Summer has unfolded quickly and now July 4th is just around the corner. That means we’re all readying ourselves for a long day of parades, 5ks, barbecues, fireworks, and, of course, cocktails.
Cocktails are the thing that can give your July 4th barbecue that extra bit of explosiveness that will make this Independence Day one to remember. With that in mind, we put together a list of July 4th cocktails that’s perfect for celebrating summer.
Sparkling Solstice Punch
Ingredients:
- 1.5oz Buchanan’s DeLuxe
- 2oz Tart Cranberry Juice
- 1oz Fresh Pink Grapefruit Juice
- ½oz Honey Simple Syrup (1:1 honey and hot water, cooled)
- 3 Dashes Lavender Bitters
- Top with 1-2oz Chilled Dry Sparkling Rosé
- Glassware: Punch Glass or Large 8oz Coupe
- Garnish: Floating Cranberries, Slice of Pink Grapefruit, and Sprig of Lavender
Shake together bitters, whisky, cranberry and grapefruit juice, and simple syrup in a shaker with ice. Prep your glass by rubbing the edge with lavender sprig, then strain cocktail mixture into it, top with champagne, and garnish with cranberries and lavender sprig.
I.W. Harper Berry Farm Fizz
Ingredients:
- 1.25 oz I.W. Harper
- 1 Strawberry
- Ginger Beer
- .25 oz Strawberry Liqueur
- .75 oz Lime
- .5 oz Raspberry Syrup
- Glassware: Highball glass
- Garnish: Strawberry, raspberries
Muddle strawberries in shaker tin. Combine all ingredients except Ginger Beer, add ice, and shake. Double-strain into an ice-filled highball glass. Top with Ginger beer.
Don Julio Blanco Blood Orange Margarita (Created by Othon Nolasco, Los Angeles)
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2oz Tequila Don Julio Blanco
- 1oz Fresh Mexican Lime Juice
- 2oz Fresh Blood Orange Juice
- 1 bar spoon superfine sugar
- Salt for rim
- Glassware: Rocks Glass
- Garnish: Dehydrated Blood Orange and Mexican Lime Wheels
Rim a chilled rocks glass with salt. Combine Tequila Don Julio Blanco, fresh Mexican lime juice, fresh blood orange juice, and superfine sugar into a cocktail shaker over ice. Shake well. Strain contents into the salt-rimmed rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with dehydrated blood Orange and Mexican lime wheels.
Johnnie Walker Watermelon Highball
Ingredients:
- 1.5oz Johnnie Walker Black Label
- 3oz Watermelon Juice
- 1.5oz Fever Tree Soda Water
- Glassware: Highball Glass
- Garnish: Watermelon Slice and Cucumber Wheel
Build all ingredients into an ice-filled highball glass and garnish with Watermelon Slice and Cucumber Wheel.
Glendullan Prairie (Serves 10 to 12)
Ingredients:
- 1 Bottle of Singleton 12 Year Old
- ½ Gallon Strawberry Lemonade*
- 1 Bottle (750ML) Club soda
- Glassware: Rocks Glass
- Garnish: 5 Sliced Strawberries, Mint Sprig
*Strawberry Lemonade
- 1 Pint Fresh Strawberries (About 25-30)
- ½ Gallon Fresh Lemonade
Add all ingredients into a pitcher/bowl and stir well. Add a large ice cube garnish with sliced strawberries and mint sprig. Serve in the rocks glass filled with ice.
Very Berry Smash
Ingredients:
- 1.5 ounces Red, White & Berry flavored spirit
- ¼ cup fresh berries: blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and cherries
- 4 ounces club soda
- 2 ounces Red, White & Berry Smirnoff Ice
- Mint for garnish
Add vodka, berries, and a few sprigs of mint to the bottom of a glass. Muddle to combine. Add ice to the glass. Top with club soda and Smirnoff Ice. Stir to combine. Garnish with mint and extra berries.
Turn Up For Love
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz EFFEN Vodka
- ¾ oz Wild Blueberry Preserves
- ¾ oz Lemon
- ½ oz Simple Syrup
- 1 Sprig of Thyme
- Topped with Club Soda
Strain into a rocks glass with a big rock and garnish with a thyme sprig.
Hornitos What a Melon
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ parts Hornitos Plata Tequila
- ¾ part Simple Syrup
- ¾ part Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
- 2-3 Cubes Fresh Watermelon
Place watermelon and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker and gently muddle. Add rest of ingredients with ice, shake and strain into a rocks glass.