Absinthe Blog

Happy Labor Day!

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It’s time for a day off of work to celebrate all of our efforts throughout the year. I can’t think of a better way to enjoy the day than to kick back and dance with the Green Fairy. I’ll be drinking Epoque and Suisse Verte  absinthes today. How about you?

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Marilyn Manson is a famous Absintheur. He usually drinks the Absinthe Serpis Red with 65% alcohol. But since 2008 he has his own Absinthe brand, Absinthe Mansinthe. The reviews for Mansinthe Absinthe are quite contradictionary. Some say that it is too weak in taste and louche for a real Absinthe, others like the lower licorice / anise taste of this Absinthe. Overall we would say it is a decent Absinthe. But we think it is a bit too moderate for an eccentric like Manson. What do you think..?

Mansinthe - the Absinthe from Marilyn Mansinthe

Mansinthe Absinthe

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The absinthe fairy at Absinthe House.

​Boulder  Colorado is about to go even greener. At the end of this month, Absinthe House will open in the former Foundry space at 1109 Walnut Street. “We want it to look like an absinthe house that’s been around before the ban on absinthe ninety years ago, but with an updated kind of feel,” says Eric Turner, who’s opening the place with partner Alfonso Natarelli.

In the front third of the space, they plan to have a restaurant that will be open for lunch and dinner; in the back will be a nightclub with DJs several nights a week; up above will be a 1,700 square-foot rooftop patio with a view of the Flatirons. And everywhere, of course, there will be absinthe, that mysterious green liqueur.

“We really felt like Boulder was the perfect fit for what we do,” Turner says. “It’s a great combo of really good food, really unique and good products for liquor, and the nightlife ambience with the nightclub thing. There isn’t a nightclub in Boulder.”

Much less a nightclub with what promises to be the largest selection of absinthe of any bar in America. Turner and Natarelli, who already have the Green Fairy absinthe bar in Copper Mountain, as well as two Summit County restaurants, think they’ll be able to get some brands unique to Absinthe House, because they’ll be special ordering them through their distributor. The offerings will change every day, depending on what suppliers have on hand, but Turner says they’re hoping to stock at least twenty kinds at all times, all authentic.

Look for Absinthe House to open Friday, August 27.

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There’s an exciting new absinthe site up. It’s Alandia’s Absinthe Community social networkig site. It’s about all things absinthe, with groups, forums, ect. You can check it out at www.alandia.de/absinthe-community . I hope to see all of you there, and check out the group for US absintheurs.

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At this years International Wine and Spirits Competition  La Maison Fontaine Absinthe took the Best in Class Gold Medal. It is a typical La Bleue Absinthe, but it is distilled in France, not Switzerland. It has a very fresh and crisp taste. 15 herbs are used for distillation. The producers recommend to try this Absinthe as well the “cucumber” way. Add some slices of cucumber into the decanter you use for diluting your Absinthe. It will give the drink a pleasant freshness. This wonderful absinthe is available at our sister site www.Alandia.de .

Absinthe Butterfly Boston

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A new Absinthe is coming to Absinthe.FM! By the beginning of august we will sell the reproduction Absinthe Butterfly. Butterfly was produced in the USA in the early 1900´s. Now the legend has returned. Here is some info about Butterfly´s history: 

Butterfly Absinthe was first produced in Boston, MA starting in 1902 by P. Dempsey & Co. The company was founded by an Irish immigrant named Patrick Dempsey who was born at the home farm in County Wicklow, Ireland, March 17, 1822, and died at his home in the city of Lowell, Massachusetts, December 12 or 13, 1902.
He spent the first sixteen years of his life on the home farm as his father’s assistant, and passed the four following years at the provision trade in Dublin, where he received the business training that proved so useful after his arrival in the United States. He and his brother James came to this country in the same ship in 1842, and he spent the first year of his American residence at Fall River, Massachusetts, an employee of the Hope Mills. He continued as a textile mill worker in Cranston, Rhode Island, and in Somerville, Massachusetts, but in the lastnamed city his health failed and he was obliged to seek out-of-door employment. Not finding anything suitable in Somerville, he went to Albany, New York, and there found a position with one of the contractors of a section of the Erie Canal, then being built across New York State to connect the Great Lakes with the Hudson River. He remained in that employ for some time, later went further west, not returning East until 1846, when he located in Lowell, and the same year rented the basement at No. 381-83 Market Street, in a small way beginning the making and bottling of root beer. He devoted himself to the building of this business with all the energy and strength he possessed, making the root beer at night and spending his days selling it. He prospered, of course, for this combination of youth and energy could not be denied. Soon he added other beverages to his list and rented the store above his business as a salesroom, retaining the basement for manufacturing purposes. Later he opened a wholesale store for the sale of liquors under the firm name, P. Dempsey & Company, occupying the double stores at 381-83 Market Street, Lowell, MA and continuing the active head of that firm for 53 years, 1846-99.
In 1900 he retired and was succeeded by his son, George C. Dempsey, and Patrick Keyes, who continued at the same location and in Boston. Once in Boston, the company began production of a number of liquor brands including Patts Malt Whiskey, Mayfair Whiskey, Puritan Gin and Butterfly Absinthe.
The US Absinthe ButterflyAbsinthe Butterfly Reproduction

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Yesterday I was fortunate enough to try a new verte absinthe distilled in Europe for the US market. It’s made with a wine based alcohol and traditional ingrediants, with a few secret ones as well, at 136 proof. It has a strong aroma and a very rich, full bodied flavor. This one has the most traditional vintage flavor of any US absinthes that I’ve tried. Over a year in the making, it has been approved for the US. They’re just waiting for approval of the label. My source tells me that it will (hopefully) be here in time for Christmas and it will be a medium priced one. I can’t say anymore than that at the moment, but I’ll post more details as they become available. Get ready folks, you’ll like this one!   :)

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Mark your calendars, July 17, 2010 – Sept 30, 2010, and come see Damian Hevia’s new collection of Absinthe related photographs at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum (SoFAB), adjacent to the Museum of the American Cocktail, NMark your calendars, July 17, 2010 – Sept 30, 2010, and come see Damian Hevia’s new collection of Absinthe related photographs at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum (SoFAB), adjacent to the Museum of the American Cocktail, New Orleans, L.A., on July 17, 2010.(Riverwalk Marketplace 1 Poydras St., Julia Street entrance, top floor). Come meet Damian at the opening, 4:00-6:00 pm, and see his, “Absinthe Visions” photographic exhibit. If you can’t make it for the opening, you still have a chance to see his work as the exhibit will be featured for 3 consecutive months. Damian is a very talented and world renowned professional photographer, acclaimed musician and Absinthe aficionado from Houston, Texas. His artistic photographs capture and reflect the spirit of his subject and evoke reflective emotions that stimulate both curiosity and excitement in his audience about this mysterious aperitif called Absinthe. Opening of this exhibit kicks off the festivities of, “Tales of the Cocktail”, (July 21-24,2010) headquartered at the Montelone Hotel. See, (http://www.talesofthecocktail.com/), for more details. Presentations by Absinthe experts and historians, Jay Hendrickson and Ted Breaux will inform the audience about the history, myths, distilling processes and recent legalization (2007) of contemporary Absinthe. (See schedule for dates, times and locations of these seminars). This exhibit and the above cocktail festival are sure to entertain, stimulate, educate, and, if you’re not careful, inebriate its audience. Please drink responsibly so you can come back in September, 2010, to hear Damian present his motivation and practical approach to achieving his vision for the photographs in the exhibit. (Dates to be determined and shared when available). To see more examples of his artistic expressions through still photographs, visit (http://www.dhevia.com/) Please share this invitation with all of your friends and acquaintances! We hope to see you there having tons of fun in New Orleans!

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Absinthe guru Ted Breaux, whose Jade line of absinthes is generally considered among the best, will be teaching a class in making absinthe cocktails. It will feature drinks made with existings and unreleased absinthes. The event will take place June 24th at the Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans at a cost of $20 per person and reservations can be made at 504-522-1994

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John Trummer, owner of the New York bar Apotheke, prides himself in his pyrotechnic displays at work. The bar claims to be trying to re-create the atmosphere of absinthe dens in the 1800’s. John performs a rather elaborate absinthe fire ritual as seen in the picture. Any real absintheur knows that they never used fire with absinthe in the old days. He was recently arrested for pouring several different types of booze on the 20 foot long bar and lighting it on fire.  While I’m sure this looked really cool, it seems to be very dangerous. Friends don’t let friends burn absinthe .  :)