tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198061522024-03-13T23:16:28.454-07:00Salsa's Absinthe BlarghAn absinthe fan's absinthe blog-- news, history, or whatever louches my dose...salsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.comBlogger102125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-44598220253896157482014-11-23T16:39:00.001-08:002014-11-23T16:39:30.437-08:00Concrete Mixer Massacre
"Massacre à la bétonneuse" - absinthemuseum.auvers-sur-oisesalsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-26902742852601708162011-07-08T12:56:00.001-07:002011-07-08T13:38:53.818-07:00BTW: She Said Yes!I'd been holding onto a sample of 1914 Pernod Fils (from Oxygénée) for a few years, waiting for a special occasion, and last October finally had an event worth such a momentous drink: I asked Liz to marry me :)It tasted as wonderful as we'd expected! There was no question that we'd dilute it with a slow drip to enjoy the louche. The far glass is antique (1860s?), purchased at salsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-11557634730687215262009-05-13T13:47:00.000-07:002009-05-14T21:39:01.978-07:00The New York Times Rates AbsinthesToday's New York Times article rating absinthes manages to break through the hype and bad rep and actually do a tasting. While not completely moronic like The Wall Street Journal's attempt published Saturday (seriously? Mata Hari?!), they omit a few-- both good and bad-- and I generally disagree with their ratings. Still, it's good to see people trying to take it seriously.La Clandestine, salsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-31049827994584457532009-04-24T19:47:00.000-07:002009-04-24T20:07:16.655-07:00Old Absinthe House-- WTF?!
OF ALL PLACES, the Old Absinthe House (no link deserved) should know better than to perform the "fire ritual." It's as bad as going to the Pilsner Urquell brewerey and having them insist on you doing a beer bong, or maybe ordering a Chateau Lafite Rothschild at Taillevent and having it served in a pimp cup mixed with Orangina. It seems all I can do is be that asshole who points out that peoplesalsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-52892309861226787412009-01-25T13:20:00.000-08:002009-04-24T20:08:29.263-07:00Radio Maria: Cut It Out!
Spotted this flaming absinthe shot shot on Flickr, taken at Radio Maria in Champagne, Illinois. There seem to be fewer new photos getting tagged with "absinthe" on Flickr than a few months ago; curious if the economic meltdown has made people hesitate when considering a $12 drink or >$60 bottle of booze.And while the lab hardware fountain looks nice, the reservoirs are too small to properly salsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-88183666205953914342008-12-17T14:10:00.000-08:002009-05-14T21:38:40.279-07:00You're DOING IT WRONG!! FIRE + Absinthe = WRONG!!!
I've been a slack blogger lately-- what to say, now that absinthe is legal?!
Well, one thing for sure: YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG!!! I subscribe to a Flickr feed of all absinthe-tagged photos, and it seems like the "fire ritual" is the way most people are getting absinthe served to them. GAH!!!
It's as if beer was suddenly back after a long hiatus, and people forgot how to drink it, so salsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-58172947178278779212008-06-26T18:39:00.000-07:002008-11-12T21:20:05.527-08:00Jade N-O and Clandestine on the Way
Viridian Spirits, of Lucid fame, have announced that they are bringing T.A. Breaux's Jade Nouvelle-Orléans and Claude-Alain Bugnon's La Clandestine to the U.S.!Prices of $110 and $80 seem fair (given current exchange rates, [grumble grumble]) for two of the finest absinthes available-- Nouvelle-Orléans is my favorite Jade, and La Clandestine is a much fresher and more complex Swiss blanche thansalsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-80840636483993428292008-06-07T22:03:00.000-07:002008-06-08T05:42:09.704-07:00Happiness...
We received an order from Liqueurs de France a few days ago-- mostly for me, a few bottles for friends. I hesitated ordering and Gaudentia Persoz' La P'tite sold out! Too bad, but that means there'll be another big order in the fall when there's (hopefully) more Belle Amie as well...salsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-34354795331669029142008-06-01T20:20:00.000-07:002009-01-14T17:59:40.621-08:00PAS DE FEU!
Seriously-- do NOT burn absinthe! And tell everybody!!! It's a waste of good alcohol, plus it means that the terrorists have won! Save your flaming booze for Sambuca, Bananas Foster, and burning your face off...
Posted because Unkle Paul announced a party in August-- the FIRST thing I saw when I attended one of his events was absinthe on fire. The corset-wearing pierced and tattooed salsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-14828991609525235382008-04-23T00:53:00.000-07:002008-06-08T05:40:02.972-07:00Science!!Top absinthe experts have finally put their money and lab equipment (and vintage absinthe) where their mouths are, publishing a paper to back up what they've been saying for years: that
absinthe didn't (and doesn't) have very much thujone in it, far less than the badly estimated 260mg/l figure that so many idiots people still cling to.
More opinions to come, but I didn't want to post before salsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-69851039823581631612008-04-16T04:13:00.000-07:002008-11-12T21:20:05.912-08:00U.S. TTB Absinthe Label Approvals
Oxy psoted a great link to a Lehrman Beverage Law PLCC page listing details on U.S.-legal absinthe, including a listing of TTB-approved absinthe labels-- might have to stop rooting for everybody if there are going to be this many entrants to the market-- surely many distillers will file papers and turn a few batches just to grab some cash after all the press about St. George...salsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-56906292535788804232008-04-11T20:35:00.000-07:002009-01-30T12:37:33.141-08:00Chicago Area Absinthe Sirène
Chicagoist reports that North Shore Distillery owners Derek and Sonja Kassebaum brought an assortment of spirits to Malt Advocate magazine's WhiskyFest, including two absinthes "Sirène"-- a white and a green-- and that they expect to have a product available to the public very soon.
With St. George from California and the upcoming Marteau Classic on the way made by House Spirits in Oregon, salsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-81806352388630434082008-03-28T13:00:00.000-07:002008-11-12T21:20:06.508-08:00SF World Spirits Competition: results?
The San Francisco World Spirits Competition was held on March 15 and 16, and while the results have been released to entrants, I'm curious to see the complete list after yesterday's San Francisco Chronicle blurb mentioned that ten absinthes competed, and the winner-- "Vieux Pontarlier," distilled at the Emile Pernot distillery-- is not even on the market yet.
Searches for "vieux pontarlier salsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-50071833906644144742008-03-25T12:11:00.000-07:002008-11-12T21:20:06.962-08:00Vintage Absinthe Paraphernalia
If you know where to look [cough, cough], you may be able to score some fine antiques from time to time! Besides absinthe's fascinating history, these are simply some of the most attractive and functional antiques you could find...I'm waiting to hear back on the 5-dose topette, but I saw the posts late and fear the worst...
Update: The topette is mine! I've read that topettes were used salsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-19123913610675616392008-03-21T17:31:00.000-07:002008-11-12T21:20:07.130-08:00San Francisco Front Page News
My Inbox has been blowing up-- everybody's sending me links to the
absinthe article in today's San Francisco Chronicle-- it made the front page of the online edition (need to get a paper paper). With expected local nods to to Lance Winters of St. George Spirits and Absinthe (the restaurant), the article dares to ask, "will consumers continue to lap it up?"
The author Stacey Finz gets some salsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-39997013226459258842008-03-19T22:29:00.000-07:002008-03-22T22:27:39.880-07:00Glasses Everywhere...
Poking around the Clement St. Goodwill for gadgets (Popeil, anyone?), I scored a mint condition Moulinex 445 "Mouli-Julienne"-- I expected junk dreamed of sweet scores like that-- but was shocked to find a brand new San Miguel cordon absinthe glass, different from the San Miguel glasses at Liqueurs de France.
After cleaning it, I watered up the fountain and set a drip going over a sugar cubesalsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-45387749362520963152008-02-27T09:49:00.001-08:002008-02-27T09:56:09.789-08:00Ikea absinthe glasses?"Pokal" wine glasses caught my eye the other day and I grabbed a box-- good shape and size (7oz) for absinthe, right diameter for a spoon. Cheaper to buy these than to rent glasses for the party...salsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-82000059719625238462008-02-05T13:30:00.000-08:002008-04-11T20:02:55.898-07:00Getting Your Louche On
With so many people trying out absinthe for the first time, accessories for the ritual are in high demand. Even
Hammacher Schlemmer is offering
a nice kit, though you could assemble it for less from the specialty vendors.The key, really, is having a comfortable setup so you can add as much or as little cold water and sugar as you would like-- folks aren't missing anything if all they have issalsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-37735241388258257602008-02-03T16:20:00.000-08:002008-02-06T09:29:57.238-08:00St. George: Second Release of Absinthe Verte
Made it to St. George Spirits this morning with Spoon to pick up some of the second batch of Absinthe Verte. We arrived at around 11:30 and the line had tripled by noon, but it still took an hour to get in while the folks ahead made their buys and left-- few stayed to taste. Thankfully the rain came and went quickly!
After buying a few bottles (three max), I got a taste and was surprised by salsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-55970128028293239932008-01-14T11:26:00.000-08:002008-02-05T14:34:11.579-08:00Seriously-- Don't Burn It!(link)
(link)
It can't be said enough-- burning absinthe is not a good idea. Probably 151 or everclear in these clips, but any booze over 100 proof should burn freely, so don't be like these guys. Thanks to SP for the clips. Here's two more: 1, 2salsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-58747176806160535282007-12-25T17:36:00.000-08:002008-11-12T21:20:07.426-08:00MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Here's hoping everybody's having a great day with friends, family, good eats, and a glass of the good stuff, whatever that might be for you!
I've enjoyed a few absinthes with JS, starting with the St. George, then comparing to Edouard, Duplais Balance, a few others. St. George stands out in a crowd-- pronounced aftertastes are new to us, must be stinging nettles and/or meadowsweet. You salsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-71274745155128036962007-12-20T20:13:00.000-08:002007-12-21T22:32:11.893-08:00St. George: Early Arrival!I leave San Francisco later tonight and figured I'd try the St. George absinthe when I get back in a few days, but DM just called to say he picked up my bottle from D&M Liquors-- I'm off to the Mission to pick it up!!! First louche picture to come ASAP...
Update 10:00PM: Got the bottle but I need to head to OAK in a few minutes...:( No time to louche it up, but I'll be following reports of salsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-27314475795839851122007-12-20T13:07:00.000-08:002008-11-12T21:20:07.929-08:00Drink Your Booze, Burn Your Fuel
Not the other way around!
With so many people finding absinthe available in the U.S., it's important that newcomers understand that the Czech fire show done with inferior absinthes may be fun when you're on vacation in Prague, but it is a party trick akin to beer bongs, keg stands, body shots, cement mixers, and its original inspiration in the 1990's: flaming Sambuca shots. Those games don't salsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-3149443640719326782007-12-06T11:12:00.001-08:002008-11-12T21:20:08.148-08:00Good Absinthe Info for the Public
Following its article yesterday about St. George Spirits Absinthe Verte, the San Francisco Chronicle posted an "All About Absinthe" Q+A section and an AP Interactive graphic with a voice-over by Ted Breaux. I don't dig the skull motif, but they didn't ask me.
As always, many questions and answers can be found at the two premier absinthe FAQ's online, at La Fée Verte and The Wormwood Society.salsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19806152.post-26759852522107721912007-12-05T08:59:00.000-08:002008-11-12T21:20:08.611-08:00St. George Spirits "Absinthe Verte"!I'd heard rumors and now the word is out-- St. George Spirits of Alameda got final approval last Wednesday for their label and will start selling Absinthe Verte on December 21! The New York Times and San Francisco Chronicle are running full stories on it today, with photos and interviews with Lance Winters and everything! It's a pleasure to add an American distillery to the absinthe map. The salsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691727863273668045noreply@blogger.com4