Absinthe recipe

All about absinthe

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WhiteLightning
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Absinthe recipe

Post by WhiteLightning »

I've finally got around to finding some time to make a batch of absinthe, and i was wondering what is a good recipe that will get me a good taste and the same effects as the "old style" absinthe?
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Tater
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Post by Tater »

heres what i came up with when i used the search on sight you ought to try it lots more info there. http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... t=absinthe
Last edited by Tater on Thu Oct 04, 2007 1:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by KatoFong »

Grim's recipe will do you pretty good. Don't be disappointed if you don't get the fairies. Fairies are and will always remain mythological.
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Post by possum »

KatoFong, have you tried the taragon liquor recipet that you spoke of , if so what was your rating of the results.
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Post by KatoFong »

I haven't tried the sweet tarragon liqueur yet. It sounded interesting, but I was busy making other liqueurs for the holidays, so I haven't gotten around to that one yet. If you try it, let me know how it tastes.
junkyard dawg

Post by junkyard dawg »

just a question???

Wasn't part of the 'old school' absinthe experience a good dose of opium mixed in to the drink. Someone (a liquor store owner that carried a cheap "absinthe") told me that opium and sugar were added to the drink when it was served. That may explain the fairies...

Anyone else heard that?
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Post by WhiteLightning »

opium? i dont think so. sugar is though. The "fairies" come from the hallucinagen "Thujone" which is found the the Absinthium Artemis plant through the stems, leaves, and flowers.
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Sites and books about absinthe

Post by Bujapat »

Hello...
Many informations about absinthe on :
http://www.oxygenee.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Also, a 19th century french book, translated in english, with receipts, instructions about distillation and still pictures :
http://www.museeabsinthe.com/absintheLIVRES4.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Sorry, the site is in french, but you can download the book's english translation by clickin' on the third PDF button in this page. The legend is :

"Cliquez sur l'icone Adobe pour une
traduction en anglais du texte de Fritsch
sur l'absinthe, avec la gracieuse
permission d'Artemis."

Regardin' my readings on the subject, it seems that the Grand wormwood caused the well known health problems with absinthe... I heard about a new receipt, without this plant, to make (and drink) absinthe without any danger. I didn't find it yet, but I'm searchin'... I drunk some absinthe last summer that was made with this receipt, it's legally sold in countries like Luxemburg and Switserland and it tastes very fine...
I'm french speaking!

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Post by KatoFong »

Dawg: actually opium was never added as a part of the absinthe drinking experience. Although there is a myth going around that absinthe was frequently dosed with laudunum, that's just a myth. I believe it was popularized by the movie "From Hell".

Do read the Oxygenee site. It's a really good resource for absinthe histories. Also, read the FAQ on http://www.FeeVerte.net. Both sites contain a wealth of information debunking the myths and giving a more accurate account of the history of absinthe's demise (hibernation is a better word, because, like the coelacanth and Elvis, it never really died off, it just disappeared for a while).
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Post by WhiteLightning »

Finally got the Absinthe done, I did a tester batch for some friends and they loved it, I used some new and interesting flavours in the recipe instead of the old "stuff", and i was able to find most of the ingrediants including the Absinthium Artemis, but I was unable to find Hyssop so i slid another herb in there and it came out great. And believe it or not but the stuff does produce "green fairies", it was sorta weird but it definitly wasnt the alchohol.
Last edited by WhiteLightning on Wed Feb 01, 2006 7:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by KatoFong »

What'd you substitute in lieu of the hyssop?
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Post by WhiteLightning »

Here's the Recipe:
Absinthe
375mL 85% alcohol
2 Tbl Wormwood
1.5 Tbl Wintergreen leaves
1/2 tsp Coriander seed
1 Tbl Fennel seed
1/8 tsp Cardamon
1/4 tsp Licorice Root
1 Tbl Star Anise
1/4 tsp Caraway seed
1/2 Tbl Taragon
Grind the ingrediants in a coffee grinder then add to Alcohol in a mason jar, let sit for 48 hours. After the 48hrs, strain the herbs from the liquid then cut with 375mL of pure water, then distill, till the tails start to appear. Then grind the following herbs and let sit fof 3-4 days then filter off herbs and enjoy
1/3 tsp Mint
1/4 tsp Fennel seed
1/2 tsp Wormwood
1/4 tsp Grated orange peel
1/4 tsp Grated lemon peel
This is the colouring stage, and the citrus components really add a nice zing to it.
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Post by KatoFong »

Not bad.

Next time you try it, add the fennel and the citrus components to the maceration before you distill. The flavor will still come across, but it will blend better with the other flavors in your scented spirit. You might even try lemon balm, instead of the citrus peels. I personally like a nice citrusy aroma in my absinthe, but I get that with the coriander and lemon balm, and it's good and subtle and comes across when the spirit louches.

To closer match the old-time absinthe, cut out the tarragon, the carraway, and the licorice. Licorice is used in some absinthes made today, but it's considered a sign of a cheap absinthe. Use green anise, instead (not star anise). It's readily available at almost any grocery store, and the flavor is softer and nicer on the tongue than that of star anise.

Shorten your coloration step. It shouldn't take more than a day or so. Also, don't color with the same wormwood you used in the initial maceration. The old time absinthe recipes use Roman wormwood, not A. art. in the coloration step. Coloring with A. art is a mistake that a lot of people make the first time they make absinthe--I did it, myself--but you'll really notice the difference if you don't use it. Your absinthe should not be as bitter as the A. art makes it. If you can't find Roman wormwood, and you probably won't be able to, try using dried mint, melissa, and/or a little hyssop. It's not exactly right, but it's a lot better than using A. art.

Finally, try measuring by weight, not volume. This is a small detail, I know, but it helps to keep each batch consistent. A gram of wormwood is always the same amount of wormwood, whereas a tablespoon can vary depending on how you level the spoon, how compact the flowers are, etc.

Sounds like you made a decent first step. If you want to get a feel for the taste of real absinthe, do some more research. There's links around here to several sites that have a fantastic wealth of information on how the distillers used to do it. And while you don't necessarily need to adhere exactly to the old recipes--many HGers don't, in fact--it's smart to know how everything goes together in a proper absinthe before you change things up.
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Post by WhiteLightning »

The main reason i used the ingrediants I did is cause those were the only ingredients I could find, wormword was hard enough to find. But thank you for the suggestions.
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Post by KatoFong »

I'm surprised these herbs were so hard to find. Where were you looking? What kinds of shops? Anise, for example, you can find in any large grocery store. Wormwood, hyssop, melissa, and the rest are readily found in bulk herb shops. It's not always the best quality wormwood or hyssop or whatever, but it'll give you a good base for beginning to experiment.

If you try it again, check out hippy grocery stores or anywhere else they sell bulk herbs. Try witchy stores, too, if you have any where you live--a lot of those herbs are ingredients in incense and healing tinctures. Remember that wormwood isn't a controlled substance. Absinthe is illegal because the FDA doesn't regard wormwood as an acceptable food additive, but the herb itself is completely legal. So you can freely ask if a place has it. They won't arrest you.

You can also look around the Web. There are places to buy everything you'll need on the Web without having to resort to a shitty absinthe kit.

Anyway, that's just my two-fifty. I live in a city that's not particularly swarming with herbalists, and I was able to find everything I need. Out in the Pacific NW, you should be able to find what you need.

PM me if you'd like any other advice.
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Post by WhiteLightning »

Well I mainly looked in the Safeway, Wild Oats, and Haggen. I know of a herbal apothecary out in a town near my beach house, but we haven't been out there in 4 months, and I am really lazy, and not really "able" to order from the internet.
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Thuja Occidentalis

Post by Guest »

Hello Distillers

If you want to feel the effects of thujone without getting totally sh!tfaced from the alcohol, use Juniper leaves or essential oil instead of Wormwood. Juniper leaf essiential oil is almost pure thujone (near 98% iirc.) Make sure you use Thuja occidentalis. No other types of cedar or juniper will do. If you make it nice and strong you will have mild hallucinations, like colors on the floor, wavy walls. Nothing too crazy.

Hope this helps
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Post by KatoFong »

It doesn't.
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Post by Tater »

I deleted guests post . Lets play nice please.
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Post by KatoFong »

Sorry, tater. I've got only so much patience for the crowd that comes in here and tries to present "solutions" for how to "trip" off thujone in an absinthe thread. Any serious absinthe maker knows that thujone plays little to no part in whatever minor secondary effects you might get off a glass of absinthe. This isn't a subjective claim. This is hard science. Absinthe is not a hallucinogen. In some people, it can make lights seem brighter, lines seem sharper, etc., but it will not make you see or feel things that don't come from a genuine external stimulus.

Furthermore, thujone is not a hallucinogen--the best you can hope for drinking thujone is renal failure and death--but even if it was, thujone comes over in an absinthe distillation in negligible amounts. Something like 10 mg/l or less. In those quantities, you'd die from alcohol poisoning before you could ever drink enough absinthe to experience a thujone "high".

But despite the science, people still come by and hijack absinthe threads (and sometimes whole forums) with junk about thujone and how they tripped off of it, and you know, it's like you old-time distillers and plastic. After the hundreth time, we absintheurs get a little snarky about the whole affair.
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Post by Tater »

Wasnt your reply I was referring to KatoFong.But do know what ya mean .Were all here to discuss not cuss :lol:
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Post by AfricaUnite »

My recipie is 1/2lb of wormwood in a gallon of 80%. You really get the wormwood flavor that way. I have a batch sitting right now that I added some anaise and a cinnemon stick, but I still have the 1/2lb of wormwood in there. Want to make sure im getting all the thujone I can possibly get, even if it is in negligable amounts.

-AU
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Post by KatoFong »

Africa,

Did you read my entire post? Thujone isn't a hallucinogen. It isn't a drug. It won't get you high. It won't do anything, except when taken pure, and then it'll kill you.

Drinking a glass of absinthe for the thujone is inane. So is making absinthe to maximize the amount of thujone in it. Common sage, the kind you can buy in the grocery store, contains more thujone than wormwood (tastes better, too), so if you're really convinced that thujone will get you high, whip up a good batch of turkey stuffing and trip away. It's a lot easier and the results you get will be basically the same.

The only reason to make absinthe is for its unique taste and because you like the challenge of making a delicious difficult-to-make spirit. Same reason so many other folks here labor over complex sourmash recipes.
crackher

Post by crackher »

KatoFong wrote:Grim's recipe will do you pretty good. Don't be disappointed if you don't get the fairies. Fairies are and will always remain mythological.
No that is a false statement. Have you ever tried absinthe RED? It contais plenty "goodies" that WILL bring the Faries home and a flying...

Anyone have a recipe for that?
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Post by KatoFong »

I give up! Honestly, I think you people just say this crap to get a rise out of me.

Here, buy from this guy. He won't lead you wrong. You don't even need a still to make it, so you can stop make it at home and you won't have to spend anymore time filling this board with wrong information.
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Post by AfricaUnite »

I am aware it wont get you high, but I want to make my "absinthe" with the highest concentration of wormwood possible. Thats just me, everyones different. I also enjoy the taste. After 3 or 4 shots of my 70% maximum concentrarion wormwood beverage, lights are a bit different, but that could be the alcohol. Either way i enjoy the drink and make no claims that you can see green fairies, the green gobblin, or any other fairy tales. I was simply sharing how I make my "absinthe" which is not by any means a traditional recipie.

http://www.wormwoodsociety.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

has loads of good info.
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Post by Brett »

guess the high all depends what crap ur puttin in it, true absinthe shouldnt make u "high" maybe u react different to lights but herbs can do this to people, for example st johns wort can cause people to be more sensative to light.

Me personaly i drink for the taste n flavour, not to get wasted n not to get high, if ur seekin to get high im sure theres other ingredients that will do the job for sure.

ill have to give the absinthe a try, i only ever tried it in a pub here n while its high alcohol content u know it mostly crap by the fact there sellin it in a pub, the flavour was ok but not sure if it will be a little high % for me tho..
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Post by KatoFong »

My respect to you, Africa (that's fun to say). I misunderstood what you were saying. A lot of people like a strong wormwood profile in their absinthe. I just bought a blanche online that's very wormwoody. I like it a lot.

The wormwood society is, indeed, a wealth of information. If only more people would read their FAQ before posting here, I would be a much happier man.
Thelonius Monk

Post by Thelonius Monk »

No that is a false statement. Have you ever tried absinthe RED? It contais plenty "goodies" that WILL bring the Faries home and a flying...

Anyone have a recipe for that?
Allright, I'm bringing this back from the dead for my first post. crackher, you're off yoru head if you think "red" absinthe will make you trip. The best recipe for red absinthe is distill something that tastes vile, that you think will make you trip and then put red food coloring in it. Seriously.

Wormwood, thujone, sage, juniper, and all families/species of plants with thuja oil in them will not make you "trip" they will make you DIE if you use them wrong. :evil:

Please, be safe and read more. Renal failure is NOT something to light your Friday night off with!!!!
JimmyJazz

Post by JimmyJazz »

Hi all,

Ive downloaded the documents on that french website which it would appear are from 1891. The recipies are for commerical (100s of L) batches. When scaled down the Extra-Fine Grade recipe for absinthe goes something like this

SHOPPING LIST

Grand or Common Wormwood – Artemisia absinthium
Petite or Roman Wormwood – Artemisia pontica
Green Anise – Pimpinella anisum
Fennel (Florance) – Foeniculum vulgare (Azorium Group)
Star Anise – Illicium verum
Caraway – Carum carvi
Angelica root – Angelica archangleica
Hyssop – Hyssopus officinalis
Melissa – Melissa officinalis
Mint – Metha x pipertia

PREPERATION for TWO LITRES

Macerate for 24 hours in two litres of 80% alcohol the following;

Grand or Common Wormwood 75g
Green Anise 60g
Fennel 60g
Star Anise 10g
Caraway 2.5g
Angelica root 1.25g

NOTE: Alcohol used should be distilled from wine or grain

Distill with water added and collect product

Macerate for 12 hours moderately hot for coloration the following in the distillation product;

Petite or Roman Wormwood 17.5g
Hyssop 17.5g
Melissa 17.5g
Mint 2g

After coloration add 0.75g of both the essence of Star Anise and Green Anise


My query is that the Grand and Petite wormwood levels are far higher that other recipies ive seen. I plan to run with this recipe, but im wondering what others thing.

Thanks in advance,
JimmyJazz
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