Misc Absinthe -- Not Quite Alcohol

[DaveCantDoThat]

I've noticed an abundance of posts disputing the effects of absinthe. I've only recently (last weekend) tried absinthe, but I have noticed a distinct quality to it separate of the alcoholic effects. While I'm not here to debate whether this is from thujone--as most theorize--or from some other such compound, I and other friends who have tried absinthe have had very similar effects.

Now, while the scientifically-minded may accuse me of having a placebo effect, I think that I actually have some evidence to this end. When I bought the bottle of absinthe, I invited a few friends over to try it. I drank some beforehand, and I noticed a clear-headed-ness that alcohol doesn't usually provide me. I intentionally didn't mention this, and, sure enough, the friend who had had the most absinthe brought this up before long. "I feel drunk, but not impaired. Like-- clear-headed," he commented.

I only bring this up--while drunk on absinthe tonight--because I've seen a lot of people who have had similar effects as I have describe them online, but I've seen even more on this forum try to dispute any effects that absinthe has. I hadn't read any accounts of absinthe drunkenness prior to trying it myself (though I had heard of hallucinations--and have had none myself), so I don't think that this is a placebo.

From my short time with the green fairy, I'd describe the absinthe "high" as being drunk, but with a clarity and lightness of the head akin to a microdose of LSD or a hit of a small but very good THC dab, along with the effects of normal alcohol. Normally, I feel very tired even after a single drink, but with absinthe I feel invigorated and intellectually-stimulated.

Absinthe is ill-studied and uncommon in the USA, so I'd be interested to hear what experiences you guys have had. Have you noticed a difference between absinthe and "standard" alcohol?

 

[wizardknight17]

Here's the thing... I'm not sure where you are (sounds like you're implying the USA.) but absinthe (REAL ABSINTHE) many years ago when i tried it was banned in 38 countries INCLUDING the USA. (not saying you're here, just that I know this because it was the one that had an effect on me). Back then they sold stuff called absinthe here but it was an "edited version" of absinthe which was simply alcohol. Although not legal, you could buy the real stuff from a country in which it was not banned, you could get it shipped here in discrete packaging, and you could have it in your possession. (Illegal to sell it under any circumstances) But since it was banned here, technically you were not allowed to buy it. (They directly say if customs finds it you're out of luck). This was somewhere around 10 years ago. The cost at that time was $300 for a 750ml bottle.

All that being said, assuming you have acquired a bottle like this from somewhere like the Czech republic it definitely will make you feel something you will not feel with any other alcohol. That was my alcoholic days where I was regularly drinking about 2 liters of alcohol every night at that time. (Approximately 67 ounces) and the only thing I had was 7 shots (ounces) of absinthe and I was fucked up. The walls started moving back and forth, when I stood up it felt like I was floating 6 inches off the ground and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't step onto the ground. I looked straight ahead and tried walking anyway. As I did this the walls began to vibrate really fast. Still floating 6 inches off the ground I managed to walk into my bedroom and lay down in my bed. I felt like I was super calm but still floating off of my bed. Then I passed out a few minutes later. I don't care what anyone else says. I've lived it. If you have the real stuff you will for sure feel a major difference from regular alcohol.

 

[DaveCantDoThat]

Here's the thing... I'm not sure where you are (sounds like you're implying the USA.) but absinthe (REAL ABSINTHE) many years ago when i tried it was banned in 38 countries INCLUDING the USA. (not saying you're here, just that I know this because it was the one that had an effect on me). Back then they sold stuff called absinthe here but it was an "edited version" of absinthe which was simply alcohol. Although not legal, you could buy the real stuff from a country in which it was not banned, you could get it shipped here in discrete packaging, and you could have it in your possession. (Illegal to sell it under any circumstances) But since it was banned here, technically you were not allowed to buy it. (They directly say if customs finds it you're out of luck). This was somewhere around 10 years ago. The cost at that time was $300 for a 750ml bottle.

All that being said, assuming you have acquired a bottle like this from somewhere like the Czech republic it definitely will make you feel something you will not feel with any other alcohol. That was my alcoholic days where I was regularly drinking about 2 liters of alcohol every night at that time. (Approximately 67 ounces) and the only thing I had was 7 shots (ounces) of absinthe and I was fucked up. The walls started moving back and forth, when I stood up it felt like I was floating 6 inches off the ground and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't step onto the ground. I looked straight ahead and tried walking anyway. As I did this the walls began to vibrate really fast. Still floating 6 inches off the ground I managed to walk into my bedroom and lay down in my bed. I felt like I was super calm but still floating off of my bed. Then I passed out a few minutes later. I don't care what anyone else says. I've lived it. If you have the real stuff you will for sure feel a major difference from regular alcohol.

Still learning this forum, so I hope the formatting isn't shit.

Yes, USA. However, it's completely legal now, as of a few years ago. I even looked up the thujone content to make sure it was the real deal. Furthermore, when cold water is dripped into it, it becomes creamy/cloudy, so it's definitely not food coloring, for example. I can relate to a lot of the feelings you described, but I didn't have nearly that amount, and the thujone content is regulated at 10 mg/L here.

Still, I'm glad that you confirmed there is an effect. I think that people are very bad at gauging intoxicant effects. I've had people deny that half a beer has any psychological effects, for example--many don't understand the subtlety of some drugs.

 

[Mycophile]

Is that really true that REAL Absinthe is legal in the U.S. now?

I've heard people say it is.

So you mean I can go to a normal liquor store and get it in the U.S.?

Also, I read a really good book on Absinthe years ago "called Absinthe...lol"...and it went into detail about something like 13 or so key ingredients in certain amounts that were in original Absinthe, so I do tend to wonder if what you had or other people are having in the U.S. is really 100% the original way it was made in the 19th century in Europe...maybe it is or maybe it just includes enough of the ingredients to be close.

The only time I tried what my friends SAID was Absinthe was back in college my friends made a homebrew that was 160 proof and REALLY strong, but I know it wasn't close to the original formula.

I know they included Wormwood, something else (I forget what or if it was in the original formula) and Oregeno (which is in the original formula) but that was it.

It got me shit faced but I don't really think it was that different from any alcohol which is that strong.

I only drank 151 once, but I don't think it was probably that different from that.

 

[emkee_reinvented]

From all the bottles of Absinth I tried. The most dissapointing one being the Pernod version. One of the original old skool brands that got on the market as soon as the regulation was ended. And a lot of other fails and look a like's that surfaced to cash in on the hype. But were merely

The only one that not only looked genuine, big bottle with a greenish tint. It was from Spain before it was legalized and hyped. It was called 'Absentha/e', was ridiculously cheap to.

That one had a effect diff then Alcohol in that it sharpened senses. Colors were enhanced and conversation seemed to stay lucid. In contrast to what would be expected from the Ethanol alone it felt different enough to notice. Tasted better then any other brand I tried.

The type of Wormwood's used and the moment of harvest as wel as the maceration are of importance. Absinthe was due to the popularity one of the most advanced spirits till this day I believe. They really got the production proces perfected. The bottle I brought from Spain probably had that historic bakground of years and years of improvements on the recipe. And used the right ammunt's of the different herbs used to create the original mindblowing and tasty drink.

The ammount of Thujone in vintage Absinthe bottle's is well below psychoactivity so what causes the effect's still remains a mistery I guess.

 

[DaveCantDoThat]

Is that really true that REAL Absinthe is legal in the U.S. now?

I've heard people say it is.

So you mean I can go to a normal liquor store and get it in the U.S.?

Also, I read a really good book on Absinthe years ago "called Absinthe...lol"...and it went into detail about something like 13 or so key ingredients in certain amounts that were in original Absinthe, so I do tend to wonder if what you had or other people are having in the U.S. is really 100% the original way it was made in the 19th century in Europe...maybe it is or maybe it just includes enough of the ingredients to be close.

The only time I tried what my friends SAID was Absinthe was back in college my friends made a homebrew that was 160 proof and REALLY strong, but I know it wasn't close to the original formula.

I know they included Wormwood, something else (I forget what or if it was in the original formula) and Oregeno (which is in the original formula) but that was it.

It got me shit faced but I don't really think it was that different from any alcohol which is that strong.

I only drank 151 once, but I don't think it was probably that different from that.

This is part of the issue that--being a subtle effect--you wouldn't notice if you were way too drunk. When you have 1-2 drinks, though, in my opinion, you feel much more light and clear-headed than on alcohol--noticably so--and feel more clear-headed.

Part of the issue, I think, is that the effect lasts very briefly, and it's not as noticable if you're mixing alcohols or getting drunk quickly.

 

[emkee_reinvented]

Agreed with that the effects are subtle, and if you keep going the alcohol overpowers it.

My personal experience's with that specific bottle could offcourse well be placebo. But it reminded me a lot of pure Cannabis. A more subtle feel but would I have to compare it with something THC comes closest. Then I read this quote.

"The Montana distillery is still active but sadly they switched from distillation to oil mixes. The Absinthe bottle we sell is still a distillate."

I am positive the one I had was distilated and it was a good well balanced high. Not like that Pernod crap. However that is made it is not true absinth. And I correct myself maceration is something diff as distilling. Just soaking the .. out of some with alcohol.

Distilling is a more complex and challenging procedure.

 

[Mycophile]

But is real Absinthe actually legal in the U.S. or not?

 

[Tubbs]

Yes, they legalized it in 2007 iirc

 

[Mycophile]

Yes, they legalized it in 2007 iirc

Hmmm, gonna have to go by some liquor stores and ask next time I feel like drinking...

 

[Tubbs]

Was reading, apparently.... on a technicality it was never "illegal", most traditional absinthe contains less far less than 10mg thujone per liter, thujone being the offending ingredient.

 

[emkee_reinvented]

But there are some serious doubts about the thujone content of Absinthe before all the ban's. Instead of outregeous ammounts Vintage botlle's are very low in Thujone levels, beyond treshhold so to say. Does Thujone has a recreative use at all or is just toxic?

And that raises the question: if there is any additional effect that differate's it from other distilate's. What could be causing it.

"The results of the analysis show conclusively that the thujone concentration of pre-ban absinthe has been grossly overestimated in the past. Papers published in the 1980's and 1990's postulated thujone concentrations as high as 260 mg/L, on the basis of purely theoretical calculations, not actual analysis. It's already well known that modern absinthes made according to historical recipes don't have anything like these levels of thujone ' now, this new study has shown that the original absinthes of the Belle Époque also had only moderate levels of thujone. The total thujone content of the 13 pre-ban samples was found to range between 0.5 and 48.3 mg/L. Contrary to ill-informed speculation, the average thujone content of 25.4 ± 20.3 mg/L fell within the modern EU limit of 35 mg/L."

 

[DaveCantDoThat]

The total thujone content of the 13 pre-ban samples was found to range between 0.5 and 48.3 mg/L. Contrary to ill-informed speculation, the average thujone content of 25.4 ± 20.3 mg/L fell within the modern EU limit of 35 mg/L."

Excellent point. I think this strengthens the idea that even at <10 mg/L concentrations, the thujone content is very likely enough to produce the historical effects. Regardless, I feel that--on anecdote alone--I can comfortably say that absinthe affects me differently.