A French 76 is a perfectly acidic and bubbly cocktail, made bright and flavorful by lemon juice, vodka, and Champagne—and it’s so simple to make. A vodka-based spin on the traditional French 75 cocktail, a subtle sweetness from the cherry complements the overall light and citrusy drink. Celebratory but unfussy, you can even make it as a batch cocktail for a brunch or dinner party.
Learn how to make a French 76 cocktail, and enjoy this bubbly, refreshing drink at your next happy hour. Cheers!
What Is the Difference Between a French 75 and a French 76?
The original French 75 is made with gin, while the French 76 is made with vodka.
The French 75 is so botanical and floral from the gin that the lemon is more of an accompaniment. Whereas in the French 76, the blank canvas of vodka allows the lemon flavor to shine through. The result tastes like a light, soft, and celebratory lemonade.
Why Is It Called a French 76?
The original version of the drink got its name from the French 75-millimeter field gun used during World War I. It became a symbol of hope in the battles against Germany. With the swap to vodka, bartenders just added a number to the drink’s name so it wouldn’t be too confusing.
French 76 Ingredients
To make a French 76, you’ll need just five ingredients:
Vodka: A clean, smooth-sipping vodka is ideal as it bolsters the rest of the ingredients.
Lemon juice: Freshly-squeezed juice is best of course.
Champagne or dry sparkling wine: Use your favorite. You don’t have to splurge, but you don’t want a bargain bottle for this drink either.
Simple syrup: It’s typically available in the grocery store’s wine or beer aisle, near the cocktail mixers. If you’d rather make your own simple syrup than buy it, all you need is granulated sugar and water to do it.
A maraschino cherry: For garnish.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
How To Make a French 76
It’s easy to make a French 76 in a few simple steps. Here’s a quick outline of the process; the full recipe is further below:
Step 1. Start by placing the vodka, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Step 2. Shake it vigorously until chilled. Step 3. Then use a cocktail strainer to strain into a chilled coupe or fluted glass. Step 4. Top with Champagne, and garnish with a cherry.
Tips for the Best French 76 Cocktail
The Southern Living Test Kitchen pros provided their secrets and tricks to making this great cocktail even better:
When shaking any cocktail, envision that you are trying to get your ice from the bottom of the shaker to hit the top of the shaker.You cannot shake this cocktail with Champagne in it, as the carbonation will make it explode; you must add the Champagne at the end. For the best taste, use a high-quality vodka such as Tito’s or Grey Goose. To chill the glass, place it in the freezer before you begin mixing. (You can also fill the glass with ice just before you start, and then dump the ice out right before straining your drink into it.)
Can You Make French 76 as a Batch Cocktail?
For a batch of eight drinks, stir together 1 1/2 cup vodka, 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 3/4 cup simple syrup, and 3/4 cup water in a pitcher. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Top with 2 cups Champagne, and lightly stir (or top each glass with two ounces of the bubbly).
French 76 Recipe Variations
Substitute vodka for an equal amount of gin to make it a classic French 75. Or, try flavored simple syrup (such as herbal or floral) for a unique twist.
More Great Vodka Cocktail Recipes
With a great bottle of vodka, you can make all these cocktails:
Editor’s Note: This recipe was developed by Melissa Gray; the recipe tips were written by Alesandra Dubin.