Wormwood help

Topic created by Aron
on Fri, 25 May 2012 at 11:30

Aron said on Fri, 25 May 2012 at 11:30...

Hello everyone! I would like to brew Absinthe, and I've collected the herbs needed. The only problem is, on the wormwood box it says "External use only". Should I use it for my Absinthe, or should I search for another brand? Another question : Could someone tell how to make BLACK Absinthe ( how to color it)?

La Fee Vertigo said on Fri, 25 May 2012 at 13:20...

Howdy!

"I've collected the herbs needed"

From where have you done that? You mean macerate I suppose by brew, yes?

Black absinthe? Hmmm..well, they use squid ink with pasta :-) Not sure about that one I must say. Do you like licorice?

Aron said on Fri, 25 May 2012 at 22:48...

I bought the plants from a medical plant shop, and I also bought licorice to put in it for taste.
Squid ink?....I think I'll stick with the traditional green color :-) )

Thanks for your quick reply.

Old Nick said on Sat, 26 May 2012 at 09:04...

Welcome :-)

I should think that it is some form of natural dye, Aron. Hibiscus is used in the red variety I think. Good luck with that "green color" I believe that you will get a golden yellow amber actually. Didn't someone once say mint is used in these macerations for color?

Can you post the list of ingredients and the process that you are intending to use? Could be interesting to know how this turns out.

Squid ink is not something anyone should add to absinthe (apart for mermaids maybe)

THEABSINTHEPROFESSOR said on Thu, 31 May 2012 at 08:58...

Well! thanks to LFV's facetious jibe about squid, Aron has disappeared! Mint can be used in post maceration colouration, it is also useful to balance the astringent elements. Is it traditional? Maybe...but I need a source.

Aron said on Sun, 3 Jun 2012 at 08:39...

I disappeared because of my university stuff, but now I'm back, anyway I made vodka with 70% alcohol content from potatoes. For infusion I use wormwood, fennel seed, star anise, angelica root, liquorice, calamus, oregano, lemon balm and hyssop. After 15-20 days I will distill the produce with water ( half of the original products volume) added, and that way I will get rid of the nasty bitterness. For coloring I intend to use chamomile, peppermint and hyssop.

Aron said on Mon, 4 Jun 2012 at 09:35...

About black color: The black vodka is made from extracts from the heartwood of Burmese catechu acacia trees, so I suppose the Absinthe is colored the same way

THEABSINTHEPROFESSOR said on Mon, 4 Jun 2012 at 10:52...

Agh....you notice that LFV asked you "You mean macerate I suppose by brew"? He did that for a reason I guess. While there are few rulz on this forum, there are one or two. Unless you are lucky enough to live in New Zealand what you are talking about is illegal. Or do you have some special dispensation (research or something)? Some interesting points in the post, but I am guessing we cannot continue?

Aron said on Tue, 5 Jun 2012 at 06:37...

THEABSINTHEPROFESSOR I live in Transylvania, and it would be a illegal operation if a person makes his own juice, but no, this was legal because a good friend of mine has a small LICENSED vodka distillery and he could help me out, but the point was on the components, anyway....if this can't continue, it wont, I don't want to offend anybody/anything.

Old Nick said on Tue, 5 Jun 2012 at 18:20...

OK, so we do not encourage home distillation. 1. It is illegal. 2. It is dangerous. I also assumed that you were talking about a maceration. By the by, and I am no expert, folks always say that they are home re-distilling and that's OK - actually it isn't.

From an academic point of view I would say there are three issues with Aron's bill : (i) bulk dried Artemisia absinthium (ii) oregano. (iii) anise (star vs aniseed)

Perhaps Aron will be happy to just tell us how a double maceration of the bill in 50% commercial vodka and 50% Everclear turns out? Aron?

PS. There is a kind of black vodka that uses some form of peat (not sure of it's traditional Russian)

La Fee Vertigo said on Wed, 6 Jun 2012 at 08:16...

oregano would be to replace dittany (mint surely) aniseed is missing (some would be pleased, but that star anise is going to sure kick in if there is an abundance)

Anonymous said on Wed, 6 Jun 2012 at 19:52...

Is that the absinthe prof from Burning Man lol

THEABSINTHEPROFESSOR said on Thu, 7 Jun 2012 at 08:46...

No. What is the Burning Man, a public house?

La Fee Vertigo said on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 at 11:42...

The Prof (aka Sanctimonious Sam) put on his sheriff badge and ran Aron out of town! Burning Man is an "art event and temporary community based on radical self expression and self-reliance" who knew!