Absinthe Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

[Robusto]

As a youngster sitting in a pub with some mates, another one of our gang came in, bought a pint and sat down with us.
After looking furtively round he pulled a brown medicine type bottle out of his pocket and passed it round "Try a drop of this" he said.
We all had a slug and I said " Christ, that tastes strong. It's just like cough mixture"
"It is" he replied "Good init?"

I still don't know what that was all about.

Tony

Lieber Anton

In the 70s. people had to sign a poisons book (?) to get some of those cough mixtures from the chemist's. My alcoholic mother sent me out to get this without prescritiption even though I was barely sprouting fuzz. I remember being sent in grey shorts to get something called Collis Compound and having to sign for it. She was that keen to get it along with all the other stuff to make fun cocktails.

All I wanted was to buy Castellas from the newsagent next door. My cheeks would burn red with the teen guilt.

Stevieboy - You're in the trade. Does this ring any bells, Sir? It would have been circa 1975. Circa Peter Frampton Comes Alive. That sort of thing.

[Ramon]

Great responses gents. Did those of you who tasted it have it poured over a sugar cube? I read somewhere that it is served this way. Maybe that would improve the taste?

You're right, that is the traditional way to serve it. You get special equipment for it. You can find some here http://www.absinthe.bz/?act_vn and here http://www.absintheonline.com/

Now how many here have tried Underberg? A good digestive or as a hair of the dog. Can anyone remember when they used to be hung behind bars on shotgun cartridge belts?

[linfield100]

As a youngster sitting in a pub with some mates, another one of our gang came in, bought a pint and sat down with us.
After looking furtively round he pulled a brown medicine type bottle out of his pocket and passed it round "Try a drop of this" he said.
We all had a slug and I said " Christ, that tastes strong. It's just like cough mixture"
"It is" he replied "Good init?"

I still don't know what that was all about.

Tony

[larrysputnik]

Great responses gents. Did those of you who tasted it have it poured over a sugar cube? I read somewhere that it is served this way. Maybe that would improve the taste?

[Mr Moore]

It gets you proper mashed up, always a good accompaniment with mushrooms, but I warn you, It can get a little strange.

[daverave999]

Olls is on the ball here. I'd read that the thujone in wormwood was the hallucinogenic component, but that it is also neurotoxic, hence absinthe only being allowed to be sold with permitted (minimal) levels of thujone in it (in the EU anyway). I don't ever recall reading what the suggested mechanism was for its hallucinogenic effect though, so that may have been a myth. My vote goes with the "it's because it's really strong" reason. If you're in the States you're probably better off with some Everclear (I think that's the stuff...) flavoured with whatever takes your fancy.

This is all off the top of my head though, but I'm sure the joyous wikipedia will help with regards to its psychoactive effects. I've had one shot of it and found it unpleasant tasting. My suggestions are:
If you want strong booze, buy something that actually tastes pleasant.
If you want something that is hallucinogenic, absinthe isn't it.

[nicwing]

I know a joke which has a punch line: "absess makes the fart go Honda", do you think by any chance these two are related?

(I am sure you can figure the joke out for yourselves by the way being intelligent chaps)

[Boss Hog]

I tried it about 18 months ago as part of a bizarre drinks competition one night at friends pub. As you probably heard Larry, us brits are binge drinking champions of the world!
I had been desperate to try it for a while as I heard of it's psychoactive properties which turned out to dissapointing and It also tasted of aniseed which I hate. although I was already pretty smashed as I had also been drinking 151 rum as well amongst others.
Thats were my memory leaves me until the next morning when I woke up in a strange bed with a toothless GILF smacking her lips and wiping the lipstick across her face with the back of her hand.
I wouldnt say she was old but, she had that many wrinkles if she had a hat you could have screwed it on her head.

You've been warned!!!

[Olls]

Basically it is traditionally made from a number of herbs including something called wormwood. This wormwood contains tiny, tiny amounts of a chemical that is reputed to be hallucinogenic, although I'm not sure this has ever been proven.

When Van Gogh et al were getting smashed on the stuff a number of do-gooders latched on to the hallucinogen theory in order to try and get it banned, thus creating its reputation.

The upshot is it's just an alcoholic drink, usually with loads of green food colouring added. You definitely won't start seeing fairies smoking fat cohibas.

Personally I'd just get some whisky, rum, gin or vodka instead. Or all four.

[larrysputnik]

Recently (as in 2 years ago) absinthe was legalized in the U.S. Since it has such an intriguing past I was wondering if anyone has ever tried it. If so, please tell about your experience.

(Don't be shy; we're all friends here. We won't judge you if you drank half a bottle of absinthe once and ended up in a tree outside your girlfriend's house chirping like a bird in a pink cape and goggles. At least I won't.)