Comments on: Homemade Absynthe

By: Mugami

Mugami — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 18:53:26 +0000

I now add crushed morning glory seeds to mine. It’s like heaven.
Also used 151 rum as the base and use twice the caraway. Aged 8 months. Good.

By: mugami

mugami — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 06:54:07 +0000

I make mine without the sugar and I use everclear. I always wondered why mine ended up brown. So thanks for the note about proofing. I’ll check for is higher one next time. I think this bottle is 110.
And I age mine for a few months. Does anyone have any thoughts on that? Ergo, is it more of a pro or a con, or does it not matter in the slightest?
I also add maté and freshly pureéd wintergreen about a week before I drink it, AFTER I take out the cardamon.
And does anyone have any tips on clarifying it? I don’t like the murky look. It reminds me of tobacco swill…or german beer. I hate beer. How unamerican of me.

By: beki

beki — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:31:11 +0000

This recipe is from the book “Please don’t feed the bears.” by Abjorn Intonsus (hey, that’s what it says!), Microcosm Publishing, 2006. It’s a great book!
I’ve actually got a batch that’s been marinating for 2 months now: it looks like tar! Used 50% vodka this time; next test batch I think I’m going to try the 125% rum as a base.
For those in the States: you can make a more potent and traditional batch by using Everclear – apparently it will only turn green once you are above 120 proof.

By: Cory

Cory — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:00:10 +0000

Yes, it’s legal here, even with a thujone content now (the non-thujone version has been available for several years). I actually have several bottles that I’ve purchased over time to compare. So far none of them have matched the lovely experience I had while in Europe drinking absinthe, so there may still be some differences in what is allowed here vs. over there. You can find lots of good (if a bit expensive) absinthe available for import at http://www.drinkupny.com/. I hear the Spanish absinthe is some of the best now, though I’ve not been able to try it yet.

I like your suggestion about adding the sugar to make it a liqueur, Sarah. I have tried making it on my own in the past and it is always intensely bitter. I will have to try your method now!

Love the topic, love the drink! May the madness make you merry while you drink of the green fairy!

By: hidingplainsight

hidingplainsight — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:05:23 +0000

That was my experience on absinthe. Drunk but with a bit of a sparkly clarity. Nothing too dreeeeammy

By: Unknownbinaries

Unknownbinaries — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:32:10 +0000

It’s not illegal here as of…this year, I think?, and from a few things I’ve read, the thujone isn’t supposed to be a sizable part of the contents, though cheap brands from the Czech and Russia will add obscene amounts to theirs to try to get people to buy them anyway. People who were seeing things on absinthe back in the day were also likely on laudanum. It’s only supposed to get you very drunk, with an odd kind of clarity to the experience.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 01:21:32 +0000

Oops forgot that very important tidbit! Sometimes it's good to be Canadian... In my province we even have the only absinthe brewer in Canada - Taboo Absinthe

By: hidingplainsight

hidingplainsight — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 01:16:18 +0000

and coolness!

By: hidingplainsight

hidingplainsight — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 01:16:07 +0000

AND, absynthe is illegal in the states so I wouldn’t be telling just any body you’re making it if you’re in the states.