Before sparklers are lit and the "Star Spangled Banner" is sung, get your guests recalling our Founding Fathers by creating patriotic libations that honor the U.S. of A. These Fourth of July cocktails are the perfect way to celebrate the red, white and blue, and an even better way to get patrons to stick around for more than just fireworks.
American Beauty
Created by Erick Castro at Rickhouse, San Francisco.
2 ounces Bluecoat Gin
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
¾ ounce simple syrup
3 fresh raspberries and 3 fresh blueberries
4-6 mint leaves
Add lemon juice, mint and berries into mixing glass and lightly muddle. Add the remaining ingredients into mixing glass along with ice and shake vigorously. Fine-strain over rocks into a double Old Fashioned glass and top with a splash of soda. Garnish with lemon wheel and one raspberry.
*To make simple syrup combine one part hot water to one part sugar. Stir until all sugar is dissolved and allow to cool.
Cherry Patriot
Courtesy of SKYY Spirits.
1 ½ ounces SKYY Infusions Cherry Vodka
1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ ounce Cointreau
½ ounce sweet vermouth
¾ ounce rye whiskey
2 ounces soda
Mix ingredients in mixing pint over ice. Shake vigorously and strain into tall pilsner style glass. Garnish with lemon zest and cherry.
Summer Picnic
Courtesy of Monin.
1 ounce Monin Watermelon Syrup
1 ounce citrus rum
½ ounce fresh lemon juice
2 ounces cranberry juice
Sparkling water
Combine ice, Monin Watermelon Syrup, rum, fresh lemon juice and cranberry juice in shaker. Shake vigorously. Pour into serving glass and top with sparkling water. Garnish with a watermelon wedge.
Rockets Red Glare
Courtesy of TY KU.
1 ounce TY KY Soju
1 ounce TY KY Liqueur
Splash of cranberry.
Combine ingredients in a shaker and serve in a Martini glass.
Empire Cocktail
Created by Jonathan Pogash and served at the Empire Room in NYC.
1 ¾ ounces gin
¾ ounces Dolin Vermouth de Chambéry
½ ounce Royal Combier
¾ ounce fresh lemon juice
1 heaping barspoon raspberry-orange marmalade
1 ounce Champagne
Shake all ingredients except for Champagne very well with ice and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Top with Champagne.
The American Collins
Courtesy of Bombay Sapphire.
1 ½ ounces Bombay Sapphire
¾ ounce simple syrup
½ ounce fresh lemon juice
4 Bing cherries, pitted
8 blueberries
In a Collins glass, muddle the blueberries and cherries in the lemon juice and simple syrup. Add Bombay Sapphire and ice and stir briefly. Top with club soda and garnish with 1 Bing cherry and 1 lemon wheel.
Sons of Liberty Caipirinha
Created by Corey Bunnewith with Cabana Cachaça.
3 ounces Cabana Cachaça
½ lime, quartered
1 tsp cranberry jam
2 tsp Muscovado sugar
1 dash Fee Brothers Old Fashioned Aromatic Bitters
1 roasted coffee bean
In a shaker, muddle lime quarters. Add all ingredients and shake with ice. Pour into a rocks glass and microplane a roasted coffee bean over the top for garnish.
Red, White and Green (Organic) Margarita
Courtesy of Casa Noble.
2 ounces Casa Noble Crystal Tequila
1 ounce fresh lime juice (or the juice of 1 whole lime)
¾ ounce La Sierra Agave Nectar
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake, strain and serve up or on the rocks. Garnish with a lime wheel. To salt rim, moisten rim of glass with lime and gently roll in a plate of kosher salt.
Firecracker
Courtesy of Flor de Caña Rum.
3 ounces Flor de Caña 7 Year Grand Reserve Rum
1 ounce Triple Sec
1 ounce fresh lime juice
1 ounce simple syrup
4 watermelon chunks
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Whirl all ingredients together and pour into a glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Vanilla Berry Sparkler
Courtesy of Tuaca.
3 muddled Driscoll’s blackberries
1 ½ ounces Tuaca
1 ounce gin
½ ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice
½ ounce simple syrup (1-1)
1 ounce soda water
Muddle three blackberries at the bottom of the glass portion of your shaker and add all other ingredients except the soda water. Shake with ice and strain over fresh ice into a highball glass. Garnish with a mint sprig and a blackberry.
Broad Stripes and Bright Stars
Courtesy of Lucid Absinthe.
¼ ounce Lucid Absinthe
1oz blueberry vodka
¼ ounce simple syrup
Splash lemon juice
Drizzle raspberry liqueur
Ginger beer
Fresh blueberries
Muddle fresh blueberries and add syrup, Lucid, juice and vodka. Add ice and shake and pour into Highball glass. Drizzle liqueur and top with ginger beer. Garnish with one sugar cube.
901 Rosina
Created by Dave Arnold of The French Culinary Institute, NYC, for 901 Tequila.
2 ½ ounces 901 Silver Tequila
3 ounces clarified strawberry juice
½ ounce simple syrup
a pinch of malic acid
a pinch of citric acid
salt to taste
Combine all ingredients and garnish with mint.
Independence Sangria
On the menu at The Yard in Santa Monica, Calif.
4 1 ½ liter bottles white wine
1 bottle Xante
2 cups orange juice
4 cups pear juice
Pour all ingredients into a pitcher and serve into individual glasses. Garnish with sliced apples, oranges, blood oranges, pears, strawberries.