French 77

An elegant champagne cocktail for every celebration, this 3-ingredient French 77 is bright, bubbly, and absolutely beautiful!

French 77 is Better Than Bubbly Alone!

Oscar Wilde once said, “Only the unimaginative can fail to find a reason for drinking champagne”, and we agree! Champagne is light, bubbly, and makes every occasion feel special! The only thing better is…a champagne cocktail!

And this French 77 tops the list! This super-easy mixed drink starts with your favorite inexpensive champagne and St. Germain elderflower liqueur (fruity & flavorful with notes of peach and pear), and is joined by a splash of fresh, tangy lemon juice to balance the sweet liqueur. Serve this cocktail in a sugar-rimmed champagne flute, and it’s exactly the right drink for New Year’s Eve, Wedding Showers, Mother’s Day Brunch – really, all your celebrations!

Other Classy, Celebratory Cocktails

• Raspberry Bellinis are a light, easy cocktail that’s perfect for brunch!
• Strawberry Tequila Sunrise is the perfect fruity summer cocktail!
• Or try a Lemon Drop Martini for a sophisticated drink.

Ingredients

Champagne: Your favorite inexpensive champagne works great here! There’s no need to spend big money since we’re mixing it with other tasty ingredients.

Liqueur: For the French 77, you need St. Germain’s Elderflower Liqueur. It’s a very specific flavor for a very specific drink!

Lemon: Fresh-squeezed lemon juice brings all the brightness! Don’t be tempted by the bottled juice here.

Sugar: Use simple granulated sugar for rimming the champagne glasses. We used gold-colored sugar to make ours!

How to Make a French 77

STEP ONE: Rim a champagne glass with a lemon wedge and dip the rim into gold sanding sugar.

STEP TWO: Pour the chilled St. Germain liqueur and freshly squeezed lemon juice into the glass, being careful not to disturb the sugared rim.

STEP THREE: Slowly pour the champagne, allowing the bubbles to settle before adding more. Once the glass is filled, you’re ready to toast the occasion!

Tips for Success

• If you want a sweeter drink, add a touch of simple syrup or swap out brut champagne for Asti.
• For more of a kick, add an ounce of gin to each glass before pouring in the champagne.
• You can add a lemon twist as an additional garnish or use it in place of the sugar-red rim.
• You can pre-mix the St. Germaine and lemon juice if you’re serving a crowd. Then, pour one jigger (1 ¼ ounces) into the glasses before topping with champagne.

What’s the Difference Between a French 75 and a French 77?

A French 75 is a classic cocktail that originated when a London bartender switched the club soda in a Tom Collins for champagne! The French 75 contains gin, champagne, lemon juice, and sugar. The difference between the two cocktails is that the French 77 uses a sweet elderflower liqueur instead of the gin and sugar. (There’s also a French 76 that uses vodka instead of gin.)

These champagne cocktails are sweet, slightly tangy, and bubbly! They’re easy to make. If you’re looking for classy, elegant drinks for your next celebration, you can’t go wrong with the French 75 or 77!

Can You Make This Cocktail Ahead of Time?

The French 77 cocktail can easily be made in advance—in fact, it might be even better! But there is a catch: Mix only the base—the elderflower liqueur and lemon juice—and refrigerate for up to 48 hours. When it’s time for cocktails, simply fill your flutes ⅔ full with the chilled base ingredients, then top off with the champagne so it stays bubbly! 

Other Champagne Cocktails for Celebrating!

• Champagne Lemonade
• The Saint Champagne Cocktail
• Champagne Floats
• Sparkling White Peach Sangria
• Sweetheart Black Cherry Mimosa
• Champagne Cocktail