Absinthe’s Mind-Altering Mystery Solved

An analysis of century-old bottles of absinthe – the kind once quaffed by the likes of van Gogh and Picasso to enhance their creativity – may end the controversy over what ingredient caused the green liqueur’s supposed mind-altering effects .

The culprit seems plain and simple: The century-old absinthe contained about 70 percent alcohol, giving it a 140-proof kick. In comparison, most gins, vodkas and whiskeys are just 80- to 100-proof.

In recent years, the psychedelic nature of absinthe has been hotly debated. Absinthe was notorious among 19th-century and early 20th-century bohemian artists as “the Green Fairy” that expanded the mind. After it became infamous for madness and toxic side effects among drinkers, it was widely banned.

The modern scientific consensus is that absinthe’s reputation could simply be traced back to alcoholism, or perhaps toxic compounds that leaked in during faulty distillation.

Full Story: Live Science

(via The Daily Grail)

4 Comments

  1. I thought the key was in WORMWOOD.
    STROH ain’t no mind alerting mystery either then.
    anyway absinthe ain’t the drink it’s without wormwood still sold as one for it’s illegal whole aroundative.

  2. I didn’t buy the low-thujone theory at first either, but this is secondary confirmation that historical absinthe didn’t contain all that much wormwood See here for the first: http://www.technoccult.com/archives/2007/07/23/barely-legal-american-absinthe-passes-the-taste-test/

    Here’s another drug you might be interested in, some people on the Internet say it’s really good:

  3. khe khe Klintron , hari rebel you , i rather be cheesing than do Jenkem.

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