Red, White, and Boozy: 4th of July Cocktails to Make This Summer
Summer is officially in full swing, which means the grill is on, the group chat is overplanning, and everyone could use something cold, colorful, and a little more festive than another basic canned drink. Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue, heading to a rooftop, or just looking for a reason to make the long weekend feel more fun, these 4th of July cocktails bring the red, white, blue, and boozy energy. From a juicy watermelon spritz to a Bomb Pop gin and tonic, a cherry coconut rum drink, and batched cocktails made for sharing, here’s what to shake, stir, and pour this Independence Day.
Watermelon Spritz
Credit: La Marca
1 cup fresh watermelon (or watermelon juice)
1 oz lime juice
½ oz simple syrup
3-4 oz La Marca Prosecco
Mint sprig and watermelon wedge for garnish
Blend chilled watermelon, lime juice and simple syrup and strain into a Spritz glass with ice. Stir gently to combine. Top with La Marca Prosecco and garnish with mint and watermelon wedge.
Watermelon Spritz
5oz Avaline Rosé
16 strawberries
1 cup of ice
1 cup of water
Bring 10 strawberries and 1 cup of water to a simmer for 10 minutes. Let it cool, then blend. Drizzle purée inside glass. Add rosé, 6 strawberries and ice to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into purée-lined glass and enjoy! This summer, Avaline teamed up with LA hotspot LEORA for a limited-time seasonal collaboration, featuring the Avaline Frosé alongside Avaline Rosé served by the glass all summer long!
NOLET’S Silver Firecracker Gin + Tonic
1.5 oz. NOLET’S Silver Gin
1 Bomb Pop (or other popsicle)
Frozen Raspberries & Blueberries
4 oz. Tonic Water
Fill a Balloon glass with ice and frozen fruit. Add NOLET’S Silver, tonic water, and a popsicle.
Patriotini
2 oz ALB Vodka
0.5 oz Fresh Lime Juice
0.75 oz Dry Curacao
0.5 oz Fee Bros. Orgeat Syrup
0.5 oz Cranberry Juice
Add the ALB Vodka, fresh lime juice, dry curaçao, orgeat syrup and cranberry juice to a shaker filled with ice and shake well. Strain into a chilled martini glass.
Cherry Bomb
1/2 cup Blue Chair Bay Coconut Rum
1 cup Ginger Ale
4 tbsp Grenadine
Blue Sanding Sugar, for garnish
Cherry Bomb, for garnish
Rim glass with blue sugar. Pour in grenadine, then layer the coconut rum and ginger ale on top. Garnish with a Cherry Bomb. To make the Cherry Bombs: drain the juice from a jar of maraschino cherries and pour 1 cup Blue Chair Bay White Rum over them. Let sit 12-48 hours, then gently pat dry. Dip in 1 cup melted vanilla chips or white chocolate, then in blue sugar sprinkles, and set on wax paper to firm up. The longer the cherries soak, the stronger the flavor.
Five Springs Batched Bourbon Spritz
1 bottle Five Springs Blood Orange Bourbon
1 bottle Aperol
1.5 cups lemon juice
Club soda
Blood orange wheels, for garnish
Pour bourbon, Aperol, and lemon juice into a pitcher with ice and stir. Fill a glass with ice and cocktail, then top with club soda.
Summer Gin Punch
4 oz simple syrup
6 oz fresh lemon juice
16 oz Empress 1908 Indigo Gin
6 oz Fresh Lime Juice
32 oz Soda Water
6 Dashes of Angostura
Edible flowers and lemon & lime wheels, for garnish
Combine ingredients in a punch bowl or pitcher and add ice. Garnish with edible flowers, and lemon and lime wheels.
However you choose to celebrate, these cocktails are sure to bring color, flavor, and a little sparkle to your Fourth of July. Mix up a pitcher, fire up the grill, and raise a glass to a happy, safe, and delicious Independence Day. Cheers!
