Spirit.Ed: Check Out These Fourth of July 2025 Cocktails - Page 22
Independence Day, better known as the Fourth of July, falls on a weekend this year, and we’ve put together another collection of cocktails and related sips for the celebration. From brands we’ve featured before, along with new entrants, this roundup covers a lot of ground, so let’s get to it.
I attempted to create a cocktail to go along with the spirit, ahem, of Spirit.Ed, and this year, I looked in my cabinet and realized I was all out of Campari. I was going to go for a red-themed drink of some sort, but Aperol was there to save the day. After doing my Googles, I landed on Joaquin Simo’s Naked & Famous, which he created in 2011 at the famed Death & Co. bar (which I need to visit some time soon).
As Simo explains, the Naked & Famous is “the bastard child born out of an illicit Oaxacan love affair between the classic Last Word and the Paper Plane, a drink Sam Ross created at the West Village bar Little Branch,” which is an apt description. The drink wasn’t bright blood red as I hoped but I can assure you, it was pretty damn tasty. Check out my meager cocktail photography below.
Source: D.L. Chandler / DLC
Below, you’ll find your requisite Fourth of July-themed cocktails that focus on the colors of the American flag, with other drinks centering on America’s famed spirit, bourbon, and its spicy cousin, rye whiskey. We sprinkled some ready-to-drink options in the mix and some other treats. If you can’t find a drink in this roundup, you didn’t want one bad enough.
Have a happy Fourth of July, enjoy the weekend, and be responsible when imbibing.
—
Photo: Getty
1. Alabama Slammer
Ingredients:
0.5 oz Bols Amaretto
0.5 oz Sloe gin
1.0 oz Southern Comfort
2.0 oz Orange juice
1.0 oz Fresh lemon juice
0.2 oz Sugar syrup
2. All-American Rum Limeade
Mixologist: Lee Corbett (@TheRogueBrusselSprout)
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Kōloa Kaua’i White Rum
Pinch of blue spirulina
Barspoon of water
1 oz Campari
0.25 oz grenadine
2–3 oz limeade
Strawberries and blueberries for garnish
Glitter-coated apple slices cut into stars for garnish
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.
3. Aloe Bloom Spritz
Ingredients
3 oz Carpano Bianco Vermouth
1 oz Aloe Vera Juice
Squeeze of lemon
3 oz Elderflower tonic water
Garnish: lemon wheels
Directions
Pour all ingredients into a wine glass. Add ice and stir. Garnish with lemon wheels.
4. Bartesian – Red, White, and Blue Cocktail Capsules
Bartesian and its innovative pod system take a lot of the fuss out of picking an adult beverage. While I do love making my cocktails by hand, I enjoy Bartesian’s versatility, which allows one to make a low-ABV drink or mocktail.
Learn more here.
5. Blackberry Margarita
Add all ingredients to a large pitcher with ice. Stir gently to incorporate. Strain and pour into rocks glasses with fresh ice. Garnish with fresh blackberries.
6. Belle Pamplemousse
1.75 oz Belle de Brillet
0.5 oz Lemon Juice
3.5 oz Grapefruit Soda
1 oz Prosecco
Directions:
Pour all ingredients into a glass full of ice and stir gently. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit.
7. Bloom-ling Cocktail
35ml Highland Park 12 Year Old Whisky
20ml Bitter Aperitivo
25ml Pink Grapefruit Juice
5ml Heather Honey
Pinch of Sea Salt (optional)
Lemon zest, for garnish
Recipe:
Add Highland Park 12, bitter aperitivo, pink grapefruit juice, heather honey, and a pinch of sea salt (if using) to a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with cubed ice and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Fine strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon zest.
8. Blue Hawaiian
1 1/2 OZ BACARDÍ Superior Rum
2 1/2 OZ Pineapple Juice
1/2 OZ Blue Curacao
1/2 OZ Lime Juice
1/2 OZ Simple Syrup
DIRECTIONS: Combine all ingredients and ice to a shaker. Shake well and pour into an ice-filled Hurricane glass. Add 1 cup of ice and blend until a slushy consistency forms. Serve in a highball glass. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and paper umbrella.
9. California Spritz
Ingredients:
1 oz Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin with Californian Orange Citrus
0.75 oz Lemon Juice
1 oz Orange Juice
0.75 oz Passion Fruit Syrup/Puree
2 oz Sparkling Wine
2 oz Soda Water
Orange wheel for garnish
Instructions:
Fill a wine glass with ice cubes. Pour all the ingredients over the ice and stir gently. Garnish with orange wheels.
10. Chef Merito's Spicy Jalapeno Margarita
4 limes cut in wedges
1 small jar (2.75oz) of Chef Merito® Sal, Chile & Limon
1 Jalapeno pepper, stemmed seeded and sliced
½ medium cucumber, thin sliced
3 cups margarita mix
1 ½ cups gold Tequila
¾ cup Patron Citronge or orange liqueur (like Grand Marnier)
Ice for serving
Preparation:
Rub the rims of 8-10 glasses with lime wedge. Dip glasses in Chef Merito® Sal, Chile & Limon to coat well. In a large pitcher mix cucumber and jalapeño with ½ tsp. Kosher salt. Add Margarita mix, tequila, and liqueur. Serve over ice in rimmed glasses (approx 8-10 servings).
11. Coco Lime Smash (The Glenlivet)
Ingredients
50 ml The Glenlivet Caribbean Reserve
37.5 ml Coconut Water
2 Lime Wedges
12.5 ml Simple Syrup
8 Mint Leaves
Method
Combine simple syrup, lime and mint within shaker. Muddle. Add whisky and ice. Shake and pour into glass. Top with coconut water. Garnish with lime wedge & mint.
12. Cutwater Red White Blue Cocktail Pack
Cutwater’s ready-to-drink cocktails are the brand’s takes on classics like the Long Island Iced Tea, Mai Tai, Margarita, and more. Cutwater as a Red White Blue cocktail pack that’s right in time for the weekend festivities.
Learn more here.
13. EL GOLAZO
Ingredients:
2 oz. Tequila CAZADORES Reposado
¾ oz. Agave Nectar
¾ oz. Fresh Lime Juice
3 thin slices of fresh jalapeño
2 oz. Pineapple Juice
Salted Rim
Dried Pineapple Slice and Lime Wheel for Garnish
Directions:
Combine all ingredients, shake, and serve on the rocks in a 12 oz. margarita glass with a salted rim. Garnish with a lime wheel and dried pineapple slice.
14. Firecracker Sidecar
Ingredients:
1 oz D’USSÉ VSOP
.75 oz Bacardí Mango Chile
.75 oz Orange Liqueur
.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1 dash Tabasco
BUILD
Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a coupe glass.
15. Fragaria Martini
1.5 oz Revivalist Garden Gin
0.5 oz Strawberry liqueur
0.75 oz Lemon juice
1 tsp (5g) Strawberry jam
GLASS: Coupe/stemmed glass
GARNISH: Fresh strawberry slice
Method: Add all ingredients to shaker with ice to the top. Shake hard for 10 seconds. Double strain into chilled coupe glass.
16. Frontier Lemonade
3 oz fresh lemonade
Top with club soda
Garnish with a lemon wheel and mint
(Optional: Add a dash of bitters for extra depth)
17. Frozen Cosmo
1 part Reyka Vodka
2 parts Cranberry juice
1 part fresh lime juice
1 ¾ parts simple syrup (1:1)
1 ¾ parts water
Method: Combine all ingredients into ice cup and place in the freezer.
18. Frozen Margarita (PASSOÃ)
Ingredients (Batch Cocktail recipe):
24.5 oz Passoã
10.5 oz Bols Triple Sec
40 oz Tequila silver
24.5 oz lime juice
21 oz sugar syrup
52 oz cold water
Methods: Mix in a blender Passoã, tequila, triple sec, and fresh lime juice with lots of ice. You can also add the pulp of a fresh passion fruit as an option.
19. Flybird
I became aware of Flybird a few years ago after my local store held a tasting of the brand’s ready-to-drink cocktails. I was reluctant to try them out because I didn’t quite understand what agave wine was at the time, but I’ll give Flybird credit. These are some crushable and tasty pre-made cocktails! It can be so hit and miss in this world, so kudos.
Learn more here.
20. Guava Dreams
Directions: Shake tequila, coconut cream and fresh lime juice in a shaker with ice and strain into a highball glass over crushed ice. Top with Jarritos and garnish with a lime wheel.
21. Guava Lemonade
1.5 parts Monkey Shoulder Whisky
1 bar spoon guava jam
3 parts Simply Lemonade
Method:
Combine all ingredients except soda water. Shake and strain into glass over ice. Top with soda, garnish with edible flower and lemon.
22. Guavalicious
1½ oz Don Q Reserva 7 Rum
2oz Guava juice
⅓oz Fresh lime juice
1tsp Coco Lopez® Cream of Coconut
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with an edible flower and a piece of coconut shell.
23. Hibiscus Highball
0.75 Oz St Germain
2.00 Oz Lemonade
Top With Unsweetened Hibiscus Tea
Method: Quickly shake the ingredients with ice and strain over fresh ice in a glass. Top with hibiscus tea.
24. Honey Ginger Buck (Angel's Envy)
2 oz Angel’s Envy Bourbon finished in port wine barrels
½ oz Lemon Juice
½ oz 2:1 Honey Syrup
3 oz Ginger Beer
Fresh Ginger
Fresh Lemon
BUILD
Combine all ingredients besides the ginger beer in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Strain into a Collins glass over ice and grate fresh ginger to taste. Top with ginger beer and a lemon wheel garnish. Try adding mint when shaking for a fresh pop.
25. Kentucky Lemonade
2 oz Jeptha Creed Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon
4 dash Ne Oublie Strawberry Ginger bitters
½ oz elderflower liqueur
½ oz simple syrup
1 oz lemon juice
Lemon Lime soda
Mint sprig
Lemon wheel
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.
26. Le Zoé Spritz
1.5 oz GREY GOOSE® Vodka
1.5 oz Rosé Wine from Provence
1.5 oz Perrier® Sparkling Water
3 oz Strawberry Juice
.5 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
Sliced Strawberries
Blueberries
1 Sprig of Thyme
Method: In a wine glass, add Grey Goose, rosé wine, Perrier, strawberry juice and fresh lemon juice over cubed ice and stir gently. Garnish with sliced strawberries, blueberries and sprig of fresh thyme.
27. Lone River
Lone River first crossed my radar when the brand rolled out its tasty riffs of the classic Ranch Water cocktail. Keeping in that vein, the brand’s new Lemonade Splash variety pack is primed for the summer months, and I just crushed some cans on my recent vacation.
Learn more here.
28. Margarita Azul
Ingredients:
45ml Partida Blanco
30ml Bols Blue Curacao
25ml Fresh lime juice
10ml Sugar syrup
29. Mary Queen of Spritz
2 dashes Absinthe
Top M&R Prosecco
Method: Build ingredients (with exception of prosecco) in chilled highball glass over ice. Top with prosecco and stir. Garnish with expressed lemon peel.
30. Montauk Yacht Club Cold Brew Spritz
Ice
1 oz Lavazza Cold Brew Concentrate*
1 oz Lemon Syrup
4 oz Sparkling Water
Optional: 1 oz Vodka
Fill a spritz or wine glass with ice. Add Lavazza Cold Brew Concentrate and lemon syrup. Top with sparkling water and stir gently. Add vodka if you’re feeling festive.
*No cold brew concentrate? Steep 1 cup of coarsely ground Lavazza coffee in 3 cups cold filtered water for 12–24 hours, then strain and refrigerate.
31. New York Margarita
Ingredients:
1 ½ parts Milagro Reposado
1 part fresh lime juice
¾ part agave syrup
½ part red wine float
Fresh fruit and herbs to garnish
Method:
Add all ingredients but wine into a shaker and shake. Strain into an ice filled glass. Float red wine on top and mix as needed. Garnish with fresh fruit or herbs.
32. NÜTRL Strawberry
I’ve seen NÜTRL on the shelves at my local stores, but I’ve yet to try any. The vodka seltzer brand is centering its strawberry flavor, and with berries currently in season, this has my interest.
Learn more here.
33. Old Fashioned (Barrilito)
2 oz. Ron del Barrilito Three Stars
3 Dashes Chocolate Bitters
3 Dashes Orange Bitters
½ oz. Simple Syrup
Orange Peel Garnish
34. Pinot Spritz
Ingredients:
4 oz The Federalist Pinot Noir
2 oz Aperol
2 oz Club Soda
Orange twist for garnish
Method:
In a large wine glass, add ice and pour in Pinot Noir and Aperol. Top with club soda and garnish with an orange twist.
35. Porch Swing (Woodford Reserve)
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.
36. Riunite Lambrusco Spritz
1 part Riunite Lambrusco
1 part Maschio Prosecco DOC
a splash of lemonade or a squeeze of lemon
Instructions: Serve the drink over ice and garnish it with a vibrant lemon wheel.
37. Salute to Summer
Ingredients:
1½ oz Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey
2 oz Soda Water
1 oz Pineapple Juice
BUILD
Pour Teeling Whiskey in a rocks-filled Collins glass. Add soda water and top with pineapple juice. Garnish with pineapple slices.
38. Shiner Lemonade Shandy
Beer cocktails are truly a thing, and the Shandy is among the most well-known around the world. Spoetzl Brewery’s Shiner line of brews gets the sweet and tart of their lemonade paired with lager. It’s only available until August, so grab a sixer soon.
Learn more here.
39. Simply Spiked Tropical
Simply Spiked has been making its moves in the RTD game and now has a new tropical lineup.
Learn more here.
40. Sparkling Lemon
1.5 oz Bombay Sapphire
3 oz Lemonade
3 oz Club Soda
Fresh Lemon
Method: Build in balloon glass full of ice then garnish with a lemon twist from a fresh lemon.
41. Sprinter
Kylie Jenner’s line of fruit-forward vodka sodas launched last year, and the brand fits the motif of the young, fresh, and fabulous. We’ve tried out Sprinter and enjoyed the thirst-quenching ready-to-drink beverage. Perfect for a warm evening.
Learn more here.
42. Stone Fruit Splash (The Balvenie)
Created By The Balvenie’s West Coast Ambassador Brett Bayly
Ingredients:
1 ½ Part The Balvenie 12 Year Old DoubleWood
½ Part Apricot Brandy
¾ Part Fresh Lime Juice
½ Part Simple Syrup
½ Part Maraschino Cherry Syrup
Method:
Add all ingredients to the cocktail shaker with ice and shake hard for 5 seconds. Double strain into stemmed glass of choice. Garnish with maraschino skewered cherries if desired, or leave it simple and sophisticated without, letting the drink speak for itself.
43. Straight to the Grave Classic DeathBall
Straight to the Grave Classic DeathBall
2 oz WhistlePig GraveStock Wheat Whiskey
Liquid Death Mountain Water
Dried black lime
44. Surfside
Stateside Vodka’s RTD offering, Surfside, is one of the best around. If you see it, buy it. Trust me on this.
Learn more here.
45. Summer Vacation
4 oz chilled hibiscus tea
0.75 oz fresh lime juice
0.5 oz fresh pineapple juice
.0 oz simple syrup
6 leaves fresh mint
Method:
Combine all ingredients into shaker and strain into highball glass over ice. Garnish with a lime wheel and mint.
46. The Sunburn
Ingredients:
2 parts Sunshine Punch
2 parts Pineapple Juice
.5 part Coconut Rum
Method:
Combine Sunshine Punch, pineapple juice and coconut rum in an ice-filled shaker and shake for 20 seconds. Pour into a rocks glass over fresh ice and garnish with an orange wedge.
47. Sweltering Summer Spritz
Ingredients:
1 ½ parts Hendrick’s Oasium
1 ½ parts salted watermelon hibiscus cordial
Combine 1 cup fresh watermelon juice, 1 cup superfine sugar, ½ tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp vanilla, and 4-5 hibiscus leaves.
Stir vigorously.
Let sit overnight.
Remove leaves and make sure sugar has completely dissolved.
1 part lemon juice
1-2 parts sparkling dry rosé wine
Mint sprig for garnish
Method:
Shake first 3 ingredients, and strain over fresh ice. Top with sparkling rose and lightly stir to incorporate. Garnish with a flower from your garden, and a fresh sprig of mint.
48. Topo Chico Hard
Topo Chico is known for its mineral water and for being a chief ingredient in the Ranch Water cocktail. The brand’s hard seltzer takes out some of the fuzz but none of the buzz.
Learn more here.
49. Watermelon Sour
Ingredients:
2 oz NOLET’S Silver Gin
1 oz Watermelon Juice
0.5 Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
0.5 oz Honey Syrup (1:1 Honey & Water)
Pinch of Salt
Watermelon Slice for Garnish
Method: Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake for 30-60 seconds until the tin gets frosty. Double strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a watermelon slice.
50. Watermelon Lemonade Spritz
Sparkling Watermelon Lemonade CELSIUS
Splash of Lemon Juice
Splash of Lime Juice
Seedless Watermelon
Lemon Slice Garnish
51. Xochi Spritz
Glassware: Collins
Method: Pour tequila over fresh ice in glass. Top with floral aromatics tonic.
Garnish: Sprig of lavender and dehydrated lime wheel
Spirit.Ed: Check Out These Fourth of July 2025 Cocktails - Page 22 was originally published on cassiuslife.com
