Green fairies seemingly float in midair. Famous works of art emerge from genius, intoxicated minds. These are just a few of the things associated with absinthe.
Absinthe is one of the most potent liquors on the market at 45 to 75 percent alcohol. The active ingredient in absinthe, the herb wormwood, can cause hallucination. Absinthe is illegal in the U.S., because wormwood contains the chemical thujone, which is banned by the Food and Drug Administration, according to the Code of Federal Regulations.
According to www.absintheonline.com, absinthe began as an elixir created by Dr. Pierre Ordinaire in the late 18th century in Switzerland and is known for its height during the French bohemian movement.
According to www.absintheonline.com, it was banned in the U.S. in 1912, but the ban on absinthe in many European nations has since been lifted. Although illegal to distribute and bring into the U.S., some people still attain it by ordering, smuggling or distilling it in their home. There are no laws about having absinthe inside of a home.
Absinthe is said to have inspired famous minds such as Vincent van Gogh and Oscar Wilde with its hallucinogenic effects. But, according to www.absinth.com, a Web site provided by Logan Distribution, Inc., don't expect to experience hallucinogenic effects with only one dose. These artists consumed massive quantities of absinthe regularly to attain their desired effect.
According to its Web site, Logan Distribution, Inc., is an American-based company that acts as a liaison between American absinthe consumers and creators in the Czech Republic. Bottles range in price from $74 to more than $200 each.
Ohio University sophomore Alison H. tried absinthe during Spring Quarter 2005 after bringing two bottles of it back from Mexico. Alison took a spoonful of sugar in her mouth and then took the shot.
The traditional way to serve absinthe is to place a sugar cube on a strainer spoon over a glass of water. The absinthe is dropped onto the cube with an eyedropper. The cube is then lit on fire to allow the absinthe-coated sugar to melt into the water, according to Logan Distribution, Inc.
Alison didn't experience any unusual effects from the single shot she took, she said. She also did not enjoy the characteristic licorice taste or burning in her throat after the shot.
OU senior Will Vokac made his own absinthe last Spring Quarter from a recipe he found on the Internet. Vokac purchased all of the ingredients at a local pharmacy, including the active hallucinogenic ingredient, wormwood. He changed them slightly by omitting anise, which gives absinthe its distinctive licorice flavor. Most people are supposed to add the required herbs to an alcohol like vodka, but he used Everclear.
It was awful
he said. It was the most bitter drink you ever put down your throat.
Even though he didn't make it correctly, he said that his version was authentic absinthe. His concoction did the same thing as a bottle he bought in Germany. A chemical reaction occurred when he added water, changing it to a milky white. It also numbed his mouth like Novocaine when taken in a shot, he said.
Vokac prefers German absinthe to the absinthe he tried in Prague in the Czech Republic. Many Czech Republic absinthes are bad, made cheaply using dye to achieve a deep green hue, he said.
A new energy drink called Four is the first drink containing wormwood to come into the U.S. market in over 100 years. Launched in Ohio this January, seniors Tom Healy and Bobby Hill are marketing the drink at OU.
Four contains the same ingredients as other energy drinks (taurine, guarana and caffeine), such as Red Bull, but it also includes wormwood oil. It is significantly different than any other drink because of the wormwood in it, Healy said.
Four's ingredients have been altered so it is legal to sell in the U.S., Hill said. There are no hallucinogenic effects, but a different buzz is felt, he said.
Hill doesn't recommend drinking Four by itself, though.
It's more of a complement to other alcohol he said, adding that drinking too many can cause a sick feeling because of so much sugar.
Four is available at most campus convenience stores and a few Court Street bars, such as Cat's Eye Saloon, 12 N. Court, The CI, 32 N. Court St. and the Crystal, 34 N. Court St.
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Caitlin Price
