Death in the Afternoon
Absinthe and cold Champagne meet in an opal-white, sparkling glass: sharp anise and equal parts elegance.
Ingredients
- Absinthe, good quality, ideally French style30 ml
- Champagne, ice-cold, brut120 ml
- Simple syrup (1 part Sugar, 1 part Water)5 ml
- Lemon, to garnish (optional)1 twist
Method
- Put a Champagne flute or coupe in the freezer for a few minutes, so it is ice-cold when you serve.
- Pour the absinthe and simple syrup into the cold glass.
- Top up slowly with cold Champagne, pouring gently, until the drink reaches its signature opal-white cloudiness.
- If you like, twist a strip of lemon peel over the glass for aroma and drop it in to garnish.
- Serve at once, while it is cold and sparkling.
Credit Ernest Hemingway
About this drink
Hemingway created the drink for the 1935 anthology So Red the Nose, with the instruction to pour absinthe into a Champagne glass and top it with iced Champagne until it takes on its signature opalescent milkiness. He suggested drinking three to five of them slowly, advice most of us today should take with a pinch of salt. The simple pairing still lives on the contrast between absinthe's bitter herbal strength and Champagne's dry sparkle.
Questions and answers
Who invented Death in the Afternoon?
Ernest Hemingway, who wrote the recipe himself for a 1935 cocktail book and recommended drinking three to five of them slowly. That is a warning worth taking seriously, because absinthe is strong.
Why does the drink turn milky white?
Absinthe's anise oils are dissolved in alcohol, and when the Champagne dilutes the mixture, the oils come out of solution and cloud the liquid. This is called the louche, and it is a sign of real absinthe, not a fault.
How strong is Death in the Afternoon?
Stronger than it looks. Absinthe is typically 55–75% alcohol, so even a small measure gives the drink a solid kick beneath the festive bubbles. Serve it in smaller portions than an ordinary Champagne cocktail.
