Finally ... a kit to make absinthe at home - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

cscmc1 · #16 06-13-2008, 09:07 AM

I brought half a case of Absinthe back from my last TDY to Europe. It was dirt cheap, and made a few friends VERY happy. That kit looks cool... if I were more of a drinker, I'd buy one!

Chad300tdt · #17 06-13-2008, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cscmc1

I brought half a case of Absinthe back from my last TDY to Europe. It was dirt cheap, and my a few friends VERY happy. That kit looks cool... if I were more of a drinker, I'd buy one!

IMO Absinthe is not to be consumed alone. It's a social beverage for sure and turns everyone into a philosopher.

I've had discussions go to the wee hours without noticing.

Gurkha · #18 06-13-2008, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad300tdt

I kind of backed off on the kefir since I was using starter powders. I need to find some kefir grains but am leery of purchasing them from just anyone online.

I was able to get my scoby and starter liquid from a friend to get going with the KT.

While you wait for your home brew absinthe, check out www.absintheonline.com. That's where I bought the bottles I have. I bought 3 bottles and am down to about 2" in the bottom of a bottle with a deep punt.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Kefir_making?v=1&t=search&ch=web&pub=groups&sec=group&slk=2

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Good_Kefir_Grains?v=1&t=search&ch=web&pub=groups&sec=group&slk=8

You just made my day, gonna order some ASAP but is this absinthe the real stuff considering the law in US?

Chad300tdt · #19 06-13-2008, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gurkha

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Kefir_making?v=1&t=search&ch=web&pub=groups&sec=group&slk=2

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Good_Kefir_Grains?v=1&t=search&ch=web&pub=groups&sec=group&slk=8

You just made my day, gonna order some ASAP but is this absinthe the real stuff considering the law in US?

Thanks for the links, I'll be perusing them today.

This is a quote from their front page. I assume it's OK and the stuff I got is definitely the real deal. My shipment wasn't delayed in any way and wasn't tampered with going through customs either.

Quote:

Special offer for customers in the US. Order up to three bottles and have them shipped for the same price as a single bottle! Click here to see how it works.

DrewGerhan · #20 06-13-2008, 09:45 AM

I know nothing about Absinthe except for what I saw in Euro Trip but I pulled this from the Wikipedia article on it:

Absinthe kits

[Note: Absinthe kits should not be confused with hausgemacht absinthe.]

Numerous recipes for homemade “absinthe” are available on the Internet. Many of these center around mixing a kit that contains store-bought herbs or wormwood extract with high-proof liquor such as vodka or Everclear. However, it is simply not possible to make proper absinthe without distillation.

Besides being unpleasant to drink[11] and not authentic absinthe, these homemade concoctions contain uncontrolled amounts of thujone and may be poisonous—especially if they contain wormwood extract.[12] Many such recipes call for the use of a large amount of wormwood extract (essence of wormwood) with the intent of increasing alleged psychoactive effects. Consuming essence of wormwood is very dangerous. It can cause kidney failure and death from excessive thujone, which in large quantities is a convulsive neurotoxin. Thujone is also a powerful heart stimulant; it is present in authentic absinthe only in extremely small amounts.

Essence of wormwood should never be drunk.

Chad300tdt · #21 06-13-2008, 09:55 AM

This is clipped from their website:

Quote:

We offer only the finest organically grown herbs that are cultivated without chemicals and certified organic. Each kit of herbs contains two packets. The first is the primary packet with Wormwood as the main ingredient. You will get 1.2 ounce of Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) that should produce two liters of absinthe with an estimated thujone content of 70-90mg/L. This is approximately eight times stronger than the absinthe that is sold in Europe. The rest of the ingredients are all part of original absinthe recipies from the 1800's. We have spent hundreds of hours refining this and testing the correct blend to bring you the most authentic absinthe kit available.

Each of our kit now comes with our unique micron filtration system as a substitute for distillation providing a mechanism of separating unwanted particles from the finished product. Our micron filtration system uses a customized blend of activated carbon to separate unwanted particles and congers from the macerated alcohol and will leave us with a crisp filtered final product. Each of our kits comes with a filtration system that other cheaper kits do not include. Our micron filtration ensures you don't end up with a poor quality questionable product.

It seems to me to be worth trying.

Gurkha · #22 06-13-2008, 09:57 AM

I will pass on the kit aand order the bottle directly to be safe.

Chad300tdt · #23 06-13-2008, 10:34 AM

It seems that this kit in conjunction with distillation would produce the real deal. The distillation would remove the water soluble absinthin (the bitter stuff) which is the only difference.

Would it really be illegal to distill a small personal batch at home? In 8th grade a friend and I used simple items from the science lab and distilled a bottle of marigold wine from his parents cellar. We used the same techniques we learned in class to make distillates and it took less than 30 minutes to condense a whole bottle.

Is this a hold over from prohibition or is there some other reason? After all it was legal to make other distillates right in the school classroom.

Mistress · #24 06-13-2008, 02:00 PM

Well I know what I'm bringing to the next GTG! Carleton needs to chime in on this one.

aklim · #25 06-13-2008, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mistress

Well I know what I'm bringing to the next GTG!

You are bringing what is in your Avatar? Like my new one?

Chad300tdt · #26 01-11-2009, 12:15 AM

Forget the kit I posted about earlier. The Absinthe Ban has been lifted!!

Here's an article about the Absinthe I just bought tonight. It's made here in Philly and the article mentions that the ban has been lifted. It's the "real deal".

http://www.phoodie.info/2008/12/05/newest-philadelphia-fairy-is-green-and-drinkable/

Another "ban lifted" article:
http://www.guyville.com/2007/12/absinthe_ban_lifted_in_us.html

http://www.vieuxcarreabsinthe.com/

AustinsCE · #27 01-11-2009, 03:47 AM

Out in Utah of all places, if you can believe it, there was a liquor store had a whole aisle dedicated to absinthe. My mom lives there, and got a couple bottles which are OK. But after two bottles from a German company, one containing another well known "herb" thrown in for effect? that was 80%, they were kinda weak sauce. I don't know if it were the brands or the lack of thujone, but I'm still sticking with the European stuff.
There was even a variant with a kind of coffee flavor and some weird red kind I got my friend that resembled cough syrup, good for mixing though. I think it was brewed with some kind of flowers and whatnot. Absinthe is definitely more fun than dirty martinis.