What is the Absinthe Effect?
Absinthe (or absynthe as it may be) has long had a reported ability to, well, quite frankly knock you on your ass and take you for the trip of your life! While Absinthe has been banned since 1923 in the US, it seems that that law has laxed at late. The FDA has a ban against the primary active ingredient in Absinthe, aside from the alcohol. Individuals ordering these liquors abroad are experiencing no problems it seems from a quick look at the boards, but distributors, forget it.
People usually report a sense of drunken clarity when drinking absinthe. In other words, the loosening effects of the alcohol are felt while the mind remains coherent. For best results, select an absinthe with a high thujone level and drink it fast or else you will only feel the effects of the alcohol. If drank enough absinthe, close eye hallucinations have been reported.
How Do You Drink Absinthe?
The alcohol content in absinthe ranges from 60%-90% so do not drink it straight. You will definitely regret it. The best way to drink absinthe is to dilute it with water and add some sugar. You have a choice of using either the traditional or the Czech method.
Traditional Method:
- Pour a shot of absinthe into a glass and rest an absinthe spoon on the rim. A fork can be substituted for the absinthe spoon
- Place a sugar cube onto the absinthe spoon
- Slowly pour cold water over the sugar cube, through the slots in the absinthe spoon and into the glass until there is about a 4 to 1 ratio to the absinthe
- Stir the contents of the glass and witness the absinthe gain a milky appearance called louching
Czech Method:
- Set up in the same manner as the traditional method but dip the sugar cube into the absinthe before setting it on the absinthe spoon
- Light the sugar cube on fire and allow the melted sugar to flow into the glass
- Pour the water into the glass and stir
[SOURCE: Absinthe.BZ]
