Death in the Afternoon
Absinthe topped with Champagne. Ernest Hemingway's own recipe from 1935.
Built in glass · Champagne flute · Easy · about 2 minutes · about 20% ABV
Ingredients
- 30 ml Absinthe
- 120 ml Champagne or sparkling wine
Method
- Ice the glass
- Pour 30 ml absinthe into the glass
- Top with 120 ml champagne or sparkling wine
- Stir once
- Serve
About the Death in the Afternoon
Ernest Hemingway contributed this recipe to a 1935 celebrity cookbook called So Red the Nose. His instructions: pour absinthe into a Champagne glass, add Champagne until it turns milky, and "drink three to five of these slowly".
The sparkling family. Champagne cocktails go back to Jerry Thomas's 1862 book, where a sugar cube and bitters were dropped into a glass of sparkling wine. The French 75, the Kir Royale and the Bellini, created in Venice in the 1940s, made sparkling drinks the symbol of celebration.
Death in the Afternoon FAQ
What's in a Death in the Afternoon?
30 ml absinthe, 120 ml champagne or sparkling wine.
How strong is a Death in the Afternoon?
About 20% ABV once mixed with ice, which is 2.6 Australian standard drinks per serve. That is stronger than a glass of wine.
Should I shake or stir a Death in the Afternoon?
Neither. Build it straight in the glass over ice, then give it one gentle stir.
What glass do you serve a Death in the Afternoon in?
A champagne flute, about 180 ml. Chill the glass first and serve without ice. No champagne flute? Use a small wine glass.
