Absinthe
 

I want to bring home a bottle of the green fairy they call absinthe.I have heard this is banned in the U.S. is this still true?It seems that you can purchase it on-line.If it is illegal to sell in states how can this be?Has anyone ever tried it?What is it like?I am just a social drinker and seldom touch the hard stuff but thought this would be a novelty.

Absinthe is illegal in the US and most of Europe, it got a very bad rap during the 1920's for inducing people to do heinous acts. <BR>It is still manufactured in Czech Republic and you can still drink it in parts of Eastern Europe and Scandinavia... There are people in the US who make a sort of "bathtub" absinthe a their homes. <BR>From my many friends who have done it... it gets you very VERY drunk and gives you an appallling hang over. Frankly, though I do know people who have managed to bring it back to the US from Eastern Europe..(customs people had never heard of it) I certainly wouldn't want to bring anything illegal into the US no matter how harmless.. given the current security situation. <BR>If I were in Denmark or Prague I would definately sample, but watch out, according to my dear friend it packs a heck of a punch!

Anon: <BR> <BR>Absinthe is banned in most countries in Europe in addition to the US and Canada. The French were among the first to ban it, during WW1 as they blamed their poor showing in the early days of the war on the influence of, as you put it, the green fairy! <BR> <BR>As far as I know, the only European countries where it is still legal are Czech Republic and Spain (I *think*?). I bought a bottle last year in Czech Republic, but have not yet had the nerve to sample it as I read an hilarious report about a dinner party help by a reporter to test the myth - suffice it to say there were several gaps in his remeberence of the evening but apparently no ill effects the next day. <BR> <BR>Take easy!

Rats! Thyra beat me to it. Here's some semi-duplicative info on the subject, copied from a website on absinthe: <BR> <BR>"Although it is banned in most Western countries, absinthe isn't controlled as a drug but as a food. As with many other things considered poisonous, you aren't allowed to commercially make food or drink containing more than trace amounts of thujone [the other active ingredient in absinthe, besides alcohol]. However, simple possession of thujone-containing ethanol solutions will probably not get you into legal problems. Presumably you would be legally liable for any possible damages if you gave absinthe to others to drink. Artemisia [wormwood] species are completely legal and are attractive perennial ornamental plants. <BR> <BR>In the United States of America, absinthe was originally banned by Food Inspection Decision 147 in 1912. Now, thujone is banned as a food additive according to Section 801A of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of August, 1972. Wormwood was included on a list of unsafe herbs which the FDA released in 1975. <BR> <BR>The European Community Codex Committee on Food Additives has restricted the levels of thujone to 0.5 ppm (mg/kg) in food and beverages, 10 ppm (mg/kg) in alcoholic beverages containing more than 25% alcohol, 5 ppm (mg/kg) in weaker alcoholic beverages, and 35 ppm in bitters. Absinthe was banned in Belgium in 1905, in Switzerland in 1907, in Italy in 1913, and in France in 1915. <BR> <BR>Absinthe (made with wormwood) is still available in Spain (contrary to Pendell (1995)) and reportedly in Denmark, Andorra, and Portugal as well. It has also recently become popular in the Czech Republic under the brand name "Hill's Absinth." <BR>

Absinthe is legal in Spain. Pastis is absinthe without the wormwood. When it became illegal, they introduced Pernod. There are two pastis, one called absinth and the other fee vert but no wormwood. A book available with great pictures is Absinthe, history in a bottle by Barnaby Conrad. Alot of brands of Pastis are not imported here .

Some friends-of-friends always bring a bottle back when they visit the Czech Republic. Apparently there's a special contraption you drink it in where you light it on fire and drink it through a glass straw while it's burning?? Anyone know what I'm talking about?

People! Chill out! <BR> <BR>Absinthe bars have been hot in London and Paris for some time . . . check the UK scene at <BR> <BR>http://www.eabsinthe.com/ <BR> <BR>(you can even get your own slotted absinthe spoon) Have responsible fun! <BR>HTH <BR>t

The stuff is a toxin, pure and simple. <BR>Disugise it, glorify it, romanticize it any way you want, but it is potentially lethal at worst and can lead to chemical addiction that inevtiably results in brain damage at best. I think people who glorify it have had it once too often and their brains are destroyed to the point they don't know enough to understand what happened to them. <BR>Biologically, it can cause epiletic type seizures, loss of motor control, paranoia, excessive violence, as well as delerium and the endless craving of chemical addiction. <BR> <BR>If you are determined to ingest it, think about how Van Gogh ended up. <BR>Psychotic and paranoid. <BR>There was nothing grand or glorious about his demise. <BR> <BR>

But the question is, Does Absinthe make the heart grow fonder?

Tracy, I have been on-line and know what you speak of.It seems that Absinthe is available in U.K. and more recently in Ireland.Have you ever tried it?

Sounds like fun. We'll be in southern Spain this Nov. How would we go about ordering it in a bar - is it widely available, or only in special bars? Thanks.

I believe there may be non-wormwood "Absinthe" available now, even in the states. It seems I have seen it advertised somewhere recently. Because I know the wormwood version is banned, I suspect this is a Pastis being marketed as "absinthe." This is conjecture on my part, but may someone can help.

I think the stuff that's being served in bars is this--"Absente is a dazzling emerald green spirit, distilled in the tradition of Absinthe, from a potion of herbs and spices without the wormwood. Today you can enjoy the full aromatic flavor, aroma and dazzling emerald green color of Absinthe when drinking Absente. Absente can be served two ways: mixed with water, or the classic mixture of sugar and water using a slotted spoon." I think I read recently that Absente has the flavor of Absinthe without the bad stuff. You may be able to find Absente at larger liquor stores. <BR>

Ah, Grasshopper, you are so witty. <BR> <BR>Thank you for the bad (good?) pun. I needed the laugh.

Xxxx, why bother with copy cats? Its the wormwood extracts that make absinthe special.Its what makes absinthe, absinthe.Who cares about having a similar tasting item without the lovely dreamy feeling absinthe is famous for.

According to my friends, who had the with wormwood kind... that dreamy thing is highly overrated, but the hangover was unlike any they had ever experienced.

I had such a hangover, I didn't know if I was Arthur or Martha. That book Mimi mentions is excellant.

We bought some in Prague and I can't say I recommend it. It tastes NASTY!! I was just curious, after reading about it in so many Hemingway books. Blah!! If you're looking for something tasty, look elsewhere! I think it's banned most places because if you drink it excessively, you may be one of the unfortunate few who dies. One taste was enough for me so I didn't get to experience the ensuing hangover. Only good thing I can say about it is it looks pretty. It's bright green.

Tracy is right, it is now available in bars in the UK, but I have to say it's bloody awful stuff. Tends to only be drunk by young boys trying to impress their mates (but not the girls, who are frankly less than impressed by the results). Try it, I believe in trying anything once, but I can't imagine it's something you'd get a taste for

3 friends of mine and myself downed a bottle of the green fairy (brought to us from Barcellona)in one evening and afterwards decided that it was definitely not all it was hyped up to be. The 'hallucinagenic' effect was caused basically by being bombed and then the hangover was hellish. Note, you must drink it accordingto the rules: the sugar, spoon and water way , or it is impossible to get down. In a nutshell, spend your money on something else.