5 Easy July 4th Cocktails That Will Wow Your Backyard Guests
4th of July Holiday background. Cranberry punch with ice and stars shaped apple pieces in glass ... More against background of old turquoise board and sun rays. Patriotic American Flag drinks. Mock up.
Fireworks aren't the only thing lighting up the sky on the Fourth of July—your cocktail glass deserves a little sparkle, too. Whether you're grilling on the patio, lounging poolside, or watching your neighbors try to operate a questionable box of fireworks, the right drink sets the tone for summer's most celebratory holiday. Sure, there's always beer and rosé, but why not raise the bar (literally) with something a little more festive?
A great Independence Day cocktail should be cold, refreshing, and easy to batch—or at least not require you to muddle herbs while everyone else is in the pool. Think citrusy highballs, bright spritzes, and classic American spirits like bourbon, rye, and rum given a seasonal twist. And yes, if it's red, white, or blue (or better yet, all three), that's a bonus.
I tapped bartenders and spirits brands across the country for their go-to July 4th drinks—recipes that range from ultra-simple to firework-worthy showstoppers. Whether you're planning a low-key cookout or a full-blown backyard bash, these cocktails will bring the star-spangled spirit straight to your glass. Bonus: many of them can be scaled up for pitchers or coolers, so you're not playing bartender all day while everyone else works on their sunburn.
From a fruity spritz to a bourbon-spiked lemonade worthy of your uncle's grilling playlist, these drinks deliver summer in every sip. So grab your ice bucket, stock up on citrus, and cue the patriotic playlist—it's time to celebrate America with the most American tradition of all: a good cocktail in hand.
Summer Vacation
Summer Vacation
Ingredients:
Directions:
Combine all ingredients into shaker and strain into highball glass over ice. Garnish with a lime wheel and mint.
All-American Rum Limeade
All-American Rum Limeade
Mixologist: Lee Corbett (@TheRogueBrusselSprout)
Ingredients:
Directions:
Mix blue spirulina with a barspoon of water, stir in rum, and set aside. Add Campari and grenadine to a tall glass, stir, then fill with ice. Slowly pour in limeade to avoid mixing layers, leaving 1 inch at the top. Float the blue spirulina rum on top through a fine-mesh strainer. Garnish with strawberries, blueberries, and glittery star-shaped apple slices; serve with a straw.
Peach Botanical Sptriz
Peach Botanical Spritz
Ingredients:
Directions:
Fill a white wine glass with ice. Add all ingredients, stir gently, and garnish with a peach or orange slice.
California Spritz
California Spritz
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Fill a wine glass with ice cubes. Pour all the ingredients over the ice and stir gently. Garnish with orange wheels
Kentucky Lemonade
Kentucky Lemonade
Instructions:
Add all ingredients except soda to shaker tin. Add ice and shake. Double strain over ice in highball (collins) glass. Top with lemon lime soda. Garnish with mint sprig and lemon wheel
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