Best 4th of July Cocktails From Bars Across the U.S.

From the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club­ in Ponte Vedre Beach, Florida

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. St. Augustine Distillery Co. Florida Cane Vodka
• 1 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 1 oz. juice from blended fresh watermelon
• 1 oz. simple syrup
• 1 slice watermelon

Method:

Combine St. Augustine Distillery Co. Florida Cane Vodka, lemon juice, watermelon juice and simple syrup into shaker with ice. Shake vigorously. Pour into glass with ice and garnish with fresh watermelon slice.

From the Cantina Rooftop in New York, New York

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Fidencio Mezcal Joven
• ¾ oz. chai tea infused Dolin Sweet Vermouth* 
• 1 oz. fresh lime juice 
• 1/2 oz. spicy agave**
• 3 dashes Angostura Bitters 
• Fresh ginger

Method:

Muddle three fresh ginger slices and add all ingredients into a mixing glass. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain all contents into a rocks glass and garnish with a lime wheel. 

* How to make the chai tea-infused Dolin Sweet Vermouth:
Place 4 bags of chai tea into a 750ml bottle Dolin Sweet Vermouth and let infused for 6 hours. Strain and keep refrigerated.

** How to make spicy Agave
Makes one-quart container (33 oz.)
15 dried cayenne peppers (brake them in small pieces)
3 dried ghost peppers (brake them in small pieces)
Fill a container with agave nectar (full)

From Mabel Gray in Detroit

Ingredients: 

• 2 oz. vodka
• ¾ oz. Aperol
• ¾ oz. fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
• ½ oz. fresh squeezed lime juice
• ½ oz. simple syrup
• 5-6 dashes of grapefruit bitters

Method:

Combine all ingredients into a shaker over ice. Shake and double strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

From Fort Defiance Bar in Brooklyn, New York

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Bombay Sapphire Gin
• 1 oz. pineapple juice
• .75 oz. lime juice
• .75 oz. coriander-cassia syrup
• 2 oz. tonic

Method:

Shake then strain into a tiki mug or large highball glass over ice. Top with 2 oz. tonic. Garnish with pineapple spear.

From Nick’s Cove ­in Marshall, California
 
Ingredients:

• 1 ¾ oz. Tapatio 110 tequila
• 1 ½ oz. lime juice
• ¾ oz. agave nectar
• 1/2 oz. Combier Orange Liqueur
• 1/3 dropper habanero shrub

Method:

Lightly shake all ingredients. Pour into glass rimmed with chili-smoked salt rim. Garnish with lime wheel.

From Pearl’s in Brooklyn, New York

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz. Angostura White oak Rum
• 1.5 oz. watermelon juice
• ¾ oz. lime juice 
• ¾ oz. Demerara Syrup
• ¾ oz. orange juice
• ¾ oz. Martinelli’s Apple Juice
• 2 dashes of Angostura bitters

Method:

Shake all ingredients and pour into glass over ice.

From El Conquistador Resort in Fajardo, Puerto Rico

Ingredients:

• 6 chopped mint leaves
• 2 chopped strawberries
• 4 oz. lemonade
• 2 ½ oz. Pitorro Frutas Rum (strawberry flavor)

Method: 

In the bottom of a glass, muddle chopped strawberries and mint leaves together. Stir in the lemonade and rum. Fill the glass with ice. Garnish with mint sprigs or strawberry slices as desired.

From Stillwater Spirits & Sounds in Dana Point, California

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz. Stillhouse Coconut Whiskey
• 1 lime squeezed
• 1 oz. simple syrup
• 1.5 oz. house made coconut milk

Method:

Add all ingredients in a Collins glass, shake and pour over ice, garnish with lime wheel.

From JSix Bar & Restaurant in San Diego, California

• 1 oz. Bacardi Silver
• 1 oz. Appleton Rum
• 0.5 oz. lemon juice
• 0.5 oz. pineapple juice
• 0.5 oz. root beer

Method:

Combine Bacardi Silver, Appleton Rum, lemon and pineapple juice in a shaker with ice, and shake well. Strain into a tulip glass filled 3/4 of the way with crushed ice.