French 75
The French 75 is a medium gin spritz, tart and fruity on the palate. Shaken and served in a champagne flute. It's one of the International Bartenders Association's official contemporary classics cocktails.
Flavor profile
- Tart
- 81 out of 100
- Sweet
- 18 out of 100
- Fruity
- 49 out of 100
- Herbal
- 24 out of 100
- Boozy
- 39 out of 100
How to make a French 75
To make a French 75, shake with ice and strain into a champagne flute: 1½ oz gin, ½ oz simple syrup, 1½ oz lemon juice and 4 oz champagne. Garnish with orange and maraschino cherry.
You'll need
- Gin1½ oz
- Simple syrupor 2 tsp sugar + a splash of water½ oz
- Lemon juice1½ oz
- Champagne4 oz
- Orange, Maraschino cherrygarnish
Pairs well with: Simple syrup · All syrups
Skip the bubbles? That's the Gin Sour.
Instructions
- 1
Chill a flute: fill it with ice and water while you mix, then tip it out.
- 2
Add gin, simple syrup and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker.
- 3
Fill the shaker with ice.
- 4
Shake hard for 10-15 seconds, until the outside is frosty.
- 5
Strain into the chilled flute.
- 6
Top with champagne.
- 7
Give it one gentle stir.
- 8
Garnish with an orange wheel and a maraschino cherry.
Why shake? Lemon juice needs a hard shake to mix and chill properly.
No simple syrup? Muddle 2 tsp sugar with a splash of water in the shaker until it dissolves, then carry on.
French 75 questions
What does a French 75 taste like, and is it sweet?
Not really: it's mostly tart and fruity. It's a medium drink at about 12% ABV once mixed.
How much alcohol is in a French 75?
About 12% ABV after mixing with ice, about as strong as a glass of wine.
What's the difference between a French 75 and a Tom Collins?
Both use gin, simple syrup and lemon juice. The French 75 adds champagne, while the Tom Collins uses club soda. Both are shaken, but the French 75 goes in a champagne flute and the Tom Collins in a highball glass.
How do I make a pitcher of French 75s?
For 6 drinks, mix 9 oz gin, 3 oz simple syrup and 9 oz lemon juice in a jug and chill it. Add 8¾ oz of cold water to stand in for the dilution from shaking. Top each glass with champagne as you serve, so it stays fizzy.
What glass do you serve a French 75 in?
A champagne flute or highball glass.