Stories From The Torrid History Of Absinthe

[@pheonixcornell544]

You forgot to mention why Absinthe was making people go crazy. Cheap bootleggers were putting turpentine in with Absinthe. The turpentine people drank is what made too many people go insane and that is why this liquor was outlawed. Next episode should be about Moonshine.

[@havenrugger]

Turpentine wasn't added to absinthe. The 'craziness' was propaganda.

[@DebatingWombat]

@@havenrugger Arguably, part of this was a predecessor of the “Twinkie defence” with one French murderer blaming absinthe for why he killed his wife (although he drank a lot more than absinthe, including on the day of the murder). Max Miller over at the Tasting History KZbin channel has an episode on that.

[@havenrugger]

@DebatingWombat yes, I watched his episode too. I wish he'd consulted me before making the episode, as there was much more he could've added in to make it the the be all, end all of absinthe history. And with his audience, could've educated so many more people than most of these videos. I'd been lobbying for him to make that video for years. Jean Lanfray is the person to which you're referring.

[@peekaboots01]

Key piece of information!

[@goldernie]

Turpentine doesn't cause insanity

[@TheElusiveReality]

absinthe could have earned its reputation as especially addictive because if people who happened to be predisposed to alcohol addiction have easy access to something with such a high alcohol content, it's gonna become their favorite drink pretty quickly

[@janglur]

This plus the prevalence for people with depression, mental illness, poor health, or low social status tend to turn to drugs to compensate for poor life conditions.

[@RobBCactive]

Absinthe was widely available in Prague, Czechia when I visited. As compared to similar green herbal liquor it did seem to have a dizzy quality, some additional active ingredient (unless it's a placebo effect). In Austria Stroh Rum has been long sold at 80% by volume without acquiring notoriety. The video reminded me of historical cartoons about Georgian Britain's "gin palaces". Probably cheap drink is the real issue, makers are prone to cost cutting measures, a few decades ago a popular Austrian white wine was withdrawn due to automotive anti-freeze content.

[@ufopilotFPV]

That's not placebo.. wormwood is psychoactive

[@flamingomingo9810]

Also because of the way it looks. It’s like the stereotype of what poison looks like, so it’s easy to scare people with

[@waylingtons]

@@RobBCactive I was once given a bottle of stroh as a gift from a friend. It was absolutely horrendous stuff. Always worth a try though!

[@johnshields6852]

Alcohol, anyone who's lived with an alcoholic or has been around drunk people know that alcohol of any kind turns some people into Jekyll and Hyde.

[@alexandreblracing]

It turns me into Sleepy Gary

[@vacafuega]

As someone who has lived with an alcoholic, my personal observation was more that he used it as an excuse to justify particularly unpalatable behaviour, not the other way round

[@GlassThirdEye]

I get really mean and violent if I drink whisky. I stay away from it unless I'm looking for trouble. In fact I don't really touch alcohol anymore. I can't drink casually. If I'm gonna drink, I'm gonna drink and that's not good for anybody.

[@kaelang12]

@@vacafuega ye, that's pretty much the actual plot of the story. too many people think it's a split personality thing, but jekyll just used the potion as a kind of chemical disguise of sorts

[@pingerboy69]

I think it should be illegal. How many blokes get overly drunk an do stupid shit. Same with females. Everyone who drinks to much make terrible decisions. Lol it's definitely dangerous. 💯

[@Blargaha]

Not to mention that the French vine industry had lobbied against absinth for years, and the troubles in the early 20th century came as a gift from above

[@matejpotrusil1464]

From what I have heard, they all came from winery owners. Absinth was so popular that they were losing money and as the richest people in France, they bribed scientists and newspappers. Luckily, Czech Republic remained calm and kept its absinth destileries. Now, I can drink the best beer and the best absint in the same pub :)

[@dixiecyrus8136]

Wasn't there a vine disease on the grapes which led to popularity of absinthe to begin with because of poor harvest?🤔

[@jessicapatton2688]

Yep. Milk and wine and good for you but Absinthe is the devil’s brew was the wine propaganda

[@TheSteveRobinson]

My younger brother brought me back a bottle of absinthe from Spain for my 45th birthday. I'd heard about it, but never tried it. I think I made it through about 1/2 of the bottle. Well, I do remember throwing up on my shoes, finding a seat for the belly dancer show, then coming around after the show was over. Great! I missed the entire thing. I did use the spoon and sugar, waited for the "green fairies", but the only thing green was me a couple of hours later.

[@mapples007]

Maybe try drinking for enjoyment not binging for drunkenness. You get to enjoy the spirit AND enjoy the entertainment.

[@TheSteveRobinson]

@@mapples007 I basically stopped drinking after that disaster.

[@mariekatherine5238]

You are allergic to something in it. Same happens to me with rum. In addition to vomiting and diarrhea, I break out in an itchy rash along my hairline and sometimes, hives. Here’s the solution, don’t drink it!

[@LudiCrust.]

@@mariekatherine5238if you’re getting hives you’re definitely allergic. Hives are pretty much the final red flag your body gives you before you start getting seriously ill. I wouldn’t consume anything that gives you hives ever again bc it’ll likely send you to hospital the next time. Last time I consumed something that had given me hives beforehand my idiot doctor prescribed me a new antibiotic from a family I was allergic to. Well I took it and immediately became seriously ill. I was so short of breath (I was breathing in fine but it felt like my lungs weren’t absorbing the oxygen out of the air) I couldn’t move or do anything & I ended up laying in place, mostly sleeping, for 2 days. Looking back on it I’m surprised I didn’t die bc if I tried getting up I’d get extremely dizzy & pass out. Everything was very slow & oddly relaxed despite my situation. I had zero anxiety despite being in pretty severe pain, itchy, bad headache, nausea, vomiting, etc. & not able to catch my breath.

[@joemay2640]

The woman I the painting sitting in the bar is not looking at the drink she is staring into space with a look of hopelessness and heartbreak on her face, what a masterpiece ❤

[@markstarmer3677]

She looks the spitting image of a girl in another of Manet’s paintings. ‘A bar in the Folies - Bergere’ check it out.

[@joemay2640]

@Mark Starmer wow just a look, it's amazing the emotion are captured in the painting the reminiscent stare of a memory af happiness tainted with the sadness of current reality another masterpiece.

[@K9_kfg]

depresso painting is mood

[@johnkrieger185]

That's one interpretation, but part of the absinthe effect was a detachment from one's surroundings and a tendency to get lost in one's thoughts, hence its popularity with poets, who would find inspiration for their works while in an absinthe haze.

[@markstarmer3677]

@@johnkrieger185 I think you have made a valid point there. They are certainly in a different world it seems to create some of these masterpieces.

[@tremorsfan]

What's overlooked is that Lanfray also drank 7 glasses of wine, 6 glasses of cognac and 2 coffee with brandy. And this was all on his lunch hour.

[@IvyMay-qn2ys]

Don't shame the guy because he wasn't able to keep up with real men.

[@terryboyer1342]

That's just a light breakfast.

[@1337fraggzb00N]

Can't blame him for being just a regular guy who can't take a punch.

[@scarlett8782]

my god how was he even standing to murder his family? that's a drink every 2-3 minutes, excluding probable travel time (10 minutes maybe) that's a drink every 90 seconds

[@ronv6637]

Paging Dr.Thompson,Dr. Hunter S. thompson you are wanted in the bar

[@nerdman8428]

Absinthe is a centerpiece of my home bar, and always makes for an interesting conversation piece, but I have always made sure to dispel the myths of the spirit whenever they come up. If you are into classic cocktails it's pretty important to have around, as many recipes call for it in small portions. Most people think it tastes like black licorice, and that is certainly true, although most bottles have more complexity as well. My bottle of L'originale also has notes of spearmint, cocoa, and juniper.

[@blu-drag0n]

Which cocktails include it in its recipe?

[@lostsock9852]

I guess the flavour might vary between producers. But for me it's very similar to ouzo and Pernod/Pastis

[@micarone]

@@lostsock9852 It definitely does vary, depending on producer. I'm not a huge or even regular drinker of absinthe, but I've tried a few different brands of absinthe and every one of them has had their own charateristics and undertones on them. Can't really choose my own personal favourite so far, though. 😁

[@lostsock9852]

@@micarone I've only tried one: a clear, Swiss brand from Berne. I'd be interested in trying a green, but not artificially-coloured, version though.

[@merriemisfit8406]

Have you ever tried using absinthe to flavor a shortbread or spritz cookie? Or maybe some madeleines or a pound cake? Or might all the herbal components make the finished product taste too much like yard waste? In my imagination, I think it would be an interesting experiment -- but absinthe is a purchase beyond my budget.

[@p.l.g3190]

I'm surprised this liquor didn't become the tipple of choice for those love, because as we all know, absinthe maketh the heart grow fonder.

[@y_fam_goeglyd]

Damn, you beat me to it 😉. On my part, I didn't read any comments before writing mine (and I wrote mine in French, just for the hell of it - honestly 🤣). But I tip my cap in your direction for dragging out the old joke. Sometimes you don't need the most up-to-date date witticisms to be funny!

[@Froggythegremlin]

Oh, you….!😂

[@QuasarRedshift]

or . . . 'absinthe makes the tart grow fonder ' . . . lol ☺

[@yepiratesworkshop7997]

👍👍😁😁

[@keefsmiff]

Lol... I heard it makes the fart go "honda"

[@JohnSemenekVapingEnthusiast]

You completely missed the issue of the French wine industry and how they went against Absinthe.

[@86LukeM]

Surprising since adding drama would make it more sensational. But yeah, it does suck they don’t include the wine industry suffering from crop issues. Only to come back to see Absinthe was the top consumable liquor…

[@johnkrieger185]

This is a tired canard pushed by the people who want to bring back absinthe. I have no problem with its comeback, in fact, I drink it myself, but there was no conspiracy of wine producers to inundate the press with false stories of absinthe's deleterious effects just to increase their own profits. Revisionist nonsense.

[@gestapo81]

yes, he totally missed the main story.

[@Kloxbyn]

I had a wild time with absinthe at art school one night (both Czech and Spanish absinthe). I drank it straight, far too much of it, too. I felt very free and wandered around campus all night. I talked to every random stranger I saw and made a few new friends (absinthe makes me very social and friendly). However, that night ended with me getting kicked out of a Denny's by the security guard (didn't even know Denny's had security guards until that night). This all happened in Florida (of course).

[@jamesragsdale3069]

This is a very real Absinthe buzz. I was always wrecked but super clear headed.

[@solanaceae2069]

Had a chance to buy an imported bottle with thujone in it a while back, but unfortunately it was too expensive for my paygrade.

[@jamesragsdale3069]

Don't believe the hype. Get a good bottle, but the best thing about absinthe is that you are very aware. You will only get as drunk as other booze, but you will be clear during it and AFTER it.

[@solanaceae2069]

@@jamesragsdale3069 Nice. Nothing as good as being aware and clear minded.

[@Tully_23_32]

I remember having pre drinks with friends before a night out clubbing & we drank it as shots like sambuca. I remember the next day when i went & did my business or a grog bog as we call it in Australia & it was fluorescent green. I was so amazed by the colouring that i dragged my mum in to the dunny to show her the colour of it as it glowed so brightly & i was so amazed by the colour that i had to show mum like i was so proud of it like introducing a newborn baby to my mum... Let's say tho that my mum was less than impressed with me dragging her in to peer into the dunny & show her my work of art 🤣🤣🤣

[@86LukeM]

As a person who’s had absinthe. I’d rather drink it over any other liquor. I will say no there is no hallucinations. It’s a nice thing to drink to clear my head. Amusingly enough the first one I drank is in the video. Lucid absinthe. It’s possible to get the original recipe Swiss absinthe for like $200+. But yeah, one thing missed was wine industry crop was destroyed. That’s what sent absinthe’s popularity through the roof. When they had recovered. Everyone was drinking Absinthe. So the went on a propaganda spree saying Absinthe is bad for you. The murder mentioned was used to lobby the ban. It’s a relatively harmless drink. I’ve drank it over cold medicine. You measure 1 ounce absinthe 4 ounces ice cold water, preferably with a dripper. A sugar cube is optional and lighting the cube on fire isn’t traditional. But when the water is added it opens the herbs up and causes a louche(cloudy water). Stir and drink. It tingles the scalp.

[@1Kent]

The Green fairy is lovely, artists drank it to make the people around them seem interesting.

[@lynemac2539]

Yup!

[@mikitz]

Some of us still do, to be honest.

[@scarlett8782]

I love the "seem" interesting part - very true. there's nothing more boring than a civilized society full of fakes and morons

[@mariekatherine5238]

Ah ha! I’m going to make that deathly boring professor interesting.

[@sterlingnilssen5812]

What a wonderful day. Two videos from weird history with the same narrator.

[@dingdang3845]

Totally agree, I always check for one.

[@AwfullWaffle]

He reminds me of the way that Ron Pearlman narrated 1000 ways to die.

[@RidinDirtyRollinBurnouts]

@Dan Bennett something tells me I'm not the only one that skips the video when it's the other narrator

[@karinagomescruz]

@@RidinDirtyRollinBurnoutsthought it was just me 😂

[@rustyshackleford2022]

Yall have issues

[@meganfitzmaurice5757]

Absinthe is actually pretty good! It tastes like liquorice like sambuca and ouzo, but 10x. Drinking it straight requires a water chaser, and the cocktail is yummy! Very strong, and will have to walking on air. Comes in green, blue, and red in Florence Italy

[@bluenoodlez7948]

Is it close to a Jaggermeister?

[@MusMasi]

@@bluenoodlez7948 to me it tasted like a mix of Jaegermeister and sambucca

[@havenrugger]

If it's artificially colored, it's not real absinthe.

[@shannonbritton5313]

My friends and I procured a bottle of absinthe in high school when one of our friends took a trip to europe. We were so excited because we had heard it caused hallucinations and psychedelics were all the rage at the time. Unfortunately, it just made me feel sick and didnt do shit.

[@Der_Kleine_Mann]

Yep, it doesn't really kick different than any other hard liquor does. But I really like the flavor, and It's the only hard liquor that I can drink quite a lot of without a hangover.

[@saltysliegh]

Yes it's the reefer madness of alcohol.

[@richardromanyshyn608]

@@saltysliegh I was amongst the first in my area to try it once ban was lifted. Nobody knew what it was. Must have been a back in the day opium den drink. Could buy that and cocaine over the counter, but point fingers at wormwood juice when there is trouble. Things haven't changed that much have they?

[@saltysliegh]

@@richardromanyshyn608 humans have been getting lit since the beginning of man. Altered consciousness in today worlds a must. I don't drink because of alcoholism in my family. However weed and micro dosing has saved my life. I'm 60 and will smoke it on my deathbed.

[@richardromanyshyn608]

@@saltysliegh I alcohol poisoned myself in high school, haunts me to this day. Has to be a special occasion once or twice a year thing. When ban was lifted I had to see what the stories were about. To be honest, seeing beginning of video made my guts curl a little. I totally agree, and my family is the same way for the most part

[@pamelamays4186]

Suggestion: An alcoholic beverage I heard a lot about when I lived in St. Louis. Everclear. It's supposed to be very potent. The phrase I heard a lot was, "Don't mess with Everclear!"

[@benkeysor7576]

Everclear is pretty much nothing but overpriced Vodka. Sure it's an unaged grain alcohol but in most states you can only get the 150 proof version of it and it's down right expensive too because you're basically paying for the name. You can get a no name 100 proof Vodka for 2-3 times cheaper and achieve the same results. If you're just using it in a mixed drink you're really not going to be able to tell the difference between it and vodka because both are going to taste like shit on their own and both will get you drunk and probably a nasty hangover if you drink too much. If you can get the 190 proof version it might be a little better than vodka but it's going to be crazy expensive and probably hard to find.

[@Bella.216]

Actually here in Columbia Missouri we say, "Don't mess with Mind eraser."

[@walterbrunswick]

@Mina Russians: hold my водка

[@alextell7019]

@@benkeysor7576 in places you can get it 190 proof is actually realy cheep

[@vagrante13]

Everclear tastes like hairspray but no one drinks Everclear for taste, LOL.

[@MrRKWRIGHT]

There's nothing like absinthe to get the creative juices flowing. Just think about how ridiculous it was when the government passed the Volstead Act. My grandfather fought in the trenches in World War I. When he returned home, he was informed his young bride had passed away from the Spanish flu - as well as his parents and one brother. Because he'd suffered from mustard gas poisoning and severe injuries to his back, Grandad had to convalesce for an extended period in a shabby run down VA hospital. Although he never regained his pre-enlistment state of good health and well being, he was eventually released. On that day, as he dressed and prepared to leave the hospital, he reflected that owing to the fact that this country had found its way through an influenza pandemic and a bloody overseas conflict during which medical treatment fell far behind the art of munitions and weaponry - in terms of technological sophistication, he decided, as he hobbled on his crutches away from the hospital toward a waiting taxi, he'd use some of the small stipend he'd been given to treat himself to a strong drink or two. This was on the afternoon of January 17, 1920, approximately 14 hours after Prohibition had officially been enacted - something which the taxi driver informed him when he asked to be driven to the nearest tavern.. His first thought, which he clearly remembered throughout the rest of his life was "What a farce of a government., which acquiesces to the wishes of a tyrannical self righteous minority. God, grant me the serenity to accept it and the strength and wherewithal to build a still in the woods behind the barn once I get back to whatever's left of the family farm." 😊

[@kylegreene1356]

God isn't real. Your granddaddy jerked men off in the trenches. They called him "Tuggy Bill"

[@reconsoldier135]

My experience with Absinthe was doing a bunch of shots of it then going to a Flogging Molly show at the State Theater in Portland, Maine. Best show I’ve ever been to

[@addiemclain1183]

I like the narrator. He is funny as hell and yet, I learn a lot from these stories of Weird History Food. You are doing a super job and I am glad I signed up.

[@faerie1963]

I once drank Absinthe with a couple of friends. I mixed it with water, because 80 percent of alcohol was to heavy to consume. I like the green colour

[@atropa3998]

It's actually brownish by color. Pigment like that from spinach was/is used to get the green color.

[@JoshuaFarmer-bv7ip]

You ended up naked with those friends? Lol

[@faerie1963]

@@JoshuaFarmer-bv7ip haha. Almost

[@reidgelding7909]

Real absinthe is pale green at best or clear. Only Czech absinthe is bright green & is not really absinthe, just metho with food colouring...

[@HayTatsuko]

I'd love to see an episode exploring that Chicago spirit of legend, Jeppson's Malört. Absinthe is lovely stuff, and I'm glad it's again available in the US. I had some that was illegally distilled by a local fellow some years ago; it wasn't very green, but it _did_ eat right through the Styrofoam cup into which it was first poured! Once we got it in a proper vessel, got to enjoy the louche and the lovely flavors. Was fun going back over the drink's history with your presentation here!

[@patmakesperfect]

Yes!!! As a malort drinker, I’d love to see this

[@josephrapoport6261]

Yes, I have tried Absinthe with water dripped over a sugar cube. It definitely can be a strong drink, but it can also be a fantastic sleep aid. :)

[@josebro352]

Does it really make you hallucinate or is that just nonsense?

[@josephrapoport6261]

@@josebro352 I never had a hallucination.

[@diogeneslantern18]

@@josebro352 it's complete nonsense. Just take mushrooms. The absolute cleanest high with mindblowing hallucinations. Absolutely blissful come down.

[@jenniferjones7229]

It's still a hugely important product and produced regularly in the nearby town of Fougerolles, where I live in France. It's around 70%!

[@Lil-Britches]

Absinthe is the worst hangover I've ever had my entire life. I like licorice but God I was sure I was dying.

[@n8spectacular]

I went to an Absinthe bar at the Burning Man festival. The bartender told me that this group was responsible for making their own Absinthe and declared that it was authentic. It was good, but I did not notice any unusual effects!

[@dsxa918]

Yeah that's been about my experience too - in my experience though I may have had too high a tolerance, or perhaps did not leave cocaine in the drink for a few hours, before drinking.

[@johannwolf1]

If that was my friend Richard's (from March Fourth Marching Band)... you likely had the finest absinthe ever made. well done

[@atropa3998]

The hallucinations only occur when you drink every day a lot of it. The thujon does something to the brains

[@richardromanyshyn608]

Tastes like black licorice. Not my favorite but would get you caught up to the crowd fast if you were late to the party. Still have both my ears so calling BS on those bans.

[@keithhampton9700]

Jager Meister? Old rumor it had opiates.

[@egyptcat4301]

All I know is that it tastes fantastic. I had some at a party and I had to forcibly limit myself to consuming one tiny glass.

[@79champions]

I have an absinthe fountain in my dining room right now. Special order from Germany for my wife's 35th birthday. Definitely an experience using it.

[@FlankerTanker]

My wife and I drink it - We have bottles of Green, white and Blue absinthe in our drinks cabinet, drink prep is all part of the drama - using the correct type if glass , spoons, sugar cubes, etc... the setting fire to the cube and then dropping it into the drink - it is all part of the allure - we like it ....

[@johnkrieger185]

Do not set the cube on fire. This is Czech nonsense. It was never done in France or Switzerland.

[@havenrugger]

The blue stuff isn't real absinthe. And the fire method was invented in the 1990s to sell fake brands. It was never set on fire as part of preparation prior to that.

[@reidgelding7909]

You never set fire to the cube. It ruins the drink. Purely a hollywood invention...

[@briandickinson3721]

Two words... Purple Haze. (Was a drink in Okinawa Japan that was Absinthe, Sprite and Seagram's Violet and I loved it)

[@JoshuaRed-v4f]

I much preferred the flower

[@chiarac3833]

I didn't know Seagram's made a Violet liqueur.

[@mariekatherine5238]

@@chiarac3833Not sold in the US or Canada. Japan has different tastes in a lot of things including alcohol. 14:11

[@chiarac3833]

@@mariekatherine5238 how does it compare to what's available in the US? I have the Crème de Violette.

[@chrislaustin]

My old roommate imported a bottle back in the day, and we would drink it from time to time, but the taste was terrible, so we never drank it much. LOL Never had any issues outside of normal alcohol drinking, but I never went overboard with it either.

[@emom358]

I love licorice, so absinthe is delicious to me. The whole point of drinking it now is the ritual, which makes it feel special.

[@Cadillac-my3ys]

Don't if give you a bad spirit if you don't use it right ?

[@diogeneslantern18]

@@Cadillac-my3ys don't be gullible lol.

[@vabs1999]

Would love to see a video on how japanese whiskey got started and how it got here today

[@catdaddy2643]

The Japanese invented whisky?

[@miahconnell23]

Japan & Taiwan have some whiskey-makers that are objectively high-quality

[@RMScott]

After drinking this liquor, I became completely absinthe-minded.

[@mariekatherine5238]

I tried absinthe last year and liked it. Full strength it really gives a kick.

[@SpikeAsks]

I Enjoyed An Absinthe Faze; Came Up With An Amazingly Psychedelic Song Called, 'Warm As Wood.' When I Awoke, My Piece Of Chocolate Cake Had Mysteriously Vanished. Thank You Green Fairy! You Deserved It. 🧚‍♂

[@Limbzbiscuits]

I’ve drank my fair share of absinthe throughout the years, when I was 18-19 it was the go to (if we could find it) and then I’d always buy it if I went anywhere to Europe where it was more freely available😁 Lots of fun memories from this drink for sure. Tried it again last year at my friend’s but it didn’t quite have the same ring to it as it used to

[@beverleybee1309]

"Wormwood" got it's name for being riddled by insect larvae tunnels. Apparently, it is a favorite among "worms".

[@3rdmm]

Russian for Wormwood: Chernobyl.

[@johnkrieger185]

@@3rdmm Actually, it's polyn.

[@johnkrieger185]

Wormwood got its name for being a vermifuge, i.e. it causes the body to expel worms.

[@havenrugger]

Wormwood is a weed. It's not wood, nor is is worm-riddled.

[@JOEFABULOUS.]

It's used to cure worms in humans because its an astringent😮

[@WhisperingWitchASMR]

Another perk to this enchantingly beautiful beverage is that - for those, including myself, to which such is a concern - pure, distilled absinthe is usually gluten-free (as with any edible product though, do always try to double check the ingredient list on the bottle or inquire with the bartender before imbuing, just to be on the extra safe side). 🧚💚🧚

[@JoJoJoker]

A few notes on absinthe: 1. Very strong distilled spirits were less common than they are today. Most people drank beer or wine. 2. Coca wine was one of the most popular drinks in France at the time. It has largely been written out of historical records. These two facts may have something to do with how we view absinthe’s effects on culture.

[@kurtschultz8199]

I've made my own and tried dozens of commercially-made products. I haven't found any that provide anything close to a hallucinatory enhancement. One of the things that may have led to alcoholic problems during La Belle Epoch is the state of hygiene involved in municipal water supply systems. It was often healthier to drink alcohol rather than unboiled water. This trended to induce people to drink alcohol, and they often got the illnesses associated with alcoholism. The French wine industry demonized Absinthe in self-defense, since the vintners were losing market share. The taste is slightly varied (I don't care much for the mint-laden varietals), primarily licorice and doesn't appeal to everyone. For some it is an acquired taste. The odd thing for me is that I don't care much for licorice candies, but I do enjoy the taste of Absinthe. Pastis are almost Absinthes. The world went to Pastis production after countries banned Absinthe. The flavors are similar but the recipes leave out the demonized herb "Wormwood (Artimisia absinthium)" and replace it with other things, often "Southern Wormwood (Artimisia abrotanum)". Many of the companies producing Pastis also produce Absinthe (which means you may need to read the labels very carefully to spot the differences; for example, contrast Grande Absente Absinthe Originale vs. Absente Absinthe Refined). Last item of note: Absinthe is primarily a central and western European product, but similar liquors can be found in other parts of the Mediterranean and are known as "Sambuca", "Ouzo", "Arak", "Raki" and "Mastika". Skoal!

[@veiledrecalcitrance4314]

Ah absinthe, a regular alcohol like any other that has been blown way out of proportion. It’s not bad stuff, it’s just been over dramatized, I mean, I remember first hearing it was a hallucinogen and that’s why it’s was so loved and hated like they said in this video, that was back when it was super difficult to get here in the states. My favorite part of this story is the fact that most of the bad things thought of regarding absinthe came from a French psychiatrist a couple hundred years ago, you know, back when they really knew what they were talking about in the realm of mental health and addiction, along with women having “hysterical fits” and their treatment was doctors rubbing one out for them in the ole doctors office. Medicine, let alone psychiatry was barbaric in those days. Sigh, common sense, why is it still so hard to find.

[@dr.OgataSerizawa]

You can easily buy it online.

[@MinuteMan1999]

Yeah I tried some absinthe about 10 years ago. It was the Lucid brand. I hated the taste but watching it mix and cloud up was kinda cool. I drank about half of the bottle and the lady friend I was drinking with had most of the rest. It actually too some time to really hit me and thankfully I had already gone home alone when it did. It was unlike any drunk I've ever experienced. Head was kinda floating but that was the start. I remember fixating on my rearview mirror and reading the "objects are closer than they appear" and the blowing my mine and contemplating what it was with the refraction of light that made it so. I also became aware was massively excited, ya know. So rumors of aphrodisiac qualities might be true for me. In hind site I should not have driven but on the other hand if I had stayed later I might have made bad choices with my friend. Worst part of all, half way through the night I looked at the bottle and was paranoid that the eyes on the label were fallowing me. Never had it again.

[@Chris-iz8jr]

bro just casually admits to drinking and driving lmao

[@MinuteMan1999]

@@Chris-iz8jr those were my young and dumb years.

[@claywest9528]

A bar I used to go to had an absinthe fountain put in back in 2007 and served it up with the traditional sugar cube and slotted spoon. I tried it and I did like it. I never had any hallucinations or madness or anything like that though.

[@toon4630]

I ordered some absinthe from Europe, and after drinking a few different variations, I ordered a 5 bottle sample pack. I must say that I do like it. I am not a heavy drinker so I have never had more than a couple glasses at the same time, but it is a little different from drinking normal alcohol. I enjoy the ritual of pouring it into a cool glass, then using the spoon and the sugar cube, lighting the sugar on fire and then slowing pouring cold water over it until it dissolves before consuming it. I have always liked to try different kinds of liquor and mixed drinks, so for me I mostly wanted to see for myself what it was like and while I do enjoy it, i would consider it my favorite drink.

[@johnkrieger185]

Never set the sugar cube on fire! This is Czech p.r. nonsense. Never done in France or Switzerland in its heyday.

[@reidgelding7909]

You never light the sugar on fire when drinking absinthe. That's just a false Hollywood myth& wrecks the drink.

[@toon4630]

@@reidgelding7909 I’ve done it both ways. I like the smoky taste of the burnt sugar. I’ve never been to Europe but my friend who has told me that they drink it both by melting the sugar and just dissolving it. I don’t know about “ruining “. It does make it taste slightly different though. A matter of individual taste like anything else I suppose

[@gamemasteranthony2756]

Tried absinthe. Didn't have visions. Didn't get sick. Wondered what the drek all the fuss was about.

[@3rdmm]

Too weak. Try wormwood tea. Available at most health food stores.

[@johnkrieger185]

@@3rdmm Wormwood tea is not psychoactive. Wormwood extract is, but drink with caution. There are people who have had kidney failure from consumption of wormwood extract. The difference between enough to have an effect and enough to cause kidney failure is not that great, especially if you don't know what you are doing. Absinthe is safer.

[@Ren-vl1eq]

The juxtaposition of that poor woman looking at that 4loko can sent me to the fucking moon

[@MrPipe1324]

I went to school with a lot of rich kids and i remember sometime around 2012 everyone started buying this for parties and you'd see the bottle was black with two green eyes. It was so random that it became a thing, people were drinking shots of it and probably throwing up hours later.

[@Niterider73]

Glad to see the make narrator back on here. He just imo makes these videos more enjoyable

[@lawrencejohnson5152]

You guys should do an episode on the house with no corners, as a kid growing up in the area there were all kinds of crazy rumors about that place.

[@dsxa918]

Interior or exterior? Where were there no corners?

[@conkok9215]

Igloo

[@josebro352]

I've always wanted to try Absinthe and Laudanum.

[@tashalynn29]

Ditto

[@josebro352]

@@tashalynn29 Edgar Allen Poe was fond of Absinthe. It was his alcoholic drink of choice. I've heard Johnny Depp likes it as well. Laudanum was once the drug of choice for a lot of impoverished artists and painters in 1800s Paris.

[@dontbefatuousjeffrey2494]

@@josebro352 Isn't it a tincture of opium in alcohol? So... doubly addictive and highly dangerous. Was used medicinally for a long time. Still technically available on prescription in the US, I think - with extremely restrictive usage, though. These days, outside of prescribed usage, I guess any opioid drug mixed with some booze would be an equivalent. Again - DANGEROUS. Not to mention that opioids can give you really awful dreams. I have always been sensitive to opioids, but this issue has increased over time (not that I have used them much, but when codeine was legal over the counter here in Australia I would sometimes use it for migraines or other severe pain. It was also useful as a night cough suppressant when recovering from a cold... but I don't think that remedy is much favoured here anymore). The sensitivity mostly takes the form of uncontrollable and severe nausea. I am also a recovering alcoholic. So... laudanum is something I would never contemplate. I may not write Kubla Khan, but I'll be fine 🙂 NB: I gather they remove most of the emetic component from the contemporary, prescribed equivalent. Still never touching it 😕

[@havenrugger]

There is absolutely no evidence that Poe ever drank absinthe.

[@Zombytes]

I heard that Poe liked Laudanum, not absinthe @@josebro352

[@inregionecaecorum]

I remember back in the 70s when I was at Uni having a Spanish friend who would bring all sorts of exotic drinks over from Spain including absinthe.

[@BrynnKelly2014]

Anyone else squeal when the Try Channel's absinthe video made a cameo?? Best, most hilarious absinthe-trying video I've ever seen 😂😂

[@LumiSisuSusi]

My first experience with absinthe was with the Spanish Jacques Senaux Absinthe Black 70 CL 85%. I was 15 and my friend and I had a shot each, we were nicely merry. It was my fathers birthday and I knocked his door and he was adamant that it was NOT his birthday for 2 more days 🤣. Him and his friends had drank so much of the stuff that they were half clothed (at best) and very much away with the fairies 🤣🤣🤣

[@joey0guy]

It's legal where I'm from. Drank a lot of it as did a lot of my friends because we kept hearing about the legends and rumors in movies etc etc. It's high % alcohol, nothing more. Some claimed it had other effects but nothing beyond a placebo (we subbed jagermeister saying it was absinthe, it tastes similar enough to a drunk person, they claimed to have hallucinations)

[@curtiskretzer8898]

Acquaintance said laudenum is what is supposed to be poured over the sugar cube

[@havenrugger]

Laudanum was never widely used with absinthe. That was poetic license used in the movie From Hell.

[@shanonseagle8724]

Gas station spice shout out? Didn't see that comin!' Highlarious! I love this channel so very much!😁

[@NASCARFAN93100]

2 WH Vids in one day?! Can't get any better than that

[@DPSFSU]

They've been uploading a WH and WHF video the same day for a while now.

[@NASCARFAN93100]

@@DPSFSU I know but still

[@DrJ3RK8]

I used to make it actually. ;) I stopped when several good varieties started surfacing again around 5-10 years ago. A friend of mine used to host parties for an Absinthe guild as well, and I've been able to taste some absolutely incredible ones that were never widely available.

[@havenrugger]

Absinthe Guild, eh?

[@5Dworld]

Absinthe is the kind of stuff that makes you wake up with memory loss on your neighbours garage roof, wearing nothing but your underwear on your head as a hat.

[@mariekatherine5238]

Oh, that explains the condition of my neighbor on New Year’s Day. Half clothed, wearing a Santa Claus hat on the roof of our garage. We thought he might have passed, but he was just passed out. Refused an ambulance, so my partner walked him home. Somehow, I don’t think he had a happy New Year’s Day. Hopefully, he was reasonably recovered for work on Monday morning!

[@rileyhoffman6629]

Even better if it's someone else's underwear...

[@active.7universal]

I do that sober

[@mariekatherine5238]

@@active.7universal Then you must take up drinking absinthe at once!

[@active.7universal]

@@mariekatherine5238 don't you at once me /unless you want a virtual noogie

[@George-xb5ey]

I travelled to absythe Island in Cambodia back in 2014. We found a bartender at our hotel who did day tours by boat anyways about 12 of us in a boat, first we went to some other islands did cliff diving and hung out on hammocks after all that he takes you to a small island which is run by american expats, the main man who started it all gave us the tour of the distillery and how its all made then he took us and you climb up a giant tree and ontop is a tree is a bar you can hang out at and and try the final product along with whatever you want but we tried the green, red, and black absinthe. One guy from New Zealand got so drunk from the black absinthe that he had to piss on the boat ride back to the mainland. Mid Ocean he jumps off the boat in the water to piss and realises after he can't swim. One guy on our boat from the UK happened to be a lifeguard and he jumps over to save him and we pulled them back on. It was quite the adventure that day absinthe and oceans don't mix

[@fangslaughter1198]

“As he watered the Green Stuff in his glass, and the drops fell. One by one” The Shooting of Dan McGrew. “Some say the stranger was Crazed with Hootch. I’m not saying that wasn’t so.”

[@johnopalko5223]

Ah! Another admirer of Robert Service, I see.

[@fangslaughter1198]

@@johnopalko5223 Correct sir! I memorized, The Shooting of Dan Magrew, 20 years ago. I still recite it to this day.

[@magicprincesslive]

I typically don't get swayed my 'urban legends' or 'myths' but watching this video makes me want to go out and try absinthe now! I know it's supposed to have flavors like star anise or licorice, but those are just flavors I don't typically seek out when looking for a nice happy hour cocktail.

[@johnkrieger185]

The best absinthe uses green anise seed instead of star anise and has a subtler flavor.

[@lynemac2539]

Taste great with apricots; fresh or rehydrate dried apricots in absinthe.

[@lynnlynn2661]

I recommend you order this in a bar, because you may not want a whole bottle of it.

[@rjlchristie]

Pernod original and a couple of other French brands tasted great to me, but I certainly can't say the same for two the Czech varieties I've sampled.

[@reidgelding7909]

Czech varieties aren't even close to real absinthe. Just terrible booze with colouring.

[@DoomFinger511]

I ordered Absinthe from Europe years ago to try it out with my friends. We got the standard Green bottle and also gold absinthe (which does not include anise). The anise in green absinthe taste like black licorice (which is what gives it that foul taste). We poured ice cold water over the sugar cubes on top of those slotted spoons. We needed like 5 sugar cubes per glass to mask the taste. What was the effect? It was exactly the same as drinking high proof alcohol. Not surprising as absinthe is already a high proof alcohol. There is no hallucinations, it just taste bad and is a really strong and highly flavored alcohol. You would probably need to drink an entire bottle to MAYBE get some effect that regular liquor wouldn't provide.

[@emilywhitfield2780]

Great video!! Could you do a story about Laudaum? Thanks I would try Absinthe just to see what it's like!

[@curtiskretzer8898]

Was told by acquaintance that laudenum is what is poured over the sugar cube into the absinthe filled glass

[@axelandersen6025]

Laudanum is tincture of opium! It used to be prescribed for all kinds of things and given to children for gripe. I take it to control my constant diarrhea, a very small amount, a couple of drops works for 8 hrs. It’s been a lifesaver for me.

[@bellcoolmountain6650]

@@axelandersen6025 I'm curious to know if you have ever tried calcium supplements for loose stools? It is very constipating for many. Also have you ever tried clay, bentonite clay? Bentonite is very binding and wonderful for absorbing poisons.

[@reidgelding7909]

@@curtiskretzer8898 Only in the movie "From Hell". A pure hollwood invention. Absinthe was never historically drunk this way

[@curtiskretzer8898]

@@reidgelding7909 have the movie and never noticed it.

[@shannon3699]

been waiting for this one - thanks! love absinthe; great drink with such an interesting history. I recommend the book History in a Bottle. it has a ton of great and awful stories about the ppl who drank absinthe. some are very entertaining. it was kind of the meth of its day. there is also a lot of great artwork in the book.

[@MadTrump]

just smelling absinthe will get you drunk

[@markchristopher420]

😳 Whaaaaat..? Liked & subbed, amazing! 🤗

[@svenlabots1869]

I bought a bottle of Absynth in Andorra, where it was never banned. Some serious shit i tell ya. It's worth giving it a try, but i can't imagine bein' addicted to it. Then you got a real problem. Overall it's good stuff.😉😀

[@werewolflover8636]

Not all absinthe’s are treated equally! The last time I had it was while visiting the HR Giger museum in Gruyères, Switzerland. Now what they served me came in a small shot glass but you better believe it was potent! Soon as I stood up it hit me like a tone of bricks and I felt lightheaded and pretty high! The effect isn’t long lasting but if you can get your hands on some real Swiss absinthe and aren’t already an alcoholic it’ll definitely make your head spin!

[@havenrugger]

Absinthe of any kind has never made anyone high unless it was adulterated, which I don't believe the Giger bar would ever do.

[@y_fam_goeglyd]

Ah, absinthe; making a comeback. As they said in France, "L'absinthe rend le cœur plus tendre." I'll get my coat...

[@thegreencat9947]

Good...I said the same thing.

[@justinekessner2645]

I AM IN LOVE WITH ABSINTHE, MY MOTHER BROUGHT ME BACK REAL FRENCH ABSINTHE!!!!! IT WAS THE ORIGINAL, SO IT HAD WORMWOOD IN IT!!!!!!!! I LOVED IT, GOT THE SPOON, AND EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!

[@JoshuaFarmer-bv7ip]

Are you ok?

[@dannyhatesdallas9322]

I keep hearing "mayonnaise" when referring to Manet. 😁

[@astrid703]

Me too!

[@hbicgrizzly8212]

dont forget most slanders against it was from wineries! because their sales where very very low cause it was a national drink here in America and everywhere else! I like your channel nice vids!

[@Cneq]

lol I swear so many absinthe videos are coming out. I had an entire 500ml 60% bottle of green fairy with straight shots last friday and man it certainly got me lol Definitely hard on the throat but overall the taste even straight was far nicer and easy on the stomach compared to drinking smirnoff straight in my opinion.

[@noninoni9962]

It must have damaged the part of your brain in charge of PUNCTUATION.

[@andrewnorrie2731]

@@noninoni9962 I laughed more than I should have at that.

[@johnkrieger185]

Don't drink it straight. This was socially unacceptable in the 19th century, and was considered proof that the drinker was a hopeless addict who no longer cared what anyone thought of him.

[@reidgelding7909]

Green Fairy is not real absinthe. Just terrible hooch with bright colouring. As an absinthe lover I suggest you drink turps as cheaper...

[@chrisnewport7826]

Absolutely, and before I throw it down, I will have Toasted this program

[@thrumylenns2207]

I've had absinthe several times and I don't think it's the big boogeyman that it's made out to be. It's a quite enjoyable drink, especially if you enjoy licorice flavor. It seems like it's probably the inspiration for NyQuil. It tastes very similar

[@HeathenDance]

Many crimes and social problems are related to alcohol in general. Of course, the more powerful the drink is... It's the Atari Jaguar marketing: Do the math ahah. The green colour also adds to the myth. Associated to reptiles and the blood of monsters, and even aliens, in 20th century pop culture.

[@georgiafrye2815]

We were given a taste of it on a French wine tour to try. I love black licorice but all of us dumped our little glass. I guess maybe one has to acquire a taste for it???

[@TheManFromDonair]

Back in the day (70-80's) I had a Roxy Music bootleg album called "Absinthe Makes the Heart Grow Fondle", which I always thought was a brilliant title, being a pun on "absence makes the hear grow fonder".

[@jaxsun72]

Can you imagine how hairy things actually got for a place like New Orleans to ban it? New Orleans for Christ's sake. 🤣

[@BeerStein]

I like both Jagermeister and Absinthe and enjoyed your look at their history. Could you do one on Zwack Unicom, the Hungarian liquor with plenty of history? It's still around, although less popular than the others.

[@PasleyAviationPhotography]

The stigma around this drink doesn't meet hype, gross.

[@MileyWoodson]

As an Absinthe enjoyer, my favourite mischief is pouring it pure to people first time drinking it and enjoying the blast of emotions and disgust. Never gets old.

[@alisturkericmacnanty159]

I love absinthe, been drinking 🍸 it for years and haven't gone bat-shit crazy yet.

[@oldnewsclipster]

Great videos. Good writing, visuals, attributions, and best of all, good narration that is definitely NOT computer generated!

[@colecolettecole]

i went to an absinthe tasting evening as part of a steampunk weekend & it was a fantastic nite as the presenter gave a talk before & about each of the 3 different absinthes & as we waited in line for the sugar thing the participants had a grand tyme socializing ~ i stayed for a 4th drink before i left & i was not drunk ~ i was stoned i was high i was something else good & happy ~ i imagine if people just slug this down it is not going to be a good experience ~ what i experienced was a total elegant presentation & introduction ~

[@184186]

I don’t know who the narrator is but they are brilliant... now I have to find Absinthe

[@johnkrieger185]

Online or go to France or Switzerland. Do NOT go to the Czech Republic to buy their swill.

[@EclecticDD]

I tried it and it's just a hard liquor. My sister said that it was like the moonshine our grandparents would bring back from their home state of NC.

[@StreetPreacherr]

Yep, and reports of it causing hallucinations are more likely because it's frequently stronger than 'standard' hard liqours, often being 45%+ alcohol by volume, while most whiskey was 'only' 40%. So people get drunker faster than they did with other booze...

[@johnkrieger185]

@@StreetPreacherr Not if you drink it the way it was served in bars: 25 to 30 ml. diluted with four or five parts water.

[@TrineDaely]

I have tried it, it was my last drink that night. I don't remember anything after it except the worst hangover I'd had in years.

[@1armronindad748]

I remember back in the early 2000's BK had this bbq sauce version of the Whopper. And it was amazing and I would have two of them in one sitting lol.

[@fatblokes_ferguson]

I’ve had as part of a chaser, I don’t know if most people understand the meaning of chaser but when I was younger, I would drink lager along side a whiskey chaser, but often I would change whiskey for Absinthe. I had a great tolerance to drink and that is the reason I had a chaser with most lagers, I no longer drink alcohol at all and I’m amazed how I could still walk home at the time. I’ve been sober for over 11 years now.

[@j3lny425]

Years ago after killing a bottle (shared with 2 friends) We didn't get drunk or high but just very silly.

[@MrLukealbanese]

It also approximated the effect of drinking pesticide....I really burst out laughing, and I'm on a train. Keep going guys, you're brilliant 😂😂😂😂

[@kimsherlock8969]

Absinthe was addictive when Wormwood was in the brew Green Fairy trip. Let's think about The potential for creativity Wormwood changed the Eyes Towards Realism

[@charles-y2z6c]

Absinthe was used in the book “Interview with the Vampire” to get people stupid drunk so vampires could easily drink their blood

[@thegreencat9947]

Blood heavily laced with absinthe. 😊🍸

[@atropa3998]

@@thegreencat9947 Nope... that was laudanum

[@thegreencat9947]

@@atropa3998 true...I was just stating my favorite.🦇👍

[@mathlover2299]

I had 6 shots of absinthe at Burning Man (shout out to abstinence camp!) It is such a different buzz than regular alcohol. So much fun.

[@jon6940]

I was able to buy Absynthe on my day trips to France in the nineties. Then I went traveling Europe in 2015, whilst in St. Malo, in a pub in France, I was given a free unopened bottle, of which I enjoyed and unfortunately have no recollection of emptying..

[@terrymiller2089]

I love absinthe :)

[@alexdakid222]

„The only thing more dangerous than an unruly drunk, is an unruly drunk having visions“ 😂😂😂😂

[@NewMessage]

I'mma use this bottle of booze to decorate my liver. Annnnd the floor in about 30 minutes, if experience is any guide.