[teamkranzelbike]

My sisters birthday is coming up. She has always been courious with the Absinthe romanticised about in her favorite books.
I know the stuff they are selling is not the same, but I would like to get her a bottle. Anyone have experience with it and can you offer me a good brand. Somthing billed as close ro the origonal as legally possible.

 

[LordOpie]

I think most brands sold in the US taste like the original, just lack the wormwood.

I can't recommend a brand, just sayin' that there's not that much difference. Unless you're looking for the hallucinogenic affect.

 

[narlus]

if you are feeling flush, and yr sister is a fan of Coil, i suggest this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/COIL-RARE-ABSINTHE-BOX-Time-Machines-Elph-LTD-250_W0QQitemZ300093304769QQcategoryZ307QQcmdZViewItem

i think Opie is correct in that absinthe sold in the US has no wormwood, which is the psychoactive component; that said, i don't think i've ever seen absinthe in any store i've been to in the US.

i bought a small bottle when i was in Prague (didn't come w/ a spoon), but haven't cracked it. not something i want to do on my own, and my wife's probably not game for it.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

i bought a small bottle when i was in Prague (didn't come w/ a spoon), but haven't cracked it. not something i want to do on my own, and my wife's probably not game for it.

I'll be there Thursday 'bout 7pm.

 

[narlus]

hahaha

 

[Gex]

Why not get the real deal?

It packs a punch.

 

[narlus]

oh yeah, thujone is the other active ingredient;

 

[LordOpie]

I'll be there Thursday 'bout 7pm.

Ditto!

...that said, i don't think i've ever seen absinthe in any store i've been to in the US.

"Absenthe" is sold here.

 

[narlus]

have you guys ever drunk it?

i never have. supposedly the only 'real' stuff is available from the cz republic and poland? dunno if that's true or not.

 

[LordOpie]

I haven't.

 

[TN]

they have a bottle at my local wine shop (the fake legal stuff) on the counter. It has Van Gogh on the label. That is the only kind I have ever seen.

I saw a show called the thirsty travler about it once I think you can get it in switzerland (where it is legal) & it is illegal in some parts of Europe but still available if you know where to look.

 

[narlus]

from erowid:

Absinthe was banned in Belgium in 1905, in Switzerland in 1907, in Italy in 1913, and in France in 1915.

Absinthe (made with wormwood) is still available in Spain (contrary to Pendell (1995)) and reportedly in Denmark, Andorra, and Portugal as well. It has also recently become popular in the Czech Republic under the brand name "Hill's Absinth."

then there's a breakdown by country, and the swiss reassessed their stance on the green fairy:

In June, 2004, the Swiss parliament voted to end a 96-year ban on absinthe. Although absinthe had been available in most of Europe for 20 years, it had remained outlawed in Switzerland until June 14, 2004. (Thanks Spacechild)

 

[Westy]

I guess it was banned in Europe mainly because the wine industry felt it was eating into it's profits. Stories were spread about it's ill health affects to support banning but those cases were based mainly on situations where cheap Absinthe was made the old bath tub gin way with toxic substances.

 

[mdc]

My wife bought me a bottle a few years back as an X-Mas gift. If memory serves me right the brand was Sabor. The taste is kinda like bitter licorice with a very strong alcohol punch. When I drank it I did the whole pouring water over an ice cube to make the drink appear an opalescent green- very cool. Did not notice any crazy effects from the drink- besides a pleasant buzz...

http://www.originalabsinthe.com/?azx=1024

I also remember seeing bottles from Czech. for sale in Mexico, for much less$$ than what you see online..

 

[gonefirefightin]

I have yet to see the real deal in the states or even canada. I have seen it in germany, amsterdam, and prague but nowhere else. and there truly is no subsitute for the real thing, all the rest is nothing but cheap liquer. no hallucinations, or crazy effects. not even close to the real thing.

I have seen so many knock offs its not even funny, and the people who are selling the crap think its legit and have no clue, I have also seen so many stupid people make up **** about how its prepared and how to drink it. tell htose dumb asses if they dont know what there are talking about then shut up.

its simple, pour water over sugar cubes through a spoon to guage how you want your drink to taste, that simple.

If you want to try absinthe you truly have to go to prague or switzerland. cuz your not going to find it here.

 

[mjones51]

Has anyone ever orderd from those European places like eabsinthe.com?

 

[gonefirefightin]

if it can be shipped to the states then its not the real thing

 

[Gex]

Mines the real deal. I have no doubts about it.

 

[motomike]

I've had it a few times. Really fun stuff.

edit: yay, it's real too.

 

[narlus]

snip

laphroaig as a candle holder.

 

[dan-o]

i bought a small bottle when i was in Prague (didn't come w/ a spoon), but haven't cracked it. not something i want to do on my own, and my wife's probably not game for it.

Sounds like the perfect way to pass the 4hr drive back from Bromont.
You headed up opening weekend, which I think is 1st weekend in may?

 

[narlus]

yeah, i got an email from kevin a day or two. i'm in. sounds like it should be a good time.

i need to scare the spiders and vermin out of my DH rig.

 

[dan-o]

i need to scare the spiders and vermin out of my DH rig.

tell me about it. my bike still has the flat tire i got on the final run of last years trip.

 

[narlus]

you mean opening weekend? you didn't ride the DH bike at all after that? or are you talking about another trip?

 

[teamkranzelbike]

I have been doing some reading on the stuff and had an apifhany (sic?) Absinthe and sugar, a sugar spoon, a spoon full of sugar! a Spoon full of sugar makes the "medicine" go down. Mary Poppins, freaking Marr the "flying Nanny" Poppins. Now I ubnderstand!!! That clears up so much!!!

 

[dan-o]

you mean opening weekend? you didn't ride the DH bike at all after that? or are you talking about another trip?

It must've been a later trip as i was there several times last year. no matter, the dh bike was under utilized by any account last year. On the upside I found loads of great singletrack locally last season.

 

[mdc]

Just make your own...

http://www.a1b2c3.com/drugs/abs03.htm

 

[crashdwn22]

if it can be shipped to the states then its not the real thing

not true. it's just slightly illegal. they ship it in a plain brown package and since customs can't open or x-ray every package, as long as it doesn't get randomly selected, you should be fine. it's a little too expensive for me though...

 

[Secret Squirrel]

not true. it's just slightly illegal. they ship it in a plain brown package and since customs can't open or x-ray every package, as long as it doesn't get randomly selected, you should be fine. it's a little too expensive for me though...

Label the package, "Huge Dildos from Amsterdam". No one will look in there.

 

[valve bouncer]

Damn, just doing a bit of research, seems like you can get the real thing here. Can anyone tell me what brands are genuine (apart from the one in the pic above)?
Edit- done my own research, seems absinthe is legal everywhere except the US.

 

[TN]

Label the package, "Huge USED Dildos from Amsterdam". No one will look in there.

Fixed.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

Fixed.

Ah! knew I forgot something.

 

[urbaindk]

not true. it's just slightly illegal. they ship it in a plain brown package and since customs can't open or x-ray every package, as long as it doesn't get randomly selected, you should be fine. it's a little too expensive for me though...

I had a friend do this. I think he was getting it through ebay or something. He ended up going on little binge after the first bottle, sold a bunch of records and a guitar or two to pay for it. I think he ran out of money after a month or so. I was lucky enough to enjoy a bit myself. Besides the taste, which by the way was akin to pure ass, it was a fun time. We ended up going to a bar to see some bands after mixing a few drinks. (Lemonade and sugar was the only thing we found the managed to make it tolerable.) I just remember being really mellow and happy and everything looked kind of blue. Nothing too surreal and I certainly wasn't inspired to lock myself in a dark room writing morbid poetry or anything.

 

[narlus]

how is your ear?

 

[urbaindk]

how is your ear?

?Huh?

 

[TN]

?Huh?

van gogh reference.

 

[mack]

Make sure you get the real **** from europe, the stuff in the US doesnt contain that wormwood crap.

However, this doesnt really matter because absenth sucks. In order to feel any cool effects from the wormwood you have to drink yourself so silly, and by that time your so hammered that you wont realize or remember the effects. Absenth only leads to one thing: A trail of puke up to your bed.

Oh, it also tastes terrible. If your going to drink it do it proper and mix it with a few sugar cubes and ice cold water.

 

[Thylacine]

You're advocating doing it properly? Is this RM or have I stumbled into some other forum by accident?

VB mate, if you find a place that will ship to Oz, let me know. All the places I've found online seem to think it's still illegal here, which it ain't anymore. ****, there was an article on it in the Age a few weeks ago. It's just a fargen drink fer cryin' out loud.