Even in the darkest days of cocktailing, the U.S. has always maintained its stronghold on the art of mixing booze. Classics like the Mint Julep and Sazerac have come to signify the great charms of the South; the Tom Collins and Manhattan are so tied to the canon of stateside drinking that they immediately conjure images of Mad Men-era revelry. Cocktails are an American invention, after all. And what better time to pay tribute than on America’s birthday?
But rather than wrangle the most American of the classics, why not celebrate the spirit of rebellious innovation that makes this country great? These drinks all have, in their own way, seized on tradition and turned it into something new.