My best Absinthe so far...

[Marionette]

I think vajravarahi is stepping it up a gear. . .

[FAROM]

Hi Marionettes, as are you? I hope for you is well. You can repeat your intervention, I don't succeed in understanding, ciao.

[corrohner]

Nice You-tube picture of how they make Absinthe in France.

http://www.netzeitung.de/wissenschaft/1007537.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

greetings Cor.

[EuroStiller]

I deal with this company all the time any they are terrific!! Many of the herbs that I can't or don't grow, I buy from them. No, the don’t have A. pontica, but they do have A. absinthium. I think if enough people were to e-mail the customer service department and ask them to stock it, they would! They are a very obliging company! And yes, they do ship internationatly!

Main Webpage: http://www.botanical.com/products/bulkh ... kherb.html

Florence Fennel Seed (Foeniculum vulgare) Certified Organic
http://www.botanical.com/products/bulkherb/f.html
First one on the list.
1 Pound $5.00 US

Anise Seed (Pimpinella anisum) Certified Organic
http://www.botanical.com/products/bulkherb/a.html
15th item down on the list
1 Pound $7.00 US

Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) Certified Organic
http://www.botanical.com/products/bulkherb/h.html
Last on list
1 Pound 10.00 US

If anybody should happen to come across a site selling dried A. pontica, at a reasonable price, or the seeds so I can plant it, let me know! Thanks it advance!

Beve La Fata Verde!
EuroStiller- The Doctor

[FAROM]

Nice You-tube picture of how they make Absinthe in France.

http://www.netzeitung.de/wissenschaft/1007537.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow greetings Cor.

From the film, risalireal is possible diameter of the neck of swan, the hand that grasps the pipe looking? The used boiler, of what diameter will it be? Ciao to everybody,

[vajravarahi]

I think vajravarahi is stepping it up a gear. . .

Hopefully going where fools have never gone before (in a good way).


You might be able to get small pontica plants from some online nurseries ($4-$5 each). The shipping is expensive (cause it's live plants). Seeds seem to be unavailable, and I've been told they're very difficult to germinate, and when they do, seedlings tend to die easily. And just so folks know, they are perennials, so you don't yank the whole plant out of the ground when harvesting.

[phanmo]

If anyone is still looking for some way to get a blueish colour, use violets.

[EuroStiller]

Blue Color In Absinthe

Another option for a very pale blue hue that will not effect the louce is to use the dried petals from the blue Bachelor’s Button (Centaurea Cyanus) in your coloration step. About 5g of dried petals/liter. Macerate to desired shade. If left for too long; however, they will impart a bitter flavor. I only use them when making sky blue Absinthe!

Translation for Farom
Scusa il mio dialetto, ma sono scrivo subito e piu semplice mer mi
Altri sono proposto i viola per fare il Assenzio/ Absinthe azzure. Io dopre i petale essicate di Fiordaliso azzuro (Centaurea Cyanus) a 5g per ogni litri di distillitati. Non affeto il louce. Doppo poco tiempo nelle processo di coloazione, si fa un bel liquore celeste. Non lasciare i petali sopra i distillati per troppo tiempo, perche vengono amaro. Questo il lo dopro solo quando rendere il Assenzio/Absinthe Celeste!

I'll post what I use for other colorants, even though I prefer clear Absinthe.
Io inscrivo altri cosi con I dopra per colorante, ma mi piace il Assenzio/ Absinthe chiaro.


EuroStiller- The Doctor

[EuroStiller]

These are some other color/ flavors that I have experimented with and have found palatable enough to share without incurring the wrath of the group

To Color Absinthe/ Per Colorae il Assenzio/ Absinthe

Red- Rosso
1)Hibiscus Flowers- Fiore di Karkade (Adds negligible flavor- Aggiungre insignifacnte sapore)
2)Hawthorn Berries, very ripe- Bacche di Biancospino, tante matrue (Adds tartness, light red- Aggiungre rosso leggero e aspro)

Purple- Viola
1)Damson Plum Skins, peeled and dried-scorza pelate e essicata di Susino selvato(Color only- Solamente colore)

Yellow-Giallo
1) Cowslip flowers, dried- fiore di Primula Veris (Light yellow, enhanched euphoric/ relxant effect slightly, minimal flavor impact- Giallo leggero, effeto di euphoria/ riposante aumentato un 'po, piccolo effeto nel sapore.

I have others but I know that many people in this group are purists. Just though I would share a few.

Hai altri ma si vede quel molto gente nell questo pagina sono puristi. Io solo sono scirtti poco. Farom, un altra cosa. Si voi cambi ricetii qual che volta, fammi sappere.


EuroStiller- The Doctor

[Pervak]

This is an awesome thread that makes me very exited!
I really like Absinthe and will defiantly try to make a batch myself (need to get all the ingredients beside ethanol).
When drinking commercial Absinthe from Europe I can defiantly feel a little "magic" beside alcohol. Could anyone please comment on the Green Fairy effects of their Absinthe.

-Pervak in search of Green Fairy

[brewzz]

I think it's something like the "different high" you get from Tequila...Just has something to do with the botanicals....Brewzz

[Kirko]

"If anybody should happen to come across a site selling dried A. pontica, at a reasonable price, or the seeds so I can plant it, let me know! Thanks it advance!"

Hello, I'm selling artisanal grown dried Artemisia Pontica (Roman Wormwood).
You will never find a higher quality Pontica, Hyssop, absinthium or artemisia Genepi than what I grow.
I am growing this myself and guarantee it is fresh, picked at it's peak and dried to perfection.
I have supplied herbs to Cascade in the past and my hyssop has been used in commercial absinthe. My herbs are grown and hand picked by me in the mountains of southern Virginia.
I have also stocked a selection of commercially grown herbs .
While trying to source commercial herbs, I have thrown away more than I have offered for sale, most commercially grown herbs are little more than saw dust. The commercial herbs I sell are the best that can be sourced, I have Fennel Doux or fennel of Provence @ $20 a pound and Turkish fennel for $10 a pound. My imported Anise is $10 a pound.
The Turkish fennel is high quality green fennel seed, perfect for any distillation.
The fennel of Provence is absolutely the best, most sought after fennel in the world, used by
distillers in France, this is the ideal. Prices change and availability fluctuates, please stop by and see what's in store. http://absintheherbs.com/index.php Free shipping!

[brewzz]

$50 an ounce for Pontica???I'll still buy from Cascade for $15....

[Zman]

Kirk's stuff is good, and he's a great guy to deal with. The herbs Kirk gave Cascade Herbs was for the owner's private use, Cascade never sold what he gave them. However, I would strongly disagree with his assertion that the Fennel of Provence (doux) is better than true Florence fennel (azoricum). The main reason why the distillers in the EU don't use true Florence fennel is because of the price difference and availability issues. Florence fennel is about twice the wholesale price as Provence (doux) fennel.

[vajravarahi]

Whether commercial distilleries in the EU use FF or FD for price or availability reason, I don't know, but I'm sure very good absinthe can be made with either of these, depending on what you want to do and what kind of flavor you want. Top quality herbs with a very clean base, imo, will go a really long way to producing a very nice absinthe. Of course, how to run the still and the recipe are part of it too. jmo.

[Kirko]

$50 an ounce for Pontica

$10 an ounce, not $50, but Cascade's is great stuff too.

Cascade never sold what he gave them

My mistake, thanks for straightening that out.
The fennel issue is up in the air, I know some distillers prefer it for more than reasons of cost, but I'd like to hear more about it, certainly both fennel types I carry are excellent for absinthe.

[Kirko]

I respect Zman. We have disagreed on small details concerning the subject at hand but the emphasis is on small.
I strongly disagree with the cost factor. I did not choose either of my fennel based on cost, it was the furthest thing from my mind and never entered into the decision. I can buy a good quality "florence" fennel much cheaper than I pay for the Doux. My decision was based on how it tastes in absinthe. Let's begin with the definition of " Doux"; doux, douce: soft; sweet; mild; gentle; smooth; filer doux: to submit, to sing small; tout doux:gently en douce: on the quiet.
Most of the florence fennel on the market is overripe, dried brown seed. It is predominantly grown for the seed crop market, not the culinary market. You would no more want to make absinthe with this than you would want to make sausage with it. For absinthe (and for sausage) you want a plump, green, sweet (doux) seed.
You may argue that the florence fennel yields more oil and this may be true, and yet not good.
Florence fennel, (any fennel) may yield oils which are counter productive to achieving a flawless absinthe.
The premier labels of the Belle Epoch all have fennel secondary in the flavor profile to anise; indeed, green anise is the star of the show, fennel only making a supporting appearance adding depth and texture to the anise. much of the commercial European absinthe today contains no fennel at all.
Also, a good absinthe, in my opinion and experience, uses only herbs are that are "in no way brown". This would apply to fennel as well as all the other herbs used in making absinthe.

[EuroStiller]

First off, congratulations for getting an Alpine plant to grow in Virginia! I am amazed. I usually have mine shipped to me from Italy, which is my native country. I have tried many times to get it to grow here, with no luck. I have gotten Edelweiss to grow and bloom, but not Ginepi! Secondly, what species are you growing? Artemisia mutellina, A. spicata, A. umbelliformis and A.glacialis? All are considered ginepi. Your post peaked my interest. Luckily my A. absinthium does well and I have a good source now for A. pontica for garden next year! Good luck in your business venture!

EuroStiller- The Doctor

[Kirko]

Thanks, the Genepi does do well here, I started with one plant two years ago and I harvested about 4 pounds this year. It is a little touchy but I start new plants each year from cuttings to keep it viable. I think the altitude helps although I'm nowhere near alpine, ( app. 1700 ft) it's very verdant here.
I believe it's glacialis, I bought the first plant from Sandy Mush nursery and she said she thought it was glacialis. I'd be glad to send you some for a sample if you think you can help identify it for sure. Do you know of any other source for live genepi plants?

[EuroStiller]

I do not know of any source for live genepi, sorry. Sometimes I go to the Botanic Gardens and "borrow" and root clippings. Whenever I add something to my garden here, 9 times out of 10 it is from seed. For example: This year I planted Peony Poppies. My brother brought me the seeds from the UK. Awesome bloom! I kept the seed heads/ pods, so now I can re-sew them next year. The genepi seeds I have for planting next year are A. spicata and A. umbelliformis, as I have been told by a botanist friend that there is a good chance I may actually get them to grow! Cross your fingers. I've built 4- 6' x6' cold frames, so intend to start the genepi in late February/ March so they get that initial cold they need. The rest lies in God's hands.

I wish I could help you identify the species you have. If it is A. glacialis, the leaves will be a dark green on one side and silvery/ hairy on the other. Flowers should be clustered together and be bright yellow and smell sweet, like chamomile tea. The plant is rather bushy, and it likes to have lots of room to spread. I have harvested this myself in Italy. It is the preferred Genepi for liqueur making, I don’t know about Absinthe making. I'm sure it would be a terrific addition to a basic Absinthe formula to augment the aromatic quality. I will have to try it!

EuroStiller- The Doctor

[EuroStiller]

Recipe for the group. This has been in my family for some time.
Since we are talking about Genepi and it's relation to Absinthe, I felt it appropriate to share

(Elisir d’Genepi) Genepi Elixir

dried Genepi gr. 50
Fennel Seed gr.10 (F.volgare)
Anise Seed gr. 10 (P. anisum)
Coriander Seeds gr. 5
dried Roman Wormwood gr. 10 OR dried Mugwort gr. 5
dried Wormwood gr.10
dried Angelica Root gr. 5
dried Peppermint gr. 10
dried Hyssop gr. 20
Zest of 2 Lemons, cut into small pieces (Citrons if you can get them)
Alcohol or Grappa at least 60 %abv 1,500 ml
Water 500 ml
Pure Cane Sugar gr. 800 (Note: Use superfine sugar)
Green or Red food coloring, if desired

Coarsely grind all the spices and herbs together in a mortar and pestle. Place in an air- tight, heat tolerant, container. (We use a 1 gallon glass jug). Boil the water and pour it over the contents of the jar. Seal and set aside until the mixture is cold. When cold, add almost all the alcohol and seal the container. Place the container in a cool, dark place for 10 days. Shake the mixture once daily. Use the remaining alcohol to get any herbs or spices that stick to the side of the jug into the still. After 10 days carefully distill the mass in a pot or alembic still over very low heat. Do not discard the heads! Take care not to burn the mixture. When you have recovered at least 750 ml* of clear liqueur, take even greater care not to burn the solids. Work the sugar into the clear liqueur until it all dissolves. Be patient, it will incorporate. Bottle and allow this liqueur to rest in a cool, dark place for at least 6 months before consuming. The liqueur may be tinted a very light shade of green or red if desired for a festive occasion.

*Whatever is left after 750 ml may be prone to have a burnt taste from distilling, depending on your still. Use your judgment. If it is good, create a separate bottle and calculate the required amount of sugar needed. Be sure to cut the liqueur at the tails before it burns or your abv drops too much.

Postscript:
It is best served at room temperature in small glasses after dinner as a digestive.
This is very strong liqueur that can easily be augmented into a very good Absinthe recipe!

I hope fellow liqueur makers enjoy. Anybody with questions e-mail me!


EuroStiller- The Doctor

[Kirko]

Thank you, I've been looking for a recipe like that, that's the first distilled Genepi recipe I've seen, the others are all steeped.

[manu de hanoi]

Hi nigel, Hi all,
From Nigel's last pic I can see tiny oil droplets on the surface of the absythe. I have the same problem with making star anis extract.

It seems that star anis (and other botanicals) extract when diluted will show ugly oil droplet.
I believe that anethole from star anise should follow a separate distillation process in order to remove the harsh, bitter taste mentionned by pple on this thread. I also read that pernod ricard does a rectification run on their star anis oil imported from china.

I have not yet performed the rectif run but here are 2 tips that will allow you to get better star anis extract:
- anethole comes with the tails so even if you macerate with alcohol, when distilling, the oil will come at the end of the run with water when most of the flavorless alcohol has evaporated
- get the end fraction and put it in the freezer for a few minutes, you will get a mix of oil and anethol crystal, put that on filter paper to remove the harsh bitter oils.

[EuroStiller]

Manu

Rectification would be the ideal way to go to achieve pure crystalline anethole. Another method would be vacuum distillation. Since both are a bit*h to do at home, I have yet another alternate for you. This may seem over-simplified; however, the melting point of anethole being only 21°C, and the ester being soluble in both water in alcohol, have you tried preparing a hydro-alcoholic tincture? I’m not talking about an extract. As an example it would be 10 gr. powdered star anise or regular anise combined with each 25.5 ml of distilled water and 95-96% ethyl alcohol. Place the mixture in an amber jar, in a warm place (about 25°C, a good sunny window ledge will do this time of year in most places) for 15 days. After such time, strain and filter through qualitative filter paper. You should now have an anethole tincture that will easily blend into any alcohol or sugar syrup base. It is easier to clean the “oil slick” from 50 ml's of a tincture and have it ready to go than to have to clear an entire batch of Absinthe or any other related anise-containing product!

I'll admit, I'm not the first to like using tinctures or extracts, but when they are prepared at home, under your OWN quality control, you don't mind giving it a go! Whilst being honest, I do agree with you about the unsightly oil slicks. I've even resorted to using things like bentonite to try to remove the oils. While they are unsightly, I have become accustomed to them over the years, not just in Absinthe.

Someone one told me that I was grinding my spice too fine, and that was contributing to the oil issue. Who knows???? Why can't it just be the Belle Epoch again when everybody was either blitzed on Absinthe or Laudanum all the time!

I don’t know if you found any of this informative or not, but that’s my 2 cents worth! I just keep looking back at the ancient recipes for Chartreuse and Benedictine. It is all based on tinctures up until the end where it is blended with alcohol and sugar syrup.

Good Luck

EuroStiller- The Doctor

[phanmo]

A bit off-topic but I figure this is the best place to put it....

I came across an article in a book I got at the French version of the Salvation Army, "L'Encyclopédie des Boissons"(The Encyclopædia of Drinks).
Here's an english translation:
"Under the aegis of St. Serge, The International Order of Anysetliers exists to glorify, not only the arts of good food and drink, but also anis. [...] this association was created in 1263 under the reign of Saint Louis [Louis IX of France] et registered at the Châtelet [the castle in Paris where the administrative bodies were housed] by Etienne Boileau, who was provost of Paris at the time. The Anysetliers exercised their profession in the road of Vielle-du-Temple. With a bronze pestle, they crushed the aniseeds in order to prepare ointments, liquors and drugs. This instrument became the symbol of their order.
Fraud was rampant and so, on the 26th of July, 1582, the king's prosecutor proclaimed this law: Prohibited to alter or falsify or mix liquors, extracts or spirits for sale falsely labelled as the good merchandise of the master anysetiers, under pain of a fine of 30 pounds[the currency at the time] ."
Moran, Annie.L'Encyclopedie des Boissons, page 439. Paris, 1970.

They were abolished in the French Revolution but were resurrected in 1955 by Paul Ricard and several other french notables of the time.

Here's a link to their site, unfortunately only in french: http://www.anysetiers.org/

[EuroStiller]

Phanmo

I love it!! Only in Europa do such things matter Interesting site! I read it in French but in my mind I was translating it into Italian and English, back and forth, like when you talk on the phone, you start in one language and you end up putting in word from another then going back to the language you started with! Admit it, you have done it! I know I missed a few words in the translation process since my French is soo bad. I need to start practicing it again.

I’m a coin and money collector, and I love the history that goes with it. So now I'm going to try to figure out how much this works out to in today’s money. The fine was 30 livre. In 1577 Louis XIV replaced the livre with the écu. The écu replaced the livre. The écu was discontinued during the French Revolution, but the 5 francs silver coins minted throughout the 19th century were the continuation of the old “écus”. The écu, as it existed immediately before the French Revolution was estimated to be worth the equivalent to 20 Euros or 25 US Dollars in 2006.

With all that being said the fine in 1582 would work out to be 600 Euros or 750 US Dollars in today’s money!!

Well that’s enough fun with money today. The bank is closed!

EuroStiller- The Doctor

[vajravarahi]

Here's a link to a picture of some developmental prototypes.

http://tinyurl.com/3n2rce" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

The two on the left are the same recipe, the leftmost is about a week old, the middle about a month old. The one on the right is just a few days old and uses a slightly different ratio of coloring herbs. They all use slightly different coloring protocols.

[absinthe_erich]

Hey guys, I have a question. I'm getting ready to start my first batch of absinthe, a one liter run. For the base i was going to use a bottle of Everclear. Little did I know, you need a permit to buy it. What else could I use for a base? (other that distilling my own)

[phanmo]

Was talking to a buddy at a party the other day.... He's a guide in the French alps. He was telling me about the genepi drinks he's tried and promised to bring some back for me next time he goes out.
Eurostiller: I dunno if you're still on the the forum but I'll update here once I try your family recipe!!

[Kirko]

For a base you could try rectifying brandy, or rectify your everclear, or both.