Apparently, the last couple of months have seen a return of the cocktail hour. Which I suppose since most people currently work from home, could be seen as a substitute to the after-work drinks.
If you like to end your day with a nice cocktail, especially now when temperatures continue to stay over the 20°C well into the evening, check out these easy-to-make variations of the famous French 75 cocktail.
The classic French 75 cocktail is a fantastic staple when it comes to putting together a quick and easy cocktail for your summer party or just as a refreshing aperitif on any occasion.
The drink was invented more than one hundred years ago, at some time during World War I by Harry MacElhone who created the cocktail at the New York Bar in Paris and named after a 75mm field gun used during the war.
All you need in order to put it together is gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and off course champagne.
The French 75 is an incredibly popular drink, most likely thanks to its refreshing light taste and it is totally easy and quick to make.
No surprise, over time many variations of the classic French 75 cocktail have surfaced. Typically, they will either change some of the base ingredients (although never the champagne) or add a fruity flavour to give it an additional pep.
Below, you find the instruction to make a classic French 75 cocktail and five exciting variations.
How to make a classic French 75
Serves one:
45 ml gin
20 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
20 ml simple syrup
Champagne (or sparkling wine)
To make the simple syrup, use one part water and one part sugar (I typically prepare a larger quantity for a couple of cocktails as it can be stored in the fridge for a while, using say 100 g sugar and 100 ml water). Combine water and sugar in a saucepan, put on the stove and bring to heat. Let simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and let it cool.
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, pour gin, simple sirup and lemon juice. Shake vigorously than strain into a champagne glass. Top up with champagne and garnish with a lemon twist.
Sloe 75
This is perhaps one of the easiest variations of the classic French 75. You only need to swap your classic London Dry Gin for a Sloe Gin and lemon juice for lime juice.
A Sloe Gin is which is a gin-based liqueur flavoured with sloe berries, which are relatives of plums and thus give the liqueur its ruby red colour and a slightly sweeter finish.
Serves one:
45 ml sloe gin
20 ml freshly squeezed lime juice
20 ml simply syrup
Dash of aromatic bitters (optional)
Champagne
Combine all ingredients except the champagne into a shaker filled with ice, shake, strain into a champagne glass and top up with champagne.
Elderflower Rosé 75
Likewise, one of the easiest and straightforward variations is the Rosé French 75. Simply use a rosé champagne for this one. All other ingredients and preparation remain the same as for a classic French 75.
However, if like me you really like the refreshing light flavour of elderflower, why not combine both the rosé and elderflower in variations in one cocktail.
Serves one:
30 ml gin
15 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 ml elderflower syrup
A splash of bitters (optional)
Rosé champagne
Add all ingredients except the champagne into a shaker over ice, shake, strain into a champagne glass and top up with the rosé champagne.
Pink Grapefruit 75
I love using juices in cocktails, as it always adds a nice light touch and occassionally also a splash of colour.
Serves one:
45 ml gin
10 ml freshly squeezed lime juice
20 ml freshly squeezed blood orange juice
20 ml simple syrup
Champagne
As for the preparation, you guess it, it is the same than before. Add all ingredients except the champagne into a shaker filled with ice, shake, strain into a champagne glass and top up with champagne. Garnish with an orange twist.
Rhubarb 75
The tangy tartness of the rhubarb syrup offers a wonderful twist to the classic French 75. It’s great for any time of the year though consider putting this on your list of drinks for Spring when rhubarb is actually in season. In that occassion, you could not only prepare the rhubarb syrup yourself but using a thin slice of rhubarb for garnishing also makes this a lovely looking drink.
Serves one:
45 ml gin
20 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
15 ml rhubarb syrup
Champagne
Pour all ingredients into a shaker over ice, shake vigorously, then strain into a champagne glass. Top up with champagne.
Mexican 75
Add a real twist to the classic French 75 with this variation that uses tequila and lime juice instead of gin and lemon.
Serves one:
30 ml freshly squeezed lime juice
60 ml tequila silver
2 tablespoons agave syrup
Champagne
In a shaker with ice add lime juice, tequila, and agave syrup. Shake for 15-20 seconds than strain into a champagne glass rimed with salt and fill up with champagne. Garnish with a lime twist.
Do you like these cocktails? Would you like to try one or a couple of them? Let me know if you did.
Carrots and Tigers 