Fourth of July Shot

Fourth of July Shot Drink

The Spruce / S&C Design Studios 

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 drink

The Fourth of July is a popular layered shot drink that shows off the color of the American flag in a glass. Also called the patriot shot, this is a fun vodka shooter for Independence Day parties or anytime your celebration has a patriotic theme.

This is actually one of the easiest layered shots you can create, so it's a perfect place to begin practicing your floating skills. It comes together easily because the density of the three ingredients are very far apart from one another, and you will have no troubles creating three distinct layers of color.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 ounce grenadine

  • 1/2 ounce blue curaçao liqueur

  • 1/2 ounce vodka

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a shot glass, pour the grenadine to fill the bottom one-third of the glass.

  3. Float the blue curaçao on top of the grenadine by slowly pouring it over the back of a bar spoon. The glass should now be two-thirds full.

  4. Float the vodka on top, again pouring over the spoon, to fill the glass.

  5. Serve and enjoy.

Tips

There are two simple things to keep in mind when creating layers in any drink: pour the last two ingredients over the back of a spoon and pour them in order. To remember the layering order, simply think about how much sugar is in each ingredient—more sugar equals a heavier liquid. Also, the higher the alcohol content, the lighter the liquid will be.

  • Grenadine is a syrup and one of the thickest, heaviest ingredients in the bar. It almost always goes on the bottom.
  • Blue curaçao is a sweet orange-flavored liqueur that is perfectly situated in between the syrup and vodka.
  • Vodka is one of the lightest liquors, has the highest proof, and contains no sugar, so it goes on top.
  • Unlike some other shots, the brands of the liquors shouldn't matter for this one, so pour what you like or have in the bar.

Recipe Variations

There are a few more layered shots that take on a patriotic theme. Once you try this one, put those bartending skills to the test on one of these:

  • The red, white, and blue shot skips the vodka and uses either white crème de cacao or peach schnapps instead. The grenadine remains at the bottom, blue curaçao moves to the top, and the white chocolate or orange layer becomes the middle layer.
  • In the Superman shot, you'll enjoy the sweet taste of banana, cherry, and raspberry flavors. Banana liqueur brings gold into the color scheme, cherry liqueur forms the red middle, and UV Blue Vodka finishes it off perfectly.

How Strong Is the Fourth of July Shooter?

There is no mixing this drink, so there's no water to dilute it. And while grenadine is alcohol free and that helps tame this shooter down a bit, it still packs a punch and the sweet taste can be deceiving. In the end, you'll create a shot with an alcohol content of 23 percent ABV (46 proof). That makes the Fourth of July half the strength of a shot of tequila. Be careful because this one because it will sneak up on you.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
114 Calories
0g Fat
13g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 114
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 4mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 13g 5%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 1mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 4mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)