The French 75 Cocktail
This delightfully refreshing cocktail received its name from the English soldiers stationed in France that drank so many of these delicious cocktails at the New York Bar in Paris. The soldiers claimed the cocktail packed such a punch that it hit them like a 75MM artillery shell.
It’s a simple combination of four ingredients, gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and champagne–prosecco or cava will also do the trick.
Typically thought of as a brunch cocktail, as it’s served similarly to a mimosa, we tend to think it’s just as good as a nightcap, than it is an early pick-me-up.
How to make a French 75
- Gin. Beefeater will do the trick. If you add Empress Gin, it will give your cocktail a purple hue.
- Lemons and simple syrup.
- Champagne–or in a pinch, Prosecco or Cava.
Bartender Tips
While you could make this with more than one ounce of gin, it’d end up a very boozy cocktail with the addition sparkling wine. So unless you’re one-and-done, we recommend to take it easy, as this one can creep up on you fast.
Cheap champagne tastes like cheap champagne, and won’t do well in a light, refreshing cocktail like this. You don’t need to break the bank, but aim for something in the mid-tier.
We can’t stress this enough. Make sure the lemon juice is fresh squeezed!
Variations
This iconic cocktail gets many variations, such as the French 76 with vodka, or the French 95 with bourbon. There are even lesser known variations like the Air Mail, which deviates from the original by swapping the gin for a aged rum, the lemon for lime, and the simple syrup for honey. Though, the overall proportions remain the same.
This cocktail already is a variation of a Tom Collins, featuring sparkling wine in place of soda water.
While not an official variation, muddling fruit like blackberries, or blueberries, in addition to using a vibrant gin like Empress can be another way to put your own twist on this signature classic.
