Celebrate Independence Day with amended classic drink recipes

Independence Day marks a historic point for the country, which is celebrated with parades, charity events, picnics and the gathering of friends. Blasts from fireworks after dark ring out clear as a bell signaling both freedom and frivolity. As the unofficial start of summer it goes without saying refreshing summer cocktails are the order of the day. Fresh fruits of the season tantalize the taste buds with exciting twists on classic favorites. 

 

An ordinary Tom Collins with its gin base takes on a more holiday feel with the addition of fresh muddled cherries and blueberries. This spirited adaptation of the classic cocktail created by Jonathan Pogash is sure to be a flavorful thirst quenching hit at your neighborhood July 4th party. 

1-1/2 ounce Bombay Sapphire

3/4 ounce Simple Syrup

1/2 ounce Fresh Lemon Juice

4 Bing Cherries, pitted

8 Blueberries 

Garnish: 1 Bing Cherry, 1 Lemon Wheel

 

In a Collins glass, muddle the blueberries and cherries in the lemon juice and simple syrup. Add Sapphire and ice and stir briefly.  Top with club soda. Garnish with bing cherry and lemon wheel.

 

Take a basic Daiquiri recipe and begin tweaking and fine-tuning the details with succulent fruits and dashes of spice and you are on your way to some serious flavor explosion. Flor de Caña Rum brings balance to the spice of this Fourth of July worthy cocktail. 

 

3 ounces Flor de Caña 7 Year Grand Reserve Rum

1 ounce Triple Sec

1 ounce fresh lime juice

1 ounce simple syrup (boil and cool equal parts water and sugar)

4 watermelon chunks

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Lime Wheel Garnish

 

Whirl all ingredients together in a blender and pour into a glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.

 

Independence Day celebrates freedom. The American Flag symbolizes that freedom with thirteen red and white stripes and fifty white stars. One may recognize the flag by the names of ‘Old Glory’ or ‘Stars and Stripes.’ Upon regaining the freedom to once again bring absinthe back into the United States, Lucid Absinthe created a cocktail recipe aptly named, Stars and Stripes. This tasty summer drink combines fresh muddled blueberries and the sweetness of raspberry liqueur to represent the colors of the American Flag and make your summer celebration full of color and flavor.

 

1/4 ounce Lucid Absinthe

1 ounce Blueberry Vodka

1/4 ounce Simple Syrup

Splash of Lemon Juice

Drizzle of Raspberry Liqueur

Gingerbeer

Fresh Blueberries

Sugar Cube Garnish

 

Muddle fresh blueberries and add syrup, Lucid juice and vodka. Add ice and shake and pour into highball glass. Drizzle Liqueur and top with Ginger Beer. Garnish with one sugar cube.