There has been much controversy regarding the thujone levels in Absinthe and whether Absinthe can really make you hallucinate but what about its alcohol content – How much alcohol is in Absinthe?

Due to the label on all commercial alcoholic drinks about alcohol content people are capable for making informed decisions about drinking them and how much to consume.

A hydrometer is used to measure the alcohol content. One can get a hydrometer with a thermometer attached to it. The direction of hydrometer is vertical when kept in liquid. As it is supplied to water the water line stops at the level marked 1.One can see increase in the level of water when it is put in sugared water. The float moves lower when the hydrometer is put in fermenting alcohol. A person needs to take the first measurement with the sugar but before the yeast is added and then the final measurement after the yeast has completed fermentation while preparing alcohol.

Alcohol by volume is worked out by the following formula:-
Formula is Original gravity – Final gravity x 131 = Alcohol by volume.

Both the EU and the United States label the alcohol by volume content of drinks, some other countries go on proof. Proof is approximately twice alcohol by volume.

Different brands of Absinthe have different alcohol contents. Look at the following statistics:-

Lucid Absinthe 62% abv (124 proof)
Alcohol by volume is 53% in La Clandestine Absinthe
Sebor 55% abv (110 proof)
One can get 60% abv in Pere Kermanns
Research shows that Pernod Absinthe contains 68% abv of alcohol
The alcohol content in Mari Mayans Collectors 70 is 70% abv (140 proof)
What is La Fee XS Absinthe Suisse 53% abv (106 proof)
One can get 68% abv alcohol content in La Fee XS Absinthe Francaise
Information about La Fee Bohemian 70% abv (140 proof)
La Fee Parisian 68% abv (136 proof)
The alcohol content is found to be 53% abv in Carte D'Or Kubler 53
The alcohol content is found to be 65% abv in Doubs Mystique Carte D'Or
The alcohol content is found to be 75% abv in Roquette 1797
The alcohol volume in Jade PF 1901 is 68% abv
The alcohol content is about 72% abv (144 proof) in Jade Edouard
Ideas about Jade Verte Suisse 65% abv (130 proof)
Jade Nouvelle Orleans 68% abv (136 proof)

As you can see Absinthe can range from 53% abv to 75% abv, quite a difference. Now, let's compare those levels to other alcoholic drinks:-

Absolut Blue Vodka 40% abv (80 proof)
Jose Cuervo Gold Tequila 38% abv (76 proof)
Beer tends to be 4 or 5% alcohol by volume (8-10 proof).
One can get Table Wine with 9-12% alcohol by volume.
The alcohol by volume is 40% in Johnnie Walker Black Label Scotch Whisky.
Everclear 95% abv (190 proof)

No other alcoholic drink seems to come close to Absinthe!

One can find differences in alcohol content of homemade Absinthes. An Absinthe essence can be mixed from AbsintheKit.com.Absolut vodka and Everclear are available at AbsintheKit.com which have different alcohol content.

Absinthe was banned in the 1900s because of claims that thujone, the chemical in wormwood, was like THC in the drug cannabis and that it was psychoactive and caused psychedelic effects. The claims about Absinthe has been totally wrong but there can be risk to health because of over dose of any drink. People in Memphis have realized this and in 2006 Memphis was the city that drank the least alcohol in the USA.

Although alcohol does not harm if consumed in balanced amount but people should be familiar about how much alcohol is in Absinthe and other alcoholic drinks.

Artemisia Absinthiumis the botanical and Latin name for the plant Common Wormwood. The name “Artemisia” was kept from the name of the Greek Goddess Artemis. Artemis is known as the goddess of forests and hills, of the hunt and also as a protector of children. A relation was assumed between Artemis and the moon. According to the people's thought the Latin word “Absinthium” came from the Ancient Greek meaning "without sweetness”.

The Common Wormwood plant generally grows in rocky areas and on arid ground in Asia, North Africa and the Mediterranean. It started developing in parts of North America after expanding from people's gardens. Common wormwood or Artemisia Absinthium is also popular as green ginger, grande wormwood and armoise.

The silver gray leaves and tiny yellow flowers are attraction of wormwood plants. Wormwood oil is produced in tiny glands on the leaves. Tarragon, sagebrush, sweet wormwood, Levant wormwood, silver king artemisia, Roman wormwood and southernwood are also members of the Artemisia group. The Artemisia plants belongs to the Aster plant family.

A lots of medical uses are there of wormwood since ancient times
- A woman can feel relieved during labor pains.
- To counterbalance the poisoning from toadstools and hemlock.
- As an antiseptic.
- To ease digestive problems and to stimulate digestion. Wormwood may be helpful in treating people who do not have sufficient stomach acid.
- One can use it as a cardiac stimulant in pharmaceuticals.
- It helps in reducing fevers.
- One can use it as an anthelmintic to expel intestinal worms.
- As a tonic.

There is research claiming that wormwood may be effective in treating Alzheimer's disease and Crohn's disease.

Effects of Artemisia Absinthium

Wormwood is a key ingredient in the liquor Absinthe, the Green Fairy, which was banned in many countries in the early 1900s. Absinthe is named after this herb which also gives the drink its characteristic bitter taste,

Absinthe was banned because of its alleged psychedelic effects. It was thought that hallucinations and insanity was caused by it. The Bohemian culture of Parisian Montmartre with its loose morals, courtesans and artists and writers was also combined with Absinthe.

The chemical thujone and the THC are said to be similar. There has been an Absinthe revival since the 1990s when studies showed that Absinthe actually only contained very small amounts of thujone and that it would be impossible to drink enough Absinthe, for the thujone to be harmful, because Absinthe is such a strong spirit – you would be comatose first!

There is no harm in drinking Absinthe but one should be carefull while consuming it because it is about twice as strong as other drinks.

Absinthe just is not real Absinthe without Artemisia Absinthium. Many manufacturers make “fake” Absinthes using other herbs and flavorings but these are not the real Green Fairy. If you want the real thing you must check that they contain thujone or Common Wormwood or use essences,such as those from AbsintheKit.One can visit AbsintheKit.com to make his own Absinthe containing Artemisia Absinthium.

There is various contradictory Absinthe information available online and in books on which can hardly believe.

Misleading Absinthe Information

One book “Absinthe The Cocaine of the 19th Century: A History of the Hallucinogenic Drug and its Effect on Artists and Writersin Europe and the United States” by Doris Lanier, compares Absinthe to drugs such as cocaine because it was said to be addictive, to give a sense of euphoria, have psychedelic effects and weaken the brain and other faculties.

At the end of the 19th century and early 20th century Absinthe became well known to the people. People used illegal drugs of today at that time for medicine, on prescription for coughs etc. In drinks also. Some of the popular drinks in bars were Absinthe, Vin Maraiani and Coca Cola. These drugs and drinks were claimed to be harmless and were widely consumed all over Europe.

Due to it's popularity with Bohemian artists and writers and with the courtesans of the Moulin Rouge and Montmartre Absinthe was linked with these drugs.

Thujone was also claimed to be psychoactive and same as THC in the drug cannabis. Both THC and Thujone are terpenoids which affects the central nervous system and the GABA receptors in the brain respectively. The effects of wormwood is similar to cannabis intoxication when smoked as a joint or consumed in large amount.

Absinthe was banned along with some drugs in the early 1900s in most of the countries all over the world. Banning it was just a part of the hysteria of the time. Most of the people and websites are there today who mention Absinthe in the same sentence as magic mushrooms, LSD, weed, cannabis and ecstasy. 

Absinthe Information – What we now know

We know that medical studies on Absintheand wormwood in the past were not accurate and were “colored” by the prohibition movement of the time and the worry that Absinthe was a drug. The thujone content in Absinthe is so less that it cannot have any dangerous effects. Vintage pre ban Absinthe do not contained any thujone content. Before suffering from thujone a person would die of alcohol poisoning.

One can enjoy Absinthe all over the world as it has been legalized in many countries.

It is easy to get drunk on Absinthe because of it's high proof. The alcohol content in it is double in comparison to spirits like vodka or whisky so care should be taken when drinking it. If you do get drunk on Absinthe you will probably experience a very different intoxication than you would experience from other spirits or fermented beverages. A number of people describe it as a “lucid” or “clear headed” kind of drunkenness. This can be explained by the blend of herbs and the alcohol – a mix of sedatives and stimulants. These qualities are improved by making cocktails having Absinthe and the caffeine loaded drink Red Bull!

So, you will be disappointed if you believe some of the misleading Absinthe information and buy Absinthe to give you vivid hallucinations. This herbal alcoholic drink can be prepared with enjoyment. A person can also enjoy making his very own wormwood Absinthe at home by using real, top-quality Absinthe essences.AbsintheKit.com is a fun and economical way to enjoy Absinthe.

Since there has been an Absinthe revival in many countries over the past few years, many people are seeking Absinthe info.

Absinthe is a strong herbal liquor which is nicknamed “La Fee Verte” or “The Green Fairy” because of its characteristic green color. It is not fermented like the alcoholic beverages, beer and cider.

The name and taste of Absinthe is related to the common wormwood, artemisia absinthium from which it is made. A few “fake” Absinthes lack wormwood because thujone was strictly banned in countries like the USA.

Absinthe is also prepared with the other herbs and essential oils like Fennel, green aniseed, star anise, hyssop, lemon balm, juniper, angelica, licorice, dittany, coriander, nutmeg and sweet flag. One can see a louche when Absinthe is mixed with water. Due to the solubility of oils in alcohol and insolubility in water the drink appears cloudy.

Absinthe Info about the Ban

The prohibition movement claimed that Absinthe was harmful and that drinking Absinthe led to “Absinthism” which was characterized by convulsions, fits, madness, brain damage and ultimately death. People believed that thujone causes psychedelic effects and can be dangerous. Absinthe was believed to contained a high quantity of thujone. In various nations Absinthe was not legalized in the early 1900s.

These statements and claims regarding to Absinthe are totally unreal. Large quantities of thujone can be dangerous for a person. Absinthe from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries was thought to contain as much as 350mg of thujone per kg, recent studies have shown that it contained a maximum of 6mg per kg – a huge difference. To have harmful effects of thujone one has to intake an impossible amount of Absinthe!

Absinthe has now been legalized in most countries and there are many types and styles available:-

- Clear Absinthe – This is known as La Bleue or Blanche Absinthe and is commonly distilled in Switzerland.

- La Verte – This is traditional green Absinthe, the Green Fairy.

Spanish Absinthe is more sweet than normal French or Swiss Absinthe because it is made with Spanish Alicante Anise.

- Bohemian or Czech style Absinthe – Also known as Absinth, it is a wormwood bitter, rather than an Absinthe, which does not contain other herbs such as aniseed or fennel.

A real Absinthe is that which contain thujone or wormwood.

You can also make your own Absintheby using Absinthe essences from AbsintheKit.com. The distillation process of these essences are done by using modern carbon dioxide distillation. Absinthe with real wormwood can be prepared by just mixing it with a neutral alcohol.

The website AbsintheKit.com is available with all the informations related to Absinthe and Absinthe accessories.

We are experiencing an Absinthe revival with the legalization of a few brands of Absinthe in 2007 in the United States. Yet, some people don't really know how to use Absinthe correctly or even what Absinthe is.

What is Absinthe

Absinthe is not a hallucinogen or a drug. It is a strong alcoholic beverage with an alcohol by volume of up to 75% and an anise flavor.

In the 18th century Absinthe was made as a medicine by Dr Pierre Ordinaire of Switzerland for his patients. Henri-Louis Pernod did the distilling and selling of Absinthe by the turn of the 19th century. Wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium), fennel, hyssop, lemon balm, angelica,aniseed, star anise,  juniper, dittany, nutmeg and melissa were also used along with a wine alcohol base distilled with different types of natural herbs by Pernod.

People of France prefer Absinthe to wine. Absinthe bars use the “Ritual” method for preparing Absinthe.

Absinthe was banned in France in 1915 after it was claimed that Absinthe contained psychoactive chemicals and cause hallucinations, convulsions, insanity and death. These claims were unreal and now every one knows that. Absinthe cannot and does not give rise to such effects. Absinthe was legalized in many countries in the 1990s.

How to Use Absinthe the Traditional Way

To prepare Absinthe in the traditional way is to use the “Ritual”.
The requirement is:-
- A large glass or Absinthe glass is needed.
- Absinthe
- An Absinthe spoon– replica glasses and spoons can be purchased online at AbsintheKit.One can visit the site AbsintheKit.com to make his own Absinthe. Get top-quality Absinthe essences to make your own Absinthe.
- One has to use a sugar cube.
- Use a carafe of iced water.

Pour a shot of Absinthe into the glass.
After resting the spoon on the rim of the glass put the sugar cube on it.
One has to drop slowly the iced water over the sugar to dissolve it.
The Absinthe louche appears when the water is mixed into the Absinthe. The mixture louches due to the insolubility of the essential oils in water.
A person can enjoy the taste of the Green Fairy after stirring his Absinthe.

Although Absinthe will not give hallucinations but one can easily get drunk on Absinthe. Absinthe is made from naturally sedative and stimulants herbs. Other spirits, wine or beer can not give the same drunkness as caused by this blend of herbs. Some call it as a “clear headed” drunkenness.

The Czech or Bohemian Method

With this method, once you have poured the shot of Absinthe into the glass you dip the sugar cube into the alcohol and then set it alight on the spoon with a match. After the caramelization and melting of sugar the iced water van be added into the Absinthe.

One can have fun while drinking Absinthe with the Bohemian method. There are some risks as the fire can catch the whole Absinthe glass! It is necessary to take care.

The Ritual is the very famous way of using Absinthe however it can also be used in cocktails.