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 Quoiyaien
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 Absinthe Distillation Pictorial 
#7103251 - 06/28/07 02:14 PM (5 years, 10 months ago) |
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So the day has arrived. I got my herbs on Monday, and just today started the process towards my own home-made absinthe. Here we go!
Step 1: Get myself organized. These are the herbs I will be using for the process. We have Grand Wormwood, Anise Seed, Fennel, Hyssop, Lemon Balm, and Small Wormwood (these herbs are all high quality organic herbs). Also pictured is the alcohol I will be using, the maceration bottle (empty wine bottle, Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc...yum), my triple beam scale, and some distilled water. (never mind that bowl of potatoes  )
Step 2: Weigh out 14g Grand Wormwood, 28g Anise Seed, 28g Fennel
On top we have the Grand Wormwood, left the Fennel, and right the Anise Seed:
Step 3: Grind herbs in blender and place in single bowl (You should've smelled this! Absolutely amazing aromas filled the kitchen at this point.)
 
Step 4: Add ground herbs to empty wine bottle (pictured right is me stirring the grounds with a skewer to help them through the funnel)
 
Step 5: Measure out 500ml of 85% ethyl alcohol (450ml of 95% diluted with ~50ml of distilled water)
Step 6: Add alcohol to bottle, close up and shake
  
There you have it 
Phase one complete. After letting the whole macerate for 24 hours I will commence distillation.
Until then, salute! 
 Peace
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There are an infinite number of ways of interpreting experience... The trick is not to fall for any of them
Edited by Quoiyaien (08/05/07 11:01 AM)
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 Temerity
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 Re: Absinthe Distillation Method with Pictures [Re: Quoiyaien]
#7103278 - 06/28/07 02:23 PM (5 years, 10 months ago) |
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Yum,, sounds like it'll be tasty.
I'm still dabbling with the basics and enjoying myself (thank you Wiccan),, recycling old homemade wines from years ago that didn't turn out too nice.
I would love to have a taste of that when it's ready,, .
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Wiccan_Seeker
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Re: Absinthe Distillation Method with Pictures [Re: Quoiyaien]
#7103658 - 06/28/07 04:19 PM (5 years, 10 months ago) |
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Wow, this pictorial will be great! If you keep up the quality perhaps a PDF should be made of it!
What kind of still do you have?
Quote:
Grand Wormwood, Anise Seed, Fennel, Hyssop, Lemon Balm, and Small Wormwood
UHUH! Yeah, them's the herbs!
I particularly like the odor of Hyssop, and I can tell you it transfers wonderfully to the absinthe!
For nomenclature's sake, here are some names used for the same herbs:
Grand Wormwood = Wormwood = Absinth Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)
Anise Seed = Aniseed = Green Anise (Pimpinella anisum)
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
Hyssop = Herb Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)
Lemon Balm = Melissa (Melissa officinarum)
Small Wormwood = Roman Wormwood (Artemisia pontica)
These alternative names greatly help in looking for them at herbalists, offline and on. A pound of any of these herbs should cost about $10-$30. If you like distilling absinthes it pays to secure a cheap source for Wormwood and buying a pound or kilo of it, wormwood is a rarer find than most other herbs and it just isn't an absinthe without it.
Quote:
Absolutely amazing aromas filled the kitchen at this point.
Just wait until you distill, there's an "absolutely amazing aroma" in my house from the still job of a few days back and when I on the stilling day went to the supermarket for a quick buy, I discovered that the "absolutely amazing aroma" had followed me there 
Not mocking here, absinthe herb mixes smell absolutely wonderful, especially in this time of artificial aromas.
Quote:
14g Grand Wormwood, 28g Anise Seed, 28g Fennel
If you distill it well that baby's gonna louche like you're pouring milk in instead of water 
I'm impatiently awaiting your further installments ^_^
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Quoiyaien
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Re: Absinthe Distillation Method with Pictures [Re: Wiccan_Seeker]
#7103714 - 06/28/07 04:34 PM (5 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Wiccan_Seeker said:
Quote:
Absolutely amazing aromas filled the kitchen at this point.
Just wait until you distill, there's an "absolutely amazing aroma" in my house from the still job of a few days back and when I on the stilling day went to the supermarket for a quick buy, I discovered that the "absolutely amazing aroma" had followed me there
I'm all about alliterations 
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Quoiyaien
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Re: Absinthe Distillation Method with Pictures [Re: Wiccan_Seeker]
#7103728 - 06/28/07 04:38 PM (5 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Wiccan_Seeker said:
Small Wormwood = Roman Wormwood (Artemisia pontica)
You wouldn't believe how hard it was to find the pontica! Far more hours than I like to spend at the computer. But it was all worth it 
As for the still, I will be using a wok still for my first run. Perhaps once I start doing this more often, I will pick up a 3-4 liter copper alembic still.
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There are an infinite number of ways of interpreting experience... The trick is not to fall for any of them
Edited by Quoiyaien (06/28/07 11:53 PM)
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Quoiyaien
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Re: Absinthe Distillation Method with Pictures [Re: Quoiyaien]
#7106545 - 06/29/07 11:10 AM (5 years, 10 months ago) |
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Well, today's the day
I am heading out to pick up a few necessities and I will commence as soon as I get home. I can't wait
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There are an infinite number of ways of interpreting experience... The trick is not to fall for any of them
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Rats_are_Dancin
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Re: Absinthe Distillation Method with Pictures [Re: Quoiyaien]
#7106652 - 06/29/07 11:58 AM (5 years, 10 months ago) |
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I am constanly amazed by what I find on Shroomery
What a great post Quoiyaien  Brother
And from an Absinthe fan Good Luck I will be following with a keen interest
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With a bit of luck, his life was ruined forever. Always thinking that just behind some narrow door in all of his favorite bars, men in red woolen shirts are getting incredible kicks from things he'll never know
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Quoiyaien
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Re: Absinthe Distillation Pictorial [Re: Quoiyaien]
#7108065 - 06/29/07 06:42 PM (5 years, 10 months ago) |
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Its all done! It took a while, but I must say that it was worth it! Here is the next phase in the process:
Step 1: I started out by washing all the equipment to be used in the still, then I ran a test run with tap water to make sure everything was working properly. Here are some pictures of the mix after 24 hours:
 
Step 2: Now its time to get down to business! Add 250ml of water to the 500ml mix. Pictured left is me adding the measured water to the maceration bottle, in small amounts at a time, to get out the last remaining herbs.
 
Step 3: Add the liquid (herbs and all) to the still
 
Step 4: Put the wok on, fill it with 2 liters of ice and half a liter of water
Here is a pic of inside the still:
Step 5: Turn on the stove, set to medium low, and let the still do its thing.
Not much to see, but it felt weird without a picture here
Step 6: Within no time at all, I had collected 500ml of clear liquid that smelled heavenly
This is what the herbs looked like after distillation:
Step 7: Now its time to colour this concoction. Weigh out 5.6g Hyssop, 5.6g Small Wormwood, 2.8g Lemon Balm (top is Small wormwood, right is Lemon Balm, and left is the Hyssop) and crush it up with fingers.
 
Step 8: Add 250ml of distillate to a pot and heat up to a temperature no warmer than a finger can bear.
 
Step 9: Once hot enough, stir in herbs and allow to cool
 
Step 10: When cooled, filter using a coffee filter and recombine with other half (make sure to squeeze the herbs, as there is still quite a bit in there)
  
Step 11: Once combined, filter one more time and bottle
 
Step 12: The hard part, age at least 2 months before imbibing.
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There we have it. I seem to have lost 100ml between distillation and bottling, but nevertheless, I have 400ml of homemade absinthe! Now that I have the idea, I am going to make a larger batch next time. The next pictures in the series will show a glass being prepared, and the stages of louche as water is added. Maybe I will do that now
Peace
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There are an infinite number of ways of interpreting experience... The trick is not to fall for any of them
Edited by Quoiyaien (06/30/07 11:58 AM)
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Quoiyaien
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Re: Absinthe Distillation Pictorial [Re: Quoiyaien]
#7108208 - 06/29/07 07:27 PM (5 years, 10 months ago) |
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Just prepared a glass, and holy fuck its delicious! It tastes way way better than my bottle of La Fee, and its only a couple hours old! So much more complexity, and its not as strong on the anise either. La Fee tastes like a dolled up pastis (it is still quite delicious), but this, damn! I cant believe I made this! I have been thinking about making my own absinthe for years and now here it is, in my hands.
It is a nice peridot green, and louches wonderfully! Once my phone uploads the rest of the pictures, I will post them. Oh happy day! 
Edited by Quoiyaien (06/29/07 07:40 PM)
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Quoiyaien
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Re: Absinthe Distillation Pictorial [Re: Quoiyaien]
#7108226 - 06/29/07 07:37 PM (5 years, 10 months ago) |
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There are an infinite number of ways of interpreting experience... The trick is not to fall for any of them
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spudamore
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Re: Absinthe Distillation Pictorial [Re: Quoiyaien]
#7108289 - 06/29/07 08:02 PM (5 years, 10 months ago) |
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whats your exact recipe?
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dutchmushroom
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Re: Absinthe Distillation Pictorial [Re: Quoiyaien]
#7108318 - 06/29/07 08:15 PM (5 years, 10 months ago) |
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um i believe its at the top of the page bro
peace out Dm
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spudamore
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Re: Absinthe Distillation Pictorial [Re: dutchmushroom]
#7108386 - 06/29/07 08:38 PM (5 years, 10 months ago) |
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sorry my bad
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Quoiyaien
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Re: Absinthe Distillation Pictorial [Re: spudamore]
#7108802 - 06/29/07 11:15 PM (5 years, 10 months ago) |
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I should note that this is my first attempt, and this is by no means a perfected recipe. I plan on making many small batches until I find one that I really dig. Once I have about 5 different recipes/methods made and aged, I am going to get 5 friends together (2 of which are sommelier's), and we are going to sample them and decide on which one we like the best. Once we have reached a verdict, I am going to make a larger amount (~20 liters) for longer aging. Ultimately its really the one I like the best, but its nice to get input. Then I will make a liter here or there if I want to experiment. Maybe the first Canadian absinthe you see on the shelves will be one of mine
Peace
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There are an infinite number of ways of interpreting experience... The trick is not to fall for any of them
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makaveli8x8
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Re: Absinthe Distillation Pictorial [Re: Quoiyaien]
#7109033 - 06/29/07 11:59 PM (5 years, 10 months ago) |
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so what were the effects?
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Rats_are_Dancin
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Re: Absinthe Distillation Pictorial [Re: makaveli8x8]
#7110353 - 06/30/07 09:50 AM (5 years, 10 months ago) |
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Good show Quoiyaien
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With a bit of luck, his life was ruined forever. Always thinking that just behind some narrow door in all of his favorite bars, men in red woolen shirts are getting incredible kicks from things he'll never know
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Quoiyaien
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Thank you! If anyone has any suggestions on how I can improve this it would be greatly appreciated.
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There are an infinite number of ways of interpreting experience... The trick is not to fall for any of them
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makaveli8x8
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Re: Absinthe Distillation Pictorial [Re: Quoiyaien]
#7112327 - 06/30/07 08:56 PM (5 years, 10 months ago) |
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throw a little valerian in there?
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We were sent to hell for eternity Øh®
We play on earth to pass the time
Over-population the root of all Evil-brings the Elites Closer to the gates.
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Quoiyaien
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Re: Absinthe Distillation Pictorial [Re: makaveli8x8]
#7114970 - 07/01/07 03:04 PM (5 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
makaveli8x8 said:
throw a little valerian in there?
Before I try any other ingredients I want to find the right balance with these basics.
I want to give another go at this recipe, I don't feel I did it as well as I could have. I think I distilled it too fast and lost a lot of vapor. Next time I am going to put the still in an electric skillet filled with water. Hopefully I can better control the temperature this way. For those interested, here is an abbreviated version of my recipe:
Batch No. 1
14g Wormwood
28g Anise seed
28g Fennel
5.6g Roman Wormwood
5.6g Hyssop
2.8g Lemon balm
1. Grind first 3 herbs in blender
2. Soak for 24 hours in 500ml of 85% alcohol
3. Add 250ml water
4. Place solution in still
5. Distill and collect 500ml
6. Crush up colouring herbs with fingers
7. Heat half of distillate to temperature no warmer than my finger can bear and macerate roman wormwood, hyssop, and lemon balm
8. Remove from heat and let cool
9. Filter and recombine with other half
10. Filter one more time with coffee filter
11. Bottle and age at least 2 months before imbibing
500ml x 85% = 425, 425/95% = 447.4ml
500ml of 85% = 447.4ml of 95% + 52.6ml water
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There are an infinite number of ways of interpreting experience... The trick is not to fall for any of them
Edited by Quoiyaien (07/01/07 05:13 PM)
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Quoiyaien
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Re: Absinthe Distillation Pictorial [Re: Quoiyaien]
#7120672 - 07/02/07 07:59 PM (5 years, 10 months ago) |
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Alright, so I am going to be trying again next week. This time, I am going to build a still using a 4000ml erlenmeyer flask, and a rubber stopper drilled with a hole large enough to suit the copper tubing which will wind its way through a bucket of ice water.
As for the method, I am going to try adding 400ml water instead of 250, and will distill the solution a lot slower. With the still I plan on building I can collect an ounce or two at a time and watch for the feints to appear. This way it will be more precise, and less of an approximation. As a heat source I will use an electric skillet filled with an inch or two of water.
The goal of these modifications is to increase the yield, but I am not really sure how much I can expect to collect. I guess I will find out
I will post pics of the new still when I get it built.
Peace
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There are an infinite number of ways of interpreting experience... The trick is not to fall for any of them
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