Virgin French 76

We love classic cocktails especially those made with simple, clean ingredients. We really love to turn classic drinks into non alcoholic drinks.

We wanted to take the classic champagne based French 76 and turn it into a delicious mocktail. And guess what? It is incredibly delicious!

What is a French 76?

A French 76 is a spin on the classic cocktail called the French 75. The French 75 was invented in 1915 in New York City. Why is it called a French 76? It was named after the French 75mm field gun since it is super potent and strong.

When looking at the French 75 vs 76, you will notice one big difference- the liquor. The French 75 is made with vodka while the French 76 is made with gin. Our virgin French 76 is made with absolutely no alcohol at all. Maybe we will rename it and call it the French 77…

Ingredients in a Virgin French 76 Recipe

Our nonalcoholic French 76 is made with very few ingredients. We like to keep things as simple as possible! Easy, tasty drinks are seriously the best. Try to choose high quality ingredients so the flavors really shine.

Here is what you will need:

• Simple Syrup- Simple syrup is a basic blend of water and sugar. You can buy simple syrup or make it yourself. Torani and Monin make good simple syrups or you can give our syrup recipe a try. It is very quick and easy to make.
• Lemon Juice- Fresh lemon juice is definitely best. It has a brighter taste than bottled lemon juice. Of course, bottled juice will work in a pinch!
• Non Alcoholic Champagne- A sparkling white wine or champagne is what gives our French 76 drink all of it’s great taste. We like Sutter Home Fre Brut non alcoholic champagne but any brand will do!
• Cherry- A maraschino cherry is the classic finishing touch for the drink. It adds a touch of sweet fruit flavor and a pop of bright color to the glass.

You can probably find all of these ingredients in your local grocery store- even the champagne! You can also order N/A champagne online or grab a bottle in a liquor store. Just remember that once you pop that bottle of champagne, you will want to drink it right away. The bubbles fade fast!

How to Make a French 76

Do you like easy mocktails that look fancy? We definitely do! It’s just another reason why we love the French 76. Here is how to make this quick, refreshing mocktail:

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Add the simple syrup, lemon juice and N/A champagne. Shake the cocktail shaker gently, just so the ingredients chill and get mixed together. You don’t want to shake too hard or the bubbles from the virgin champagne will get knocked out of the drink.
3. Add a single maraschino cherry to a champagne glass and then strain the mocktail into the glass.
4. Enjoy right away while the drink is nice and cold!

Seems pretty easy, right? It definitely is! You can make this drink so fast which is such a good thing because you are going to want to make a second one very soon….

Tips and Tricks

Before you start mixing, try out these little tips and tricks to make your drink absolutely perfect.

• The classic 76 French drink is made with gin. Try adding 1 ounce of Ritual non alcoholic gin to give your virgin French 76 an even more authentic taste. Non alcoholic gin has the wonderful juniper berry taste without the harsh alcohol.
• A lemon peel or rosemary sprig both make the perfect garnish.
• Skip the cocktail shaker and add all the ingredients straight into the glass. Give them a little stir and enjoy! Just make sure all the ingredients are nice and cold since you are skipping the ice shaker which chills the drink.
• Call your drink a soixante-seize Francais- that is how to say 76 in french and just instantly makes your drink sound fancier.

I know that you will have a few tricks after you make this tasty drink. Let us know what they are! Everyone enjoys a good tip when it leads to drink perfection.

Give our tasty virgin French 76 recipe a try and let us know what you think. It is a clean, refreshing, classic drink with a non alcoholic twist. It is definitely a winner!

You Asked, We’re Answering

Have any questions about our tasty French 76? Leave your questions in the comments section below and we will answer ASAP! In the meantime, check out these FAQ’s and hopefully the answers will help you too.

Why is a French 76 cocktail called that?

The French 75 was first created during World War I. During the war, the French and Americans used a 75mm field gun. When the drink was first made, people said it was so strong that it felt like being hit by this French 75mm gun. The drink was dubbed the “French 75”. Later on, the vodka in the French 75 was replaced with gin and the French 76 was created. Now, try our virgin drink which is the next version in line. Perhaps we will call it the French 77.

Is a French 75 girly?

Nope. In fact it is pretty darn strong! You have to be one tough man or woman to drink one of those cocktails. Our non alcoholic version is a little more mild but still delicious and very un-girly.

Is a French 75 gin or cognac?

A French 75 is typically made with vodka. A French 76 has gin.

Does a French 75 have ice in it?

No. French 75 or a French 76 both do not have ice. You do however fill a cocktail shaker with ice, shake up the ingredients and then strain them into a champagne glass. The ice doesn’t go directly into the drink, but it was used to perfectly chill the drink!

Virgin French 76

5 from 3 votes

Recipe by Mocktail.net

Servings

1

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Ingredients

• ¼ ounce simple syrup

• ¼ ounce lemon juice

• 2 ounces non alcoholic champagne

• 1 maraschino cherry

• Ice

Directions

• Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
• Add the syrup, lemon juice, and virgin champagne to the cocktail shaker, cover and shake gently for about 10 seconds. You just want to mix the ingredients but not lose too much of the fizz.
• Place the cherry in the bottom of a champagne flute and strain the drink into the glass.
• Enjoy while cold.

Tips and Tricks

• • Add a thyme sprig as a garnish.
  • Use non alcoholic sparkling white wine in place of champagne. Any fruity, light sparking wine will do!
• Tools:
  • Jigger
  • Cocktail shaker
  • Cocktail strainer
  • Champagne glass

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