Brett Clifford, wine coordinator for the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, said, "What's interesting is it seems to be picking up steam as time goes by, so that indicates that it's not necessarily a flash in the pan."

All this perhaps adds to the rebirth of what has been called the world's most feared spirit.

In the 19th century, some inferior brands of absinthe contained chemicals that actually were damaging to the brain. Some say the effects of those chemicals combined with alcoholism likely caused much of the hysteria.

Absinthe usually ranges from 55 to 72 percent alcohol. That's significantly stronger than the average drink.

[savanna3313]

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=2647788

Drink recently legalized now gaining popularity in Utah
February 11th, 2008 @ 9:15pm

Reminds me of this historical place in New Orleans. Guess they will be happy absinthe is legal again.

http://www.oldabsinthehouse.com/history.html

[shlingdawg]

So it's an anise flavored liquor. Wonder how much it tastes like sambuca.

Another interesting read:

Ernest Hemingway's "Death in the Afternoon" cocktail, a concoction he contributed to a 1935 collection of celebrity recipes. His directions are as follows: "Pour one jigger absinthe into a Champagne glass. Add iced Champagne until it attains the proper opalescent milkiness. Drink three to five of these slowly."

I imagine that would get you nice and sauced.

[stefan]

But the fear among local advocates for alcohol policy is that people who drink absinthe may search for an experience beyond intoxication.

absinthe ... the gateway drug

[wojo342]

over 18 years ago I remember responding as a rookie patrol officer to a man having seizures. When I got there...the guy was seizing hard...his hands were contorted, his arms were wrapped in close to his chest and he was totally unresponsive. His eyes were rolled up in the back of his head and I thought he was on death's door.

Suspecting a drug overdose, we asked the guy he was with what he had taken or had to drink and he handed us this small brown bottle with a label that said..."oil of absinthe." He recovered after treatment at the hospital.

I've never encountered that again...but seeing that guy's reaction was enough to tell me it wasn't good stuff.

[Cirrus2000]

Ernest Hemingway's "Death in the Afternoon" cocktail, a concoction he contributed to a 1935 collection of celebrity recipes. His directions are as follows: "Pour one jigger absinthe into a Champagne glass. Add iced Champagne until it attains the proper opalescent milkiness. Drink three to five of these slowly."

I imagine that would get you nice and sauced.

No kidding! I had some absinthe a few years ago. I don't really remember the taste, but I sure remember the kick. Man, I was messed up - but in a good way! I keep saying that I need to get a bottle, but it was really expensive when it was first legalized here. I just checked the website, and it's only $55 for 500 ml now. Might have to splurge!

[Rev. Coyote]

Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder.

[JP]

he handed us this small brown bottle with a label that said..."oil of absinthe."

This stuff popped up here a year or two ago. It's not the same stuff Wojo eluded to, but a marketing ploy. Ya hope

[Mooseman70]

Never heard of that stuff before. I recently found out about this stuff, though..........

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive...72jenkem1.html

DISGUSTING.

[shlingdawg]

Never heard of that stuff before. I recently found out about this stuff, though..........

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive...72jenkem1.html

DISGUSTING.

OMG.

Now THAT, my friend.............. is f#@ked up.

[Mooseman70]

Isn't it? And the crazy thing is, it's GAINING popularity amongst high-schoolers. VILE.

[Sombeech]

Never heard of that stuff before. I recently found out about this stuff, though..........

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive...72jenkem1.html

DISGUSTING.

Fake.

[Mooseman70]

Fake? How so? I was handed a color copy of the info flyer in briefing at work this past November, which was from the Sheriff's office in Florida. I doubt that it's fake. Never underestimate what folks will do to get high...as disgusting as this one is.

[Deathcricket]

As usual, pearls of wisdon from the Beech

http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/jenkem.asp

[live2ride]

Ernest Hemingway's "Death in the Afternoon" cocktail, a concoction he contributed to a 1935 collection of celebrity recipes. His directions are as follows: "Pour one jigger absinthe into a Champagne glass. Add iced Champagne until it attains the proper opalescent milkiness. Drink three to five of these slowly."

I imagine that would get you nice and sauced.

No kidding! I had some absinthe a few years ago. I don't really remember the taste, but I sure remember the kick. Man, I was messed up - but in a good way! I keep saying that I need to get a bottle, but it was really expensive when it was first legalized here. I just checked the website, and it's only $55 for 500 ml now. Might have to splurge!

If anyone watched three sheets to the wind on the MOJO station ( I always do) they have done some specials on this and it looks interesting but is supposted to tast like ass?

[Cirrus2000]

No kidding! I had some absinthe a few years ago. I don't really remember the taste, but I sure remember the kick. Man, I was messed up - but in a good way! I keep saying that I need to get a bottle, but it was really expensive when it was first legalized here. I just checked the website, and it's only $55 for 500 ml now. Might have to splurge!

If anyone watched three sheets to the wind on the MOJO station ( I always do) they have done some specials on this and it looks interesting but is supposted to tast like ass?

Like I said, I don't remember the taste, but I do remember that I didn't find it vile or anything. I seem to remember that we drank it the traditional way - pour water over a sugar cube into the glass of absinthe - takes away bitterness. Shall try some again soon...

[Mooseman70]

Ah, Snopes.com rules Jenkum as fake, eh? Guess that must be taken as truth if it's on the Internet, right?

[Deathcricket]

Ah, Snopes.com rules Jenkum as fake, eh? Guess that must be taken as truth if it's on the Internet, right?

You doubt the ruling Snopes.com? That's like disagreeing with Mythbusters! Haha

The only way to find out is to brew a batch and test it out. You first!

[Mooseman70]

C'mon over! I'm cookin' up some turds right now. I'll even provide the Mason jar.

You get first hit, bro!

[Brian in SLC]

Suspecting a drug overdose, we asked the guy he was with what he had taken or had to drink and he handed us this small brown bottle with a label that said..."oil of absinthe." He recovered after treatment at the hospital.
I've never encountered that again...but seeing that guy's reaction was enough to tell me it wasn't good stuff.

Its pretty intesting, the typical Utah news (KSL) hype on the dangers of this stuff. That Dr. quote was embarrasssing.

Geez, if it ain't the kiddies gettin' hooked on alca-pops, its this latest absinthe craze. Wonder why they haven't banned Red Bull...

Stuff you get here in the U.S. isn't "real" absinthe. Doubtful much available in Europe any more is either.

Wikipedia has some cool info on it...

"A faux-absinthe liquor called Absente, made with southern wormwood (Artemisia abrotanum) instead of grande wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), is sold legally in the United States and does not contain Grande Wormwood. This was the first US approval referring to "absinthe" on the front label; the front label says "Absinthe Refined" but the US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) classified the product as Liqueur.

In 2007 the laws prohibiting absinthe were relaxed and several brands of absinthe were legally approved for sale. These brands must pass TTB testing, which is performed by the Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry method[70] and TTB considers a product to be thujone-free if the FDA's test measures less than 10ppm (equal to 10mg/Kg) thujone.[71] A US distillery also began producing and selling absinthe, the first US company to do so since 1912. [72]"

Anyhoo...I have a "friend" (ha ha) who's tried it, both here (from friends who brought it back from Europe) and in Europe. Its mostly just really strong, like 151 rum or grain alcohol, with food coloring in it.

Not that tasty, I'm told...and, no "effects" noticed from the supposed real McCoy...

Another fad drink. A mystic. Which is why folks are all worried about it.

Bigger fish to fry, methinks.

-Brian in SLC