Ernest Hemingway is credited with creating this champagne cocktail, named "Death in the Afternoon" after one of his books. Hemingway himself contributed the basic Death in the Afternoon cocktail to a 1935 book of celebrity recipes: “Pour one jigger absinthe into a Champagne glass.
Add iced Champagne until it attains the proper opalescent milkiness. Drink three to five of these slowly.” Given the interaction between champagne bubbles and the absinthe, you probably don't want to go over five!
Death in the Afternoon Ingredients
Ingredients for Death in the Afternoon Recipes
- Dry Champagne or Dry Sparkling Wine
- Absinthe
Optional Ingredients for Death in the Afternoon
- Pastis (Pernod)
Death in the Afternoon Preparation
Equipment Needed for Death in the Afternoon
- Champagne Flute
Preparation Time for Death in the Afternoon
- 5 minutes for mixing and serving
Serving Tips
- Chill the absinthe in advance
- Lighter absinthe is preferred if you don't want to get buzzed by the "Green Fairy" too quickly
Death in the Afternoon Recipes
Basic Death in the Afternoon Recipe
You need:
- 3oz. dry champagne or dry sparkling wine (approximate)
- 1oz Absinthe
Mix:
- Pour Absinthe into champagne flute
- Add dry champagne until the cocktail becomes appropriately milky and opalescent in color
You can reverse these directions by pouring the champagne first and adding the absinthe on top. This has the disadvantage of preventing you from mixing until just the right color is achieved, but if you use the right absinthe it will float on top of the champagne for a bit, creating an interesting effect.
Alternative Death in the Afternoon Recipe
You need:
- 3oz. dry champagne or dry sparkling wine (approximate)
- 1oz Pastis (Pernod)
Mix:
- Pour Pastis (Pernod) into champagne flute
- Add dry champagne until the cocktail becomes appropriately milky and opalescent in color.
