Refreshing Independence Day Cocktails
Eight Refreshing Cocktails For Your Classy July 4th BBQ
If you are looking to make your Fourth of July gathering red, white and boozy, you need the right barware and drink recipes. Summer cocktails should be light, fun and classy. Here are a few ideas to inspire you.
Blue Sparkler
This drink should be served on ice. Use thick ice cubes to add some white coloring to the drink. To mix the drink, combine a cup of UV Blue, a cup of mango Absolut vodka and two cans of your favorite lemon-lime soda. Add a drop of blue food coloring for a vibrant color. Drop a few cherries in the drink to garnish it, and you can add a splash of grenadine if you wish. For ultimate visual appeal, serve it in a Old Fashioned glass.
Red, White and Blue Sangria
For this drink, mix a bottle of white wine with one-half cup each of simple syrup, berry vodka and lemon juice. Add a cup of triple sec. Cut fresh pineapple slices into star shapes with a sharp knife. You can use a small cookie cutter as a guide if you have one. Put the slices in the pitcher, and add some blueberries and strawberry slices. Chill before serving.
Independence Day Splash
You can make this cocktail two ways. You will need three shots of rum and the juice of one lemon as a base. Add either two shots of blue curacao or two shots of cherry schnapps to the base mix. Shake with ice. You can decorate the rim with colored sugar. Use red sugar if you make blue drinks, and use the blue sugar for red drinks.
All-American Slush
This frozen drink tastes as refreshing as it looks. You will need plenty of ice and a good blender that can crush it. First, blend a cup of red grenadine with a few cups of ice or a little more if needed. The mixture must be thick. Pour it carefully into a glass. Next, blend a cup of blue curacao with a few cups of ice until it is thick. Slowly pour it over the red layer to avoid mixing the two. Lastly, blend a cup of lemonade and a cup of vodka with several cups of ice until somewhat thick. Pour it carefully on top, and garnish with a cherry.
Firecracker Shots
These are simple, quick and delicious. Melt a small package of light cream cheese. Add one-half cup of sugar and two pints of cream. Blend together until smooth. Chill the mixture, and chill a bottle of cinnamon schnapps. Fill shot glasses halfway with cinnamon schnapps, and add some cream mixture until they are nearly full. Use a toothpick or a butter knife to make a swirl pattern in the drink.
Patriotic Punch
Every party needs punch. You can make elegant punch by sprucing up your ice cubes and serving the punch in an appealing container. First, make plenty of ice cubes. Put a few blueberries and some white edible flowers in each liquid cube. You can use white ginger flowers or neem blossoms. For the punch, use three parts watermelon puree and one part tequila. Add about a cup of lime juice. If the punch is not sweet enough, add agave nectar as needed. Mix this with a bottle of seltzer. Alternately, you can use a lemon-lime soda product of your choice if you prefer not to use agave nectar.
Cherry Bombs
Guests who do not want to carry a drink may enjoy this refreshing alternative. Use pitted cherries with stems to avoid a mess. Soak the cherries in cherry vodka overnight. If you prefer sweeter fruit, use cherry schnapps instead. Set the cherries on a paper towel to dry, and melt half a bag of white chocolate chips in a pan with a tablespoon of cream. Dip the cherries in the white chocolate, and sprinkle blue sugar or Pop Rocks on them immediately.
Raspberry Freedom
This recipe is especially delicious if you make ice cubes with whole sweet raspberries and mint leaves in them. For the drink, mix one part lime vodka and two parts blue raspberry schnapps. Add lime juice to your taste preference.
You can find all of the barware items mentioned in these recipes at Silver Superstore. Browse their selection of barware products to inspire more of your own creative cocktail ideas. With glasses, pitchers and accessories from Silver Superstore, your friends will rave about your presentation skills and your glamorous Fourth of July party drinks all summer.
If you want something more familiar this year, how about a refreshing Moscow Mule? And have you ever wondered why it comes in a copper mug?