What ingredients are in a Death in the Afternoon?

2 shots Absinthe, Top Champagne

What glass do you use for a Death in the Afternoon?

A Death in the Afternoon is traditionally served in a Margarita glass.

How strong is a Death in the Afternoon?

A Death in the Afternoon has an estimated ABV of 44,91%.

How many calories are in a Death in the Afternoon?

A Death in the Afternoon contains approximately 118 calories per serving.

What is the louche effect in Death in the Afternoon?

The louche is a visual transformation that occurs when water or a cold, effervescent liquid is added to absinthe. The essential oils in absinthe are soluble in high-proof alcohol but not in water, so they precipitate and create a milky, opalescent cloud when Champagne is poured over the absinthe. This effect is both visually dramatic and signals the dilution of the spirit.

How strong is Death in the Afternoon?

Death in the Afternoon is among the stronger classic cocktails, typically reaching around 35–45% ABV depending on how much absinthe is used relative to Champagne. Absinthe itself ranges from 55–75% ABV, and even a single ounce raises the finished drink's strength considerably. Hemingway recommended drinking three to five, though this is not advisable.

Two shots of absinthe topped with chilled Champagne compose Death in the Afternoon, a stark two-ingredient cocktail whose anise-rich absinthe clouds the sparkling wine into a striking louche. Poured into a chilled glass, the drink reaches nearly 45 percent ABV, ranking among the strongest classics still regularly served, while holding only about 118 calories. Its alternate name, Hemingway Champagne, points to the literary association behind it, and the recipe's own instructions specify that it be drunk in the mid-afternoon for the intended effect. The cloudy transformation of the wine is as much a part of the drink as its potency.

Death in the Afternoon

Hemingway Champagne

Copo Margarita glass

Dificuldade Easy

Calorias ~118 kcal

ABV 44,91%

Ingredientes

Absinthe 2 shots
Champagne Top

Instruções

Easy as you like, pour the absinthe into a chilled glass, top with champagne. Must be drunk mid afternoon for the optimum effect.

Drunk

Death in the Afternoon é um coquetel de dois ingredientes de absinto despejado numa taça de champagne e coberto com Champagne gelado. A combinação cria um efeito louche marcante quando o absinto rico em anis turveia o vinho espumante. Com quase 45% ABV, é um dos coquetéis clássicos mais fortes ainda regularmente servidos.

History & Origins

The drink was created and named by Ernest Hemingway, who included the recipe in a 1935 celebrity cocktail compendium called 'So Red the Nose, or Breath in the Afternoon.' Hemingway described it as requiring three to five glasses drunk slowly. The cocktail shares its name with his 1932 non-fiction book on Spanish bullfighting.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: intense anise and fennel from the absinthe with toasty, yeasty Champagne aromas. Palate: bold licorice and herbal bitterness from the absinthe softened by the dry Champagne effervescence. Finish: long, warming, and deeply anise-forward with a dry, sparkling fade.

anise herbal bitter sparkling potent

Pro Tip

Pour the absinthe first into a well-chilled flute, then add the Champagne slowly to achieve the classic louche without losing the bubbles.

Técnicas Utilizadas

Building

Informações Nutricionais →

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