Check Out Our 2024 4th Of July Adult Beverages Roundup

As the summer months continue to speed along, it’s somewhat amazing to think that the 4th of July, also known as Independence Day in the United States, is upon us. The usual backyard gatherings, poolside parties, and fireworks viewing are all part of the 4th of July experience but this is also a time to have a well-crafted sip in honor of the holiday. My early memories of the 4th of July center around being in Washington, D.C. as a kid just minutes away from RFK Stadium and several blocks away from Capitol Hill. My aunts, uncles, and family would pack the backyard for hot dogs, burgers, and all the sides you can imagine before settling down for neighborhood fireworks or traveling down to the National Mall to see the big show. I would notice during these gatherings that my older family members would always keep something cold and sippable during these annual get-togethers. Now as an adult, I too enjoy a cocktail or cold one before having my nerves rattled by firecrackers. How did I think that was so fun when I was in grade school?

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As it stands, I’ve put together a quick and handy 4th of July cocktail guide that features cocktails, RTDs, and even a Shandy. No matter your style, we’ve got something tailor-made for you. Have a happy Independence Day and, as always, sip safely and surely. — Photo: Getty

1. Arnold Palmer Spiked

Whether you call it an Arnold Palmer or a Half and Half, the combination of sweet iced tea and lemonade has never failed. Whether swinging the golf clubs or taking in the fireworks, a can of Arnold Palmer Spiked is the right choice for either of those moments.

Learn more here.

2. Blood Orange Spritz

Ingredients:
2 oz Mommenpop Blood Orange
2 oz sparkling wine

Process:
Combine all ingredients in a wine glass and add ice. Garnish with fresh blood orange or lime slices.

3. Bourbon Spritz

Ingredients:
1 part Maker’s Mark Bourbon
1 part Aperol
3/4 parts freshly squeezed lemon juice
Splash of simple syrup
Prosecco
Orange peel

Directions:
 Fill a wine glass with ice and layer in Maker’s Mark, Aperol, lemon juice, and syrup. Top with Prosecco and garnish with an orange peel. 

4. BSB Lemonade

Ingredients:
2 oz BSB Whiskey
4 oz lemonade

Method: Garnish with lemon wheel and straw

5. Caz con Cerveza

I really love that CAZADORES said to hell with a fancy cocktail, let’s just go for a good, old fashioned Boilermaker, CAZ style. – D.L.

1 Shot CAZADORES Reposado
1 Bottle Lager Beer

Method:
Pour CAZADORES into a separate shot glass and enjoy with your favorite Lager Beer

6. Chappie

Ingredients:
1 oz Fior Scotch
1 oz Amaro
1 oz Aperol
1 oz Lemon Juice

Add the Fior, Amaro, Aperol, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake. Strain into a chilled glass and serve neat.

7. Deep In The Thicket

Ingredients:
2 oz Woodford Reserve bourbon
.25 oz lemon juice
.75 oz pH Blackberry Sage Syrup
Lemon zest and black salt rimming edge

Method:
Rim a rocks glass with lemon zest and black salt. Add remaining ingredients to a stirring glass with ice. Stir to chill and combine. Strain into your glass with fresh ice. Garnish with a lemon twist and enjoy.

8. Dirty Martini

Ingredients:
2 oz Tanqueray London Dry Gin
0.75 oz Olive Brine
0.25 oz Extra Dry Vermouth
Garnish: Skewered olives
Glassware: Martini Glass

Preparation:  Add ingredients into a cocktail tin. Shake and fine strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish with skewered olives. 

9. Fable

I don’t usually put my cannabis coverage on these pages but I’m not shy about using the plant for its various therapeutic and recreational benefits. Fable, which I’ve covered over at Hip-Hop Wired,  Fable is a booze-free canned cocktail boosted with just the right amount of THC to bring out the vibes. 

Learn more here. 

10. Firecracker G&T

Ingredients:
1.5 oz. NOLET’S Silver Gin
1 Bomb Pop (or other popsicle)
Frozen Raspberries & Blueberries
4 oz. Tonic Water

Method:
Fill a Balloon glass with ice and frozen fruit. Add NOLET’S Silver, tonic water, and a popsicle.

11. Glitterati

Ingredients:
1.5 oz Tequila Don Julio Rosado
0.5 oz Grapefruit
0.5 oz Lime
0.25 oz Agave Syrup (2:1)
Sparkling Rosé Wine
Glassware:  Champagne Coupe
Garnish: Salt Rim and Grapefruit Twist

Preparation: Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Strain into coupe glass. Top with sparkling rosé.

12. Happy Thursday

13. Kentucky Mule by Jim Beam

14. Leonor

Ingredients:
1.5 oz Mezcal Verde Amarás
2.5 oz Hibiscus, ginger, and rosemary infusion*
0.5 oz Fresh lime juice
Garnish: Rosemary sprig + Lime wheel

Method:
Add ice cubes to a highball glass. Pour Mezcal Verde Amarás, hibiscus, ginger, and rosemary infusion, and fresh lime juice over the ice. Stir gently to combine. Garnish with a fresh rosemary sprig and lime wheel for a vibrant presentation.

*To make the hibiscus, ginger, and rosemary infusion: Combine 50g hibiscus, 1 full rosemary sprig, 10g fresh ginger slices, 100g caster sugar, and 500ml water in a pot. Heat until boiling, then remove from heat, cool, and strain.

15. Long Island Iced Tea by Cutwater

Created by Justin Sajda

Ingredients:
1 Can of Cutwater Long Island Iced Tea
Frozen Collins Glass
2 drops of saline for POP
Lime wheel garnish
Fresh Mint garnish
A touch of powdered sugar

Method:
Freeze a Collins glass in advance to ensure your cocktail stays extra chilled. Pour a can of Cutwater Long Island Iced Tea into the frozen glass. Add 2 drops of saline to enhance the flavors and give the drink a POP. Garnish with a lime wheel and fresh mint for a refreshing touch. Sprinkle a touch of powdered sugar over the mint for an added touch of sweetness and elegance.

16. Monkey Colada

By Anna Mains, Monkey Shoulder Whisky Brand Ambassador
Ingredients:
1.5 parts Monkey Shoulder
0.5 parts coconut rum
3 parts coconut water
0.4 fresh lime juice
2 fresh cut pineapple rings
Dash of simple syrup (to taste)

Method: Add all ingredients to blender, add dash of simple syrup if desired to taste, pour into tall glass, garnish with pineapple leaf, and pineapple wedge

17. Nomadica

While I don’t do a lot of wine coverage on Spirit.Ed, the whole point of me starting this page was to educate myself and our readers. I’m aware of boxed wine but I can’t say I’ve run into a lot of canned wines in my travels and that’s where Nomadica shines. We have featured the brand’s orange wine and I’m super curious to try it out. I also love Nomadica’s approach to sustainability without forgoing quality sips.

Learn more here.

18. Patriotic Margarita

19. Porch Swing

Ingredients:
1 ½ oz. Woodford Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey
3/4 oz. Lemon Juice
1/2 oz. Honey
6 oz. Peach Tea

Method: Combine ingredients into a tall glass and stir. Garnish with a slice of peach or lemon wheel.

20. Romeo Sings A Serenade

Ingredients:
2oz Bourbon
.5oz Juliette Liqueur
.25oz Walnut Liqueur
3 Dashes Peach Bitters
3 Dashes Walnut Bitters
Orange Peel

Method:
Combine all ingredients into mixing glass with ice and stir. Pour over large cubed ice into rocks glass. Garnish with orange peel.

21. Rye Smash

Ingredients:
2 oz Uncle Nearest Straight Rye
3 Lemon Wedges
6 Mint Leaves
0.5 oz – 0.75 Simple Syrup
Seasonal Fruit
Garnish: Mint Sprig

Method:
Combine lemon wedges, mint leaves, simple syrup, (and seasonal fruit if using) in a cocktail shaker. Muddle gently to release juice and oils. Add Uncle Nearest Straight Rye and ice. Shake vigorously for 8-10 seconds. Double strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with a mint sprig.

22. Shiner Lemonade Shandy

The Shandy isn’t as popular a drink in the United States as it is in Europe and other parts of the world but I’ve always likened it to a low-ABV remix of the Arnold Palmer. Shiner, part of the Spoetzl Brewery family, is known for its Bock beer but the Lemonade Shandy is its summer seasonal offering that blends housemade lemonade with crisp lager. Grab some before they go away in August!

Learn more here.

23. Silent Pool G&T

Ingredients:
1 part Silent Pool Gin
2 parts Premium Indian Tonic
Orange or Silent Pool Aroma Liquid Garnish

Method:
Pour 1 part Silent Pool Gin into a Silent Pool Gin Copa glass filled with ice. Top up with 2 parts Premium Indian Tonic. Garnish with an orange wedge or elevate the experience with Silent Pool Mist – Bergamot Orange Liquid Garnish.

24. Simply Spiked

25. Solar Flare

Ingredients: 
1.5oz Astral Tequila Reposado
0.75oz Fresh Lime Juice
0.75oz Homemade Grenadine
Over medium-high heat, combine 1 cup of pomegranate juice with one cup of sugar in a saucepan. Simmer until sugar is dissolved and cool.
2 Dashes Hot Sauce
Sparkling Wine to top
Garnish: Mint Sprig
Glassware: Rocks Glass

Preparation: Add Astral Tequila Reposado, lime juice, grenadine and hot sauce into an ice-filled shaker and shake for six to eight seconds. Add sparkling wine to the shaker and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with a mint sprig. 

26. Sprinter

It probably goes without saying but if Kylie Jenner is endorsing it, chances are it’s got some cred with the masses. The businesswoman and social media sensation already made waves in the adult beverages space with 818 Tequila and now has Sprinter. The brand currently sells a variety of fruit-flavored vodka sodas at a crushable 4.5% ABV per can.

Learn more here.

27. Strawberry Basil Bourbon Smash

Ingredients:
2 oz Four Roses Small Batch
.75 oz Salted strawberry syrup*
.5 oz Lemon juice
3-4 Basil leaves

Garnish: Basil leaves, sliced strawberry

Method:
Add all ingredients to mixing tin. Add ice. Shake for fifteens seconds or until cocktail is well diluted and properly chilled. Double strain into rocks glass over ice. Garnish.

*Strawberry syrup: Combine equal parts destemmed, sliced strawberries to water and Ooni honey (½ cup strawberries : ½ cup water : ½ cup honey). Heat in saucepan to a simmer. Let simmer for ten minutes. Remove from heat and add a pinch of salt. Cool to room temperature, strain.

28. Sauvy B & Strawberries

Ingredients:
1 oz Vodka
1 oz Simple Syrup
0.5 oz Lemon Juice
1 oz Archer Roose Sauvignon Blanc
1.5 oz Club Soda
2 Fresh Strawberries

Method:
Into a shaker with ice, add vodka, simple syrup, and lemon juice. Shake and strain into a beautiful glass of choice over ice. Top with Archer Roose Sauvignon Blanc and Club Soda. Garnish with strawberries.

29. Tully Honey Irish Mojito

By Clodagh Mai O’Callaghan, Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey US Ambassador
Ingredients:
1.5 parts of Tullamore D.E.W. Honey
1 fresh lime
Some fresh mint
1.5 parts of ginger beer or club soda
1 part Simple syrup

Method: Take a couple of slices of lime and place them into a glass. Place 4 – 5 mint leaves on top and using a muddler, gently press down and twist to help release the flavors from the lime and mint. (The goal here is to release the flavors without turning the lime and mint to mush.) Combine with the additional ingredients and garnish with a lime.

30. Watermelon Sparkler

Ingredients:
1.5 parts SKYY Infusions Watermelon
0.75 part Aperol
0.5 part lemon juice
3 part Cinzano Prosecco
1 part soda water

Directions: Add ice to wine glass and gently pour in Prosecco. Swirl in SKYY Infusions Watermelon, Aperol and lemon juice. Top with a splash of soda water. Garnish.