Speakeasy: How to Order a French 75 Like a Grown Up

Welcome back to Speakeasy, where we take a deep dive into a classic drink and give you the history and origins of a drink, the spirits involved, and how to ask for a drink like a pro. Last time we took a sip of the classic Manhattan, today, we’re all about the bubbly French 75.

The History of the French 75

If you’re a regular reader then you already know this: cocktail histories are hazy (as are most things having to do with spirits). The French 75 is no different, attached to many a myth and crazy story. Here goes.

The most persistent myth is that the French 75 was invented by soldiers in World War 1 and is named after the 75mm Howitzer field gun. That gun had a quite a kick, like the cocktail and/or the soldiers served the drink in shells. Seeing as how it’s unlikely soldiers in the trenches had access to champagne, gin, citrus, and sugar… we’re gonna say this story is probably not an accurate description of how it went down.

The cocktail first appears in print (though with varying ingredient lists) in either the 1920s or 1930s, in cocktail books post-Prohibition. However, what most everyone can agree on is that the cocktail was around in some form much earlier than that. It seems that back in the late 1860s Charles Dickens (yeah, that one) would ask for a “Tom gin and champagne cup”.

A champagne cup was a drink enjoyed by gentlemen of a certain rank and was made of sugar, citrus, and champagne. That’s a French 75 minus the gin, which Dickens seemed to have added or enjoy it with. That same drink was also said to be the favorite of Kalakaua, the king of Hawaii. Go figure. [pagebreak]

What’s in a French 75?

A French 75 is a base of gin, lemon juice, and sugar topped off with champagne. We were unable to track down a recipe that anyone agreed on: two ounces of gin and one teaspoon of sugar, one and a half ounces of in and half an ounce of simple syrup…

Here’s what we do know: the base is mixed in a cocktail shaker and poured into a champagne flute. It’s topped off with champagne and garnished with a lemon twist. Cause this is fancy stuff.  

What does a French 75 taste like and how should I order it?

This time of year we’re all about celebration and what better way to get your happy hour started than with some bubbles. As you see above, there’s some variation in terms of proportions and two huge variables with the gin and champagne.

Here’s what we can tell you: since there’s already sugar in the drink, you’ll want a dry champagne (meaning it’s not sweet). Gin wise, you’ll want to start with a London dry gin. London dry gin is one of the most popular types of gin (fun fact: it’s not actually made in London) and as the name suggests, it lacks sugar. It’s also usually made with dried lemon and/or orange peel, so it has a slight citrus taste and aroma. Since you’re using lemon juice, it’s an easy fit with the flavor profile.

So how should you order it? Unless you’re mixing it at a home, you won’t be able to control the amounts of citrus or sugar, so just make sure you’re ordering a “French 75 with London dry.” At your home bar, start with half an ounce of simple syup (we prefer it over sugar, as it’s already dissolved), half an ounce of lemon juice, and an ounce and a half of gin. Don’t forget the lemon twist. We’re not animals.