Easy Cocktails: Delicious Absinthe Cocktail Recipe – Death in the Afternoon

This is an aromatic drink recipe that has a celebrity history, Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway’s creations didn’t just include his many books but also includes an Absinthe cocktails recipe, Death in the Afternoon, which also notably became the title of one of his more famous works published in 1932 about Spanish bullfighting.

Easy to Make and Delicious, Learn to Make this Absinthe and Champagne Cocktail, Death in the Afternoon

Death in the Afternoon Cocktail recipe

This drink is also his contribution to the celebrity cocktail recipe book, “So Red the Nose, or Breath in the Afternoon,” a cocktail book published in 1935 featuring many recipes from 30 celebrity authors.

The intro to this recipe in the book quotes Hemingway saying: “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.”

Death in the Afternoon recipe in a coupe glass

He continued to elaborate, “It takes a man with hair on his chest to drink 5 Absinthe and Champagne Cocktails and still handle the English language in the Hemingway fashion. …
(Editor’s note: After six of these cocktails, The Sun Also Rises.)”

That has to be one of the best descriptions of a cocktail I’ve ever read! Although a brilliant descript, as with any alcoholic beverage, yes enjoy, but please drink responsibly.

Absinthe Champagne drink in glass on dark table

This Absinthe and Champagne cocktail has an alluring and mysterious feel with licorice notes. Best served chilled, tasty served any time of year, and it makes for an ideal and eery Halloween drink. Want to pimp up the eeriness? Add a little bit of dry ice and impress your Halloween dinner guests.

It’s one of the easiest cocktails you can make with only 2 ingredients. But don’t let the lack of ingredients fool you, this is a seriously potent drink made with Champagne (or Prosecco) and Absinthe.

Absinthe has quite the history, being banned in the USA and much of Europe since 1915 until its reignited interest in the 1990s. Thankfully the reports giving it bad rap were highly exaggerated and are now widely available. Read more of Absinthe’s history here, very interesting!

Death in the Afternoon drink with dry ice

Make the Champagne and Absinthe Cocktail

What you’ll need:

  • Chilled bubbles – Champagne or Prosecco
  • Absinthe, I like the brand Lucid
  • Coupe glasses
  • Jigger for measuring
  • Dry ice for a bit of spooky

How to Make this Easy Cocktail:

Step One: In a chilled coupe glass pour in the Absinthe.

Step Two: Slowly pour the chilled bubbly over the Absinth and watch it turn opalescent.

Step Three. If desired, using tongs carefully add a small piece of dry ice to the drink and watch it look completely wicked.

Warning: Do not touch dry ice with your bare hands and wait until the dry has dissolved in the drink or remove it before drinking to avoid accidentally swallowing it.

Other Cocktail Drink Inspiration to Try:

Death in the Afternoon, and Absinthe and Champagne Cocktail:

Smoke swirling around a mysterious cocktail glass.

Death in the Afternoon Cocktail

Stacey Doyle
5 from 4 votes
Course Cocktails
Cuisine American
Servings 1
Calories 352 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ ounces absinthe
  • 4 ½ ounces chilled Champagne or Prosecco

Instructions
 

  • Pour the Absinthe into a coupe.
  • Top slowly with the chilled Champagne or Prosecco.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 352kcalCarbohydrates: 7gSodium: 14mgSugar: 3g
Keyword absinthe, champagne, cocktails, drinks, prosecco, recipes

7-DAYS WITH

Outline of human head and torso silhouette.

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5 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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