abweatherley

Recipes 

Wondering if anyone has ever used or seen the need for using artemisia Abisinthium in their brewing projects.

Zacharomyces

Recipes 

It's REALLY REALLY bitter...used half an ounce in a five gallon batch and it was pretty un-drinkable.

brewingkitty

Recipes 

ever tried "Four" it is by coke and has wormwood in it. both times i tried a can, i felt like i was on the razor edge of barfing my guts out for many hours, but of course never did. what a drag to feel that sick and not have the relief of a spew session!! i say F that wormwood crap.

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Airborneguy

Recipes 

Real absinthe is an awesome spirit, but I never observed any "strange" affects. I went through a period when it first became legal where I sought out every brand I could find. I also doubt it is the wormwood that provides the actual flavor of the absinthe, so even if you used it in beer, you probably wouldn't get much out of it other than bitterness.

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stageseven

Recipes 

Yeah, I just did, and it went pretty poorly. See below.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/what-went-wrong-198725/

kunstler

Recipes 

Very bitter. 1/2 oz for 60 mins is way too much! I've heard 1/4 oz or spits a different beast than hops. My first guit ale, I did small 1.5 test batch and then popped it up to a larger batch once I got one I liked, though haven't used wormwood yet.

Also the comment about the effects of wormwood is in correct, it does have hallucinating properties and modern absinthe in the USA is basically just really strong vodka with green food coloring. However the amount of wormwood you would use in a 5 gallon batch will not produce those effects - not concentrated enough. And if you did concentrate it enough it would be so far beyond bitter.

REAL absinthe has wormwood in it and the effects are real. Commercial absinthe is not real.

But real absinthe is 100% illegal in the USA as you can only make it yourself....

Rossnaree

Recipes 

I grow it (artemesia absinthium). Some of my plants are 23-years-old. The older the plant, the more potent it is, so they say. It's a medicinal herb, and it tastes like that to keep you from just "indulging" at your liesure; in large doses, it can be toxic. It does, as the name implies, expel worms, but it's also traditionally been used as a remedy for gall bladder and liver problems including jaundice, and for diarrhea and dysentery. It was even used for promoting appetite in convalescents. NOTE: It is NOT recommended for internal use by the FDA. Externally, it's a great linament especially for back aches and sprains, and helps relieve the pain of rheumatoid arthritis.

As for the absinthe that's been made legal again here, it will either have an extremely low (per FDA - 0%) level of absinthium and/or other bittering agents from the artemesia family, or other herbs including hops (cones and leaves).

Here's the problem with wormwood: It IS addicting. Habitual use results in dimentia, chronic hallucinations, siezures, vertigo, and even death.

Hops, on the other hand, has traditionally been used for soothing nervousness, promoting sleep WITHOUT becoming dependent upon it, and for eliminating the same issues CAUSED by wormwood excesses (except death; nope, it won't bring you back. ). Also great for the liver and gall bladder and inflammation in the joints. Lots of other stuff, but you're a brewer, you already know that.

- Tim

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Secondary: Apfelwein, Chambourcin, Blackstone Pond American Ale, King of the North, Concord, 2nd wine from pulp of both
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smokinghole

Recipes 

It is my understanding that you can have "real" absinthe and consume it in the US. The tricky part is getting it. It's illegal for sale in the US but you can buy some while in another country like France and bring it back legally. That's my understanding last time I looked into it at least. I suppose you could order it also but then you're dealing with alcohol tax and mail BS.

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Airborneguy

Recipes 

Real absinthe has been legal for at least two years now. I was buying it before I bought my house, with was in early '09. The reason I say that is because I was living with a friend and we both liked it.

You are probably referring to "Absente", which is not real.

__________________
Fermentor(s):
Lagering:
Kegged: Unintentional Sour Brown, Citra/Amarillo IPA
Bottled:
Tapped:
Up Next: Amber?

Reading: The Road to ---- Retirement

abweatherley

Recipes 

I actually like the aniseed taste of it and regularly drink Sambuca. never drank Absinthe Liquer. Just interested in using it in beer. I don't believe there are any commercial examples??