French 77

The French 77 cocktail is a bubbly mix of elderflower liqueur, lemon and Champagne! This spin on the French 75 is a step above the classic.

Looking for a festive drink? Try the French 77! This champagne cocktail is a spin on the classic French 75 that adds St Germain elderflower liqueur. And dare we say it: it makes this classic cocktail even better. It’s bubbly and effervescent, with the floral undertones and the zing of fresh lemon juice. If you need a signature cocktail to impress your friends, this is the one.

What is a French 77 cocktail?

The French 77 is spin on the classic French 75 cocktail using elderflower liqueur, created by Simon Difford in 2006. Most sources say the original French 75 was invented in 1915 at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris, earning it’s name because it was as powerful as a French 75mm field gun. A classic French 75 is made with gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and champagne.

The French 77 simply substitutes St Germain elderflower liqueur for the gin and simple syrup in a French 75. While the St Germain bottle might look historic, it’s a actually new product to cocktails: it was released in 2007. (Since Difford claims to have invented this drink in 2006, he may have used another elderflower liqueur product? We’re not sure.) The ingredients in a French 77 are:

St Germain elderflower liqueur
Lemon juice
Champagne, Prosecco or other sparkling wine

Making the drink is as easy as pouring it all in a champagne flute. Easy as that!

How to make a lemon twist

A classic French 75 is garnished with a lemon twist, and it’s what makes the drink! Wondering how to do it? We have a way to make this classic garnish using no special tools. Here’s how to make a lemon twist:

Cut the lemon width-wise into a circle.
Run a paring knife around the edge to remove the peel, cutting away as much of the pith as possible. Remove the fruit and set aside.
Cut the remaining peel circle so that it becomes a long strip. Twist it, holding it for several seconds until the shape is kept.

Choosing the sparkling wine

The traditional sparkling wine for a French 75 and French 75 is champagne. But we find it’s easier to find a great bottle of Prosecco! Prosecco is a little cheaper with a sweeter, more floral flavor. You can find a great Prosecco for $15 per bottle, but a good bottle of champagne starts at $30 to $40. Either way, make sure it’s “brut” which means dry. Here’s more about the different types of sparkling wine:

Champagne: French sparkling wine (most expensive choice). It tastes bubbly and fruity, with undertones of almond and orange.
Prosecco: Italian sparkling wine. It’s a little sweeter than champagne: fruity and flowery, with notes of apple, pear and lemon.
Cava: Spanish sparkling wine. It has more citrus notes, and is a little more savory and less fruity.

More champagne cocktails

Outside of the French 77, there are lots more classic champagne cocktails to try! Here are a few more favorites for when you want to open a bottle of bubbly: