Absinthe: Quite disappointed

[Mithrandir]

The Absinthe King Gold (http://www.laboheme.uk.com/index.html) my friends and I ordered finally arrived the other day, much to our collective glee. Friday night (tonight) finally rolled around and everyone was looking forward to hallucinating and - hopefully! - burning the house down. Or something of the sort.

We made all the correct preparations that we read about online: soaked sugar in absinthe carmalized it and then mixed said sugar in with the shot on absinthe. Well, the fifth was finished (or technically 700 ml I suppose, not a fifth) and there was no hallucinating of any sort at all. I was decently drunk, but that was more from the 140 proof than anything I'm sure. (Side note: the extra 5.5% of alcohol in 151 makes an exponential amount of difference in terms of how much the alcohol burns on the way down.)

This King Gold has 10 times the amount of thujone as normal absinthe and I felt nothing! It wasn't even making me feel creative like it's allegedly supposed to... it's not like I took a shot and then ran around the house looking for an easel and charcoal in order to express my feelings on post-modern independent thinking. Do you think it would be possible for me to contact the US Ambassador to the Czech Republic and demand my money back? I bet that would be an interesting conversation :blink:

The only side effect seems to be that I am incredibly laid back and mellow at the moment - I was even forced to leave the party I was at because I couldn't stand the loud music and number of people. Which is definitely weird for me.

In any case, before I go to bed I would just like to reiterate how disappointed I was in the absinthe and that it appears that I will be forced to return to the Holy Grail of liquors, Jack, until I can find something that even approaches its glory.

[Fragbait]

Hi!

From what I read here and here, the conclusion is that in all 'absinthe' liquids, the thujon concentration lies between 0.1-7.1mg / kg sample.

In Germany the limit values lie at 5mg/kg if the liquid contains up to 25vol% alcohol,
10mg/kg if the liquid contains more than 25vol% alcohol,
and 35mg/kg if the liquid is a bitter spirit. These limit values bear in mind the assumption that when ingesting more alcohol / bitter spirit, the human body isn't capable of ingesting much thujon.

Sorry that the articles are German, but I assume that the liquor company just cheated when they said "100mg/kg", because ALL samples mentioned in the article contain less.


Greetings, Fragbait

[jahcs]

Try putting your head between your knees and then standing up really fast - it's a better high. :P

[Occhidiangela]

Friday night (tonight) finally rolled around and everyone was looking forward to hallucinating and - hopefully! - burning the house down. Or something of the sort.

Heck, you can do that with too much caffeine or too many Rum and Cokes! :P

It wasn't even making me feel creative like it's allegedly supposed to... it's not like I took a shot and then ran around the house looking for an easel and charcoal in order to express my feelings on post-modern independent thinking.

That got me chuckling, thanks. <_<

The only side effect seems to be that I am incredibly laid back and mellow at the moment - I was even forced to leave the party I was at because I couldn't stand the loud music and number of people. Which is definitely weird for me.

May I observe that it is usually a combination of factors, rather than a single stimulus, that gets one riled up or in a mellow mood?

In any case, before I go to bed I would just like to reiterate how disappointed I was in the absinthe and that it appears that I will be forced to return to the Holy Grail of liquors, Jack, until I can find something that even approaches its glory.
[right][snapback]68442[/snapback][/right]

Funny thing, that a drug or mind altering substance does not live up to its hype. It aint the only one.

As to your fall back position, may I suggest Scotch? I love Glen Morangie, and Macallen, though there are MANY excellent varieties.

If you insist on bourbon as a tonic for the troubled soul, and it is a fine one, may I suggest Maker's Mark? Lovely, smooth, and just enough flavor to let you know you are sippin' a man's whiskey.

Occhi

[Urza-DSF]

As to your fall back position, may I suggest Scotch?&nbsp; I love Glen Morangie, and Macallen, though there are MANY excellent varieties.

Occhi
[right][snapback]68463[/snapback][/right]

Ahh scotch now *there* is a drink. Little better than a glass of Chivas Regal on the rocks. My father actually prefers Rusty Nails (Scotch and Drambuie) over plain scotch on the rocks, though he's never been much of a drinker regardless. My brother on the other hand likes rediculious new crap like Hypnotic and other "club" mixed drinks...though I still can't understand the fascination.

Anyway, I definatly need to second Occhi's recomendation. Good taste, easy to come by top-shelf quality, and a price that *usually* wont break the bank.

[AtomicKitKat]

Try putting your head between your knees and then standing up really fast - it's a better high. :P
[right][snapback]68457[/snapback][/right]

Yay! Thanks for that tip. I didn't get any high, but I did hear a quick series of "grick"s coming from my chest, which has been feeling tight on and off over the last 4 months. :D

[Kylearan]

Hi,

Ahh scotch now *there* is a drink.&nbsp; Little better than a glass of Chivas Regal on the rocks.

I strongly suggest drinking scotch not on the rocks, but without ice and at room temperature instead, especially when drinking a more complex scotch. Adding some drops of water to release the flavor is fine, but the lower temperature from the ice numbs your taste buds and may lessen your sensation of the different aromas of the scotch.

In the end it's all a matter of taste, of course. ;)

Anyway, I definatly need to second Occhi's recomendation.&nbsp; Good taste, easy to come by top-shelf quality, and a price that *usually* wont break the bank.

I have to disagree on the "a price that won't break the bank" thing... For example, a bottle of 18yrs old Macallan, one of my favorite whiskies, costs about 80 Euros (about 65 US$), which for a 0,7l bottle I think is quite a lot. On the other hand, a single malt is not an every-day drink for me, so I happily buy three to four of these more expensive whiskies per year despite their price... :D

-Kylearan

[bigeyedbug]

If you insist on bourbon as a tonic for the troubled soul, and it is a fine one, may I suggest Maker's Mark?&nbsp; Lovely, smooth, and just enough flavor to let you know you are sippin' a man's whiskey.

I was going to suggest the same thing. I'll never go back to JD. If you want to blow some cash on even better bourbon, Knob Creek and Bookers are terrific. But Maker's is great, even without a "...for the price" caveat.

Now, if you want hallucinations I recommend Oaxacan Mezcal. :mellow: ;) :unsure: :blink: :o :lol: :w00t: :wacko:


edit: stoopid speling

[Mithrandir]

Funny thing, that a drug or mind altering substance does not live up to its hype. It aint the only one.

Ain't that the truth. First time I tried pot I was expecting 'Big Lebowski'-esque hallucinations - bowling balls chasing me around, viking babes, and the like. Pot wasn't as big a let down as the absinthe was though :blush:

As to your fall back position, may I suggest Scotch? I love Glen Morangie, and Macallen, though there are MANY excellent varieties.

I don't have much experience with scotches (a little bit too classy for the local college liquor stores :) ). I believe that my sole experience was with some Johnny Walker Red Label, which I'm told is a pretty decent scotch. It was decent and I would definitely want to try it again, but half the fun is sharing the experience with others and its problematic enough to get people to drink Jack with me (which I honestly cannot understand how someone cannot like that taste), much less a hard scotch.

Oh well, I guess I can buy some and save it for "special" occasions ;)

If you insist on bourbon as a tonic for the troubled soul, and it is a fine one, may I suggest Maker's Mark? Lovely, smooth, and just enough flavor to let you know you are sippin' a man's whiskey.

Sounds tastey - I love a good whiskey.

I strongly suggest drinking scotch not on the rocks, but without ice and at room temperature instead, especially when drinking a more complex scotch. Adding some drops of water to release the flavor is fine, but the lower temperature from the ice numbs your taste buds and may lessen your sensation of the different aromas of the scotch.

Good tip, thanks.

[Occhidiangela]

Ahh scotch now *there* is a drink.&nbsp; Little better than a glass of Chivas Regal on the rocks.&nbsp; My father actually prefers Rusty Nails (Scotch and Drambuie) over plain scotch on the rocks, though he's never been much of a drinker regardless.&nbsp; My brother on the other hand likes rediculious new crap like Hypnotic and other "club" mixed drinks...though I still can't understand the fascination.

Anyway, I definatly need to second Occhi's recomendation.&nbsp; Good taste, easy to come by top-shelf quality, and a price that *usually* wont break the bank.
[right][snapback]68490[/snapback][/right]

I had a Hardcore Assassin Trapper named Rustinaille. She is in one of the stories I wrote a few years back. Also had one Soft core named Rusty_nALE when I played with my friends in the ALE gang.

I must second your father's notion: when drinking standard scotch, a Rusty Nail is a lovely blend of flavour.

Occhi

[Occhidiangela]

I was going to suggest the same thing.  I'll never go back to JD.  If you want to blow some cash on even better bourbon, Knob Creek and Bookers are terrific.  But Maker's is  great, even without a "...for the price" caveat.

Now, if you want hallucinations I recommend Oaxacan Mescal.  :mellow:  ;)  :unsure:  :blink:  :o  :lol:  :w00t: :wacko:
[right][snapback]68541[/snapback][/right]

Eat the worm. Of course, you usually have to polish off enough of the Mezcal to get to the worm, and I can only say "Keep the Car Keys somewhere else!" Seriously, this is one of those "better to sleep on the floor and have a few Alka Selzer in the morning" events.

This is one of those things that one does not forget. I won't say that I saw God, but I had the distinct feeling that I was talking to Oröme the Hunter, last seen in Valinor. This event took place back in the late 1970's, a year or two after the Silmarillion had come out, and I still remember it. Of course, I may have been picking up vibes from someone else's acid flashbacks: there were a few of those ilk at the party.

Once in a life time was enough.

Occhi

[Doc]

I have no idea how much of the Green Stuff™ I have polished off in my life. Good absynthe is hard to find. A lot of it isn't actually what it claims to be, it's just green booze sold to morons that don't know the difference. Occasionally, it's poison... It will kill you or make you go blind. But the real stuff is pure heaven.

I intoduced a friend to it once, a long time ago. After knocking back several shots, he announced that it wasn't doing anything for him. So we started playing Spades when all of a sudden he just went a little... Well... Out of his cotton picking mind. He suddenly remembered where he had hid money when he was a little boy, he remembered his first crush and felt broken hearted that he never spoke the girl, and promptly broke into tears. He confessed that he had fallen in love in school with a teacher. And then he blurted out a bunch more stuff. He went through various stages of weeping and laughing all night long, all the while insisting that the Green Stuff™ just wasn't working for him. We had to stop playing Spades as the kings and jacks were giving him winks, and he wasn't into that sort of thing. And the queen was a harlot because she kept flashing her titties at him. And through out the whole night, he kept insisting that the Green Stuff™ had done nothing for him.

As for creativity... Well, that claim might be true. Some of the best brain storming sessions of mine were done while highly intoxicated on the Green Stuff™.

[Any1]

If you're really aching for hallucinations try some good-old-fashioned LSD. Although, as with most drugs, your milage may vary. ;)

[Mithrandir]

If you're really aching for hallucinations try some good-old-fashioned LSD.&nbsp; Although, as with most drugs, your milage may vary.&nbsp; ;)
[right][snapback]68694[/snapback][/right]

Lewis Black: "So, I was doing acid in my parent's house when all of a sudden the refrigerator turned into a panther and ran away. All I could think about was, how do I explain this to my parents?"

[Any1]

Lewis Black: "So, I was doing acid in my parent's house when all of a sudden the refrigerator turned into a panther and ran away. All I could think about was, how do I explain this to my parents?"
[right][snapback]68707[/snapback][/right]

That's what I'm talking about!

[Savingsupertokyo]

The Absinthe King Gold (http://www.laboheme.uk.com/index.html) my friends and I ordered finally arrived the other day, much to our collective glee. Friday night (tonight) finally rolled around and everyone was looking forward to hallucinating and - hopefully! - burning the house down. Or something of the sort.

We made all the correct preparations that we read about online: soaked sugar in absinthe carmalized it and then mixed said sugar in with the shot on absinthe. Well, the fifth was finished (or technically 700 ml I suppose, not a fifth) and there was no hallucinating of any sort at all. I was decently drunk, but that was more from the 140 proof than anything I'm sure. (Side note: the extra 5.5% of alcohol in 151 makes an exponential amount of difference in terms of how much the alcohol burns on the way down.)

This King Gold has 10 times the amount of thujone as normal absinthe and I felt nothing! It wasn't even making me feel creative like it's allegedly supposed to... it's not like I took a shot and then ran around the house looking for an easel and charcoal in order to express my feelings on post-modern independent thinking. Do you think it would be possible for me to contact the US Ambassador to the Czech Republic and demand my money back? I bet that would be an interesting conversation :blink:

The only side effect seems to be that I am incredibly laid back and mellow at the moment - I was even forced to leave the party I was at because I couldn't stand the loud music and number of people. Which is definitely weird for me.

In any case, before I go to bed I would just like to reiterate how disappointed I was in the absinthe and that it appears that I will be forced to return to the Holy Grail of liquors, Jack, until I can find something that even approaches its glory.
[right][snapback]68442[/snapback][/right]

Sorry you were disappointed. Hollywood has done a good job on showing exactly what absinthe WON'T do (see: Moulin Rouge, Eurotrip). Hallucinations are more likely to occur in some people that others. Those that are very suceptible to them are the most likely to hallucinate from absinthe. Most likely what will happen is you will get VERY drunk because of the high alcohol content. All the herbal essences in absinthe (including thujone) are there mostly for flavor and less for making you hallucinate. Think of it as a green Gin or Jagermeister.

You have to enjoy it as a flavorful liquor and not have expectations of writing Hemmingway-esque novels and painting like Picasso while chasing green faeries.

[Occhidiangela]

You have to enjoy it as a flavorful liquor and not have expectations of writing Hemmingway-esque novels and painting like Picasso while chasing green faeries.
[right][snapback]69130[/snapback][/right]

Hemmingway, while good, is overrated, and Picasso, while good, is not for everyone.

As to green faeries, I had not idea there were gay lepruchauns . . . :P

Occhi

[Any1]

Hemmingway, while good, is overrated, and Picasso, while good, is not for everyone.[right][snapback]69210[/snapback][/right]

I reread "The sun also rises" last year, and thought it was brilliant. However, that was very early in his career. I'm generally not a big fan of Hemingway's. There are a lot better writers who the "average joe" never hears about. Actually, Hunter S. offing himself, will probably bring him some of the same kind of notoriety.

Picasso definitely got caught up in a lot of his own press, and turned out some dubious stuff (took advantage of his status). Although, I beleive he was a genius and turned out some really beautiful, thought-provoking, and important work.

[Occhidiangela]

I reread "The sun also rises" last year, and thought it was brilliant.&nbsp; However, that was very early in his career.&nbsp; I'm generally not a big fan of Hemingway's.&nbsp; There are a lot better writers who the "average joe" never hears about.&nbsp; Actually, Hunter S. offing himself, will probably bring him some of the same kind of notoriety.

Picasso definitely got caught up in a lot of his own press, and turned out some dubious stuff (took advantage of his status).&nbsp; Although, I beleive he was a genius and turned out some really beautiful, thought-provoking, and important work.
[right][snapback]69348[/snapback][/right]

Guernica. Powerful stuff.

Occhi