French 75: The Cocktail That Launched a Thousand Taste Buds

🍸 The Art of Liquid: When Gin Met Champagne

Meet the French 75, the cocktail equivalent of a love letter written in champagne bubbles and gin, soaked poetry. This effervescent beauty is what happens when French sophistication meets British gin in a glass, creating a drink so elegant it could make a sommelier weep tears of joy

🕰️ The Legend Behind the French 75 Cocktail

The French 75 traces its roots back to World War I. They named it after the French 75mm field gun, a rapid-fire artillery canon famed for its speed and accuracy. The soldiers joked that the drink felt like being shelled by the actual gun.

Early versions of the recipe appeared in the 1920s, most notably in Harry's ABC of Mixing Cocktails by Harry MacElhone of the famous Harry's New York Bar in Paris. It was later immortalized in The Savoy Cocktail Book in 1930, cementing the combination of gin, lemon, sugar, and champagne as the gold standard we know today.

---

🔬 French 75 Cocktail Recipe

Ingredients

Ingredient	Measurement	Pro Tip
London Dry Gin	1 oz	Use a quality London Dry, your taste buds will thank you
Fresh Lemon Juice	0.5 oz	Fresh is best; bottled lemon juice is the enemy of joy
Simple Syrup (1:1)	0.5 oz	Equal parts sugar and water, dissolved with love
Brut Champagne	2 oz	The bubblier, the better, save the flat stuff for cooking
Ice Cubes	As needed	make you cool

How to Make a French 75 cocktail

1️⃣ Frost Warfare
Chill Champagne flute in freezer (minimum 10 minutes)

2️⃣ Shaker Combat

• Combine gin, lemon, syrup in Shaker
• Add ice older than your Twitter account
• Shake like you're mad at the Prohibition era (12 seconds max)

3️⃣ Double-strain
Double-strain into chilled glass through Hawthorne filter

4️⃣ Bubble Artillery
Top with champagne as tenderly as if delivering a love letter to your first crush.

5️⃣ Sense of ceremony
Garnish with lemon peel. Congratulations, you've created a cocktail ready for battle.

🕵️ Decoding the Classic Charm of French 75

The first sip hits you with the botanical complexity of gin, followed by the bright tartness of fresh lemon that wakes up every taste bud. The syrup rounds out the edges, while the champagne adds effervescence and a dry, crisp finish that practically demands another sip. It's like a perfectly orchestrated dance between sweet, sour, and sparkling.

🎩 Fun Facts About French 75

• Champagne flute: The French 75 was originally served in a Collins glass over ice (1920s style), not a flute. Fancy flutes came later!
• Artillery Accuracy: The original French 75mm gun could fire 15 rounds per minute. Coincidentally, that's about how fast some people can drink French 75 cocktails, though we don't recommend testing this theory.
• The Danger Zone: The bubbles in champagne speed up alcohol absorption, meaning the French 75 hits faster than most cocktails. It's the stealth bomber of the cocktail world, beautiful, sophisticated, and surprisingly effective.

"Drinking a French 75 is like being kissed on the throat by an angel and a devil at the same time." - Anonymous alcoholic philosopher

Variations of the French 75 Cocktail 👩‍🍳

• Vodka French 76: Swap the gin for vodka. Same glamour, just with slightly less botanicals.
• Elderflower / Rosé 75: Use rosé or add an elderflower liqueur (St-Germain) for floral flair.
• Blueberry or Pomegranate French 75: Make your syrup fruity (blueberries, pomegranate) for a colorful glass and Instagram-friendly garnish.
• Lavender French 75: Add lavender syrup or fresh blossoms for a botanical twist that says "I'm fancy, but also chill".

Frequently Asked Questions About the French 75 Cocktail(FAQs) 🕵️

1. Can I substitute the champagne for something else to make my French 75 cocktail?

Absolutely, you can. If you want to save a bit of money (or you just love prosecco), you can use another dry sparkling wine instead of true Champagne. It still counts as celebration.

2. Is the French 75 cocktail very strong?

Yes, it is strong. Gin (or other spirit) + fresh citrus + sparkling wine means you've got elegance and oomph in one glass. Remember: finesse is great, but so is knowing how many you've had.

3. What glass should I use to serve a French 75 cocktail??

A chilled champagne flute is typical, it showcases the bubbles and looks classy. But if you want to serve it in a coupe glass or other glass, nobody will stop you (they'll just stare lovingly).

4. Is simple syrup necessary or can I use sugar for my French 75 cocktail?

Simple syrup dissolves instantly and evenly, which is why bartenders love it more than its own siblings. Regular sugar will eventually dissolve if you stir vigorously enough, but you'll waste precious drinking time.

5. What gin works best for a French 75 cocktial?

A London Dry style is the most traditional, because its crisp botanicals stay clean under bubbles. However, modern botanical gins with floral or citrus notes can also make a lovely, softer version.

6. What is the difference between a French 75 and a Tom Collins?

They share a similar lemon and sugar structure, but the French 75 uses sparkling wine where a Tom Collins uses soda water, which changes both texture and vibe.

7. How do I make the French 75 cocktial less sweet?

Use a drier sparkling wine, reduce the syrup slightly, or increase lemon by a small amount. Keep the balance so it stays bright, not sour.

8. Can I batch French 75 cocktails for a party?

Absolutely, you can. You can premix the gin, lemon juice, and syrup in a pitcher and keep it chilled in the fridge. When your guests arrive, pour the mix into glasses and top with fresh champagne to ensure it stays bubbly.

9. What food pairs well with a French 75 cocktail?

This cocktail's bright acidity and effervescence make it incredibly food friendly. It pairs beautifully with oysters, smoked salmon, soft cheeses, light salads, and delicate canapés. It's an excellent aperitif that stimulates the appetite without overwhelming it.

---

References:
[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_75_%28cocktail%29
[2]: https://www.sonatahomedesign.com/french-76-vodka-twist-on-the-classic-french-75-recipe/
[3]: https://forums.egullet.org/topic/74846-french-75-history/
[4]: https://revelry.tours/cocktails/french-75/