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See the original image at hamptonroads.com —

Once banned, absinthe is back (at an ABC store near you)

hamptonroads.com — For 95 years, Americans wanting a taste of absinthe had to sneak it in from Europe or Mexico – and risk getting the high-proof herbal liquor confiscated by U.S. Customs.In May 2007, government officials lifted the ban on the drink once blamed for causing hallucinations and psychosis.

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  • username7410, on 07/20/2008, -6/+24Awesome, I hope it's as cool as NIN's 'The Perfect Drug' video made it out to be!
    • DeadlyCouncil, on 07/21/2008, -4/+39Not gonna lie to you dude, it tastes like hell.
      • DesignNerd, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1Agreed.
        My friends and I drank some form the Czech Republic, and upon first shot, my friend Jerik looked at me with fear in his eyes and said "Are these feelings? Am I turning inside out?"

        Fun novelty, useless as a good time.
    • Zlorp, on 07/21/2008, -5/+30its not, the effects of absinthe are one of the biggest myths i can think of. its just strong liquor and thats IT.
      • bunit03057, on 07/21/2008, -7/+8Good Spanish absinthe, or presumably any good absinthe, prepared correctly (with ice water and sugar) gets you hammer in a much different way than very strong liquor. If you buy cheap absinthe or a bad brand it does not do *****, besides getting you completely wasted, at least in my experience. Keep in mind to NOT... drink it straight without preparing it, terrible idea, don't do it.
      • JByrd, on 07/21/2008, -7/+1Wrong, sorry.
      • floorman56, on 07/21/2008, -16/+3Well maybe
        I have a friend who is in the lifestyle and I told him about this. So he got himself a bottle of Lucid and drank 4 glasses

        His Urber horny wife and there Urber horny girlfriend were doing TAG TEAMS trying to take care of him
        After 3 hrs he had them both hiding in the corner screaming at him to "keep that green monster " away
        Was it in his mind?...well maybe ...but his wife won't let him buy more
      • strictnein, on 07/21/2008, -3/+4Was that an attempted Penthouse Forum letter or something? Urber horny? Tag Teams?
      • floorman56, on 07/21/2008, -8/+2Was that an attempted Penthouse Forum letter or something?

        Nope ...Just saying what happened
        Not all Diggers are pimply faced 14 year olds hiding in there mom's basement ...scared of girls
        Some of us have real lives
      • Evdog, on 07/21/2008, -0/+5The "uber-horny" part was kind of irrelevant though... right?

        Plus I don't think anyone over the age of 16 uses the word "uber", do they?
      • lamiaconfitor, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1are you saying you have had the wormwood? or just the liquor?
    • haiduz, on 07/21/2008, -13/+7First of, that this absinthe is a bunch of non-sense since its only 52 percent. You would be able to do any flaming shots with it...

      If you have access to grain achohol and 100 proof vodka, I recommend getting the green devil kit and making it your self. (www.greendevil.com) For 35 bucks + sh, plus the cost oh achohol you can easily make two litter.

      It tastes nasty, but it a lot more legit that the absinthe you can buy in shops in europe because they use artificial coloring. However if you man up, then on an empty stomach one shot will get you drunk, two shots will surely do the trick, and in three shots... well im a little afraid to go that far.

      If you never drank absinthe, they say that it has different effects on different poeple, but basically its just a different kind of drunk. Its a lot more of a relax feeling. As far as the hallicinations, I dont think thats an effect. However, I have had some of the strangest and freakiest dreams after drinking this stuff (ie I was a fugitive Future Society ruled by Asimo Robots)

      Its takes a week to make and its actualy really easy. However, there is a video guide here - http://www.expertvillage.com/video-series/4332_abs ...
      order here -
      http://www.greendevil.com/ordering/index.php

      and no I dont work for the company.
      • LeRenard, on 07/21/2008, -1/+7That steeped herbs concoction is a pretty poor substitute for the real thing. The real stuff is steeped before it's distilled, not after. Most places in Europe obtaining a half decent bottle is as easy as walking to the local store, and there are way more than one firm willing to ship a bottle to the US.
      • twinklyJesus, on 07/21/2008, -1/+8Dude, it's 52 percent, not 52 proof. 52 percent = 104 proof.
      • damndj, on 07/21/2008, -2/+1Epic Fail
      • haiduz, on 07/22/2008, -0/+1104 proof is still very weak for absinthe. it should be a lot closer to 140 proof then to 100.
    • darkciti2, on 07/21/2008, -3/+9It used to be distilled using wormwood which was why Van Gogh tripped out and cut his ear off.
      It's not psychotropic these days, though, so don't worry.

      If you're ever in Prague definitely have a glass/shot of Absinthe served the proper way (tablespoon of sugar, light match melt sugar until it starts to caramelize then pour into glass and shoot the drink).

      Also, if you're ever in Prague don't dance up behind girls on the dance floor no matter how close they try to back into you. They dance like American girls, but if you get too close you'll get slapped.

      [from what I hear]
      • fritzbrown, on 07/21/2008, -0/+6The traditional technique, at least in the USA, is to mix Absinthe with sugar and ice water which will give the drink a cloudy appearance. Prepared this way it is meant to be enjoyed slowly.

        Van Gogh cut off his ear because he was crazy.
      • ReverendRodger, on 07/21/2008, -0/+2Actually, as the guy above me said, the way to really make it is to put a cube of sugar in a spoon and slowly dizzle water over it until it melts. They make absinthe glasses that give you the proper amount of absinthe to water (roughly 1 shot of absinthe to 2 shots of water if I remember correctly)

        Also Van Gogh went crazy from lead poisoning. Back then paint and the brushes had lead in them and he was fond of putting the tip of the brush to his tongue or chewing on the brush.

        Absinthe will NOT make you crazy or make you hallucinate. True absinthe has very little thujone in it. Some of the effects reported of absinthe probably had more to do with poor quality brews with some odd chemicals in them than anything.

        Also, if you do drink absinthe, be warned that it tastes like ass but it WILL ***** you up quick.
  • migshark, on 07/20/2008, -24/+5“It can have mild bitter notes, but generally speaking, it’s a sweet drink ,” said Al Markowitz, an absinthe enthusiast who lives in Norfolk.

    "...absinthe enthusiast who lives..." Not for much longer, I expect.
    • rearlgrant, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1I dunno what Absinthe he was drinking. Did eat the sugar cube instead?
  • diemunkiesdie, on 07/20/2008, -1/+50For those who don't live in the 18 ABC states:

    ABC stores are retail alcoholic beverage outlets operated by the Alcoholic Beverage Control agencies or comparable government agencies in Alcoholic beverage control states of the United States.

    Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABC_stores
    • cdawzrd, on 07/21/2008, -1/+3To add on to the Wiki article's lack of depth, we must go to an ABC store to purchase liquor. Wine and beer are available from any store with the appropriate license (gas station, supermarket, etc) but all other "hard stuff" is at the ABC.
    • MiamiRox, on 07/21/2008, -2/+8I got all excited until I got to this part.
      "ABC Fine Wine & Spirits" stores in the state of Florida are an exception. They are privately owned establishments that use the familiar name; Florida is not an alcoholic beverage control state."

      I was already planning the several ways to get blasted, get naked and make poor choices with seedy men.
      • rex84, on 07/21/2008, -2/+5Hey there. I would like to mention that I'm a seedy man. ;)
      • lamiaconfitor, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1sigh... no one wants to drink with the nice guys...
    • Zipko, on 07/21/2008, -3/+6Liquor control laws are retarded. In PA you're only allowed to purchase 2 packs/cases of beer at a time. Also, most places can't sell beer on Sunday. These two laws killed me every time there was a Monday holiday and we wanted to party Sunday night. You ended up having to go to the bar and buy 6 packs at bar prices, and you could only get 2 at a time. So after 4 trips to the car and back you've paid $30 a case of a couple cases beast ice or some similar crap.
      • CobaltBlue, on 07/21/2008, -2/+14You might want to try thinking ahead there sparky. Those Monday holidays are planned quite a bit in advance.
      • CaptainCool53, on 07/21/2008, -0/+2dugg for sparky
    • KingGorilla, on 07/21/2008, -1/+0Is Hawaii in there? I seem to remember Hawaii having a lot of "ABC Stores"
      • Zebceponaf, on 07/21/2008, -1/+1ABC's in Hawaii are a private chain. A private chain full of useless touristy crap.
    • leopardflames, on 07/25/2008, -0/+1When I moved to Virginia from New Jersey, I wasn't yet old enough to drink and thought that all the ABC stores were car insurance offices...
  • apastafarian, on 07/20/2008, -2/+65It was never a hallucinogen and should never have been banned in the first place. It's just really high proof and IMHO awful tasting booze. I guess those who consider Jager drinkable will probably like it. Those lusting for the green fairy will have to consider travel to San Francisco or wait for the Greenwich Village NYC Halloween parade :)
    • bipolarruledout, on 07/21/2008, -2/+2Absinthe for Halloween huh? I might be able to get behind that...
    • ElGigi, on 07/21/2008, -0/+3I love Jager but hate absinthe. It's just an strong drink. If you don't like anise taste, don't even try it.
    • imapluralist, on 07/21/2008, -0/+2I concur. It's pretty awful tasting. Way stronger (potent) than jager...It'll definitely put you in a gutter somewhere. That's where I woke up anyway.
    • ObamaWins08, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1Yewah guys, I had my hopes way up, but it tastes like spoiled Uozo.
      • Bravesguy18, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1Let the Team-America style vomiting begin.
    • m4csrgh3yk3v, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1What makes absinthe what it is (wormwood) isn't hallucinogenic. However, you can buy some crazy ***** in eastern europe that has additional ***** thrown in.

      Whether or not you still call that nasty stuff 'absinthe' is academic.
    • CountBrass, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1I'd agree with that, Absinthe (available for 5 years or so in the UK) tastes foul (and I like Jager).

      And it was always the high proof plus the high quantities consumed that caused blindness, hallucinations etc, not the wormwood.
    • lamiaconfitor, on 07/21/2008, -1/+1It, itself, wasn't but with the common addition of wormwood, it was a *mild* hallucinogen.
  • CrushThemTorg, on 07/20/2008, -1/+10I really just dugg this for HamptonRoads.
    • pandorazboxx, on 07/21/2008, -1/+3me 2. never see a local story on digg :-)
  • RothenbergXXX, on 07/21/2008, -1/+14Thujone may be a tryptamine but it's psychotropic effects are little to none (and I speak from some experience). For those who are still curious to try it and can stomach the large amount of alcohol that accompanies a good dose, go for the Kubler pictured here. It has the highest Thujone content for the money of any readily available brands available today.

    Many states whose liquor industry isn't controlled by the ABC offer it too, for the record. It's been that way since November.
    • salomejones, on 07/21/2008, -1/+3The thujone level is probably not as important for the "absinthe buzz" as the summation of the rest of what makes absinthe absinthe, and not say, pernod.

      I've been drinking absinthe for a long time; I've had the high-thujones and the low-thujones, and things that probably weren't technically absinthe (which is whats being passed off as absinthe in the US even now), and my favorite is a peculiar but very popular tincture called Lucid.

      It's not actually absinthe if you want to be pragmatic about it, but it's a drink that's based on absinthe (including thujone) and tastes very much like it, except not quite as completely disgusting. The buzz has a definite absinthe quality to it, but is a little less leaden and a bit more conversational.
  • lmbb20, on 07/21/2008, -8/+1My friend got a bottle shipped from France. It tastes really really really strong. I guess we can get it in the US now....
    • Ajajadude, on 07/21/2008, -2/+6What do you mean "you guess"? This is an article about how you can get it now.
      • lmbb20, on 07/22/2008, -0/+1Information is not trustworthy on the internet. Even .edu and .gov web sites can be cracked and edited. I didn't go and actually buy some of this in the US to prove it. Did you? Or are you a sheepish follower believing the net?
    • carpespasm, on 07/21/2008, -2/+2For those wondering, I've ordered some, it's much more palpable than 151, tastes like black licorice, and it numbs out the back of your tongue some.
  • SaintStryfe, on 07/21/2008, -2/+6It's a very interesting drink. i didn't like the actual drink as the multiple ways to prepare it. It's got a fun air of mystery about it. Maybe it's just a good marketing campaign, but hey, it's not undrinkable.
    • bipolarruledout, on 07/21/2008, -1/+3Good marketing, viral in this case can sell anything.... even wars! I haven't tried it but I would be interested. From what I hear it's high proof and gets your extra ***** faced, the psychotropic properties are low if any but that doesn't seem to stop the romanticism for it. Pass a J and pour a round and I'm sure you will have a pretty good time.
    • digglet08, on 07/21/2008, -5/+0Come back when you've mastered the English language!
      • Twenty, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1He used 'it's' right the entire time! The bar has to be set low on the internet.
      • digglet08, on 07/21/2008, -0/+0"i didn't like the actual drink as the multiple ways to prepare it."

        Its the grammar.

        It should be:

        I didn't like the actual drink so much as the multiple ways to prepare it."

        Stuff like that usually doesn't bother me but everyone does this


  • kevman459, on 07/21/2008, -3/+7Aw yeah time to ride the green fairy!
    • sockpuppets, on 07/21/2008, -2/+10Kermit's gay cousin Eugene?
      • bipolarruledout, on 07/21/2008, -2/+1Oh Oh... I'm the green fairy!... Oh OH!

        Not to be confused with riding the green furry.
  • slapded, on 07/21/2008, -13/+1i tried absinthe once and woke myself up having a conversation with a dog dish
    • 0x0000ff, on 07/21/2008, -1/+14no you didn't
    • Zlorp, on 07/21/2008, -1/+8if thats the case then you would have done the same thing drinking any other liquor
      • bipolarruledout, on 07/21/2008, -0/+4Where can I get the acid laced absinthe?
    • rearlgrant, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1I was hoping for that experience.... Didn't have it.
  • jacktheripperr, on 07/21/2008, -6/+66absinthe is like being teabagged by god.
    • bipolarruledout, on 07/21/2008, -6/+5Um... no.
    • bipolarruledout, on 07/21/2008, -0/+33That wasn't god teabagging you..... you just thought it was at the time... you were pretty ***** up.
    • digglet08, on 07/21/2008, -1/+11I for one thought it was a good comment.
    • Myonosken, on 07/21/2008, -2/+1Roooofies!
  • breezytrees, on 07/21/2008, -14/+1hey look, spam! burried.
  • molotovcat, on 07/21/2008, -1/+18Absinthe is pricey and suits very few palates. You will not hallucinate if you drink it, ever.

    As someone said, it has an interesting history and the preparation and accessories that are attached to the culture are neat.
    • antiorblkflag9, on 07/21/2008, -3/+8They took the wormwood out
    • bipolarruledout, on 07/21/2008, -1/+3I wonder if the hipsters will be all over it because that's basically the traditional audience.
    • fool13, on 07/21/2008, -0/+6It's a fun drink to prepare and try once but you probably won't go back again. People that say they are hallucinating are either lying or not used to drinking such high proof stuff which can hit you quite hard if you're not used to it.
    • Ultra42, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1You don't hallucinate, only thing cool is the preparation, but after a quarter of a liter you can't get that herbal smell out of you for a week. x)
  • Eunonia, on 07/21/2008, -1/+3In Ukraine, that's where I am from, you can freely buy the bottle at the grocery store for about 40 to 50 bucks. The price depends on the quality and proof of alcohol. I was surprised that its freely available anywhere over there. Do not know about now, but was there visiting my friends 2 years ago and it was everywhere. You can also order it online and have it shipped to you by the company that sells it.
  • DirtPile, on 07/21/2008, -6/+1What the above guy said.
  • BBWolf, on 07/21/2008, -2/+86Some buddies and I got hammered on this stuff in Japan once in the 70's. We learned a few things that night. One of them was that the Japanese police have no sense of humor.
    • MyExSucks, on 07/21/2008, -28/+4I guess you didn't learn the part where you don't either.
  • dgaspard, on 07/21/2008, -1/+5They just opened an absinthe museum in New Orleans. Free tasting the entire time you are there.
  • speel, on 07/21/2008, -4/+22This is old news , absinthe has always been legal in all liquor stores BUT the thing is the government only allows 10mg of the chemical in wormwood that goes into absinthe ( I forgot the name of it ). So what your basicly drinking is a Ouzo like drink.

    ( i work in a liquor store so I need to know this )
    • bipolarruledout, on 07/21/2008, -4/+13i work for the internets so I know everything I need to know.
    • WhoDoneIt, on 07/21/2008, -0/+0If you need to know this then you should work on trying to figure out what the chemical in wormwood is. :)
    • shadowblade989, on 07/21/2008, -0/+5Thujone. And its 10 mg/L, not 10mg per whatever bottle size they want.
      • colto, on 07/21/2008, -0/+2FTA: "A 1 -liter bottle, the only size available..."
    • LeRenard, on 07/21/2008, -1/+5It was most certainly not legal, I was involved with companies looking to import it or manufacture it, and it was considered a banned food substance, but it wasn't considered a drug. Prior to 2007 it could be confiscated and you could get a fine, but it wasn't like getting caught with drugs.
      • rearlgrant, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1Ditto...
        I won't admit to how I know it is was illegal to import Absenthe up until '08.
    • TheUngod, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1Isn't thujone usually measured in ppm, not mg?
  • DirtyBinLV, on 07/21/2008, -1/+7I drank some Absinthe from the Czech Republic that Maxim reviewed as the real deal. You can recreate the experience very cheaply- just mix a drink of half Jager half Everclear and then add enough sugar so you can choke it down. People will try it because of the hype and mystique. A tiny percent will drink it a second time.
    • funktimus, on 07/21/2008, -1/+1that sounds like it may work actually
    • bipolarruledout, on 07/21/2008, -1/+1So it's going to sit with the Gin and a few other misc. bottles I have had down there since 2000?

      Luckily the vodka is ALWAYS fresh.
  • tallulahvulture, on 07/21/2008, -6/+5the ***** they sell now doesnt do crap
    its just a high level of alcohol
  • Trenchbroom, on 07/21/2008, -3/+6I first imported a bottle of Kubler from Germany to the U.S. in 2006. Over $100 with the spoon and shipping. Happily when they started legally importing them her I bought a bigger bottle from drinkupny.com for $50 shipped.

    Too bad I drank so much so fast I got sick on it...not good. I'm seriously trying to get back into it but for now it sits with Gin and Tequila on the "puke once, never touch again" list.
  • digitaldivinci, on 07/21/2008, -2/+17Dugg for comments destroying my delusion that Absinthe must be amazing.
    • carpespasm, on 07/21/2008, -0/+4Don't worry, it's still a pretty cool drink. The buzz kicks in very sudenly, it tastes like licorice, and it's a much more "aware" drunk than the likes of everclear or 151. still very fun, but too expensive to be a regular staple in the home bar. You also have to jump through questionably legal hoops to get the kind with thujone in it. They sell a southern wormwood "absente" in the US as well as grande wormwood absinthe with the thujone content reduced to legal levels, but from what I've read it's not quite the same. Though aparently a very close cousin to the "absente" variety is pretty popular in Fance.
    • rearlgrant, on 07/21/2008, -0/+2Yeah, it was a dissapointment for me when I tried it...
    • m4csrgh3yk3v, on 07/21/2008, -0/+2It's a strong drunk. You feel ok, but it's the only alcohol where suddenly you can't play the piano anymore.
  • drfluffer, on 07/21/2008, -1/+2That's true. Some people have hallucinations without absinthe.
  • Galaxylander, on 07/21/2008, -5/+5I live in Canada, and idiots at my school [who are like 15 years old] claim they've drank it and you're supposed to light it on fire. You're... not. You're supposed to put an absinthe spoon over top of the glass and put a sugar cube on it, then SLOWLY drop water over top of it to melt through the sugar cube. I've never drank it, don't plan on it and I can't stand the taste of alcohol but it has an interesting history with the people who've used it and how it's made and what's in it and such. It pisses me off when people don't know what they're talking about.
    • WhoDoneIt, on 07/21/2008, -1/+0They are probably referring to Ouzo.
    • matthewf01, on 07/21/2008, -1/+2They are referring to the 'absynthe ritual' --- some say you wet the sugar cube with a drop of absynthe, then light it until the sugar melts through the spoon into the shot or something like that.
      I think its on Wikipedia.
    • darkciti2, on 07/21/2008, -4/+3Uhm, you don't know what you're talking about.

      I'm no guru, but I've been to Prague (in the Czech Republic) and you take a teaspoon full of sugar, hold it over fire until it begins to caramelize then stir it into a tumbler/glass of Absinthe and drink it down.

      Your friends were using sugar cubes and watering them down so the sugar would caramelize easier.

      If it pisses you off when people don't what they're talking about, make sure you NEVER post about something you don't completely know about.

      Or be like me and browse digg a little more relaxed...
      • Galaxylander, on 07/21/2008, -0/+5Except, Absinthe originated in Swithzerland, not the Czech Republic. That's not what you do, that's how it was popularized but that is not the correct way to make absinthe.

        http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=8tWyDxiOz70

        Someone who knows what they're doing.

        You place the cube on the absinthe spoon and slowly drip water out of an absinthe fountain over top of the sugar cube to create a white louche in the glass.

        Now tell me again I don't know what I'm talking about.
      • rearlgrant, on 07/21/2008, -1/+1Interesting, in Prague I learned the carmalize method. I shudder to think of tasting absinthe again, but I'll see what happens by following the video.
    • crapmatic, on 07/21/2008, -1/+1After you slowly drop water over the sugar cube, then you add the absinthe? This sounds like a watery brew!
      • Galaxylander, on 07/22/2008, -0/+1Other way around, you put the absinthe in the glass first.
    • soulseek, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1Try and drink a Kalashnikov only with absinthe :)
    • BigPhil1982, on 07/27/2008, -0/+0I know for FACT they are talking about Sambuca.

      It takes exactly the same as Absinthe, like aniseed (they sell both here in the U.K) but Sambuca is set on fire while in the glass, you then blow out the flame and drink the drink.

      It gets to your head really quickly and we call them here , Flaming Sambucas.

      It must be written somewhere online if you disbelieve me.
  • weirdwes, on 07/21/2008, -8/+5Bottled courage.
  • lvchk2, on 07/21/2008, -1/+3It's been legal in Vegas for some time. I've had quite a bit within a night.. I was drunk.. really drunk.. but no more hallucinations then when I've had plenty shots of tequila..
  • funktimus, on 07/21/2008, -2/+3A few of us got a few bottles of Lucid Absinthe last December. First time I tried it. The whole preparation thing was fun every time. And yeah, definitely didn't trip on it, but a very energetic and giddy state of drunkeness. But that may have been the vacation effect. If you wanna try it, I'd say split a bottle with a friend. You probably won't need more than half of it each before your both wasted as hell.
  • antileet, on 07/21/2008, -7/+17Yay! Let's all get drunk now and continue drinking until we get alcohol poisoning and die!

    Now why the ***** isn't marijuana legalized?!?!?!
    • mightyslick, on 07/21/2008, -1/+6you got to love our govs. support for really dangerous addictive poisons
  • Kanten, on 07/21/2008, -2/+8Is this REAL Absinthe, or that goofy wormwood-less imitation they've been putting on shelves the past year?
    • rearlgrant, on 07/21/2008, -3/+1Latter.
    • Idiggapony, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1No, it's real absinthe, made with wormwood. So-called "thujone-free" absinthe is now approved for sale in the U.S., and the government has decided that absinthe with thujone levels below 10 ppm can be considered "thujone-free."
  • tomarocco, on 07/21/2008, -2/+4The purported hallucinatory effects are actually from Delirium Tremens. You can get the same effect for pennies on the dollar using cheap grocery store vodka. You know, the kind in the plastic bottles that just say "Vodka" (Hint: put a splash of cranberry on it and you will be riding the "pink fairy").
  • bmovers, on 07/21/2008, -7/+1http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2231/2535619142_d93 ...
    • tidu, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1that's a nice telescope you've got there.
    • algaeturd, on 07/21/2008, -1/+1No wonder people make fun of it if this is the target market. Phish t-shirt and pooka necklace?
      btw, absinthe should be olive colored, not electric green. I think you were drinking schnapps there, dude.
    • drpcken, on 07/21/2008, -0/+2are those Carcassonne cards I see on the table?
  • iamnobody8614, on 07/21/2008, -2/+12Eh. Real men drink Everclear out of the bottle while snorting cocaine and having sex.
  • jaggedsphere, on 07/21/2008, -0/+2pfft mystery...A drink is a drink.
    I've had some good absynthe and some bad absynthe. It's a nice drink for people who like the 'herbal-y' taste...anise seed and the like...
    mix it with water and a little sugar add some ice and you have a refreshing(imo) drink
  • basex, on 07/21/2008, -0/+2In Portugal people drink a lot of absinthe on discos as shots mixed with with other stuff like goldstrike.

    In some countries in Europe it's possible to find black and red absinthe that have more that 80% alcohol.
  • KurtangleTN, on 07/21/2008, -8/+7In b4 "POT SHOULD BE NEXT"
  • helleborus, on 07/21/2008, -5/+1I have wormwood growing but I don't know anything about distillation. I've heard smoking it is interesting but I haven't tried it.
    • algaeturd, on 07/21/2008, -0/+3Interesting?
      Here's something interesting about wormwood...in potent amounts, it can cause QUICK and SEVERE liver failure. Don't play around with it. You may hallucinate but you may also die.
      What is in traditional absinthe is an EXTRACT of wormwood...not pure wormwood. Mess around with that stuff and you can destroy your liver. Look it up.
      • rearlgrant, on 07/21/2008, -1/+1Yeah, don't try that.
        I won't admit how I know that.
        And I think distillery equipement is illegal for personal use in all 50 states.
        Though if I were to make a full disclosure, not that I am, I might say my experience with the extract may have impared my memory.
  • withears, on 07/21/2008, -1/+2This is actually a fascinating beverage with a real history and a "ritual" surrounding its consumption.

    I'm looking forward to trying it.

    But it tastes like anus? Yuck.
    • Amadeus2490, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1Not just any anus. . .YOUR anus.
    • rearlgrant, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1Make a reduction of fennel so that it's good and concentrated, pour into a shot of everclear. Add carmalized sugar if you want, I found it didn't change the taste for me. If you can handle that, you'll be able to enjoy Absinthe. I may be biased b/c I was sooooo disappointed with the experience. I'd prefer Tequila.
  • swatward, on 07/21/2008, -1/+2They would have let you off if you dressed like a panda. Everyone loves pandas.
    • algaeturd, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1Were you trying to respond to a specific comment or were you just throwing that out there randomly?
      • rearlgrant, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1He probably thinks he's had Absinthe.
      • swatward, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1I missed the reply button.
      • blinky04, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1He was trying to reply to BBWolf, I believe.
  • jinxation, on 07/21/2008, -1/+3It's stripped of the thujone needed to do such things. There's been american "versions" of absinthe for awhile, but none of them were ever capable of inducing hallucinations. Few distillers still perform the same methods used years ago. Not a chance of getting the real stuff here without getting hassled by someone.
  • LeRenard, on 07/21/2008, -0/+6The banning of Absinthe has never made much sense since Vermouth also contains wormwood. For those of you thinking of trying it, unless you really like Anise and Licorice, I wouldn't bother. Also realize it's not meant to be drunk neat or straight, you water it down considerably over sugar to sweeten it. When done right, it's quite enjoyable. The rumors of its potency are quite exaggerated however. At best its a very slightly perceptibly different type of drunk. I think people have been watching too many NIN videos.
    • RRJackson, on 07/21/2008, -0/+2Dude, I grew up around a Greek uncle who thought it was pretty much always a good time for an Ouzo shot. If booze *doesn't* taste like licorice I start to get worried. ;-)
    • EyesOnly, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1I agree, I purchased a bottle of Lucid after hearing about the re-legalization. You need around 3 parts water to 1 part absinthe, but some may like it stronger. With sugar added I enjoy the Anise and Licorice flavors that it brings. Like other have said, it will not make you hallucinate. But, it does have a different effect than drinking other forms of alcohol. I find it to be a slightly more "focused" state of mind. I think its worth trying at least once if your curious.
  • shogan191, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1ha, might need to try this out.
  • algaeturd, on 07/21/2008, -3/+1Just so people know before they start playing around with wormwood (as they assume that's where the 'hallucinations' come from) it can cause sever liver damage and liver failure. True that at low levels it can actually aid the liver but at levels high enough to induce hallucination, it has potential to destroy your liver.
    • SHv2, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1It can sever my liver?! Holy *****, that's awesome!
  • specialbuddy1, on 07/21/2008, -1/+5I heard they legalized weed as well but it doesn't have THC. I caution against smuggling in brands that don’t meet U.S. standards.
  • drwatson, on 07/21/2008, -1/+3Inaccurate, you still cannot buy REAL Absinthe in the US, they have to have less then 10 parts per million of thujone, and are therefor usually not made with grande wormwood, the traiditional herb used for Absinthe.
    • madetosink, on 07/21/2008, -1/+2Correcto...what is being sold is close...but no cigar
    • ambientsound, on 07/21/2008, -0/+2Actually, I have a bottle of Lucid right here that was bought in the US which has grande wormwood, sweet fennel, and green anise. This is a creation of T.A. Breaux, the man behind the much better Jade brand. Not the greatest available, but it IS made with grande wormwood.

  • aislinnmarie, on 07/21/2008, -1/+2lol just another, almost legal high!
  • ZombieSociety, on 07/21/2008, -1/+7I heard about this in May 2007 when it happened.
  • PosedMagnet, on 07/21/2008, -7/+2Been back for the past year. WTF is this *****?

    NEWS FLASH: TERRORISTS FLY PLANES INTO WTC!!!
  • RogueMountie, on 07/21/2008, -1/+2If you want to make your absinthe experience more powerful, mix in some ecstasy.
  • hoyter, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1I just cracked open a bottle of Trenet last night. I picked it up on my honeymoon in the Caribbean last year. It has a bitter yager + mouthwash smell/taste. After 3 shots and a few beers, my friends were highly drunk but not hallucinating. It looks good in the liquor cabinet next to my Dominican rum.
  • pennvneff, on 07/21/2008, -0/+1http://www.integrityspirits.com/trillium-absinthe. ...

    Absinthe made in Oregon
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