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The Miracle of Absinthe

Effingham

A-List Customer
Messages
415
Location
Indiana
One frustration I have is that modern sugar cubes are very differently made than the 19th century ones. You drizzle a little water on 19th century cubes and they seem to have melted right away. You have to pour like a gallon of water on a modern sugar cube to break it down. I'm thinking about starting to make my own sugar cubes by forming sugar with a bit of water (like a paste) into rough cubes and letting them dry.
 

Marc Chevalier

Gone Home
Messages
18,192
Location
Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California
One frustration I have is that modern sugar cubes are very differently made than the 19th century ones. You drizzle a little water on 19th century cubes and they seem to have melted right away. You have to pour like a gallon of water on a modern sugar cube to break it down. I'm thinking about starting to make my own sugar cubes by forming sugar with a bit of water (like a paste) into rough cubes and letting them dry.


Effingham, the hardcore absinthe enthusiasts have long used "Perruche" sugar lumps. http://www.laperruche.com/


U.S.-made Domino 'Dots' sugar tablets (which look like bricks) work well enough, and are much cheaper. http://www.dominosugar.com/sugar/sugar-cubes-sugar-tablets
 

Two Types

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,456
Location
London, UK
It's a drink I always aproach with caution. I recall the night a launch party was held for the first brand to be reintroduced into the UK after many long years: a photographer friend of mine woke up the next morning to discover he had forgotten to take home £3000s worth of cameras and lenses! As I recall, his insurance policy didn't include a clause relating to 'Oops I've stupidly overindulged in absinthe!'

My caution takes the form of diluting it with champagne: the perfect drink for Xmas morning.
 

Absinthe_1900

One Too Many
Messages
1,628
Location
The Heights in Houston TX
Effingham, the hardcore absinthe enthusiasts have long used "Perruche" sugar lumps.


One frustration I have is that modern sugar cubes are very differently made than the 19th century ones. You drizzle a little water on 19th century cubes and they seem to have melted right away. You have to pour like a gallon of water on a modern sugar cube to break it down. I'm thinking about starting to make my own sugar cubes by forming sugar with a bit of water (like a paste) into rough cubes and letting them dry.



http://www.laperruche.com/


U.S.-made Domino 'Dots' sugar tablets (which look like bricks) work well enough, and are much cheaper. http://www.dominosugar.com/sugar/sugar-cubes-sugar-tablets

Much better than Perruche are the ones from St. Louis Sucre, check hardcore coffee and tea sellers.
Or your local upscale, nose in the air, organic/yuppie market, in the bulk ingredient section.

I bought a case of the flat rectangular, St. Louis Sucre tablets, that have lasted for years. (I almost never use sugar with absinthe anymore)

The hazards of drinking HG...;)
 

Absinthe_1900

One Too Many
Messages
1,628
Location
The Heights in Houston TX
Stop by F.V. once and awhile, you'll still be in the loop with the rest of the old retirement circle of us absinthe fiends.;)

The people at Saint Louis Sucre can tell one where to find their sugar tables, both of the cases I snagged had the individually wrapped cubes.
 

psugrad98

One of the Regulars
Messages
100
Location
Pennsylvania
Anyone drink Absinthe

Just started trying Absinthe. It's pretty crazy stuff. Super high alcohol, some interesting aromatics and wormwood.

Though not as strong in the states as it is in Europe, it can still impart a unique effect. I get kinda numb feeling and awake but drunk feeling, and then I have the most intensely crazy dreams.

Anyone else have any experiences with the green fairy?
 

m0nk

One Too Many
Messages
1,004
Location
Camp Hill, Pa
I've always wanted to try it but I thought what was sold in the states was sans-wormwood... I see you're also in PA, do they even sell it here?
 

psugrad98

One of the Regulars
Messages
100
Location
Pennsylvania
They do sell it here. It does have wormwood, but not the the levels that are in European Absinthe. I've drank Lucid, not bad, but i enjoy Vieux Carre Absinthe. It's good. It does not give you hallucinations like they say, but it is an unusual sensation when drunk. You feel drunk but are unusually awake. I tend to drink a bit on occasion, and I never remember the types of dreams from alcohol like I get from about three servings or so of Absinthe.
 

Absinthe_1900

One Too Many
Messages
1,628
Location
The Heights in Houston TX
They do sell it here. It does have wormwood, but not the the levels that are in European Absinthe. I've drank Lucid, not bad, but i enjoy Vieux Carre Absinthe. It's good. It does not give you hallucinations like they say, but it is an unusual sensation when drunk. You feel drunk but are unusually awake. I tend to drink a bit on occasion, and I never remember the types of dreams from alcohol like I get from about three servings or so of Absinthe.

As long as it isn't Eastern European "Absinth" the majority of that swill isn't really absinthe, and is undrinkable.

Some American distillers are still ahead in quality, over their across the ocean counterparts, and it's not all about wormwood content either, as far as the "so called absinthe effect" is concerned.

There are good American brands, as well as a few French and Swiss brands.
 

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