The product you are describing will undoubtedly be strongly bitter and acrid. That is the result of using macerated wormwood. This is not comparable to traditional absinthe that was made during the Belle Epoque. Traditional absinthe was mildly bitter, not like some of the Eastern European brands that are on the market today, nor like the product of this recipe.

Furthermore, your information about thujone is outdated. Numerous scientific studies over the past 20 years have proven that levels of thujone in pre-ban absinthe were not much different than what is being produced currently in Europe and even in the United States. Analysis of vintage bottles, as well as of absinthes made presently according to Belle Epoque recipes and production guidelines have shown that most brands fall under the current EU standards of 35 ppm and even the US’s limit of 10 ppm.

Lastly, the argument over thujone is a non-starter anyway, since the levels in ANY absinthe (including those claiming high amounts of 100mg/l and above) are still so minute that you would have to drinking multiple bottles of absinthe to feel any of the side effects. You’d die multiple times over of alcohol poisoning first.

You really wouldn’t want to feel ‘effects’ of thujone anyway, since they aren’t akin to recreational drug effects. The effects of thujone include epileptic fits and siezures, not hallucinations or other desirable psychotropic experiences that some people are looking for.

Sources:
http://www.thujone.info
http://www.wormwoodsociety.org
http://www.feeverte.net
http://www.oxygenee.com/

Regards,

Brian Robinson
Review Editor
The Wormwood Society

Making absinthe is not like making beer. It is a highly accurate science. That is why, as mentioned, it can be expensive.

Incorrectly mentioned is the fact that is is not available in the US. There are currently 24 legal absinthes available in the US and local liquor stores across the country are carrying them.

If you must try to make absinthe, please buy a professionally prepared brand for comparison.

When you get to the point where you need to buy absinthe accessories, try http://www.absintheonthenet.com

We had the pleasure of touring Stone Brewery’s new facilities in Escondido, CA. Let me tell you, it was a great experience! From the free tour to the free beer, it was something not to be missed!

Stone Brewery, a San Diego County microbrewery is one of the largest names in microbrews. Known as one of the top breweries in the world, Stone beers (Arrogant Bastard Ale, Stone IPA, etc..) can be found across the U.S. in many stores. If you haven’t tried a Stone brew, you’re missing out.

The tour began in the store front of the brewery. We were immediately greeted and given an introduction to the events that were about to take place: free Stone beer on the left; the tour starts in 5 minutes. ‘Nuff said.

After enjoying tastes of 4 of the 5 brews on tap, our guide began the tour. The facility was awe-inspiring. While an impressive size, it was hard to imagine that nearly 50,000 barrels of Stone beer were anticipated to be produced over the next year from this facility.

The tour lasted about 45 minutes and we saw the entire facility, from the mashers to the fermenters to the bottlers. The entire brewing process was explained and shown. Not only that, but the tour really demonstrates a good description of the brewery’s philosophy: focus on quality and create an honest beer from basic ingredients without cutting corners. A simple philosophy implied difficult to follow by some of the more mainstream beer companies.

I recommend that anyone take the Stone Brewery tour. If you don’t live in the San Diego area, you may want to book a weekend and visit the brewery, along with some of the others within miles. It’s truly an experience not to be missed.