Artemisia absinthium
(http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/9210/apsynthion.jpg) (http://img210.imageshack.us/i/apsynthion.jpg/)
Next to Rue, Wormwood is the bitterest herb. Dioscorides recommended it as a stomachic, a vermifuge, a remedy for jaundice, and a flavoring for absinthe. According to Dioscorides, absinthe was a popular summertime drink in Propontis and Thracia, where they believed it maintained good health. Dioscorides also recommended the use of Wormwood in clothes drawers to repel moths and mice.
(http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/9278/materiamedical.jpg) (http://img23.imageshack.us/i/materiamedical.jpg/)
It's a very pretty drawing. Artemisia Absinthium is a lovely plant, and easy to grow; we're growing some for absinthe next year.
Dioscorides is greek btw
Thank you for spelling that out, as it was not completely obvious.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedanius_Dioscorides
Quote from: Nigel on July 11, 2009, 07:40:25 AM
It's a very pretty drawing. Artemisia Absinthium is a lovely plant, and easy to grow; we're growing some for absinthe next year.
Is it true that there are instances of homemade absinthe that causes one to go blind? or is that another urban legend like grandma used to tell me before i went potty?
any home distillation that goes wrong can cause (methanol ) blindness, its not absinthe specific it has to do with temperatures (boiling point) of different types of alcohol (i think)
Yes, exactly. Same problem with bathtub gin.
It's also bad if they use too much wormwood.
I don't know what I'm doing, but fortunately I live with a chemist.
Almost all cases of dangerous levels of methanol in moonshine were caused by people adulterating with wood spirits. Also some was contaminated with antifreeze (ethylene glycol) from people using an old radiator as a condenser. Methanol is a natural by-product of fermentation, and all fermented beverages contain some quantity of it, especially if the fermented juice is high in pectin (i.e. apple juice).
Distillation will cause some amount of separation of the different constituents of whatever you are distilling. Methanol has a lower boiling point than ethanol, and so it is in a higher concentration in the heads of a distillation (the first stuff to come off the condenser) the tails (the last stuff to come off) are higher in fusel oils, which are also bad for you.
Distillation does not create dangerous chemicals, it only separates and concentrates the constituents of whatever fermented liquid you are distilling. Most distillers collect the heads and tails of each batch and pour them back into the next batch for several runs, occasionally tossing them out to prevent buildup. I think they also always toss out the first trickle since this contains most of the methanol.
I've made some pretty kickass absinthe, btw. I lived out in the country at the time. I live in an apartment right now, or I would probably have a batch going right now.
There was absinthe distillation going on last night at my best friend's house.
I didn't drink any.
Does he/she use small wormwood (Artemisia pontica) in the secondary soak (after distillation)? In my first two batches, I used regular wormwood in the second soak, and it came out way too bitter, so I re-distilled it, resulting in a white (Blanche) absinthe.
Also, does he/she use calamus root? My research suggests that it is an essential ingredient to get a proper absinthe buzz.
My experience with absinthe is that you end up getting too drunk before noticing the effects of the thujone. However, all commercially produced brands, even in Europe, are highly regulated unlike what they used to kick out in the 1800s, and I have never had home-distilled before.
Quote from: Jerry_Frankster on July 12, 2009, 07:18:56 PM
Does he/she use small wormwood (Artemisia pontica) in the secondary soak (after distillation)? In my first two batches, I used regular wormwood in the second soak, and it came out way too bitter, so I re-distilled it, resulting in a white (Blanche) absinthe.
Also, does he/she use calamus root? My research suggests that it is an essential ingredient to get a proper absinthe buzz.
He does use calamus root, and no, he does not do a soak after distillation.
You get a very different sort of buzz with good absinthe; it's best to not drink so much that you get drunk, though, or you don't really notice anything but being drunk. Stick to just a couple of shots and you get a nice feeling of heightened sensuality.
The couple of times I tried it I noticed that the buzz I got was different than say beer or regular liquor.
I felt drunk, but I was very alert and able to speak very clearly without stumbling.
It's like all the drunkiness of alcohol without all the embarrassing stupid sloppy.
it does kick the liver pretty good, and makes champage drinkable.
so far i have tried most of the usual store brands (3or so)
but not including the one from Czech republic that i saw in Canada
Quote from: Suu on July 12, 2009, 10:06:07 PM
My experience with absinthe is that you end up getting too drunk before noticing the effects of the thujone. However, all commercially produced brands, even in Europe, are highly regulated unlike what they used to kick out in the 1800s, and I have never had home-distilled before.
This.
The reason you get a "different" drunk is for the same reasons you get a "different" drunk off of Gin vs. Vodka; the distilling process is the same, but gin has extra flavors in it, primarily juniper. no one would say that juniper berries get you high, but adding the different flavors of herbs etc makes the booze hit you differently.
Absinthe has more than just wormwood-- a
lot more. The added impurities from the various herbs will make you feel a different drunk.
The stuff always makes me depressed. The stuff is great though, so I can't bring myself to throw out what I've got left.
Indiana Adam over at the NEG board was like, "I never hallucinated off of the absinthe, waaaaah." And I'm like, "Dude, you took like 2 sips from Richter's flask."
Quote from: LMNO on July 13, 2009, 01:01:30 PM
Quote from: Suu on July 12, 2009, 10:06:07 PM
My experience with absinthe is that you end up getting too drunk before noticing the effects of the thujone. However, all commercially produced brands, even in Europe, are highly regulated unlike what they used to kick out in the 1800s, and I have never had home-distilled before.
This.
The reason you get a "different" drunk is for the same reasons you get a "different" drunk off of Gin vs. Vodka; the distilling process is the same, but gin has extra flavors in it, primarily juniper. no one would say that juniper berries get you high, but adding the different flavors of herbs etc makes the booze hit you differently.
Absinthe has more than just wormwood-- a lot more. The added impurities from the various herbs will make you feel a different drunk.
We've had this exact discussion before, haven't we?
Quote from: Suu on July 13, 2009, 03:16:57 PM
Indiana Adam over at the NEG board was like, "I never hallucinated off of the absinthe, waaaaah." And I'm like, "Dude, you took like 2 sips from Richter's flask."
If there's hallucination from absinthe, something's gone horribly wrong.
Quote from: The Lord and Lady Omnibus Fuck on July 13, 2009, 06:09:15 PM
Quote from: LMNO on July 13, 2009, 01:01:30 PM
Quote from: Suu on July 12, 2009, 10:06:07 PM
My experience with absinthe is that you end up getting too drunk before noticing the effects of the thujone. However, all commercially produced brands, even in Europe, are highly regulated unlike what they used to kick out in the 1800s, and I have never had home-distilled before.
This.
The reason you get a "different" drunk is for the same reasons you get a "different" drunk off of Gin vs. Vodka; the distilling process is the same, but gin has extra flavors in it, primarily juniper. no one would say that juniper berries get you high, but adding the different flavors of herbs etc makes the booze hit you differently.
Absinthe has more than just wormwood-- a lot more. The added impurities from the various herbs will make you feel a different drunk.
We've had this exact discussion before, haven't we?
Yes. I usually file it under "You fail biochemistry forever."
Quote from: LMNO on July 13, 2009, 06:19:34 PM
Quote from: The Lord and Lady Omnibus Fuck on July 13, 2009, 06:09:15 PM
Quote from: LMNO on July 13, 2009, 01:01:30 PM
Quote from: Suu on July 12, 2009, 10:06:07 PM
My experience with absinthe is that you end up getting too drunk before noticing the effects of the thujone. However, all commercially produced brands, even in Europe, are highly regulated unlike what they used to kick out in the 1800s, and I have never had home-distilled before.
This.
The reason you get a "different" drunk is for the same reasons you get a "different" drunk off of Gin vs. Vodka; the distilling process is the same, but gin has extra flavors in it, primarily juniper. no one would say that juniper berries get you high, but adding the different flavors of herbs etc makes the booze hit you differently.
Absinthe has more than just wormwood-- a lot more. The added impurities from the various herbs will make you feel a different drunk.
We've had this exact discussion before, haven't we?
Yes. I usually file it under "You fail biochemistry forever."
Yes.
The added "impurities" are called "chemicals" and, depending on what they are, they may have an intoxicating effect of their own.
Asarone from calamus root is one example. It is known to have an effect all on its own.
Quote from: The Lord and Lady Omnibus Fuck on July 13, 2009, 06:09:44 PM
Quote from: Suu on July 13, 2009, 03:16:57 PM
Indiana Adam over at the NEG board was like, "I never hallucinated off of the absinthe, waaaaah." And I'm like, "Dude, you took like 2 sips from Richter's flask."
If there's hallucination from absinthe, something's gone horribly wrong.
Precisely. It just goes to show the common misconception of the effects of the liquor brought on by anti-absinthe propaganda before the ban.
(http://www.oxygenee.com/images/Des-Dangers-Front-72KB.jpg)
It makes you hallucinate and do really bad things, like rape and kill women. See?
Apparently gives you super strength too cuz that guy on the bottom looks like he hucked that girl over the bridge behind him and some distance away.
That would make a great label for an absinthe bottle.