#MINT JULEP RECIPE CARD PLUS#

But don’t imagine armies of bartenders muddling mint and crushing ice: Churchill uses 10,000 bottles of Old Forester Mint Julep, a ready-to-serve cocktail, plus 1,000 pounds of fresh mint for garnish and 60,000 pounds of ice. The next day, strain out the mint and start making your cocktail, he said. While the syrup is still warm not hot throw in a bunch of mint leaves, cover it, and when it’s cool, put it in the fridge overnight. On normal Derby days in May, about 120,000 mint juleps are sold at Churchill Downs over the two days of the Kentucky Oaks and Derby. The first step is to make a batch of simple syrup the day before the party. By 1938, it had become synonymous with the Derby, and Churchill made it the signature drink and began selling them in commemorative glasses. Stir constantly so the sugar does not burn. According to Nickell, the clubhouse at Churchill Downs served mint juleps - and many other drinks, presumably - at the very first Derby on May 17, 1875. To prepare simple syrup, mix 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1 cup of distilled water in a small saucepan. The association with the Kentucky Derby also appears to date from the very beginning. Add the bourbon to the glass, and fill it with crushed ice. Drizzle remaining simple syrup on top and garnish with mint sprig lightly dusted with sugar, if desired. Put the mint leaves in a cocktail glass and add in the simple syrup. Add 2 ounces bourbon and stir to combine. Gently muddle with a muddler or bar spoon until the mint is fragrant but the leaves are still whole, about 20 seconds. Loosely pack glass with finely crushed ice, then add bourbon. Place 8 fresh mint leaves and 1/2 ounce simple syrup in a julep or old-fashioned glass.

The first mention of julep cup being awarded as a racing trophy was in 1816, somewhere in the Lexington area.” Place mint and ounce simple syrup in julep cup or 8- to 10-ounce old-fashioned glass and gently crush leaves with a wooden muddler, working them up sides of glass. Muddled mint, bourbon, and mint infused simple syrup are served over crushed ice creating a well-balanced cocktail. … Very early on bourbon and horse racing are connected as a social intercourse. “When we have the early get-togethers … what do people come with? Their whiskey and their horses. If you envision the Kentucky Derby festivities each time, then you’ve understood just a little of the romance that surrounds this Run for the Roses and Kentucky lore.“The two things our ancestors brought with them to Kentucky were their stills and their horses,” he said. They’re the perfect cocktail for a hot summer evening. Prep: 5 min Yield: 1 cocktail Save Recipe Ingredients Deselect All 10 mint leaves, plus a sprig for garnish 1 1/2 teaspoons superfine sugar Seltzer water Crushed ice 2 1/2 ounces Kentucky. Southern growers willingly traded tobacco for the spirituous libation, distilled by New England settlers. What most people don't know is that, before the drink became a signature bourbon cocktail at the Kentucky Derby, it was actually made with rum. Because, Kentucky Bourbon!Įnjoy Mint Juleps all summer long don’t think that they are only for the Kentucky Derby. 31 mins Servings: 4 The mint julep is a drink steeped in rich history. I don’t often drink, so I prefer my Mint Juleps with more of this lovely minty-sweet syrup along with an identifiable amount of bourbon. 1 jigger is a usual “shot” of whiskey but many recipes call for two. So good!Īs with any alcoholic drink, you can dial the potency up or down.

But I often make our Mint Juleps a refreshing drink choice for the entire summer season by adding just a slice of orange, lemon or lime. For those heading to the race and looking to up your game, head over to the racetracks Woodford Reserve 1,000 Mint Julep bar, where the Kentucky distillery offers a luxe version of the drink each year. Muddle the mint, sugar, and water together with the tip of the handle of a wooden spoon. Think of a cold bourbon drink enlivened with the fresh taste of sweet mint plus an optional twist of citrus.Ī Mint Julep purist will insist that a Julep only contain bourbon, mint, sugar and ice. According to CNBC, around 120,000 of the drinks at 10 a pop are sold at the race each year. Place mint leaves, sugar and a splash of water into a silver julep cup or a 12-ounce Tom Collins glass. It’s just as refreshing as it is bracing. The mint julep was initially served in silver cups and stirred with silver spoons to keep things cold, but now you can enjoy yours on the rocks or shaken up in a cocktail shaker If youre looking for an easy way to cool off during these hot summer months, try our recipe below.

Add crushed ice and pour bourbon over ice. My Gram’s recipe was our family’s favorite for as long as I can remember. For each ginger mint julep, in julep cup or 10- to 12-ounce glass, muddle mint leaves in ginger syrup. Mint Juleps are synonymous with the Kentucky Derby, and rightly so.

Mint julep recipe card