Cider 75 Cocktail Recipe

The Cider 75 is an appley riff on a French 75 that swaps out Champagne for dry sparkling cider. A refreshing gin cocktail, the Cider 75 has tart, herbaceous, and slightly sweet notes, all wrapped into a celebratory cocktail served in a flute glass. 

The traditional French 75 elements — gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup — make for a balanced and flavorful base that blends seamlessly with the sparkling cider. Gin’s herbaceous notes pair well with the orchard-fruit aromas of the cider, and fresh lemon juice brings brightness. 

Champagne is typically used in a French 75 to double down on its Francophile association, but it also imparts complex citrusy and yeasty aromas. For best results, use a traditional-method cider made just like Champagne (but with apples instead of grapes, of course). For this production method (also known as méthode champenoise), a small dose of sugar and/or yeast is added to start a second fermentation in the bottle.

Why the Cider 75 works

The Cider 75 uses the same ratios as a classic French 75 with a Gin Sour base that is topped with the cider in the glass. To ensure all the ingredients are well-mixed, the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup are combined in a shaker with ice before being strained into the glass.

A lemon peel and apple slice for garnish double down on the notes present in the cocktail. This simple cocktail is refreshing and, when served in a festive flute glass, perfect for toasting a special autumn occasion.