Absinthe Uncorked: The 'Green Fairy' Was Boozy -- But Not Psychedelic

Science Daily ^ | 5-1-2008 | American Chemical Society

[Anti-Bubba182]

Absinthe was banned because it took market share from wine.

[Grut]

As a friend used to say, “Absinth makes the heart grow fonder.”

[CarrotAndStick]

[cmsgop]

Boooooooooo,Hisss.........

[Huck]

I have a couple friends say this stuff works. I been trying to get some from overseas thru a friend so i can try it. Any freepers have experience with this stuff?

[1rudeboy]

However, illness and violent episodes among drinkers gave absinthe the reputation as a dangerous drug, and it was banned in Europe and elsewhere.

Funny, you can purchase absinthe in Europe, but not in the United States. I wonder what else the writer gets incorrect.

[j-damn]

If you finish reading the article, you’d know that it was reinstated for sale in Europe recently.

I’ve had it, and it’s just plain old booze.

[1rudeboy]

1988 is “recently?”

[RightWhale]

They likely had other substances available then and absinthe was merely one of them.

[SeeSharp]

Chemical Composition of vintage Preban Absinthe with Special Reference to Thujone, Fenchone, Pinocamphone, Methanol, Copper, and Antimony Concentrations"

[Lizavetta]

As a friend used to say, “Absinth makes the heart grow fonder.”

As my husband used to say during his traveling days, "Absence makes the fond grow harder."

[discostu]

It’s tasty, has an interesting buzz, kind of like mixing a very small amount of pot with a large quantity of booze. Worth trying once just to say you did it.

[Vision]

Go watch the No Reservations Paris episode. Bourdain began to hallucinate badly.

[Natural Law]

How relevant are the studies today of 100+ year old absinthe? Does anyone know the decomposition rate of thujone in the storage media or when exposed to high levels of alcohol?

[Argus]

Absinthe was originally the drink of the lower classes because it was a cheap high - you got more bang for your buck. The Paris bohemians took it up for the same reason. Arch-eccentric Alfred Jarry made absinthe his intoxicant of choice, but then graduated to ether which packed an even harder wallop. He died young, bien sur.

[Liberty Tree Surgeon]

If you instead brew the herb in hot water, would that lead to drinkers suffering absinthteaism?

[count-your-change]

google absinthe before saying u.s. sale is illegal or not available.

[Renfield]

I have drunk it (brought some back from New Zealand, where it is legal). I like the stuff, but it doesn’t like me...gives me heartburn. Very tasty, though, in a medicinal sort of way.

[1rudeboy]

Sorry, I have. And I know the law. Has it prevented me from getting it? No.

Serious drinkers respond to me beyond this point only.