3 Patriotic 4th of July Cocktails: White Negroni, Blue Bayou & Blushing Ambrosia
The fireworks won’t be the only things lighting up your Fourth of July. This year, celebrate America’s birthday with a trio of bold, beautiful cocktails that bring the red, white, and blue to your bar cart. Featuring handcrafted spirits from Chemist Spirits in Asheville, these drinks are made for backyard gatherings, rooftop fireworks, and porch-sippin’ in the summer sun.
The fireworks won’t be the only things lighting up your Fourth of July. This year, celebrate America’s birthday with a trio of bold, beautiful cocktails that bring the red, white, and blue to your bar cart. Featuring handcrafted spirits from Chemist Spirits in Asheville, these drinks are made for backyard gatherings, rooftop fireworks, and porch-sippin’ in the summer sun.
Meet the stars of the show: White Negroni, Blue Bayou, and the blushing beauty herself, Blushing Ambrosia. Let’s raise a glass to flavor, freedom, and a little Southern mischief.
Discover How Chemist Spirits Turned Adversity Into Community Connection
Chemist Spirits’ Antidote Cocktail Lounge in Asheville has transformed its business after Tropical Storm Helene, expanding from a renowned cocktail bar into a vibrant community hub with a full coffee, tea, and mocktail menu.
Asheville’s vibrant beverage scene is no stranger to innovation, but few stories capture the city’s spirit quite like the recent evolution of Chemist Spirits and their Antidote Cocktail Lounge. After Tropical Storm Helene brought severe flooding and left much of Asheville without potable water, the team at Antidote stepped up in a big way—offering free water, coffee, and even Wi-Fi to neighbors in need.
This act of service did more than help the community recover; it inspired a fresh direction for the business. Antidote now boasts a full cafe menu, featuring coffee, tea, pastries, and creative zero-proof mocktails like the Cold Brew Old Fashioned and Cold Brew Mojito. As General Manager Philip Szobody put it, “A part of what inspired me in this journey was creating a space where anyone in our community could stop in and find a beverage that they enjoy and suitable for their lifestyle.”
As the article by Tiana Kennell notes:
“Antidote, a three-story Prohibition Era-style cocktail bar inspired by a turn-of-the-20th century apothecary, opened in 2018. It has contributed to the diversification of the downtown area, known as the South Slope brewing district, due to its high volume of craft beer breweries.”
The article also highlights Chemist Spirits’ upcoming expansion to a second location in historic Biltmore Village, their commitment to local partnerships, and the way adversity has strengthened their resolve to serve Asheville with creativity and heart.
Want to read the full story? Visit the Asheville Citizen Times for the complete article by Tiana Kennell.
A Cuban-inspired Cortado sits on the bar at Antidote Cocktail Lounge at Chemist in downtown Asheville, June 25, 2025. Credit: Josh Bell/Asheville Citizen Times
A Bold History of American Single Malt Whiskey
Hey Scotch! Make room at the bar—America is making a single malt with swagger, and it’s shaking up the industry faster than a bartender making a whiskey sour.
From Bootleggers to Barrel Aged Craft Spirits
Hey Scotch! Make room at the bar—America is making a single malt with swagger, and it’s shaking up the industry faster than a bartender making a whiskey sour. While the term American Single Malt Whiskey might sound like something a distilling industry association brainstormed in a busy boardroom, its history is as rebellious, spirited, and slightly unhinged as the country that birthed it.
Once Upon a Time in a Land of Whiskey and Wild Men & Women
The history of whiskey in America isn’t a polished fairy tale. It’s more like a bare-knuckle bar brawl that turned into a revolution. The first whiskey-makers—mostly Scottish and Irish immigrants—weren’t the suit-and-tie type. They were bootlegging badasses who brought their distilling traditions to the New World, setting up shop in the backwoods and hollers where the taxman feared to venture.
While their European ancestors were busy perfecting the art of single malt in Scotland, American distillers had other priorities—primarily pumping out whiskey fast and cheap. This led to the dawn of bourbon and rye, which became America’s go-to spirits while single malt was left to age in the barrels of history.
Prohibition: The Party Foul of the Century
Just as whiskey was settling into its bottle per se, the U.S. government slammed a shotglass of buzzkill—Prohibition. Distilleries shut down, bootleggers ran wild, and the country pretended it wasn’t drinking while secretly drinking more than ever. American single malt whiskey? It was left to gather dust, forgotten in favor of corn-heavy spirits that could be churned out quicker than backroom blackjack.
By the time Prohibition ended in 1933, bourbon and rye were back in business, but single malt whiskey was about as relevant as a telegram. The Scots kept doing their thing across the pond, while American distillers doubled down on the corn-based stuff.
The Great American Single Malt Revival
Fast-forward to the 21st century. Craft distilling is booming, hipsters are discovering they actually like whiskey, and suddenly, American Single Malt is the new darling of the craft whiskey world. It turns out that some distillers, tired of being in bourbon’s shadow, decided to bring single malt back with a vengeance—only this time, with an American twist.
Instead of sticking to Scotland’s rulebook, American distillers are doing what they do best: breaking the rules. Using unique grains, experimenting with different barrels, and aging in unpredictable climates, they’re crafting single malts that are bold, complex, and distinctly not Scotch.
What Actually Is American Single Malt?
Glad you asked! While there’s no centuries-old royal decree defining it (we like our independence, thank you very much), the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission and TTB laid out some basic rules that were finally ratified by the U.S. government on January 19th, 2025.
100% malted barley (no corn, no rye—just the good stuff)
Distilled at one distillery (hence the single part)
Aged in oak barrels (new or used, dealer’s choice, barrel aged perfection)
Distilled in the U.S. (because ‘Merica)
At least 40% ABV (anything weaker is just an insult)
Why You Should Care (And Drink Up)
American Single Malt whiskey is proof that history doesn’t have to repeat itself—it can evolve, innovate, and get a little rowdy along the way. Whether you’re a die-hard Scotch fan looking to branch out or a bourbon lover ready to flirt with cheeky American sophistication, there’s never been a better time to sip on some rebellious, homegrown single malt.
So, pour yourself a dram (preferably our small batch Chemist American Single Malt), raise a glass to the whiskey makers who refused to fall in line, and remember: history tastes better with a whole lot of malted barley and a little irreverence.
Proudly distilled in North Carolina, our American Single-Malt Whiskey embodies the spirit of local craftsmanship.
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