July 4: Red, White & Blue Cocktails for Independence Day
Whether you plan on watching the fireworks, attending a parade, or holding a backyard barbecue, many Americans look forward to the long Fourth of July holiday weekend.
This Independence Day, why not add a bit of red, white and blue to your holiday bash with the colorful cocktails and mixed drinks listed below?
Red Cocktails:
Patriotic Margarita- You'll need cranberry juice cocktail, orange flavored liqueur and silver tequila.
Fourth of July Cocktail Cooler Popsicles - What could be better on a hot summer day than an ice-cold popsicle? Add some kick to those ho-hum popsicles by adding vodka, triple sec, club soda and several different juices. Yum!
Watermelon Wave Recipe - Perfect for summertime, this recipe calls for tequila, triple orange liqueur, maraschino liqueur, watermelon, pomegranate and lemon juice.
Beer Snow Cones – One thing is for certain - these aint your mama's snow cones! Make 'em in a variety of colors using ice-cold beer and syrups.
White Cocktails:
Mojito Slush - This ice-cold drink calls for rum, sugar, ginger ale, water and sugar.
Cucumber Margarita – This margarita recipe calls for Cointreau, tequila reposado, Grand Marnier, lime slices and fresh cukes!
White Sangria - You'll need dry white wine, with or without alcohol, fresh peaches and raspberries for this recipe.
Blue Cocktails:
Fourth of July Cocktail - Food Network's Guy Fieri shares this cocktail recipe perfect for the holiday. You'll need cranberry juice, watermelon schnapps, tequila, blue Curacao, simple syrup and a pepper.
Blue Envy Cocktail - This refreshing drink calls for silver tequila, blue Curacao, pineapple juice and a maraschino cherry to top it off.
Blue Carnation Cocktail Recipe – Speaking of blue, Colleen Graham shares this pretty drink that calls for white crème de cacao, blue Curacao and cream.
Red, White and Hpnotiq Blue Martini - This colorful cocktail has shades of both blue and red.
Blue Hawaiian - Oh my gosh - this cocktail looks amazing! You'll need light rum, blue Curacao, pineapple juice, cream of coconut( not coconut milk) and ice.
Citrus-Spangled Spritzer:
Ingredients:
1 part Pinnacle® Citrus Vodka
1 part DeKuyper® Blue Curacao Liqueur
2 parts Lemon Soda
1 part Grenadine
Lemon for garnish
Blueberries for garnish
Mint Sprig for garnish
Directions:: Lightly mix the vodka and lemon soda in a cocktail shaker with ice and set aside. In a tall glass, add the grenadine slowly to the bottom. Fill the glass with crushed ice. Strain the vodka soda mixture over the back of a bar spoon, followed by the blue curacao. Garnish with fresh mint, lemon rind star and berries (optional).
Raspberry Sparkler:
Ingredients:
1 part Pinnacle® Raspberry Vodka
2 parts Club Soda
Raspberries for garnish
Lemon wheel for garnish
Directions: Mix ingredients and serve over ice. Garnish with raspberries and a lemon wheel.
Strawberry Muddler:
Ingrdients:
3 parts Hornitos® Plata Tequila
Handful of fresh strawberries
Juice from 1 lime
2 teaspoons superfine sugar
Fresh pepper
1 cup club soda
Directions: : Put strawberries in a small pitcher and mash to your desired consistency. Add juice, club soda, Hornitos® Plata and combine along with 4 good grinds from the pepper mill. Fill 2 glasses halfway with ice and divide drink among glasses.
Hornitos Firecracker:
Ingredients:
1 part Hornitos® Plata Tequila
4 parts concord grape juice
½ part fresh lemon juice
Directions:: Add ingredients to glass over ice and stir.
Regal Ruby:
Ingredients:
1 2/3 oz La Quintinye Vermouth Rouge
6 oz Ginger Ale
Directions: Serve over ice in a highball glass. Garnish with an orange twist
Watermelon Sparkler Punch:
Ingredients:
750 ml NOLET’S Silver Dry Gin
(2.5) 750 ml bottles Sparkling Sake
24 oz. Watermelon Juice
375 ml Lemon Juice
375 ml Agave Nectar
Watermelon Chunks
Directions: Add all ingredients, except Sake, to a punch bowl. Stir well to ensure agave liquefies with other contents (shake or blend agave and lemon juice together with ice if necessary). Refrigerate to chill and top with sparkling sake prior to serving. *NOTE: Recipe is intended for multiple servings.
Grapefruit + Sage Mimosa:
Ingredients:
1 oz. NOLET’S Silver Dry Gin
1.5 oz. Fresh Grapefruit Juice
.25 oz. Simple Syrup Sparkling Rosé
3 Sage Leaves
Directions: Add all ingredients except Rosé to a mixing glass with ice. Shake well and pour into a Chardonnay glass. Top with Rosé. Garnish with a grapefruit wheel and fresh sage leaves.
Blackberry Tom Collins:
Ingredients:
1.25 oz NOLET’S Silver Dry Gin
.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
.75 oz Simple Syrup
3 Blackberries
Club Soda to top
Directions: Muddle blackberries with a simple syrup in a mixing glass. Add NOLET’S Silver, lemon juice and ice. Shake and strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice. Top with soda. Garnish with two fresh blackberries.
Angry Firework:
Ingredients:
Angry Orchard Crisp Apple
1 oz blue curacao
1 oz raspberry schnapps
Directions: In a pint glass, combine 1 oz blue curacao and 1 oz raspberry schnapps over ice. Fill with Angry Orchard Crisp Apple. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Angry on the Beach:
Ingredients:
4 12 oz bottles Angry Orchard Crisp Apple
4 cups Watermelon Juice
1 cup Vodka
1 cup Cointreau or Orange Liqueur
1 cup Lime Juice
0.5 cup Orange Juice
1 Navel Orange Sliced
1 Lime Sliced
Watermelon Chunks
Directions: In a large container add the watermelon juice, Vodka, Cointreau, lime juice and orange juice. Stir in ice, orange slices, lime wheels, and watermelon chunks. Top off with Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Cider and stir gently to combine. Serve!
Off With Her Head:
Ingredients:
2 oz G'Vine Nouaison Gin
1/4 oz Vermouth Royal Extra Dry
1/4 oz Pastis
Directions: Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass and stir with ice. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a lemon twist.