Friday, August 31, 2007

How To: Vodka Infusions

How To: Vodka Infusions

Vodka infusions are a mixture between vodka and fruit. Most fruit vodka you can purchase or find are flavored and not infused. Flavored vodka's are typically createdby adding their taste altering inexpedience at the distillation process and are typically artificial. Infusions however combine real fruit with vodka typically after the process of creating the vodka is finished. This how to will explain how I make my award winning infusions.

Step 1: Find a vodka that is easy on the palate, has little to no impurities, and is as close to oderless as possible. For my infusions I use Fris vodka.

Step 2: Figure out the flavor you want for the end result of your infusion. For those of you starting out, I would recommend a citrus fruit such as grapefruit or oranges because it is very hard to mess up a citrus infusion. Other ideas include, but are not limited to, strawberries, blue berries, pineapple, apple, peach, and honestly anything that you like the taste of. Make sure that your ingredients are fresh and juicy. If the fruit you choose has a good ripe smell to it that's a good sign.

Step 3: The container. What you choose to house your infusion is very important. Use a clean glass case of some kind, one that has a lid. For large infusions you will likely have to buy a housing specifically for it and there are some great ones you can buy online. For medium sized infusions you are in luck as the Fris bottle as a nice wide mouth that you can put the fruit into, and has a lid. I typically do them in small batches and make many different kinds. I use those POM tea glass's with the lids on them, you can find them at any Safeway. I do this because they are portable, resealable, shakeable (do not shake while fruit is inside!), and best of all reusable.

Step 4: Preparation. There is the slow way and the fast way. The slow way makes for an infusion that has little to no fruit pulp remnants after being strained. The fast way will save you a few days or more off the process but also makes for a vodka that usually has stuff floating in it (but if you don't care about appearance, go nuts).

I will use oranges as an example for both methods. Depending on how much you plan on making you will obviously need more than one. A good ratio is about 4 to1, try and have at least 4 times the amount of vodka as you have fruit.

The slow method: For the slow method slice the orange into at least 6 parts, put them into your container, add the vodka, and let it sit. The alcohol will extract the essence of the fruit by itself, though I personally use a fork and puncture each piece about 3 times to speed things up. Allow the vodka to sit for at least 6 days in a cold place like a whine cellar or a refrigerator. DO NOT put in the freezer as this will only freeze the fruit and allow for virtually no extraction. After about 6 days time bring the infusion to your nose and smell. If it smells like fruit, mix a little in a drink of your choice (preferable something without to many different flavors) and see how it tastes. If it is to your liking strain the vodka out into another glass container. That's it.

The fast method: For those less patient who want it within a few days this one is for you. Cut the orange into many small slices then stab at it mercilessly with a fork. This not only allows for better bleeding of the fruit but can be very therapeutic (“What do you mean I have to come into work on my day off?! Take this and this and...). Then put your ingredients into the container and add the vodka and stir. You can even mash the fruit with whatever you are stirring it with to help extract the juices quickly (try not to obliterate the fruit in the process). Then leave at room temperature for about 2 or 3 days with the lid on. Each day open the container and stir and mash just a little. After about 3 days strain the mixture into another glass container and put in the fridge (unless you did a really goo job straining there will be lots of fruit bits left. That being said, putting it in the freeze will likely make it freeze).

I personally do a slight mix between both methods. The more you experiment the more you find what's right for you.

The final step: Enjoy. You likely put a decent amount of work into this, why not sit back and enjoy the fruits to your labor? (pun intended). Well I hope you have learned something useful from all this, as for me this has been Chris with a “How To” on Infusions.

For more information on vodka infusions visit www.vodkainfusions.com

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Gran Gala Triple Orange Liqueur with Brandy

I recently discovered a hidden talent: I know how to make layered shots without using any goofy gadgets. I'm not sure how I acquired this particular talent, as I was able to do it the first time I attempted it (after having a nicely crafted B52 at the Hard Rock Cafe I knew I needed to try to duplicate it). If you are not familiar with this drink, it is made as follows:

1/3 Coffee Liqueur
1/3 Irish Cream Liqueur
1/3 Grand Mariner
(and a teensy top layer of Bacardi 151 if you are 'on a mission')
In that order

The key component to this particular concoction is the Grand Mariner. However, as you may know, Grand Mariner is not exactly the cheapest liqueur around. So the last time I was at my local Large Beverage Outlet and I spotted GranGala sitting on shelf next to the Grand Mariner in a very similar looking bottle at a price tag of $10 less I figured I'd try it. After all, I was just using it for shots right?

I was wrong. So very very wrong. You can tell before you even take a sip that GranGala is subpar. One of the wonderful things about Grand Mariner is the sound of the cork coming out of the bottle, followed the amazing, complex aroma that wafts from the bottle. You can't pour Grand Mariner without smelling the bottle first. It's just not possible. When I opened the GranGala and smelled, I smelled... cough syrup. It has a very flat, weak orange smell. Not a bad smell, but definately not something that encourages me to dive into the contents of the bottle with gusto.

The taste of GranGala is very much the same as the smell. It has an extremely syrupy, sweet orange taste, almost like that orange cough syrup my mom used to give me when I was a kid. As it lingers in your mouth a bit, the brandy starts to heat up, but there is none of the complexity good brandy possesses. There is also a complete lack of the subtle spiciness I come to expect with this type of liqueur. Without some sort of flavor that is not oranges, it tastes essentially like high alcohol TripleSec.

Conclusion: I learned a lesson today (that I have since re-learned in other applications, but I digress). Generics are great in some applications, but sometimes only the real thing will do. Don't waste your money with GranGala, it gets a 4 out of 10.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

La Fee Absinthe

La Fee absinthe (the Parisian variety) is a strong herbal spirit. At 68% alcohol or 136 proof La Fee is very potent. Though it is very heavy on the alcohol it is not very noticeable in the expected “absinthe experience.” In fact to even get to that point you would need to drink so much of it that you would be far to drunk to enjoy it. Though you can definitely feel a sense of calm while between drinks.

La Fee is is distilled in France from a 19th century authentic recipe. It smells and tastes of black liquorice with strong herbal overtones and a slight lemony taste. While some absinthe's can be enjoyed straight, La Fee is a bit to strong for my taste. It does however taste fine when drank traditionally mixed with sugar, water, and yes fire. Of the available “true” absinthe's it is the cheapest at about $66 and it 70cl compared to Sebor's 50cl.

Conclusion: La Fee isn't bad, it is definitely worth a try and frequently goes on sale if you buy 2 bottles. Though I personally prefer Sebor's absinth, La Fee is not without it's charm. La Fee gets a “La Fee Verte” 7.8 out of 10.

For more information on La Fee and absinthe check out www.LaFeeAbsinthe.com

Monday, August 27, 2007

Henry Weinhard's Private Reserve beer

Private Reserve is a nice American lager. Tastes great, goes down smooth, and is a nice compliment to most any meal. I have liked every single Henry Weinhard's beer I have had, they really have their system down for making great bear.

Aside from being delicious, a 12 pack will only set you back about $10. If you have ever tried Sam Adam Boston lager it is similar in flavor only has a big more character. Private Reserve makes a great social or party beer as it won't break the bank and even those picky friends we all have will likely enjoy this one.

Conclusion: So for a inexpensive beer that tastes great and appeals to most please tastes Private Reserve get an 8.2 out of 10.

Pezzi King - 2001 Dry Creek Valley Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon wine

Pezzi King Vineyards in Healdsburg, best known for their highly regarded Zinfandels, does produce some serious Cabs. Their 2001 Dry Creek Valley Estate Cabernet, winner of a silver medal at the 2006 West Coast Wine Competition, consists of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon plus 4% Merlot aged 24 months in oak (mostly French and only 30% new).

The wine has a deep purple color and decent legs. A bit sharp on the nose with strong oak, tobacco and black currant scents and quite astringent on the palate on opening, this wine does much better with a hour or so to breathe. Then, the tannins soften and the black cherry and blackberry flavors emerge, creating a well balanced and full bodied wine with a rich, velvety finish. Drink with beef or strong tomato with garlic sauced pasta. On “end of vintage” sale at $20/bottle, this is a great buy.

Conclusion: A solid 8 out of 10.
(Review by Rich)

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Jagos vodka cream liqueur

Mmmm this is good. Jogos is a mix of Blackwood vodka, cream, vanilla, and other natural flavors. Produced by Blackwood distillers, and created by the co producer of Bailey's. I picked this up on a whim and I am glad I did. There is a a Chai Cream Liqueur made by Voyant that mixes really really well together, it also goes well over ice cream.

Jagos on ice is nice, in fact I am drinking some right now. It makes for a nice sipping liqueur, it also mixes great with Kahlua and makes a nice substitute to Bailey's Irish cream. It has a proof of 34.

Conclusion: This is one tasty liqueur and I mean really tasty, one of the best I have every had. I defenently recommend trying it as a substiture for Bailey's or other cream liqueurs. As it turns out it even works in car bombs (the drink). An enthusiastic 8.8 out of 10.

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Boru Vodka

Boru is an Irish vodka. The Irish aren't exactly known for their vodka's, they are more of a whiskey nation. They do however have a few in the market. Today we focus on Boru.

This one is interesting as the first sent of the vodka almost felt like it had a touch of Guinness in it, kind of a bready aroma. Boru is not for the feint of heart, nor does it mix well with others. Vodka is usually chosen for drinks due to its versatile nature, not Boru though. This vodka is a neat or nothing. "Does not play well with others." It does however make for a nice vodka martini, that I did rather enjoy.

Boru has a lot of character, and (if not properly chilled) can burn the throat. But if you like your strong vodka's this one might be for you. I personally would not have this one again.

Conclusion: "Does not play well with others." Aside from that vodka martini I was not impressed. I did however appreciate its character on the rocks. But I have to say I do not recommend this vodka. A 3.7 out of 10.

Friday, August 24, 2007

Chopin Vodka

Chopin is an excellent vodka. It is one of, if not the only, ultra premium vodka distilled from potatoes. It is smooth and boy do I mean smooth, like silk. 4 times distilled in small batches to ensure the finest quality.

Chopin is Belvedere sister vodka so needless to say its good. Chopin mixes well with both sweet and citrus but, where this vodka truly shines is on its own. It sounds strange from a potato vodka but there is almost a hint of apple when you put the glass to your nose. Chopin goes down smooth and leaves no lingering flavors for more then a second, that is a clean, smooth finish.

Conclusion: Chopin is not cheap, your looking at about $30 a bottle. Chopin is not your every day vodka but, for special occasions it is a very, very nice treat. I personally keep a bottle in the freezer at all times. This is hands down the best potato vodka on the planet. A well deserved 9.6 out of 10.

Seagram's Vodka

Seagram's vodka is the best of the bottom of the barrel. At a price point of about $10-15 it destroys its competition in that bracket. That being said Seagram's vodka is no Belvedere either.

Seagram is traditionally known for making gin, but they didn't do half bad on their entrance into the vodka market. Seagram is a decent mixing vodka. It doesn't really have much distinctive characteristics and if mixed to strong there is a noticeable burn in the throat. This is acceptable for an entry level vodka though obviously not desirable.

Seagram's vodka mixes decent with sweet and slightly better with citrus. It actually does a fairly decent job of mixing with cola. It however is defiantly not a vodka drink straight as it will burn the throat and lacks definition of its flavor.

Conclusion: For $10-15 it makes a good mixer for punch at large parties full of people you don't care if you impress that much. Honestly I would opt to pay a little more and get something like Rain or Fris, but if your on a budget Seagram's vodka will do. A 4.5 out 10.

Ku Soju

Ku is a kind of soju. Soju is distilled typically from sweet potatoes and is a neutral spirit similar to vodka. The largest difference is the alcohol content. Ku is only 58 proof. This is lower then vodka's typical 80 proof strength.

Ku does a very nice job with their soju. It is a little sweet but mixed surprisingly well with anything. By anything I do mean anything, from citrus, sweet, dairy, energy drinks, virtually anything. If you are new to drinking this is an excellent starter spirit. I can make a Ku and collins with a ration of 1 to 1 and not have any sharp bite attributed to alcohol.

Ku is smooth and incredibly easy to drink. It isn't hard to forget you are drinking an alcoholic beverage. Ku, and soju in general, is unique from its peers as it also can mix very well with other spirits.

Conclusion: While I personally haven't tried a wide variety of soju, I must say that I am incredibly impressed with Ku. Ku is not always easy to find but its worth picking up. I give Ku a 7.8 out of 10.

Thursday, August 23, 2007

How To: Vodka

Normally, I used to do the "How To" articles every Friday. That's how it will be usualy, but I felt like writing this one now. This week's "how to" will be on vodka.

About: Vodka is a fairly neutral spirt, traditionally distilled from grain or potatoes (there are however exceptions). Vodka has been around for over 500 years and is one of the oldest spirits still produced today.

When choosing a vodka you must first consider 4 things: 1, What will I be mixing it with?, 2, How much am I willing to spend?, 3, What kind of event will it be for? And, above all, 4, "Did I already check www.ChrisDrinks.com to make sure this is what I want?"

Good vodka mixes well with anything from citrus to sweet. It even goes well with colas and, in the case of a White Russian, dairy. Vodka is a very versatile spirit.

Testing the Vodka: Testing a vodka to gauge its quality can be a complex process, but it doesn't need to be. After putting the vodka in the freezer for a day, I personally use a 3 step process.

Test 1, Citrus: See how the vodka tastes when mixed with a bland citrus mixer. I recommend, and use, the Safeway Select collins mix. This collins mix is rather bland so no bold flavoring will disrupt you finding the true taste of the vodka. I pour the glass at 1/3 vodka and 2/3 collins (for making a vodka collins. I recommend adding a spritz of lime juice as well as a lime garnish). Then, stir the glass and drink. Let it sit on your tongue for a moment to absorb the flavor. If the flavor is hard or unpleasant you can stop your test here. This is a sign of a bad vodka, as most vodka's mix very will with citrus flavors.

Test 2, Sweet: To test how well a vodka does when blended with a sweeter mixture I recommend using cranberry juice. Real cranberry juice, not that from concentrate stuff and definitely nothing you have to mix with 3 parts water that was previously frozen (for making a Cosmopolitan I recommend adding a slight bit of triplesec). I would use again 1/3 vodka and 2/3 cranberry juice. Let it sit on your tungue for a moment. If you have a sweet AND a bitter taste the vodka you have chosen is likely only meant to be served with citrus mixers. But if the taste is smooth and enjoyable the vodka mixes well with sweets.

Test 3, Straight up: Most vodka's that mix well usually do not do as well straight. Not because they are bad vodka's, but because they lack sophistication. For testing a vodka straight up pour a shot glass 3/4 of the way full (after having the vodka in the freezer for some time). Put the shot glass up to your nose and smell the vodka. A good vodka, after being chilled, will have little to no scent. Or, in the case of very distinguished vodkas, you will notice a scent (for example, Rain has a nice scent to it, almost of pears and wet moss). You don't have to let it sit on your tungue long, though I do myself. Swallow the vodka and see if it burns your throat. Since it is 40% alcohol, usually, you will feel at least some burning. A very brief burn means it was well distilled and filtered. A long lasting burn means it was poorly crafted and is not ideal to be consumed straight.

Conclusion: Vodka is very versatile. Most good vodkas (7.5 out of 10's or higher) mix well with anything and you should be fine. If the bottle is made of plastic, don't buy it no matter what it's being used for (unless you are trying to see who can throw up the most). Last but not least, make sure to check this site to see if the vodka you are considering is right for you. Well, this had been Chris with a "How To" on vodka. I hope you enjoyed it.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Pabst Blue Ribbon beer

I have gotten few emails now asking why most of the drinks so far have been high rated ones. Well thats because with the site relaunch we wanted to put our best foot forward. That and we have been so excited here at ChrisDrinks.com we made a rather large Bevmo purchase of some of our favorite things. But all good things must come to an end, so without further ado, Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Wow, where do I start with this one. I had the unfortunate experience of drinking some of these when a friend of mine in college felt like saving a few dollars and got a 12 pack of these guys in cans, not bottles. As I was thirsty and there was nothing else around I though to myself, "Why the hell not." After about 1 beer i could think of about 100 reasons why not.

The taste. If you have ever wondered what your own urine probably tastes like look no further. This beer offends all 5, no, dare I say 6 senses. When the putrid biel in that can hit my tongue I am sure the Jedi's felt that one. I mean honestly if there was a bottle of Draino sitting oh the counter next to a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon I would likely... well you get the point. So lets just get this over with.

Conclusion: ...Just don't do it. As far as cheap lousy beer goes you have plenty of options, Budweiser Select is only a dollar or 2 more and is much better. But this abomination unto the lord gets a, "you've earned this" 1 out of 10.

Effen Vodka

Effen is a unique vodka. It is very good and exceptionally smooth. Effen comes in 2 varieties, good old standard non flavored vodka and an amazingly well done black cherry vanilla vodka.

Effen is very pure and tastes great. It is distilled at lower temperatures then most vodka to avoid caramelization that can occur in the distillation process. This allows you to enjoy Effen witout the altered taste that is sometimes left by burnt sugar in some vodkas. While Effen's traditional vodka is rather exceptional, I was even more impressed by their black cherry vanilla vodka. With most flavored vodkas, you can immediately taste the synthetic and almost syrupy flavoring used to impersonate fruit. However, in the case of Effen, I was shocked to find that it tasted natural and not overwhelming.

The Effen vodka bottle has a rubber sleeve around it. This has 2 purposes. 1, it allows for the bottle to stay cool longer and, 2, it keeps the bottle from slipping through you hands. I do a lot of bartending, typically for private parties, and I enjoy doing tricks with the bottles. While many bottles of vodka will have condensation on them, after being pulled from the freezer and left to sit on the bar, Effen's bottle has very little. This is nice, as dropping a bottle while doing tricks looks rather unprofessional.

Conclusion: Effen is hard to find. It is not at your average grocery store, but it is typically at good liquor stores. Their traditional vodka goes down smooth and mixes well with anything. Their cherry vanilla vodka mixes great with cola as well as many other things
(as for me, I even drink it straight from time to time). Effen gets a well deserved 9.2 out of 10.

For more information about Effen please check out www.effenvodka.com

Level Vodka

Level is an "ultra premium" vodka, distilled (if I recall correctly) from amber winter wheat. I attempted to check their website to make sure of that only to find that they had completely changed it. That was unfortunate as the old site was very nice and had a nice modern art touch. That aside their new website is very much like their vodka, lacking polish and refinement as well as being just another marketing tool.

Level is a product of Absolute. In fact the way I found that out was after the first sip of Level I immediately asked myself, "My god haven't I tasted this before?" I had, it tastes remarkable similar to Absolute's normal vodka. And, if you buy the 1.75 liter bottle of Absolute, it costs the same as Level's 750 ml bottle. My guess is Absolute, not having a contender for the "ultra premium" crown, quick and cheaply crafted Level.

Does Level have anything going for it? Yes, it mixes very well with citrus flavors and goes down smooth. BUT does not mix very well with sweet flavors and isn't anything special straight. In fact its fairly hard to tell the difference between it and Absolute (after being in the freezer for some time and served chilled).

Conclusion: Unless Level has changed their recipe within the last 2 years go buy something else. For the price point I recommend Belvedere or Effen (if you can find it). Level isn't bad, but it isn't "ultra premium" either. Absolute, I mean Level, gets a 5 out of 10.

Pyramid Apricot Weizen beer

Pyramids Apricot Weizen is is in the Hefe Weizen class of beers. It is an unfiltered wheat beer that has an anything but subtile touch of apricot.

Pyramid Apricot is a good summer beer. It goes very well with salads or appetizers and even deserts. It has natural apricot flavor and is easy on the taste buds. While most beer makers, who incorporate fruit into their beers, take the more subtile approach Pyramid went all out. If you were handed the bottle without a label it would be easy to tell it tastes of apricots.

Conclusion: Pyramid's apricot ale is good. Is it an every day beer? No, not really, but it is a nice summer beer and is enjoyable as a pre meal beer. A 7.4 out of 10.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Blue Ice Vodka

Blue Ice vodka is an American potato vodka. While potato vodka's are usually known to be very good, every now and then one turns up that is ok but not that great.

The most interesting thing about Blue Ice vodka is the bottle is comes in, in fact that is the only reason i bought it. The bottle looks like it is a piece of ice carves from a glacier. Unfortunately the vodka it contains is fairly average.

Blue Ice has some bite to it, not too much, but enough. It mixes fairly well with most things and is acceptable on its own.

Conclusion: Honestly there isn't much else to say aside from the bottle is eye catching and the vodka was mediocre. A 6.0 out of 10.

Duvel beer

Duvel is the champaign of beer. It is expensive but very good, it is also very bubbly. It is, in fact, so bubbely that even a very good bar tender will likely have 1/4 of the glass filled with foam after the pour.

Duvel tastes a bit like wine. It is a very good Belgian beer and like many Belgian beers has a higher then normal alcohol content. At 8.5% alcohol it is strong and you will find yourself feeling it quickly. Duvel has a cork as apposed to a topical metal top and is avaliable in 1 pint servings (as well as your standard 12 ounce).

Conclusion: Duvel is not your every day beer and doesn't go well with everything. But it is very good on its own and is a nice treat from time to time. For special occasions Duvel gets an 8.0 out of 10.

Fris Vodka

Let me start this one by saying I have this vodka on hand at every party or event I bartend. That being said let the review begin.

Fris is an incredibly mix friendly vodka. In fact, Fris is the best mixing vodka I have ever used or found. That title was originally held by UV vodka.

Fris is different than most, in fact I believe all, vodka's primarily due to its distillation process. While most vodka's use heat to separate the alcohol from the impurities (fossil oils) Fris uses a freezing technique so that the impurities freeze and are easily extracted. Fris is also great when making infusions. Infusions are made by combining fruit with vodka. I will go into Infusions more in a weekly update, but lets just say for now when done right are very nice.

Fris does have a downside, it does not have much character as a stand alone spirit. Fortunately for Fris that was not the market they intended on pleasing.

Conclusion: Fris is cheap (about $20), mixes amazingly well, and goes down very smooth. A 9.5 out of 10.

For more information about Fris vodka and the art of making vodka infusions check out their website at www.frisvodka.com

Rain Vodka

Rain is one of the best kept secrets in the vodka world. Rain is made with organic white corn and is exceptionably smooth. I originally thought they had changed their recipe as the old bottles said that it was distilled from organic white corn on the back and now it just says organic grain. Fortunately though, it is still in fact the same.

Rain is in the same price point as more familiar vodka's like Smirnoff and Skyy, though considerably better. Rain smells almost of pears and wet moss, hard to explain but true.
Rain mixes well with anything, but because it is so versatile it doesn't mix flawlessly with everything. When i say that i mean this, some vodka's aim for a certain taste. Some go for citrus and some go for a sweeter mixer. Those who target one side mix poorly with the others. The ones that mix the best with others don't usually have much character of their own. That is where Rain is different as it stands on its own very well.

Conclusion: Does Rain compete with the likes of Belvedere or Grey Goose? No, but it doesn't aim to either. For its price point it is one of the best out there. 8.8 out of 10.

Monday, August 20, 2007

Henry Weinhard's Blue Boar

Blue Boar is a light bodied and easy to drink pale ale. Goes down pretty smooth and doesn't have the bitter after taste of some other pale ales. Blue boar is more of an irish pale ale than a traditional and even makes for a good summer beer.

As far as pale ales go Blue Boar does well, especialy compared to the likes of Sierra Nevada's pale ale.  

Conclusion: A good pale ale for every day drinking. 6.6 out of 10.

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Sebor Absinth

Lets kick off the site with something fun. Absinth, Sebor Absinth to be more exact. First off let me say that yes this is in fact real absinth.

What is absinth? Absinth is a blend of herbs and alcohol. The active ingredient in absinth is wormwood (artermisia absinthium). Contrary to popular belief absinth does not make you hallucinate or go crazy. In fact it typically brings more of a clarity to things.

Sebor absinth smells almost of black liquorish and is 55% alcohol. By absinth standards the alcohol content is low, but it makes up for it with its ample amount of wormwood.

I drink mine the traditional way. I put 1 shot of the absinth into a tall glass then put an absinth spoon with 2 sugar cubes above the glass. I then pour about 1/4 of a shot more absinth over the sugar cubes and light it on fire until the sugar starts to caramelize. Then i pour ice cold water into the glass to about an inch to full. You can add more sugar if it is to tart for your taste.

Absinth is an acquired taste, but it's one that is worth acquiring.
I give Sebor absinth a 9.7 out of 10. So far it is the best absinth i have found.

For more information on Sebor and absinth visit their web site at www.seborabsinth.com