Absinthe in the US
 

I know there used to be an absinthe thread but I cant seem to find it

I was made aware of something today that I didnt know.....you can now buy absinthe in the US made with Grande Wormwood. Its call Lucid and according to their website: http://drinklucid.com

Now, many of you know I adore absinthe and Dave has always managed to find me a bottle when he travels overseas and magically gets it thru customs home to me lol. The best I've had so far is 180 proof and made in Bulgaria. I want to know if anyone that KNOWS absinthe has tried this stuff (evidently its been legal here since January 1 2008) and can tell me A. the cost and B. how it compares to what other countries can have (yes I know its distilled in France, but its distilled for US specifications as near as I can tell)

I've had Lucid. It's lovely. I wouldn't call myself a connoisseur, but from what I've read, Lucid is supposed to be very authentic.

I find absinthe VERY nice for sipping, but not really for drinking. I can't drink more than one glass of absinthe in a sitting, it gets too... I don't know, sticky. For me, the story and aesthetic of absinthe is what makes it wonderful--the sense of decadence and danger and antiquity that come with it.

Well I've certainly got enough to compare it to....but I just wanted to see if it was even worth the money to buy. I've got to find a liquor store now that sells it!!!

I havent had any in several months (since last October) Dave made up 6 glasses for people to try (if it had been me I'd have made ONE and let them each sip it before making multiple glasses) and nobody liked it so I ended up drinking all six since it was either that or dump it down the drain....and OH BOY. I quit drinking it at 6 pm and at 6 am the next morning I woke up still drunk lol

We have Lucid at the Seattle liquor store where I work - price, which includes those wonderful taxes, is $68.00. Though it's a special order, so it takes a while to get, and it sells relatively quickly. We also have the cheaper Absente, which uses that Southern Wormwood stuff, and Grand Absente, which might - I'm not sure - also be genuine like Lucid.

Haven't yet had it myself. I'm not enough of a drinker to justify the price tag.

nope Southern Wormwood is nothing like Grande.....Absente is the crap the US made to try to make people think they were having an "absinthe" experience....but they werent.

Thanks for the pricing!!! That gives me some general idea now what Im looking at

oh..my..god.

im doing the million dollar happy dance right now. i have always wanted to try this stuff. i cant wait to get my hands on a bottle.

Absinthe always seems expensive, but i bet its worth it.

Keep in mind that WA has extremely high liquor taxes. Oregon's pricing is not that much different; both are ABC states. Georgia, on the other hand, is not an ABC state, so I'm curious to find out what the difference is in pricing/taxation relative to the PacNW.

I've tried several commercial absinthes and made my own. When I made it, I loved people's reactions and the way they acted (which, unsurprisingly, almost perfectly matched their preconceived notions of what it would be like.)

The main difference between absinthe and other high-proof liquors is that things like 151 and grain alcohol lack placebo effect and don't taste like Pine Sol and diesel fuel. There are effects of the ingredients that produce a slightly more clear-headed and coherent drunkenness. Thujone is not a potent psychoactive and will cause renal failure before you "trip" from drinking something made with it.

Overall, it's a waste of money.

i had some absinthe in france and england---i enjoyed it--particularly the rituals of preparing and drinking it--i understand that czech absinthe is supposed to be the best and closest to the one, but who knows.

lovely stuff though.

i dont know about lucid.

Isn't part of the thrill trying to sneak it back into the US, or you are doing something overseas that you can't do in the US? That it is 'illegal' to have it in the US. It's like Cuban cigars, they may not be much better than regular cigars, but it's just because you can't go down to the corner store and buy them that make it exotic.

i can't speak for other folk, but in my tiny world the idea of trying some came from reading rimbaud and verlaine and all that, and i was interested in trying it for that kind of reason--but later, when i actually found some, i was more motivated by "o...cool."

it's a very particular buzz--kinda wide awake but like you're inside a pleasant haze--it doesn't impair you in the same way, so it's not like alcohol--and what i had was not like the homebrew versions i'e had from folk in the states, even though some of them are quite good as their own thing. i was told somewhere or other that the uk absinthe was milder than the old school stuff, but that you can get closer to that in czech varieties.

it didn't occur to me to try to bring any back.
i was discombobulated from it and ended up missing my plane.

I never really enjoyed the effects of this sweet beverage. Got the idea to try it after reading some Timothy Leary books and other authors from that period.

I think that i was too young and mixed too many other effects in with the total experience but it is on my plate to try again at least one more time.

I hope your able to get yours cheap Shani as it looks expensive!

msd, way to damper my happiness. i've always heard it makes you trip, i guess only if your dying.

my expectations have been lowered, but i would still like to experience this stuff.

No tripping... it's just getting drunk. I am just as happy drinking a Pastis as I am Absinthe.

Shani,

I know you're in Georgia and the website lists the places that sell Lucid.
Here's one in Marietta that's supposed to sell it.

Georgia, Marietta
Sherlocks Beer, Wine and Spirits
135 Barrett Pkwy
Marietta, GA. 30066
(770) 426-6744

they should be able to tell you a price over the phone

I got spoiled BAD, living in the Czech Republic. Nothing like la vie Boheme in Bohemia, after all. I acquired a taste for Bohemian Cocktails while I was over there...I may need to try this stuff.

Now, where can I find the -other- ingredient...

I think that, if distilled, the homebrew versions can be equal to corporate counterparts but at a third or a quarter of the cost. "Wide awake but like you're inside a pleasant haze" describes it well.
It won't make you trip. That legend was born from the artists like van Gogh, who started drinking his paint and paint thinner when he ran out. Any latent psychedelic effects are from adulterants, not the absinthe itself.

$60.40!! not bad, even though the most we've paid for it overseas is 27 dollars US lol

Marietta isnt exactly close, its about 45 minutes away, but at least now I know where I can get it if my regular store doesnt carry it and wont order it!! Thanks :)

Nice :thumbsup: Sort like jello shots. :p

Ok, stopped by Costco in Merida yesterday. They have one of the largest imported liquor selections down here. Often they have "samples" of two or three selections as well as a few wines. More then once I've walked out of there with a buzz thinking "Do they really think Mexicans need a taste sample of Tequila?"

Anway, I looked and they carry Absinthe from Spain by Chateau St. Faren (sp?) I think it was 750ml, maybe 755ml and 70 proof, twas light green looking. Also twas not cheap, Costco here never is, was $90 USD.

I'm sure none of that does you any good but if you're ever south of the boarder, check out Costco they may have what you're looking for.

Had some made by an acquaintance who has written books about psychotropics through the ages...
my first impression was that I didn't need to swallow. It evaporated from my tongue upon contact. very fragrant, lots of anise and fennel. He revealed that part of the mixture was fermented.
I have been growing A.absintheum ever since...
I think I'll give this Lucid a go around.

Remember to be very careful consuming absinthe, especially for the lesser known side effects ...

Man runs in to Dr.'s office, "Doctor! Doctor! There's a fish growing in my chest."

Dr. says, "Have you been smoking crack again?"

Man looks stunned and say, "No... but I've been drinking absinthe lately and..."

Dr. jumps up and shouts, "ah-ha! ... don't you know that absinthe makes the heart grow flounder?"

Well, I don't know anything about absinthe, but between this topic and the VERY well done Lucid website, I really want to try it. Shani has never steered me wrong before. Although no retail stores listed in Colorado, they do have a distributor, however.

I will warn you MC, if you dont like the taste of black licorice, dont waste your money!!! Some people seem to miss that part and when they go to drink it they seem surprised on how it tastes lol

oh and I agree, their website is great

*sigh* Im hoping that I get enuff in bday money this drive to make the drive up to Marietta to get some!!!

Thanks for the heads up, and I do love black licorice, at least REAL black licorice. Panda brand is a really good one. I hate the cheap, waxy "black vines" brand.

Even though it wasn't listed on Lucid's site, there is a GIGANTIC liquor store that's between my home and work, I'll have to swing by this afternoon and see what they have. I'd be shocked if they couldn't get it. And I won $400 playing poker the other night, so I have some 'fun money' to spend... :thumbsup:

buy a bottle and send it to me then!!!!

When I was a kid, I was the one every brought their black jelly beans from the easter bunny to because its the only ones I would eat lol (and the only one they knew that would eat them)

I heard this same joke, but it was set in a dentist's office, and the punch line was "Abcess makes the fart go 'Honda'!"

What's great is, you don't even need the rest of the joke!

As expected, the gigantor liquor store had it. Not only had it, but had it for $58.99. I'll try it tonight after the household calms down a bit, I.E. when the 3 year old and the 2 month old are asleep.

Sorry Shanni, Mrs. Coaster alreday balked at the price of the one bottle. I doubt she'd be down with me buying 2 and sending one to GA to someone I only know from a forum...:eek:

well I was just kidding!!!

Yes, I want to hear all about it please

I know you were kidding, Shani.

So... Lucid. I have never tried absinthe (good, bad or ugly) before, so I tried to do it as near to the traditional way as possible. 1.5 oz of Lucid, a bit of sugar and 4oz water. I didn’t have sugar cubes, so I used a little bit in a regular spoon. Upon opening just the bottle I was really stunned at the anise/licorice smell (duh, right) but I was surprised that it didn’t smell like alcohol considering it’s 63%. After pouring and mixing, the aroma only got stronger, almost to the point of being off-putting. The taste, however, was not nearly as strong as the aroma would suggest. Again, I don’t know what makes a ‘good absinthe’ but I imagine this would be a pretty good U.S. legal version. Nice and warm going down, despite being mixed almost 3:1 with cold water.

I took my time drinking it, and by the time I was done, the affects were hitting me pretty well. I hadn’t had anything else to drink all evening, and from just the one drink, I could feel it from head to toe and the tips of my fingers. Not exactly drunk or buzzed, (well, there must be a little of that) but relaxed and serene. I decided to end it at the one drink, but I imagine a second would really put me in a good frame of mind. I couldn’t imagine SIX!!

I may try 2 or 3 on a night where I don’t have to work the next day...

Thanks again to the TFP (specifically ShaniFaye) for opening my eyes to something new.

Ahhh, Absinthe... yumyum:) Living in germany I had the chance to try this tasty beverage from several bordering countries and spain. You can get some good stuff in germany too, but due to its complicated past, the thujone content is still legally restricted. The best I've ever had was in czech and the hardest was a bottle of "Black Absinthe" with 80% a friend brought home from spain.
On my next visit to Amsterdam I'm going to indulge myself some to make the vacation even more interresting;)
Wanted to add that I'm stunned by looking at the prices you have to pay in the US. For 60 $ you'd get a reeeeeaaaaally fine drip over here. Don't think that you could even pay that much in czech... well perhaps in prague. A lot of small shops are specialized in ripping off tourists over there.:splat:

yeah the 6 was hard lol I wont do that again

tell me this....do you dream? if so did you notice anything odd about any dreams you may have had last nite?

Im glad you enjoyed it!!!

i can't believe i heard that for the first time over 40 years ago...

Shani, I do dream, and my typical night goes like this...

I fall asleep and will wake up shortly thereafter, maybe 20-40 minutes later. I usually will be waking up from a weird dream. I’ll fall back asleep pretty quickly and by morning I will have forgotten specifically what that dream was. I suppose If I kept a notepad by the bed I could jot down a few keywords that would help me remember it later, but I never have done that. Additionally I will usually dream right before waking up in the morning, I’ll often incorporate the sounds happening around me into the dream.

As for dreaming after drinking absinthe, I don’t remember dreaming anything out of the ordinary.

Im a very vivid dreamer, in fact in the sleep study I had done year before last they found out I actually completely skip one state of sleep and in another one I only stay there a little over 6 minutes. Im in dream state within 8 minutes of falling alseep lol. I remember mine...which is not always a good thing because my mind comes up with some REALLY odd stuff.

On absinthe its markedly worse!!!

do you keep a dream journal?

A lot of it is tax--alcohol is often subject to "sin tax" and depending on the state those can be obscene.

Here is a graphic from the Washington State Liquor Control Commission that breaks down the amount of tax and the distribution of tax on an average liquor sale:
http://www.liq.wa.gov/images/liquor-dollars.jpg

Washington State is an ABC (alcoholic beverage control) state, and so the taxes are fairly high; most ABC states compare in pricing/tax, but non-ABC states usually have a much lower tax rate. Many people in WA/OR stock up on liquor when they travel to California or Nevada, both of which are not ABC states.

I used to, I dont anymore. I would really hate for people to see what I dream about lol

I have always been curious of Absinthe, perhaps I will give this a try.