Absinthe: Dancing with the Green Fairy > Absinthe: Meeting the Green Fairy - Absinthe's history, ingredients, famous drinkers... > Absinthe in the USA Popular! - Green and legal, but is it the real Green Fairy? > Century 100: A rare absinthe reviewed Popular! - My verdict: The world's (second) best absinthe. > Buy Absinthe .Net New! - Recommended absinthe buyer's guide. Tips, tricks & reviews. > Cassandra's absinthe recipe & herbs - Guide to the herbs by my herbalist friend. > Dick's absinthe recipe - Original recipe from the 19th century, with detailed ingredient info. > Absinthe art and photos - Green Fairy, the muse of the artist. Paintings and posters. Absinthe is back! Are you ready to fly with the Green Fairy? By MsJekyll  Posted April 1997 To be updated soon. Absinthe was invented in 1797 by Dr. Pierre Ordinaire.

Henri-Louis Pernod opened the first absinthe distillery in Switzerland and then moved to a larger one in Pontarlier, France in 1805. By the 1850's it had become the favorite drink of the upper class. Originally wine based, a blight in 1870's on the vineyards forced manufacturers to base it with grain alcohol. Everyone could now afford it. The bohemian lifestyle embraced it. The Green Fairy (la fee verte) as it became commonly known, was most popular in France. Most days started with a drink and ended with the "green hour" (l'heure verte) as one or two or more were taken for its aperitif properties. It is interesting to note that it also has aphrodisiac and narcotic properties. Authors and artists were proponents for using it to induce creativity. Absinthe's popularity soared from 1880 on. Advertisements touted it as being healthful. It was exported to New Orleans and reached the same acclaim in the United States. It was one of the few drinks considered lady-like and women freely enjoyed it in the coffee houses where it was most commonly served.

Victorian era men however, found women freely enjoying absinthe distasteful. In 1905, Jean Lanfray who was very intoxicated, murdered his wife. He supposedly only had two glasses of absinthe but none the less, his trial became known as the "Absinthe Murder". Prohibition movements were underway. Absinthe was singled out as the maddening culprit and became synonymous with alcohol. Experiments started to be conducted often by injecting large doses of the oil of wormwood into animals. Absinthism was named as a disease. On July 25th, 1912, the Department of Agriculture issued Food Inspection 147, which banned absinthe in America, and finally France followed in 1915. But is it (real) absinthe? Updated March 2009 A lot has changed since absinthe was banned in the beginning of the 20th century. In Europe, the Green Fairy flies freely again following recent re-legalization, and there are some excellent absinthes to be had. Unfortunately, absinthe-thirsty Americans are not so lucky yet.

Although the US authorities have now permitted the use of the term "absinthe" on bottle labels (subject to approval and conditions), all "absinthes" sold in the US must test thujone-free. But once you remove thujone—the natural essential oil of the Artemisia plant—it's no longer absinthe; it's just a green drink that will get you drunk fast, but no effect beyond that. As someone who has drunk absinthe since 1997, I am very disappointed – because as long as these absinthe-like imitations continue to plague U.S. liquor stores, posing as the genuine article, there will be no pressure on the US authorities to relent and allow real European absinthes into America's stores and bars. Essentially, the FDA/TTB policies have done absolutely nothing for America's absintheurs; they have just opened doors to producers with a buck on their mind and green-colored vodkas to sell. I want to take this opportunity to recommend the Buy Absinthe guide, which aims to be a no-nonsense resource for newcomers and seasoned absinthe drinkers alike.

Though still quite new, the guide is already packed with useful tips that any absinthe buyer will appreciate. I've known the writer for years and I can confirm his opinions are well worth listening to. But what is absinthe? Absinthe is an alcoholic drink made with an extract from wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) . It is an emerald green drink which is very bitter (due to the presence of absinthin) and is therefore traditionally poured over a perforated spoonful of sugar into a glass of water. The drink then turns into an opaque white as the essential oils precipitate out of the alcoholic solution (louche). Absinthe was once popular among artists and writers and was drunk by Van Gogh, Baudelaire, and Verlaine, to name a few. It appears to have been believed to stimulate creativity. However, in the 1850's, there began to be concern about the results of chronic use. Chronic use of absinthe was believed to produce a syndrome, called absinthism, which was characterized by addiction, hyperexcitability, and hallucinations.

This concern over the health effects of absinthe was amplified by the prevailing belief in Lamarckian theories of heredity. In other words, it was believed that any traits acquired by absinthists would be passed on to their children. Absinthe's association with the bohemian lifestyle also worked to compound fears about its effects, much as has happened with marijuana in America. Absinthe was subsequently banned in many countries in the beginning of the 1900's. Ingredients of the emerald drink Simon and Schulter's "Guide to Herbs and Spices" tells us that Henri-Louis Pernod used aniseed, fennel, hyssop, and lemonbalm along with lesser amounts of angelica, star anise, dittany, juniper, nutmeg, and veronica. These ingredients were macerated together with wormwood plants. After leaving the mixture to sit, water was added and the mixture was distilled. Dried herbs, including more wormwood, were added to the distillate, which was then diluted with alcohol to give a concentration of about 75% alcohol by volume.

Different absinthe manufacturers used slightly different ingredients, sometimes using calamus, which has been purported to have psychoactive effects. In addition to these ingredients, manufacturers sometimes added other ingredients to produce the drink's emerald green color. Normally, this color was due to the presence of chlorophyll from the plants. However, in the event that the product was not properly colored, absinthe makers were known to add things like copper sulfate, indigo, turmeric, and aniline green. Antimony chloride was also used to help the drink become cloudy when added to water. Presumably modern makers of Pernod and absinthe use safer ingredients for their concoctions! Absinthe Drink: All about Absinthe, the Iconic Drink of La Vie Boheme What is absinthe? Absinthe is an alcoholic drink made from Artemisia absinthium (a plant better known as grand wormwood ) and a range of other herbs such as fennel, anise, melissa and hyssop. Actual recipes have always varied by country and manufacturer, as has the quality of each absinthe brand.

Traditionally, the drink was quality-classified as either absinthe suisse (the best grade; alcohol content of 68-72%), demi-fine (50-68% alcohol) or ordinaire (45-50%). Today, it is thought that there are about fifty brands of the absinthe drink available, produced mainly in France, Switzerland, Spain and the Czech Republic. Absinthe is usually green, although there are a few Swiss varieties that are clear. Best absinthes are made exclusively with all-natural ingredients and have no artificial colourings added. Quality green absinthe always gets its colour from the chlorophyll released from the herbs. Absinthe: The iconic drink of the bohemians Absinthe first gained its notoriety in the latter part of the nineteenth century, when it became the drink of choice among bohemian intellectuals, writers, poets and artists in France and across Europe. Soon, the emerald green liquor was consumed by people from all walks of life.

While the lower classes celebrated l'heure verte (the green hour) in Parisian bars and cafes (a pre-dinner period when patrons drank a glass or two as an aperitif), painters and poets created art and poems dedicated to La Fee Verte (the "Green Fairy" ) as the drink became known. At that time, absinthe was far more than just another alcoholic beverage: absinthe was the very icon of la vie boheme, even a way of life for some. The Fairy reached the shores of America, too, where the drink became especially popular in New Orleans. Absinthe was originally served with chilled water, which was poured into a glass of the green spirit over a sugar cube that was placed on a perforated spoon resting on the top of the glass. Although other methods of drinking absinthe have evolved since, especially in the late 1990s, the original nineteenth-century ritual of preparing absinthe , known as la louche, remains an important part of the absinthe experience for all serious absinthe connoisseurs. A drink with strange powers?

It is believed that the louche process of adding water to the strong alcohol allows the release of essential oils from the herbs from which the absinthe drink is made, particularly thujone-bearing wormwood . These oils, drinkers believe, not only counter the usual intoxicating effects of alcohol, but they also bring the mind to a peculiar state of alertness, enhance one's sensory perception and even unlock hidden creative powers -- hence absinthe's popularity among nineteenth-century avant-garde artistic community. Perhaps the most remarkable celebrity absinthe drinker of that age was the Dutch post-impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh. Painters Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Paul Gaugin were also fond of absinthe, as was the child rebel poet Arthur Rimbaud . Paul Verlaine, Charles Baudelaire, Oscar Wilde, Ernest Hemingway and many others writers, poets and artists also drank absinthe for its unusual effects . A fairy or a devil? The amazing popularity of the Green Fairy caused her eventual downfall. Many European governments, as well as the U.S. administration, gave in to the pressures of the anti alcohol lobby and banned the drink in the early years of the twentieth century.

Absinthe proved a relatively easy target for the anti-alcohol movement, which blamed wide-spread "absinthism" -- a mental condition the drink supposedly caused -- for a whole range of social problems. French winemakers, nervous about the sharp decline in wine consumption, also backed the calls for the banning of the "green devil". The drink was never banned in a few European countries, notably in Spain, the Czech lands and the United Kingdom. Consumption was relatively low, however, and it took almost a hundred years for the Fairy to make the grand comeback we are witnessing today. So is absinthe legal again? Absinthe is legal once more across all member states of the European Union, thanks to a 1988 Europe-wide law that re-allowed wormwood as ingredient in alcoholic beverages. In the United States, absinthe still cannot be sold in bars or stores, although personal possession and consumption is legal. Absinthe is sold in Canada, Australia, Mexico and Japan. Laws in other countries vary. Modern-day celebrities who have developed the taste for the drink include Johnny Depp, for example, as well as the controversial Marilyn Manson and Eminem.

The singer Bjork brought the latest absinthe fever back to her native Iceland a few years back. A host of Hollywood stars are known aficionados of the Green Fairy, as is the former Czech president Vaclav Havel. But even today, the story of absinthe remains one of polarised opinions: romanticised by many, and damned by a few. While an increasing number of people are rediscovering the delights of the Green Fairy, a small minority still wag their fingers and talk of the green devil. Got something to say about the absinthe drink? At Absinthe Fever, we encourage you to get involved. In fact, this whole site is meant as an open forum about absinthe, because we believe that absinthe is more than a drink, or a bit of thujone in a bottle. The Green Fairy -- the affectionate name given to the absinthe drink in the 19th century -- is art, poetry, experience, lifestyle... So join us and share your thoughts anywhere on Absinthe Fever! 32 people have Copyright © 2006 AbsintheFever.com Contributors. All Rights Reserved.

The absinthe drink has been considered the icon of European 'la vie boheme' since the middle of the nineteenth century. (Pictured: A vintage bottle of Pernod absinthe and a Spanish-made Absenta.) About the absinthe drink Erowid's absinthe pages cover just about any absinthe topic you can think of: basic facts, history, chemistry, the drink's legal status around the world, drinker's experiences... Also an interesting collection of paintings and posters. If you are looking for a reliable absinthe buyer's guide, don't miss the appropriately named Buy Absinthe website. It contains brands reviews, a list of good places to purchase from (online and in the 'real world'), tips and tricks for first-time buyers and absinthe-related news. Does absinthe really cause hallucinations? | HowStuffWorks Does absinthe really cause hallucinations? Is the "Green Fairy" myth true? Eric Litton used under CCAS 2.5 License When absinthe -- also known as the Green Fairy -- was banned in France, Switzerland, the Un­ited States and many other countries in the early 1900s, it had become associated with illicit behavior.

In fact, it was accused of turning children into criminals, encouraging loose morals and inspiring murders. That regular old alcohol received similar treatment during the Prohibition period in the United States turns out to be pretty apropos: We now know that properly manufactured absinthe -- an anise-flavored, alcoholic drink -- is no more dangerous than any other properly prepared liquor. What about the tales of hallucinations, Oscar Wilde and his tulips, family massacres and instant death? Not absinthe's fault, technically speaking. Absinthe does have a very high alcohol content -- anywhere between 55 and 75 percent, which equates to about 110 to 144 proof. It makes whiskey's standard 40 percent (80 proof) seem like child's play, which is why absinthe is supposed to be diluted. Absinthe is not a hallucinogen; its alcohol content and herbal flavor sets it apart from other liquors. More on Alcohol Alcohol Quiz Traditional absinthe is made of anise, fennel and wormwood (a plant), and various recipes add other herbs and flowers to the mix.

The anise, fennel and wormwood are soaked in alcohol, and the mixture is then distilled. The distillation process causes the herbal oils and the alcohol to evaporate, separating from the water and bitter essences released by the herbs. The fennel, anise and wormwood oils then recondense with the alcohol in a cooling area, and the distiller dilutes the resulting liquid down to whatever proof the absinthe is supposed to be (based on brand variations or regional laws). At this point, the absinthe is clear; many manufacturers add herbs to the mixture after distillation to get the classic green color from their chlorophyll. ­ ­The chemical that's taken all the­ blame for absinthe's hallucinogenic reputation is called thujone, which is a component of wormwood. In very high doses, thujone can be toxic. It is a GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid) inhibitor, meaning it blocks GABA receptors in the brain , which can cause convulsions if you ingest enough of it. It occurs naturally in many foods, but never in doses high enough to hurt you. And there's not enough thujone in absinthe to hurt you, either.

By the end of the distillation process, there is very little thujone left in the product. Modern science has estimated that a person drinking absinthe would die from alcohol poisoning long before he or she were affected by the thujone. And there is no evidence at all that thujone can cause hallucinations, even in high doses. In view of modern analysis of the drink and its ingredients, any absinthe-related deaths can most likely be attributed to alcoholism , alcohol poisoning or drinking the cheap stuff, which, like moonshine , can have poisonous additives in it. Do not buy absinthe from some guy in an alley -- you're looking at the same dangers you'd face drinking moonshine sold off the back of a truck. And unless you've got a distiller in your garage, those make-it-yourself kits sold on the Internet are going to help you create a really terrible tasting liquor-soaked-herb beverage, not absinthe.

For the record, that man who killed his family in Switzerland in 1905, spurring a whole slew of absinthe bans and even a constitutional amendment, was under the influence of absinthe -- which he'd been drinking since he woke up that morning and throughout the rest of the day (and the day before that and the day before that). And Oscar Wilde? Well, no doubt the poet did see tulips on his legs as he walked out into the morning light after a night of drinking absinthe at a local bar -- chalk it up to creative license. Absinthe is now perfectly legal in every country in which alcohol is legal. In fact, in 2007, the United States lifted its 100-year-long ban, provided that the absinthe is free of thujone. So once again European distillers are importing the Green Fairy stateside, and once again mixologists and absinthe enthusiasts are debating whether the newest version is truly authentic [source: Time ].

­ Absinthe - Buy Absinthe Online, Thujone, Wormwood & Absinthe Green Fairy £9.49 £7.99 Absinthe has enjoyed the reputation of being a creativity enhancer and aphrodisiac for over 200 years now. Henri-Louis Pernod's original absinthe recipe included green anise, fennel, angelica, hyssop and wormwood (which contains the neurotoxin thujone). Chlorophyll was then added to give absinthe a green hue thus giving rise to its romantic nickname "La Fée Verte" or the green fairy. Nearly a century after its near global ban, absinthe is making a dramatic comeback. Most members of the European Union now allow the sale of absinthe, with a limit of 35 milligrams of thujone per kilogram. Buy absinthe online today... it is safely and quickly shipped to the USA! All brands of our absinthe liquors - supplied by La Boheme, are the genuine, strong absinthe products manufactured according to an original recipe.

Here in our liquor store you can buy Absinthe Original Bitter Spirit, King of Spirits Gold, genuine Absinthe Original as well as other absinthe liquors, absinthe spoons, fountains and absinthe glasses, absinthe zippo lighters or absinthe accessories. Categories The Green Fairy drink recipe - Drinknation.com The Green Fairy Drink Recipe Glass to Use 1 1/2 oz. (fresh) Lemon Juice 1 oz. Water Save to del.icio.us Comments on The Green Fairy: There aren't any comments for The Green Fairy yet. Why not mix one up and be the first to leave your thoughts? Comment on this drink recipe: Comment: Absinthe History and Legends, Whats Cooking America Absinthe History and Legends Absinthe –The Revival of the “Green Fairy” Are you familiar with absinthe history and legends? A now legalized liquor that has long been rumored to cause madness. No other drink has inspired so much fear, so much awe, and allure as absinthe!

In French, the word “absinthe” means “wormwood.” It was also known as the “green fairy” during its heyday in France in the 1800s. The Green Fairy is the English translation of La Fee Verte, the French nickname given to absinthe in the 19th century. The nickname stuck, and over a century later, “absinthe” and “Green Fairy” continue to be used. Absinthe is an anise-flavored liquor or spirit that is made by steeping wormwood (wormwood has been defined as the quinine of the poor) and other aromatic herbs (hyssop, lemon balm, and angelica) in alcohol. The drink is distinguished by its dazzling emerald blue-green clarity, due to its chlorophyll content. When mixed with water, the liquor changes to cloudy white. Pernod was the original absinthe. It is still distilled today, only without the wormwood. Other liqueurs used today as a substitute for wormwood are Ricard, Hersaint, Anisette, Ouzo, and Sambuca.

Definition of Wormwood: Wormwood is a derivation of the German word “wermut” or the Anglo-Saxon word “wermod,” and has a lineage to the word “vermouth.” Wormwood has also come to mean a bitter or mortifying experience. Any of 250 strong-smelling plants with white or yellow flowers that are generally classed as weed. It is specifically the Eurasian perennial (Artemisia absinthium) that is so notorious in the cocktail world. It produces a bitter, dark-green oil once used in making absinthe, vermouth, and other bitters. Wormwood had been used medicinally since the Middle Ages to exterminate tapeworms in the abdomen while leaving the human host uninjured and even rejuvenated by the experience. Absinthe is traditionally served with water and a cube of sugar. The sugar cube was place on an absinthe spoon (a small slotted spoon), and the liquor was drizzled over the sugar into the glass of cold water until the sugar was dissolved and the desired dilution was obtained. The sugar helped take the bitter edge away from the absinthe, and when poured into water, the liquor turned a milky white.

The spoons themselves were often works of art, covered with filigree flowers and stars, or shaped like sea shells. The effect of this drink was related to the degree of dilution, the amount imbibed, and the frequency of drinking. Physical effects of nausea, disorientation, hallucination and seizure were noted by the drinkers of absinthe. Of course, these effects can be noticed by anyone who drinks too much! The popularity of absinthe lasted just over 100 years. 15th Century B.C. Accounts in ancient texts dating as far as 1500 B.C. mention that wormwood’s medicinal as well as religious significance, and even a drink that was fortified with extract of wormwood. We will likely never know the exact origins of the very first absinthe ever distilled or the name of its original inventor. 1st Century A.D. The first written detailed description of absinthe’s use and therapeutic properties was written by Gaius Plinius Cecilius Secundus (23 A.D.-79 A.D.), better known as Pliny the Elder’s. He was an Roman scholar, author, naturalist, and naval and military commander.

He is known for his great compendium of the knowledge of the ancient world called Naturalis Historia (Latin for Natural History): “There are several kinds of absinthe: that called Santonic from a city of Gaul, the Pontic from Pontus, where cattle grow fat on it and because of it are found without gall; there is none finer than this. The Italian is far more bitter, while the pith of the Pontic is sweet. About its use all agree, for it is a plant very easy to find and among the most useful; moreover it is honored uniquely in the rites of the Roman people in that at the Latin festival when four-horsed chariots race on the Capitol the victor drinks absinthe, because, I believe, our ancestors thought that it was an honouable reward to be given health….” 18th Century A.D. 1789 – 1792 – According to history or legend (not sure which it is), absinthe was originally developed by Dr. Pierre Ordinaire. He was a French doctor in self-exile due to political reasons, who was living in the Swiss town of Couvet.

It was said that he discovered the plant wormwood while traveling in the Val-de-Travers. He mixed wormwood and other herbs with alcohol to create his 136 proof elixir. He used this elixir in his treatment of the sick. After many claims of miracuous healing powers, it became a cure-all. It was eventually nicknamed “la Fee Verte,” which means the Green Fairy. It is also believed that Dr. Ordinaire either gave or sold his recipe to Mademoiselle Grand-Pierre, who then sold it to two sisters named Henrod in Couvet. Some historical information suggest that the Henroid sisters were making the elixir before Dr. Ordinaire even arrived in the area, and his is credited with being one of the first people to promote it. The Henrod sisters promoted the elixir commercially by offering sample of the elixir to be sold in nearby pharmacies. 1794 – Abram-Louis Perrenoud (1776-1851), a distiller by trade, living in Couvet in the Val de Travers region of Switzerland.

Somewhere around the year 1794, Abram-Louis actually scribbled his recipe for absinthe in his diary. 1797 – A Frenchman named Major Daniel-Henri Dubied, a lace merchant, recognized the commercial potential of the formula and purchased the recipe from Perrenoud. Since he had to distilling experience, he employed Abram-Louis’ son, Henri-Louis Perrenoud, who had learned the distilling trade from his father. It is also said that the Major’s daughter, Emile, married Henri-Louis in 1797. In 1798, along with Dubied’s sons, they began producing absinthe under the name of Dubied Pe et Fils. 1805 – In 1805, after several permutations of partnership, Henri-Louis changed his surname from Perrenoud to Pernod and he established a distillery of his own in Pontarlier, France called Maison Pernod Fils. 19th Century A.D. 1847 – Absinthe’s progress from medicine to social poison started with the military.

It is said that the demand for absinthe rose dramatically after the Algerian War (1844-1847) when the soldiers were given rations of absinthe along with their drinking water as a bacterial deterrent. The soldiers, now hooked on absinthe, began drinking it in peace time France, thus starting the first surge in absinthe popularity. 1870 – 1900 – Grape Phylloxera (a tiny aphid-like insect that attacks the roots of grapevines) attacked the root stock of vineyard all over the France and Europe. The epidemic devastated most of the European wine growing industry. Within 25 years, grape phylloxera had destroyed two-thirds of the vineyards in Europe. The price of wine skyrocketed and became scarce and very expense. The aristocrats bought and consumed what wine was available. The middle class (the artisans and tradesmen) began looking for a cheaper alternative to wine. As absinthe was already growing in popularity, it became the perfect alternative.

1880 – From the 1880s to the turn of the century, drinking absinthe during the cocktail hour in France became so popular that people begin calling it the I’heure verte (the green hour) for the liquor’s bright green color. Generally, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., the cafes in Paris would be crowded with people drinking absinthe. At cafes, one could find policemen, laborers, bankers, and artists, all enjoying the elaborate absinthe ritual and all getting “loaded.” Absinthe was the “beaverage du jour” for artists, writers, and poets in Europe. It was known as the drink of the Bohemians. The bohemians were self-impoverished artists, writers, musicians, free-thinkers, and counter-culture types. Manet, Toulouse-Lautrec, Degas, Picasso, de Maupassant, and especially Vincent Van Gogh are associated with absinthe. The “green fairy,” as absinthe came to be called for purportedly causing hallucinations, is thought to have encouraged Van Gogh to cut off part of his left ear.

They believed absinthe stimulated creativity. Absinthe was believed to raise the drinkers consciousness, insights, and emotional experience to another level. It seemed that everyone indulged themselves enthusiastically; so enthusiastically in fact that alcoholism began to be a serious problem in France. Men and women became enthralled with the ritual of presentation as well as with the appearance, taste, and excitement of the liqueur. Absinthe was one of the few drinks considered ladylike and women freely enjoyed drinking it in the dance halls and coffee houses where it was most commonly served. Picasso painted several haunting images featuring absinthe women drinkers. Absinthe drinking was exported to New Orleans and its French Quarter, where the Old Absinthe House have been a tourist attraction for more than a century. Absinthe appeared in New Orleans liquor advertisements as early as 1837, but its popularity didn’t take off until the latter half of the 19th century with the opening of the barroom that would become the Old Absinthe House in 1874. 20th Century A.D.

At the turn of the 20th century, much of France (and parts of the rest of Europe and the United States) were on an absinthe binge. This wide spread popularity led to an attempt at its prohibition. Backed by the French wine growers, the temperance movement targeted absinthe as responsible for alcoholism, racial degeneration, and social instability. 1910 – Absinthe was banned in Switzerland 1912 – When the prohibition movements were underway, on July 25, 1912, the Department of Agriculture banned absinthe in America. One of the reasons it is banned in the U.S. is that it was thought to have caused insanity and hallucinations that drove drinkers to commit criminal acts. In other words, it was pretty much like any other alcoholic drink. 1915 – At the outbreak of the First World War, the drink was seen as a threat to the nation, and the National Assembly voted for the bill to ban absinthe as an act of national defense. The France banned absinthe use in 1915.

1990 – A revival of absinthe began in the 1990s, when countries in Europe began to reauthorize its manufacture and sale. 21st Century A.D. Absinthe is once again legal in most of the world! 2007 – In 2007, after 95 years of prohibition, absinthe was finally authorized again for sale in the United States in bars and liquor stores. U.S. re-evaluation came after European distillers pressured American officials to conduct real research and approve authorization of selling absinthe. March 5th was declared to be the unofficial National Absinthe Day in the United States. Absinthe Day is another way to celebrate the fact that the popularity of this drink has resurfaced in recent times. How To Drink Absinthe – Chasing The Green Fairy My daughters, Nancy and Brenda, and my granddaughter, Tabitha, spent several days in Las Vegas celebrating Tabitha’s 21st birthday. I still ca not believe that I am old enough to have a 21-year old granddaughter. The years just slipped away!

One of the things that I have wanted to do (my bucket list), was to taste absinthe. I had researched this drink for my web site in the past, and wanted to taste it. Now that it is legal again, this was my chance. My daughters have also wanted to taste absinthe. What a better time than on my granddaughter’s 21st birthday! I guess that gives me several excuses and reasons to partake and “Chase The Green Fairy.” Below are photos that I took while our drinks were being made and instructions for you to make your own absinthe drinks. Traditional Method – Absinthe Drip (Traditional French Method): Select a quality bottle of absinthe for your drink. The best tasting bottles of absinthe are in the range of 45 to 68% alcohol by volume. A big part of absinthe’s lore comes from the rituals surrounding it’s consumption and the special equipment required to make this drink. Pour the Absinthe into a glass. Place an Absinthe spoon (flat-slotted absinthe spoon) on the top of the glass and set a single sugar cube on top of the spoon.

The sugar is traditionally used to balance the bitter taste of the absinthe. NOTE: If you don’t have an absinthe spoon or sugar cubes, you can just use granulated sugar, mixing it in any glass of your choice. Various styles of absinthe spoons Very slowly drip 3 to 5 parts of iced water onto the sugar cube to dissolve the sugar into the absinthe using an Absinthe Fountain (see above photo) or slowly pouring from a carafe or pitcher. It is important to do this drop-by-drop. The water added to the absinthe must always be iced, as cold as possible. The advantage of using an Absinthe Fountain is that you could add ice cubes to the water to keep it cold. The usual ratio for absinthe to water is either 1:3 or 1:5. A traditional 2 ounces of absinthe with 6 ounces water will equal an 8 ounce drink and fill most of the glass The amount of water added to your absinthe drink is entirely at the customer’s discretion and taste. The sugar cube will slowly start to collapse and drip into the glass, eventually leaving only a few drops of sugared water on the spoon.

As water is slowly poured water into the absinthe, it slowly turns a milky white (opaqueness). This is known as the “louche” effect. According to the brand of absinthe you use in your drink, there is a considerable variety both in color and in the opacity of the louche. As you pour in the water, watch the as it mixes with the absinthe. When the water-to-absinthe ratio reaches a certain level, the essential oils which are dissolved in the absinthe during distillation will emulsify with the water and create the opalescent and cloudy effect known as the “louche.” Seeing the absinthe drink gradually change color was considered a part of its ritualistic attraction. When the sugar cube has almost completely dissolved, add the rest of the iced water needed (your choice) in a thin stream. Now mix it all together (this is called muddling) with your absinthe spoon. Your absinthe is now ready to drink. Sip your drink and enjoy. Option: Some people will add 2 or 3 ice cubes to the finished drink. You may do this, but it may be frowned upon by absinthe purists.

Non-Traditional Method – Bohemian-Style Absinthe (Czech method): The Czech method is more dramatic, but burning absinthe is not traditional, but it makes an impressive exhibition. This method or gimmick was introduced by the producers of Czech Absinthe (considered a fake absinthe) in the 1990s. It is not recommended because it can be dangerous due to the high alcohol content in absinthe. To do this method, drip some absinthe onto the sugar cube, sitting on the absinthe spoon, and light it on fire for approximately 1 minute. The fire will caramelize the sugar as it drips down into the absinthe in the glass (the caramelized sugar adds a little additional flavor, This unusual method uses 1/2 the water of the French method, and thus makes a stronger drink. Sazerac Cocktail: This drink is considered by historians as the first cocktail ever invented. It was originally created by a New Orleans pharmacy in the early 19th century to ward off tropical malaise.

1/2 ounce cream 4 ounces shaved or crushed ice * Orgeat Syrup is a sweet syrup made from almonds, sugar, and either rose water or orange-flower water. Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a blender, blend for 5 seconds and serve in a chilled cocktail glass. Ernest Hemingway’s Death in the Afternoon Cocktail: A recipe verified in the 1935 humoristic celebrities’ cocktail book titled, So Red the Nose, or Breath in the Afternoon. Hemingway wrote: “This was arrived at by the author and three officers of the H.M.S. Danae after having spent seven hours overboard trying to get Capt. Bra Saunders’ fishing boat off a bank where she had gone with us in a N.W. gale.” Ingredients: Pour one (1) jigger absinthe into a Champagne glass. Add iced Champagne until it attains the proper opalescent milkiness. Drink three to five of these slowly. Absinthe Martini – European style: The mixture below was created around the beginning of the 20th century, when it became fashionable in France to drink American-style’ cocktails.

Ingredients: 1 1/2 ounces dry vermouth 1 dash absinthe Inspired by Green Fairy: The Story of Green Absinthe Goddess Green Fairy: The symbol of libertï¿½ The Green Fairy is the English translation of La Fee Verte, the affectionate French nickname given to the celebrated absinthe drink in the nineteenth century. The nickname stuck, and over a century later, "absinthe" and "Green Fairy" continue to be used interchangeably by devotees of the potent green alcohol . Mind you, absinthe earned other nicknames, too: poets and artists were inspired by the "Green Muse"; Aleister Crowley, the British occultist, worshipped the "Green Goddess". But no other nickname stuck as well as the original, and many drinkers of absinthe refer to the green liquor simply as La Fee - the Fairy. The symbol of transformation But Green Fairy isn't just another name for absinthe: she is a metaphorical concept of artistic enlightenment and exploration, of poetic inspiration, of a freer state of mind, of new ideas, of a changing social order.

To the ignorant drunk, absinthe will forever remain but potent alcohol, perhaps with a bit of thujone "high" thrown in. To the original bohemians of 1890s Paris, the Fairy was a welcomed symbol of transformation. She was the trusted guide en-route to artistic innovativation; she was the symbol of thirst (for life) to Arthur Rimbaud, the first "punk poet": it was the Fairy who guided him -- and his fellow poet and partner Paul Verlaine -- on their quest to escape the conventional reality of their time into the sanctuary of the surreal. Transformation has always been the fundamental essence of the Green Fairy, for transformation is what she provides on several parallels. During the magical ritual of la louche , the drink itself first transforms from the concentrated, alcohol-rich, deep emerald green liquor into an alluring opalescent, cloudy greenish-white mixture. This, of course, is symbolic of the subsequent transformation that shall take place in the drinker's mind.

As the cool water liberates the power of wormwood oil and the other herbal ingredients from the green concentrate, so will new ideas, concepts and notions be set free in the mind of the drinker -- be he a poet, an artist, a scientist, or the common man on the street. Apparently so, anyway. The goddess of artistic rebellion Is the above a fanciful, perhaps absinthe-induced description of the powers of the Fairy? Let the reader -- or perhaps the drinker -- decide for himself. Let there be no doubt, however, that the turn of the last two centuries produced art, poetry and ideas that were, for their time, shockingly original, rebellious and challenging to the extreme. This was the time of Rimbaud and Verlaine , who pursued their quest of challenging convention whenever they came across it. Their antics caused outrage across Europe at the time, but their ingenious poetry -- a reflection of their search for the true meaning of life -- remains with us to this day. Inspiring and liberating, the Green Fairy was a powerful symbol of the avant-garde elite that gathered in Parisian cafes at the turn of the last two centuries.

In this sense, the Fairy was what pot later became to the hippie subculture of the 1960s. In her company -- or under her influence -- Belle Epoque writers and artists became lucid commentators on an emerging new world. With the stroke of a brush or a pen, they experimented, they rebelled, they provoked, and so they successfully subverted the stuffy conventions of the time. L'Absinthe: One case in point "What a slut," declared George Moore, a British art critic, when, in 1893, he first set his eyes on Edgar Degas's painting L'Absinthe. The "slut" in the picture was not the Green Fairy, but a French actress portrayed drinking absinthe in a Parisian cafe. She was one Ellen Andree, the painter's friend, shown in a reflective moment in a cafe called La Nouvelle-Athenes. Perhaps not surprisingly, this piece of art proved a little too nouvelle for the straight-laced Victorian taste across the Channel. What was surprising though was the intense Francophobia that the painting ignited within the London art world. First, the picture was hissed at and booed out of a Christie's auction room.

Soon, the English were raging against anything French: the French culture (or the lack of it, as some would put it), the "French poison" (absinthe) and even the "French disease" (syphilis). The modern menace The trouble with L'Absinthe was, of course, it was too modern for its time. Absinthe was the usual scapegoat, but it wasn't absinthe itself that caused the hysteria: it was the idea of a woman drinking it. The picture challenged the established "natural" order. It challenged the conventional understanding of the place of a woman in the society. It defied the traditional notions of decency, morality, and propriety: the enjoyment of a drink in a public cafe apparently wasn't a pleasure available to a polite lady of the day. It wasn't until many years later that Degas's painting became widely appreciated as a true masterpiece. The rage that Degas's L'Absinthe caused in England was an expression of a pre-existing nervous fear that the decadent ways of the Continent might reach the shores of the British Isles, too.

Two years previously, Marie Corelli, the English author of "Wormwood: A Drama of Paris", wrote: "The morbidness of the modern French mind is well-known and universally admitted ... the open atheism, heartlessness, flippancy, and flagrant immorality of the whole modern French school of thought is unquestioned." Corelli also warned: "It must also be remembered that in the many French cafes and restaurants which have recently sprung up in London, Absinthe is always to be obtained at its customary low price -- French habits, French fashions, French books, French pictures, are particularly favoured by the English, and who can predict that French drug-taking shall not also become a la mode in Britain?" Meanwhile in Paris, the Green Fairy had long been a welcomed guest in the Nouvelle-Athenes cafe, the place Degas depicted in L'Absinthe. Sarah Bernhard drunk there, as did Van Gogh, Lautrec, Gauguin, Manet, Monet and other famous and not-so-famous bohemians. Over a glass of absinthe, they painted and wrote, discussed and shared ideas, or just gossipped, sang or read poetry.

As a metaphorical creature locked within a bottle of absinthe, the Green Fairy continued to earn her reputation as the artist's muse all over the Continent. The abrupt end came in the second decade of the twentieth century when the Belgians, then the Swiss and the French banned absinthe. By that time, the Green Fairy had prompted a generation of artists to produce countless works dedicated to, or inspired by, the curious creature with green wings. Got something to say about the Green Fairy? At Absinthe Fever, we encourage you to get involved. In fact, this whole site is meant as an open forum about absinthe, because we believe that absinthe is more than a drink, or a bit of thujone in a bottle. The Green Fairy -- the affectionate name given to the absinthe drink in the 19th century -- is art, poetry, experience, lifestyle... So join us and share your thoughts anywhere on Absinthe Fever! 14 people have Copyright © 2006 AbsintheFever.com Contributors. All Rights Reserved. Out of the bottle: The Green Fairy at work, liberating the mind of a poet.

The dramatic pose of the poet and the misty-green appearance of the painting symbolise the effects of absinthe. ('The Green Muse' by Albert Maignan, 1895.) About the Green Fairy Where there is a will, there is a way, and folks do go out of their way for a chance to meet the "Goddess" -- like the guy who claims the Green Fairy can be summoned by soaking wormwood in alcohol . Well, no, it cannot... sorry, but it just doesn't work like that. Unless you own a still, there is no way you will ever make real absinthe at home. (I'm beginning to wonder why we called this part useful links...) Anyhow, let's move onto the useful / interesting stuff... This page would not be complete without mentioning MsJekyll's Green Fairy page . A modern-day absinthe icon, MsJekyll published an absinthe website years before the current absinthe revival. Been there, done that - well before the current bunch of absinthe 'experts' appeared on the web. Don't miss MsJekyll's poetry - dark but beautiful.

6 Ways to Drink Absinthe - wikiHow Six Methods: Classic French Czech or Modern Bohemian "Glass in a Glass" "Backdraft" Neat Absinthe Enjoying Absinthe in Cocktails Community Q&A Absinthe is a formerly banned spirit drink that is made with Artemisia absinthium (wormwood) and other herbs. It is also known as la fée verte (the green fairy). During the 19th century absinthe became a very popular drink in central Europe, although it was eventually banned. After being illegal for many years, true absinthe is once again legal in many countries. And like any great spirit, there are many drinking rituals surrounding it. Try one, try all — just don't start seeing green. Steps 1 Select a quality bottle of absinthe. Absinthe is made using many different methods and ingredients. There are several standards that help one to determine if a particular brand of absinthe is authentic and of high quality. It is also possible to make absinthe , although this is dangerous and not recommended. Different brands of absinthe will contain anywhere from negligible amounts of thujone up to about 35 mg/kg thujone.

See the Tips below for more about the role of thujone in absinthe. International standards require that alcoholic beverages that contain greater than 25 percent alcohol by volume contain no more than 10 mg/kg thujone, while bitter spirits may contain up to 35 mg/kg thujone. If an absinthe is labeled as a bitter, it will probably contain 10 to 35 mg/kg thujone. Thujone is illegal as a food additive in the United States, but authentic absinthe containing negligible amounts of thujone can be legally sold. Vintage bottles of pre-ban absinthe can be obtained, and it is reputed that some of the lesser quality versions contained inordinately high levels of thujone and harmful adulterants such as copper salts, aniline dye and antimony trichloride. These circumstances may have led to absinthe's poor reputation. 2 Be aware that quality absinthe should show the louche effect. It is desirable for absinthe to gradually demonstrate increasing turbidity (opaqueness) or turn partially translucent as ice water is gradually added to it. This is known as the louche effect.

The louched color should demonstrate complexity as well as nuance, and the absinthe should not turn opaque rapidly. However, it must be noted that not all quality absinthe will turn opaque, as the louche effect is primarily produced by the herbs anise and fennel. Absinthe typically tastes like licorice due to the addition of such herbs. The louche effect is produced by the precipitation of the herbal essential oils. 3 Select absinthe that is made from natural, whole herbal ingredients. The finest absinthe is made with whole, natural herbs and does not contain any artificial ingredients such as artificial colors and flavors. The herbs are merely ground up so that they can be efficiently used during the distillation and extraction processes. The pale-green color of typical high-quality absinthe is imparted by the chlorophyll that is extracted from whole, natural herbs. Absinthe that is bright green may be artificially colored. However, not all quality absinthe has a green color. Quality absinthe may also be clear, orange, or red, but the color should be imparted by natural herbal ingredients such as petite wormwood.

Vintage absinthe may have an amber color, as the chlorophyll will have faded over time. If you're lucky enough to obtain a bottle of vintage absinthe, consider opening the bottle with a food scientist in order to ensure that the spirit is indeed safe to drink. 4 Select absinthe that has a high alcohol content. The best tasting absinthe falls into the range of 45-68 percent alcohol by volume. Absinthe has traditionally been about 136-proof. A very high alcohol content is not considered to be excessive because absinthe is traditionally diluted with water before drinking and it is meant to be sipped slowly over time, so as not to allow the effects of alcohol to overwhelm the subtle and pleasant effect of the herbs. Method Classic French 1 Pour about one ounce (30ml) of absinthe into a glass. There are various types of glasses that can be used, some of antique or historical design and others of more modern design. French absinthe glasses, such as reservoir pontarlier glasses, are quite suitable for the French absinthe ritual.

Different styles of reservoir glasses are available, but every style will have a distinct or bulbous bottom area that indicates the amount of absinthe that is to be initially poured. 2 Lay a flat, perforated absinthe spoon across the rim of the glass, and place a single cube of sugar on the perforated area of the spoon. This is customary but is not necessary. The sugar is traditionally used to balance the bitter taste of the wormwood. 3 Drip very pure ice cold water into the absinthe from a small pitcher. This very slow and gradual addition of the water forms the heart of the absinthe ritual, and is done with or without the sugar. When using sugar, the cold water is dripped over the sugar and into the drink, causing the sugar to slowly dissolve into the absinthe. Very high quality absinthe can be expertly experienced simply with the ice cold water. Three or four ounces of water are added per ounce of absinthe. Ice cubes can be added to the pitcher of water if desired, but be sure that they don't fall into the glass of absinthe. As the water is added to the absinthe, the absinthe should gradually louche.

Absinthe fountains were traditionally used to drip the ice cold water into absinthe drinks. Brouilleur devices can also be used to automatically drip the water into individual glasses. The brouilleur is placed over the glass, and water, ice cubes, or ice water (as well as sugar if desired) is added to it. The water will gradually drip through the brouilleur into the absinthe. The brouilleur is removed before drinking the prepared absinthe. 4 Stir the drink with the absinthe spoon after the water has been added. Two or three ice cubes can be added to the finished drink, but this practice may be frowned upon by absinthe purists. Method Czech or Modern Bohemian 1 Pour a dose of absinthe into a glass, then place a sugar cube on an absinthe spoon or teaspoon. 2 Soak the sugar in absinthe by dipping it into the absinthe with the spoon or pouring a little absinthe over it. 3 Light the absinthe-soaked sugar on fire for about one minute, allowing the sugar to begin to caramelize.

(This is not recommended because it can be extremely dangerous due to the high alcohol content which makes the absinthe very flammable). If an absinthe spoon is used, take care that the sugar does not burn, nor drip into the absinthe, ruining its flavor. 4 Pour ice-cold water over the sugar cube before it begins turning brown and burning. This process should produce the louche effect. 5 Use this method appropriately. Though frowned upon by some absinthe aficionados, this untraditional method has become popular in recent years. Absinthe with a high alcohol content will ignite more readily, but it is certainly not recommended that high-quality absinthe be set aflame. Method "Glass in a Glass" 1 Place a small glass full of absinthe (containing one ounce of absinthe) inside a larger empty glass. 2 Drip the cold water into the small glass, causing the contents of the small glass to overflow into the larger glass. Once the three or four ounces of water have been added, the large glass will contain the absinthe and water mixture, while the small glass will just contain water. 3 Remove the small glass from the larger glass before drinking the absinthe from the larger glass.

Method "Backdraft" 1 Note that this method can be dangerous if done improperly. Because it involves lighting the absinthe on fire and then placing your palm over the shot glass to extinguish the flame, you're quite literally toying with fire. If you are unsure about the directions or feel unsafe about the thought of performing them, please do not attempt. You're literally toying with fire. Also understand that this method involves drinking a shot of absinthe straight, without dilution. As absinthe can be an incredibly strong alcohol, this method is not recommended for light drinkers. 2 Get a small shot glass and fill about ¾ of it with absinthe. Make sure the absinthe does not fill the shot glass completely. Also make sure that the palm of your hand fits comfortably over the whole rim of the shot glass. You will not be able to perform the backdraft trick if the rim of the glass is bigger than your palm. 3 With a match or a lighter, set fire to the shot of absinthe. The flame should take immediately and burn easily because of the alcohol content of absinthe. Note: Do not let the absinthe burn for a long time.

Bad things can happen the longer you let the absinthe burn. The shot glass gets hotter, increasing the risk of burning your hand. The flame also burns away the alcohol and herbs of the absinthe, ruining the delicate flavors. Also, your glass can crack if you let the flame burn too long, or, if you're using a plastic cup, it can melt (and also release plastic fumes). 4 Quickly place your palm over the rim of the shot glass, covering it completely and extinguishing the fire.Do this no longer than 5 seconds after setting the drink ablaze. You should feel a suction effect if you place your hand over the entire rim of the shot glass. Although you'd think it would burn to place your hand over the flame, the flame is pretty much immediately choked out since it no longer has any oxygen to serve as fuel. Counterintuitively, this process shouldn't hurt at all if you don't let the absinthe burn for very long. 5 Bring the shot glass to your nose, slowly break the suction, and breathe in the alcohol vapor produced by the flame. Lightly remove only a portion of your palm from the shot glass instead of removing your entire hand at once.

6 Sip or shoot the shot of absinthe. Enjoy it at your leisure or down it in one fell swoop. Method Neat Absinthe 1 Drink absinthe straight (neat). It may be ideal to taste vintage absinthe neat, as this will enable one to evaluate some of the particular nuances of a particular sample of absinthe. 2 Keep in mind that this is not customary due to the very high alcohol content of traditional absinthe. 3 Remember that the louche effect is a very important quality of absinthe, however, and should therefore be experienced when preparing quality absinthe. Method Enjoying Absinthe in Cocktails 1 Try a Death in the Afternoon. Simple and sophisticated, this drink was famously described by Ernest Hemingway. Quoth the American master: "Pour 1 jigger of absinthe into a champagne glass. Add iced [brut] champagne until it attains the proper opalescent milkiness. Drink three to five of these slowly." [1] 2 Try an absinthe sazerac.

The sazerac, created by Antoine Amédée Peychaud in the early 1800s, is one of the oldest known cocktails. [2] Add a little absinthe to this stellar recipe to make it really stand out. Add three dashes of absinthe to a bucket glass nearly filled with ice cubes. In a cocktail shaker with ice, mix vigorously: 2 ounces Osocalis brandy If this question (or a similar one) is answered twice in this section, please click here to let us know. Tips The primary active botanical constituent in absinthe has been thought until recently to be thujone. However there is debate that the push and pull effect of the many herbs such as valerian root for example which is a depressant and the stimulant effect of other herbs used in its production may simply be at work. Thujone is derived from wormwood, although varieties of wormwood that are grown in certain geographical locales may not contain appreciable or significant amounts of thujone and other botanicals such as common sage contain much higher concentrations. As such, authentic absinthe that is made with grand wormwood need not contain measurable amounts of thujone.

Roman or petite wormwood (Artemisia pontica) also contains thujone, and is commonly used in addition to Artemisia absinthium. Artemisia absinthium should be used during the primary distillation of absinthe, while Artemisia pontica may be used to naturally color the distilled absinthe. Thujone can be extracted during the distillation and coloring processes. Purchase absinthe that has been produced by reputable, traditional European distillers. France, Spain, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic produce authentic, high-quality absinthe. Wormwood is quite bitter, and the additional herbs are used to improve and mask the bitter taste of absinthe. Quality absinthe is also distilled using certain methods to produce a less bitter product. Like fine cognac, the "heart" of the distillation should be used for the finest absinthe, while the "heads" and "tailings" of the distillation (the beginning and the end of the distillation process) are used to make lower-quality absinthe ordinaire or are used to process (soak) the herbal maceration.

However, authentic absinthe should have a somewhat bitter taste, as this bitter taste is an indication that wormwood has been used. Wormwood and other herbs can be added during different stages of the absinthe production process, and various production methods are utilized. This results in different flavors, variable final absinthe color, and variable concentrations of thujone. As such, different absinthe distillers produce absinthe that contains high levels of thujone, medium to low levels of thujone, and negligible levels of thujone. Some modern absinthe distilleries produce absinthe that is similar to pre-ban absinthe. As absinthe was banned for such a long time, the art of absinthe production is still being researched and re-learned. As such, some very high quality absinthe is produced using antique pre-ban distillation equipment as well as historical recipes and techniques. Some of the pre-ban absinthe production techniques were apparently quite complex, and are difficult to reproduce. Quality absinthe is made by using herbs during the distillation process. The herbs used during this process are not used to impart the characteristic color to the absinthe.

The color is created later during the absinthe production process when herbs are merely soaked in the alcohol that has already been distilled with herbs. This is referred to as an herbal maceration (without subsequent distillation). Lower quality absinthe is essentially made from an herbal maceration, and no herbs are used during the distillation process. Very low quality absinthe may be made using cheap herbal extracts or essences, as well as artificial flavors and colors. Such absinthe may in fact be quite expensive and be labeled with somewhat misleading information. Traditional absinthe recipes call for a maceration of natural, whole wormwood and other herbs such as anise, licorice, hyssop, veronica, fennel, lemon balm, and angelica. An initial maceration may be distilled, then the resulting alcohol may be used for a subsequent maceration that is not distilled. When purchasing absinthe and absinthe-related products, be sure to read product labels or follow the advice of trusted absinthe connoisseurs.

If you don't like the licorice taste of traditional absinthe, there are various brands of absinthe that are made without anise and other herbs that impart the licorice flavor to absinthe. Warnings Always drink alcoholic beverages responsibly. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery while your judgment is impaired. Absinthe that contains high levels of thujone may be harmful and is more than likely "bathtub" or homemade variety and not the authentic item. Thujone is toxic, especially when high concentrations are consumed. Thujone is a convulsant and binds to gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GABAA) receptors in the central nervous system. The level of thujone in European absinthe is regulated, and such set levels are not thought to be harmful. Absinthe is not an illegal drug, although thujone is regulated due to its potential toxicity. It is not recommended that one drink more than three or four servings of absinthe in one sitting. The acute intake of absinthe is not thought to be harmful, but chronic, long-term consumption may cause harm as with any other alcohol.

Absinthe that is labeled as a "bitter" may contain a relatively large amount of thujone, perhaps up to 35 mg/kg. Never consume wormwood extract or oil, as these are very toxic and can be lethal. Never drink absinthe just because it contains thujone. The GABA-type brain receptors that thujone acts upon are also acted upon or influenced by antioxidant polyphenol flavonoids. These flavonoids are not toxic like thujone, and are found in non-toxic herbs such as chamomile and valerian. Absinthe has a high alcohol content.

Question: Which drink was once known as ‘the green fairy’?
Answer: Absinthe