The National Library of Medicine has the following to say on the subject, “The only consistent conclusion that can be drawn from those 19th-century studies about absinthism is that wormwood oil but not Absinthe is a potent agent to cause seizures. However, modern science and medicine have entirely debunked the theory. The belief in this problem was so strong that it contributed to the ban on Absinthe for many years. Absinthe Makes You Have SeizuresĪbsinthism is a fictional ‘disease’ where people who drink Absinthe have seizures. Absinthe didn’t make Jean Lanfray a drunk or a killer. Because he’d also had two cups of Absinthe, it made a convenient and sensational scapegoat, so the media ran with it. Jean Lanfray, who worked at a vineyard, got very drunk on wine, beer, Cognac, brandy, and crème de menthe, then murdered his children and pregnant wife. Much of this myth comes from the case of the Lanfray Murders in 1905. Being genuinely mentally unstable results from chemicals in your brain that have nothing to do with what you drink. Being ‘crazy’ is a psychological phenomenon. Absinthe Makes You CrazyĬrazy is a derogatory umbrella term that has been used to describe everything from serial killers to stress, but most of them have one thing in common. Only two guardians, Dom Benoit and Frère Jean-Jacques are permitted to enter the ‘herb room’ where the botanicals dry.” 6. These spirits are distilled in copper pots, macerated with their unique recipe of botanicals, and aged in charred French oak. Green Chartreuse is produced from a sugar beet-based spirit, whereas Yellow Chartreuse is produced using a grape-based spirit. As Taste France explains, “Chartreuse is produced from a secret recipe passed down by Carthusian Monks. The green alcohol that is a secret recipe is called Chartreuse, but it is easy to confuse the two because of their botanical complexities and similar color. The recipe is not a great secret, and Absinthe is made in many places worldwide, some of which are in Europe. Absinthe Is Only Made In EuropeĪbsinthe is not a mystery import. However, the drink was invented by a French doctor named Pierre Ordinaire, living in Couvet, Switzerland. As a result, the Czech Republic ended up doing a surprisingly good trade in Absinthe. Tourists in the 1990s were willing to pay a premium for any green alcohol labeled Absinthe. In reality, it’s mostly a misunderstanding, and the alcohol is both real and safe. People tend to assume that because they don’t hallucinate or have other experiences related to these myths, it means the Absinthe is to blame. There is a persistent and unfortunate myth that Absinthe made or sold in the USA isn’t ‘the same’ or is ‘fake.’ While this could be true in the case of the low-quality Absinthe we talked about in our first myth, it’s not usually the case. Otherwise, you’re probably dealing with low-quality Absinthe that has more color than substance. One of the easiest ways to tell is when you pour cold water in to dilute it for drinking, it should turn almost milky. Of course, there’s plenty of bright green Absinthe out there as well, but that color can be a sign that it’s all flavoring and coloring agents instead of good quality aromatics. Some absinthe is yellowish or closer to clear. However, it might surprise you to learn that the color doesn’t define the product. The iconic almost neon green color is deeply associated with this particular type of alcohol. If you’re familiar with the film Moulin Rouge or other pop culture images of Absinthe, then it’s easy to assume it all looks like Chartreuse or melon liqueur.
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