Tips for the best French 75
Choose a great gin
We love using a London Dry Gin like Bulldog Gin – it has a beautifully clear character with just enough herbaceous notes coming through to tie the whole flavour profile of the drink together.
Make a punch with some punch
The French 75 can easily be turned into a batch drink for parties – see the how-to below. To keep your punch cool without watering it down too much, freeze water in a bowl or cake tin to make an ice chunk. You can even add some orange slices as a pretty garnish to dial up the wow factor.
The glass choice is up to you
A French 75 is traditionally served in a chilled Champagne flute to let the bubbles do their thing, but you could also serve it in a martini glass if you want more rapid aroma development.
Read more: 10 Cocktail Glass Types to Level Up Your DIY Drinks
How strong is the French 75 cocktail?
Each French 75 contains 30ml gin and 60ml of either Champagne or Prosecco. This places its alcohol content at around 19% ABV (38 proof). As such, it’s a rather strong drink that is best enjoyed in sipping mode. By comparison, a Long Island Iced Tea normally has a 17.2% ABV, while Pina Colada comes in at 9.8% and a Pornstar Martini at 13.6%.
French 75 cocktail variations to try
Like the best gin cocktails tend to do, classic French 75 has inspired its fair share of cocktail spin-offs over the years. Here is a little list of our favourite variations:
- Old Cuban. This NYC-inspired drink combines aged rum, lime juice, sugar syrup, Angostura bitters, mint and Champagne.
- South Mint 75. With notes of Southeast Asia coming to the fore, the South Mint 75 features gin, lime juice, lemongrass syrup, mint and cava.
- French Harvest. This drink sticks pretty closely to the French 75 formula, only swapping out Champagne in favour of sparkling cider.
- West 75th. This New York Sour-inspired take on the French 75 yields a vibrant combination of French apple brandy, lemon juice, raspberry syrup and orange bitters, charged with sparking red wine.
- Maxwell. This decidedly refreshing drink combines cucumber vodka, cucumber juice, orange-flavoured Grand Marnier liqueur, lemon juice and agave nectar, topped off with Champagne.
How to make a batch of French 75 cocktail for a party
Hosting a large crowd and keen to serve up some Parisian glamour? We highly recommend a French 75 punch bowl for everything from wedding cocktails to casual get-togethers. This approach allows you to treat your guests to the gorgeous flavours of this popular cocktail without having to shake each one up individually.
To serve eight to ten people, the ingredients list will be as follows:
- 480 ml (2 cups) gin
- 960 ml (4 cups) Champagne or Prosecco
- 240 ml (1 cup) lemon juice
- 180 ml sugar syrup
The trick lies in adding the Champagne just before your guests arrive. Combine the rest of the ingredients in your punch bowl ahead of time. Then add the final touches at the last possible moment to ensure that the bubbles are lively and sparkly!
You can also prep your glasses with a sugar rim and a cherry garnish beforehand. This way you will be able to serve your guests from the punch bowl without missing a beat.
