Originally Posted by
Thoth
According to the FDA, alcoholic beverages must be thujone-free pursuant to 21 CFR 172.510.
Alcohol is a GABA agonist. It stimulates the production of this neurotransmitter which causes drowsiness and sleep. Thujone is a GABA antagonist. It prohibits alcohol from performing that part of it's function. Absinthe is therefore a type of 'speedball', it's chemical constituents at once promote the production of GABA and opens its receptors, while also closing those receptors off. This explains the 'green fairy' effect that absinthe has, as oppossed to just normal drunkenness.
There is also a very good reason for the so called "French Ritual" adding a gentle and constant trickle of icey water produces a clouding, or louche, this is the herbal oils which are being held in suspension being released. Here lies the effect and the tatse. Water should be added at a ratio of 1:4, which is a blessing given the price of real absinthe.
Real absinthe with thujone is expensive. Why? Thujone is a naturally occuring terpene in artemisia absinthium and is also a benchmark for the quality of the wormwood. Artisnal brands like Century Absinthe with 100mg thujone or Roquette 1797 (35mg) etc are not cheap, and only available online.
In fact you can steep wormwood in high proof alcohol and produce Piołunówka which is a Polish farmhouse drink. This is not absinthe, but it is drinkable and the thujone concentration can be high if you know how to cultivate the plant.
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