Proudly hail these July 4 cocktails

To celebrate our nation's birthday, we asked Made Restaurant mixologist Rhiannon Cicconi to create three patriotic cocktails. She came through with flying colors — red, white and blue, of course.

Made, located at 1990 Main St., serves up locally sourced American comfort food in a comfortable setting.

Cicconi, who has been at Made for two years, is a Pittsburgh native and has been in the restaurant business for 19 years. She is working with Made owner, operator and chef Mark Woodruff, on a new craft cocktail menu that they plan to roll out for the July 4 weekend. 

The first cocktail Cicconi created for the Observer is The Red, White and Blue. It's a rum-fueled milkshake that gets its name from a garnish of whipped cream and fresh strawberries and blueberries. There's also some red via grenadine syrup and blue from blueberry thyme puree. You can serve it for dessert but why wait?

The second July 4 selection, Straight-Up Americano, is an easy-to-make coffee vodka martini that uses locally sourced Java Dog cold brew. Served in a coup glass, it's sure to win fans among coffee drinkers or those who need a jolt of caffeine to keep going for fireworks. "Everyone loves it," Cicconi says.

Cicconi describes the last July 4 cocktail she created, Amber Waves of Grain, as an "elevated" version of the classic Old Fashioned because high-quality ingredients raise the alcohol level. Cicconi uses Redwood Empire Rye Bourbon to give the drink a lift. It's topped with Freedom Tower Amber from Miami's Tank Brewing Co., which gives it a foamy head.

You're sure to have a stirring Fourth when you serve one — or all — of Cicconi's holiday-themed cocktails. 

The Red, White and Blue

• 2 oz. Papa’s Pilar light rum 
• 1 oz. heavy whipping cream 
• 1 oz. fresh blueberry thyme puree 
• 1 oz. simple syrup 

Paint red stripes inside of a goblet glass with grenadine syrup and freeze in a glass chiller. 

Shake ingredients hard in a shaker and strain into a goblet. Pack with ice. 

Top with homemade whipped cream and fresh blueberries and strawberries. 

Straight-Up Americano 

• 1.5 oz. Tito's vodka 
• 1 oz. Java Dog espresso cold brew 
• 0.5 oz. Aperol 
• 0.5 oz. Kahlua 
• 0.5 oz. water 

Shake ingredients hard and double strain into a coup glass with a brown sugar rim. 

Garnish with two dashes of orange infused bitters, a fresh Florida orange peel and espresso beans. 

Amber Waves of Grain

• 2 oz. Redwood Empire Rye Bourbon
• 1 oz. cashew infused simple syrup 
• Top up with Tank Freedom Tower Amber Ale 

Two dashes angostura bitters, cinnamon dust and fresh lemon zest garnish 

Build cocktail like a traditional Old Fashioned in a glass mixing carafe. 

Stir long enough to make cocktail ice cold without diluting. 

Top with Freedom Tower Amber Ale by Miami's Tank Brewing Co. 

Finish with two extra dashes of angostura bitters, a touch of cinnamon dust and fresh lemon zest.