Summer is officially here and with it the smell of fresh cut grass, the hum of ice cream trucks, and the season’s first major holiday, the Fourth of July. Independence Day marks an opportunity for all to get together with friends and family and enjoy fireworks, barbecue, and, of course, some cocktails.
With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of Independence Day cocktails that are sure to make your Fourth of July party one to remember. Whether or not you’re preparing to launch some of your own fireworks or just set to enjoy the show, these mixed drinks will certainly make the night a blast.
DeLeón Prickly Pear Paloma
Instructions:
- 1 ½ oz DeLeón Reposado Tequila
- ¾ oz Agave Nectar Syrup
- 1 oz Prickly Pear Puree
- 1 oz Freshly Squeezed Grapefruit Juice
- ½ oz Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
- Splash of Sparkling Water
- Glassware: Highball
- Garnish: Sea Salt and Grapefruit Peel
Add DeLeon Tequila Reposado, agave syrup, prickly pear, grapefruit, lime and ice into a shaker. Shake and strain into the ice filled rimmed glass. Top with sparkling water. Garnish with sea salt and a grapefruit peel.
NOLET’S Berry Independent Punch
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups NOLET’S Silver Gin
- 1/2 cup Chambord Liqueur
- 1/2 cup Maraschino Cherry Liqueur
- 2 1/2 cups Lemonade
- 1/4-1/2 cup Simple Syrup
- 1 cup Blackberries or Blueberries
- 1 cup Strawberries
- 1 cup Raspberries
Puree fruit in a blender and strain out solids or juice fresh berries in a juicer. Mix berry juice with NOLET’S Silver Gin, Chambord, and Maraschino Liqueur with lemonade in a large pitcher or punchbowl. Taste for sweetness and adjust with simple syrup as needed. Add ice to the mixture, and serve over ice with fruit or floral garnish in a rocks glass.
Gold Rush
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Argonaut Saloon Strength Brandy
- ¾ oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
- ¾ oz. Honey Simple Syrup
- Garnish: Expressed Lemon Peel w/ a brandied cherry
- Glassware: Rocks glass
Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice, and shake together to combine / chill. Double strain into an ice filled rocks glass. Garnish with an expressed lemon peel and brandied cherry.
Grand Margarita
Ingredients:
- 1 part Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge
- 1 part Tequila
- .5 part Fresh Lime Juice
- Ice cubes
- Lime Garnish
Fill a wide, shallow dish with 2-3 mm of fine salt. Cut a lime in half at the width and rub around half of the rim of a margarita glass. Cut a thin, crosswise slice from one of the lime halves for garnish. Holding glass upside down, dip wet half delicately into the salt. Shake Grand Marnier, tequila and lime juice with ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into glass and apply lime garnish to the rim.
Blood Orange Margarita
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ oz. Tequila Cazadores Blanco or Reposado
- 1 oz. agave nectar or simple syrup
- ¾ oz. Fresh lime juice
- ¾ oz. Perfect Puree Blood Orange concentrate
In a blender combine all the ingredients with a full scoop of ice, blend and serve in a 12 oz. glass. Garnish with a slice of orange, Manny Salt rim. *Manny’s Salt: Salt flavored with guajillo and pasilla chili peppers, hibiscus, sugar and lime.
Patrón Perfect Paloma
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz. Patrón Reposado
- 3 oz. Fresh grapefruit juice
- .5 oz. Agave syrup (1:1)
- .5 oz. Fresh-squeezed lime juice
- 1 oz. Sparkling water
- Sugar and salt for rimming
- Grapefruit wedge for garnish
Combine all ingredients except sparkling water in a shaker tin and shake with ice to chill. Strain onto fresh ice in a sugar and salt rimmed collins glass. Top with sparkling water and garnish with a grapefruit wedge.
The Americano
Ingredients:
- 1 part Campari
- 1 part Cinzano 1757 Rosso Vermouth di Torino
- Splash of soda water
Pour the ingredients directly in an old-fashioned glass filled with ice-cubes, add a splash of soda water and garnish with an orange slice and lemon peel.
Hazelnut Espresso Martini
Ingredients:
- 0.5 parts Frangelico
- 1.5 part SKYY Vodka
- 1.5 parts Cold Brew Concentrate or Espresso*
- 0.25 parts Simple Syrup (1:1)
Combine all ingredients in shaker tin with fresh ice, shake vigorously until chilled. Strain into chilled coupe or martini glass, & garnish with (3) whole coffee beans.
Garden of Legacy
Ingredients:
- 40ml The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old
- 30ml Pink Grapefruit juice
- 10ml Sugar syrup
- Pinch of sea salt
- Top up with soda or tonic and garnish with a pink grapefruit wedge
Combine all ingredients in a tall glass, and add ice. Top up with soda or tonic. Garnish with a pink grapefruit wedge.
Lyre’s Gin Gin Mule
Ingredients:
- 2 Parts (60ml/2 Fl Oz) Lyre’s Dry London Spirit
- ¼ Part (7.5ml/ ¼ Fl Oz) White Sugar Syrup (1:1)
- ½ Part (15ml/ ½ Fl Oz) Lime Juice
- 3 Parts (90ml/3 Fl Oz) Premium Ginger Ale
- 8 Mint Leaves
- Glass: Highball
- Garnish: Plump Mint Sprig, Lime Wedge
Add Ingredients To Glass, Fill With Ice, Stir
For more Independence Day Cocktails, see last year’s list.
