It’s almost time to put on your best American flag shirt and celebrate our great nation with massive quantities of grilled meat, potato salad, and blueberry pie. And don’t forget the booze.

To get the most authentic experience, toast to America the way the founding fathers did, with a nice rye whiskey. American farmers, including George Washington, began making rye whiskey in the 1700s out of their surplus grain. Try a wallet-friendly bottle of Old Overholt or go all out with a nicely aged WhistlePig.

If you’re not into the spicy kick of rye, celebrate with another very American whiskey: bourbon. Nobody is sure who first decided to age whiskey in charred oak barrels, but whoever it was created a sweet, smooth spirit that won Americans over. Toast the holiday with 1792 Ridgemont Reserve or some Buffalo Trace Bourbon.

Prefer cocktails instead? Here are some easy-to-make crowd-pleasers in festive red, white, and blue:

Strawberry Margarita: Tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, fresh strawberries, simple syrup.
Tom Collins: Gin, simple syrup, lemon juice, club soda http://thehoochlife.com/recipes/tom-collins/
Blue Hawaiian: White rum, blue curaçao, coconut cream, pineapple juice