No matter how you’re spending the Fourth of July, might we suggest adding a festive cocktail to the equation? Whether you’re planning an elaborate July 4th fête, spending the day lounging by the pool with friends and family, or just basking in the beloved summer treat of a long weekend, it’s always a good idea to mix up a batch of celebratory drinks to brighten up the festivities. Not only is a cheerful beverage the perfect complement to all your favorite Independence Day mainstays like burgers, hot dogs and all things red, white and blue, but a refreshing July 4 cocktail is also the best way to beat the stifling summer heat.
Sure, a crisp glass of wine or a beer is always nice, but this year, elevate your July 4 celebrations with a festive yet elegant cocktail. Below, see the most delicious (and easy to make!) concoctions to serve on the Fourth of July.
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Diplomático Watermelon Negroni Sparkler
Ingredients:
40 ml Diplomático Mantuano
20 ml sweet vermouth
20 ml bitter Italian apéritif
10 ml watermelon juice
Ice
Directions:
Add all ingredients into an ice-filled mixing glass. Stir together to combine and chill. Strain into a double old fashioned rocks glass with a large piece of ice. Garnish with your choice of fruit.
818 Fourth of July
Ingredients:
0.5 oz 818 Tequila Blanco
0.5 oz gin
0.5 oz vodka
0.5 oz white rum
0.5 oz blue Curacao
0.75 oz lime juice
Scant bar spoon rich cinnamon syrup
Grapefruit soda
Directions:
Add all ingredients, except for the soda, into a shaker with a large amount of ice. Pour an ounce of the soda into a highball glass with large ice cubes. Pour the shaken contents over the soda. Top with remaining soda; garnish with Luxardo cherries.
Pineapple Fizz Cocktail
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Belvedere Vodka
0.5 oz fresh lime juice
0.2 oz pineapple juice
Hella Bitters & Soda
Directions:
Add all ingredients, except for Hella Bitters and Soda, into shaker and shake with ice. Strain into a collins glass and top with Bitters and Soda.
Lady Liberty
Courtesy of Le Bilboquet mixologist Benjamin Wood
Ingredients:
Lemon zest
1/2 oz Italicus syrup (Add equal parts white granulated sugar and Italicus Bergamot Liqueur to a blender; blend on low until dissolved.)
Champagne
Peychauds Bitters
Fresh berries and pineapple fronds
Directions:
Add Italicus syrup to a pilsner glass, express lemon zest into glass and drop in. Add pebble ice to 1/2-inch below the rim of the glass. Fill with sparkling wine and swizzle to incorporate. Add ice to brim, layer with five to six dashes of Peychauds bitters and mound ice on top to layer. Garnish with berries and fronds.
1800 Coco Colada
Ingredients:
2 oz 1800 Coconut
3/4 oz cream of coconut
3/4 oz pineapple juice
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a blender with ice; blend until smooth. Pour into a hurricane glass and garnish with a pineapple wedge.
Basil Vodka Gimlet
Ingredients:
2 oz Basil-infused King St. Vodka
1 oz simple syrup
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
Fresh basil leaves
Directions:
Add lime juice and basil into a cocktail shaker. Muddle basil leaves. Add the simple syrup, basil-infused King St Vodka and ice cubes to shaker. Shake vigorously. Strain into a gimlet glass; garnish with a basil leaf.
Fiesta Americana
Courtesy of Milagro Ambassador Luis Lopez
Ingredients:
5 muddled strawberries
2 parts Milagro Silver Tequila
2 parts coco cream
3/4 parts lemon juice
1 part pineapple juice
1/4 part agave nectar
Directions:
Add 5 muddled strawberries to bottom of a tall glass. Add all ingredients into a shaker; strain over fresh ice. Serve in tall glass and garnish with buzz ball rim.
Barrilito Sky
Ingredients:
2 oz Ron Del Barrilito Two Stars
Pineapple syrup
Blue Curacao liqueur
Lemon juice
Fresh mint leaves
Directions:
Pour all ingredients except for mint leaves into a shaker; shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Pour into a balloon glass; add mint leaves to garnish.
Bisquit & Dubouché Watermelon Sour
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Bisquit & Dubouché V.S.O.P. Cognac
0.5 oz Aperol
1 oz watermelon syrup (To make watermelon syrup, combine equal parts watermelon juice and granulated white sugar in a blender and blend until sugar is fully incorporated.)
0.75 oz lemon juice
Watermelon cube
Directions:
Combine all ingredients into a shaker and strain thoroughly. Pour liquid into chilled coupe.
CÎROC Passion Sparkler
Ingredients:
1.5 oz CÎROC Passion
4 oz sparkling lemonade
Lemon peel ribbon
Directions:
Arrange lemon peel ribbon inside a highball glass with ice. Add CÎROC Passion and sparkling lemande. Garnish with a lemon wheel.
Don’t Call Me Shirley
Courtesy of Hendrick’s Ambassador Mattias Horseman
Ingredients:
2 parts Hendrick’s Gin
1/4 part Luxardo maraschino cherry juice or grenadine
1/4 part orange liqueur
Fever-Tree Lemon Tonic
Directions:
Add all ingredients into a highball glass; stir to combine. Garnish with a squeeze of lemon, a fresh cherry and cucumber slices.
JAJA Strawberry Lemonade
Ingredients:
1.5 oz JAJA Reposado
2 oz iced green tea
Hard strawberry lemonade
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a highball glass with ice. Stir to combine. Garnish with a lemon wheel and a strawberry slice.
The Blue Wave
Ingredients:
2 oz El Bandido Yankee Blanco Tequila
1/4 oz coconut cream
1/4 oz blue Curacao
Champagne
Directions:
Add all ingredients except for champagne into a shaker with ice. Strain into a glass; top with champagne.
All-American Jelly Doughnut
Ingredients:
1 oz Chambord
1 oz Black Irish Original
Blue sanding sugar or blue crystal sugar sprinkle
Directions:
Wet rim of a shot glass and dip into blue sugar. Pour in Chambord. Holding a spoon carefully upside down, rest the tip of the spoon on the inner edge of the shot glass. Slowly pour Black Irish Original over Chambord to create a top layer.
American G & T
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Aviation American Gin
3 oz tonic
Lemon wheel
Lime wheel
Directions:
Pour Aviation Gin into a glass filled with ice; top with tonic 
LALO Ranch Water
Ingredients:
1.5 oz LALO Tequila
1.5 oz fresh lime juice
1.5 oz sparkling
Lime wedges
Directions:
Add ice cubes to a highball glass. Add LALO tequila and lime juice, mix together and then add sparkling 
Villa One Firework Margarita
Ingredients:
2 oz Villa One Silver
0.75 oz fresh lime juice
0.75 oz demerara syrup
0.5 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake and then strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass with a Tajin tim. Garnish with a lime or slice of jalapeno.
Ingredients:
1.5 oz oz Recuerdo Mezcal Joven
1 oz blue Curacao
0.5 oz lime juice
0.25 oz simple syrup
1 maraschino cherry
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Pour into a martini glass; garnish with a maraschino cherry.
Sparkler Spritz
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Grey Goose Essences Strawberry & Lemongrass
4.5 oz soda
Fresh strawberries
Lemongrass sprig
Lemon twist
Directions:
Fill a chilled glass with cubed ice and Grey Goose Essences Strawberry & Lemongrass. Top with soda 
Independence Rey
Ingredients:
0.75 oz pomegranate syrup (or grenadine)
1 oz lime juice
2 oz SelvaRey White Rum
0.5 oz blue Curacao
Mint
Directions:
Pour pomegranate syrup into a glass, then add ice into the glass. In a separate glass, add lime juice and rum, then shake and strain into the original glass. Pour blue Curacao on top of the lime and rum mixture. Gently stir to combine. Garnish with mint.
