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

What is Absinthe?

Absinthe is a high-proof anise-flavored spirit made from botanicals including grand wormwood, green anise, and sweet fennel. It originated in Switzerland in the late 18th century and became the drink of choice among artists and writers in late 19th century Paris, earning a reputation that was equal parts glamorous and scandalous.

It was actually banned in the United States and much of Europe in the early 1900s, the victim of some very exaggerated claims about its effects. It wasn’t until 2007 that it became legal again in the US, which explains why a lot of people are still getting acquainted with it.

The flavor is bold and herbal with a strong anise note, similar to licorice but more complex. A little goes a long way, which is exactly why it pairs so well with Champagne in this recipe. Ernest Hemingway clearly knew what he was doing.

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.”

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.

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!

Best Absinthe for Cocktails

Absinthe varies a lot by brand and knowing what to look for saves you from a bad bottle.

What to look for. A good cocktail absinthe should be naturally colored and botanically complex. Check the label for grand wormwood as a listed ingredient — it’s the defining botanical and any absinthe worth using will have it. Avoid anything labeled “absinthe-style” or artificially colored bright green. The real thing is typically a natural pale green or clear.

Brands worth trying. Pernod is the most widely available and a reliable starting point — it’s been around since 1805 and was the blueprint for the category. Lucid is another solid and widely available option, particularly good for cocktails. For something a step up, St. George Absinthe Verte from California is genuinely beautiful and worth the extra spend.

Skip the top shelf for mixing. Absinthe is used in small amounts in most cocktails and the nuance of a very expensive bottle gets lost when combined with other ingredients. A good mid-shelf bottle is the right call here. Save the premium stuff for sipping.

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.

If you prefer a touch more sweetness, stirring in a flavored simple syrup before topping with Champagne is a nice way to do it, a honey or vanilla syrup works particularly well without overpowering the absinthe.

Tips for Making Absinthe Cocktails

Measure your absinthe. This is not a spirit to free pour. Absinthe typically runs between 45 and 75 percent alcohol and the flavor is intense enough that even a small overpour throws the whole drink off balance. Stick to the recipe amount, at least until you know the bottle you’re working with.

Chill the glass first. Pop your Champagne coupe or cocktail glass in the freezer for a few minutes before you build the drink. A cold glass keeps everything at the right temperature longer and makes a noticeable difference in how the cocktail tastes from first sip to last.

Use dry Champagne. The Death in the Afternoon calls for Champagne and dry is the word to pay attention to. A brut or extra brut keeps the drink from tipping into sweet territory. Prosecco works as a substitute if that’s what you have, just make sure it’s on the drier side. Avoid anything labeled demi-sec.

Pour the Champagne slowly. Add the absinthe to the glass first, then pour the Champagne slowly down the side of the glass. It keeps the bubbles alive longer and gives the drink that beautiful louche effect as the two combine.

Other Cocktail Drink Inspiration to Try:

• The Best Cocktails: Butternut and Brown Butter Washed Vodka Cocktail Recipe
• Try My New Favorite Drink Recipe, The Washington Apple Cocktail
• My Champagne cocktail is the natural companion to this one, classic, refined, and a beautiful way to let good bubbles shine without overcomplicating things.
• Easy to Make Drinks: The Mary Pickford Cocktail Recipe
• And my Bee’s Knees is another classic worth trying, a Prohibition era favorite that’s simple, elegant, and gone before you know it

More Absinthe Cocktails to Try

If the Death in the Afternoon has you curious about what else absinthe can do, these are the ones worth exploring next.

Sazerac. One of the oldest known American cocktails, originating in New Orleans. Rye whiskey, Peychaud’s bitters, and a sugar cube, served in a glass rinsed with absinthe. The absinthe doesn’t go into the drink itself, it just coats the glass, but that faint herbal note in the background is what makes a Sazerac a Sazerac.

Corpse Reviver #2. A Prohibition-era classic that balances gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, and fresh lemon juice with just a small rinse of absinthe. Bright, citrusy, and dangerously easy to drink. The name is part of the charm.

Absinthe Frappé. A New Orleans staple and the most refreshing way to drink absinthe on a hot day. Absinthe shaken hard with simple syrup and a little water, served over crushed ice. Clean, cold, and herbal. If you’ve never had absinthe on its own, this is a gentle and genuinely enjoyable place to start.

Death in the Afternoon. You’re already here. Two ingredients, Hemingway’s own recipe, and one of the most elegant drinks you can put together in under a minute. If you haven’t made it yet, that’s what this page is for.

Or check out our compilation of the best 18 Recipes to Mix at Home here to know what other cocktail recipes you can dish out!

Death in the Afternoon, and Absinthe and Champagne Cocktail:

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