If you’re looking to add a touch of elegance to your at-home happy hour, the French 75 cocktail is a classic choice. This cocktail, dating back to World War I, combines the crispness of gin with the sweetness of simple syrup and the tanginess of lemon juice, topped off with a splash of champagne. In this post, I’ll walk you through the steps to make a French 75 cocktail at home so you can impress your guests (or just treat yourself!).
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HOW TO MAKE A FRENCH 75 COCKTAIL
WHAT IS IN A FRENCH 75?
A French 75 is a gin and champagne cocktail. This cocktail is better with a London dry gin like Bombay or Tanqueray. You can use a more floral gin, but it will compete with the brightness of the fresh lemon. Since you are mixing the champagne with liquor, you don’t necessarily need to splurge on the champagne.
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- Gin
- Champagne
- Simple syrup
- Lemon juice (and lemons for garnish)
- Cocktail shaker and strainer
- Champagne flute
WHAT IS A FRENCH 75 COCKTAIL?
This classic cocktail has a fascinating history. The drink was developed during WWI when the French army began using 75mm artillery — which was more powerful than anyone had seen before. The French 75 was jokingly described as having such a kick that it was like being shelled by this new weapon.
The French 75 is an alcohol-heavy cocktail but does not taste like it, so you should be careful when imbibing! The lemon juice and simple syrup can make this taste more like a refreshing glass of lemonade than a relatively strong cocktail.
HOW TO MAKE A FRENCH 75 AT HOME
Begin by juicing the fresh lemon into a cocktail shaker. The freshness of the citrus is what makes this cocktail especially delicious. You can buy pre-made simple syrup at the store or you can make your own by heating equal parts sugar and water together in a saucepan until the sugar is fully dissolved. Just make sure the syrup is completely cooled before using it in this cocktail.
Add the gin and the champagne to the cocktail shaker, and then fill the shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for about 20 seconds to completely cool the drink.
Strain the cocktail through a cocktail strainer or slotted spoon into a champagne flute. Stemless flutes are great too, and you can even use a Collins glass if you don’t have flutes.
Garnish the cocktail with a slice of lemon and enjoy!
FRENCH 75 COCKTAIL RECIPE
Because this cocktail has champagne in it, it is great for special occasions, but it is easy enough to make for a summer get-together. The bright, crisp flavors of the gin and champagne are accented by the simple syrup and cut with the fresh lemon. This is one of my favorite cocktails to drink!
Just remember that there is quite a bit of alcohol in the French 75, so enjoy it responsibly!
HOW TO MAKE A FRENCH 75 COCKTAIL
Print PinEquipment
- cocktail shaker
- strainer or slotted spoon
- champagne flute
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces gin
- 3/4 ounce lemon juice
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- 2 ounces champagne
- lemon slice
Instructions
- Pour all of the ingredints into a cocktail shaker.
- Fill the shaker up to the brim with ice.
- Shake the cocktail well, and strain the cocktail into a champagne flute.
- Garnish with a lemon slice.
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