Making Homemade Wine and Beer: Absinthe

This article was sponsored by: Buy Absinthe Alcohol.com

I received an email about a few months ago describing a drink called “The Green Fairy.” Curious, I opened the email and it was about a liquor called Absinthe. Honestly, I have never heard about this drink and had no idea what it was. So, I thought that others may have not heard of this and thought I would share some info about it.

According to Wikipedia,

Absinthe is a distilled, highly alcoholic (usually 68 to 80 percent) anise-flavored spirit derived from herbs including the flowers and leaves of the medicinal plant Artemisia absinthium, also called Grand Wormwood or Absinth Wormwood. Absinthe is typically green (either naturally or with added color) or clear and is often referred to as la Fée Verte (’The Green Fairy’). Although it is sometimes mistakenly called a liqueur, absinthe is not bottled with added sugar and is therefore classified as a liquor or spirit. Absinthe is uncommon among spirits in that it is bottled at a high proof but consumed diluted with water to the strength of wine.

Tastewise, absinthe has a licorce taste similar to ouzo and there is a certain way that it is traditionally prepared. According to various sources the following is the way to prepare your drink:

Absinthe is drunk as a cocktail and has a ritualist preparation before drinking. Proper preparation consists of placing a sugar cube on a special slotted Absinthe Spoon, and slowly dripping cold water over the sugar into the Absinthe Glass. The oils of the anise and fennel do not mix with the water, but come out in the high alcohol content in the absinthe to form a colloidal solution with the cold water, and creating a beautiful cloudy effect called “louche”. “Louche” comes from the French word meaning turbulent, troubled and cloudy. The fragrances in the oils are also released in the “louche” and add to the enjoyment of the Absinthe Drink.

Sounds great, so what is the catch? And, why can’t if ind it at the local liquor store? Well it seems that the use of wormwood and the thujone that is produced in the distilling process makes it illegal to make in the USA.

So, how do you get a bottle of absinthe and is it legal?

Commercial Break —-> Buy Absinthe

According to various sources:

The rules specifically state that it is illegal to sell or manufacture Absinthe Alcohol in the United States. Although it is not illegal to drink or posses Absinthe in the U.S. So from those statements here is the deduction:

1. It is illegal to sell thujone containing Absinthe Liquor in the US for human consumption.
2. It is illegal for someone outside the US to sell thujone containing Absinthe to someone inside the US.
3. It is not illegal to purchase thujone containing Absinthe for personal use in the US.
4. It is not illegal to purchase thujone containing Absinthe for personal use outside the United States.
5. Thujone containing Absinthe Alcohol can be seized by US customs (if it is for human consumption).

So, basicially you can purchase it outside of the USA and have it shipped here. The sponsor of this article has the following info on ordering absinthe for USA delivery:

Is it possible to buy absinthe in the USA?

Only online!!! It is illegal in the USA to buy, make or sell any kind of food or drink containing any level of Thujone. Modern Absinthe, or any spirit containing Thujone is therefore illegal in the USA. Mere possession isn’t. Several American makers offer a spirit similar to absinthe but without the wormwood. Unfortunately, the quality is poor and the taste is awful.The only option for American consumers is to order absinthe online and have it shipped as a gift and marked as “not for human consumption”. We at buy-absinthe-alcohol always place the marking“not for human consumption” on each bottle sent to the USA.

Sounds interesting and may be worth checking out.