How To Make A Perfect French 75, From Classic To Non-Alcoholic
4
- Prep Time1 min
- Total Time5 min
- Makes1 drink
Photo, Jayme Lang.
In her new book, Three Cheers, Vancouver-based bartender Kaitlyn Stewart offers three versions of classic cocktails: the original, a non-alcoholic option and a riff. Here, she takes on the French 75.
Classic French 75
1 oz gin
½ oz fresh lemon juice
½ oz simple syrup
1 dash orange bitters
3 oz Champagne
Lemon twist, for garnish
Riff: Eiffel 65
1 oz gin
½ oz blue Curaçao
½ oz lemon oleo-saccharum (see tip)
½ oz fresh lemon juice
1 dash orange bitters
2 oz Champagne
Orange twist, for garnish
Non-alcoholic: The 1975
1 oz spirit-free gin
½ oz Acidified Grapefruit Juice (see tip)
½ ounce Lemon Oleo-Saccharum (see tip)
1 dash orange bitters
3 oz non-alcoholic sparkling wine
Grapefruit twist, for garnish
Instructions
Classic: In a shaker tin, combine the gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and orange bitters. Add cubed ice and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Fine-strain into a flute and top with Champagne. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Riff: In a shaker tin, combine the gin, blue Curaçao, lemon oleo-saccharum, lemon juice and orange bitters. Add cubed ice and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Fine-strain into a coupe and top with Champagne. Garnish with an orange twist.
Non-alcoholic: In a shaker tin, combine the spirit-free gin, acidified grapefruit juice, lemon oleo-saccharum and orange bitters. Add cubed ice and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Fine-strain into a flute, top with non-alcoholic sparkling wine and garnish with a grapefruit twist.
Kitchen tips:
- To make lemon oleo saccharum, wash and peel 6 lemons and remove pith from peels with a knife. Place peels in a sealable container and cover with 300g white sugar. Gently muddle peels and sugar together. Seal container and leave at room temperature overnight, until clear citrus oil syrup begins floating overtop. Add 4 oz fresh lemon juice and mix well. Strain into a bottle and store in fridge for up to 1 month.
- To make acidified grapefruit juice, mix 34 oz grapefruit juice with 1 ¾ tbsp citric acid and 2 tsp malic acid in a clean container until fully dissolved. Will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks.
These recipes are part of a collection of cocktail recipes from Vancouver-based bartender and educator Kaitlyn Stewart, author of Three Cheers.
Excerpted from Three Cheers by Kaitlyn Stewart. Copyright © 2025 Kaitlyn Stewart. Photography by Jayme Lang. Photographs copyright © 2025 Jayme Lang. Published by Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.
