Mint Julep
Bourbon, sugar and mint over a mound of crushed ice. Cold, strong and fragrant, and the drink of the Kentucky Derby.
- MethodBuilt
- GlassJulep cup
- IceCrushed
- Strengthabout 25.1% ABV
- BaseWhiskey
- Tastestrong, refreshing, sweet
Recipe
| 60 ml 2 oz | Bourbon |
| 15 ml ½ oz | Simple syrup (1:1) |
| 8 leaves | Fresh mint |
Garnish. A big, fresh bunch of mint tips pushed into the ice next to the straw, so the drinker smells it with every sip.
Method
- Put the mint leaves and syrup in the cup and press the leaves gently, just enough to bruise them.
- Add the bourbon and fill the cup with crushed ice.
- Stir with a barspoon until the outside of the cup frosts, then top with more crushed ice in a mound.
- Slap the mint sprig against your hand to wake it up and push it into the ice beside a short straw.
About the Mint Julep
A Mint Julep is little more than bourbon and sugar poured over crushed ice and scented with mint. The ice does most of the work: it chills the drink hard and slowly dilutes it, so the bourbon softens as you drink. The mint should be fresh and fragrant, never shredded and bitter.
History
Earliest record 1803: John Davis, Travels of Four Years and a Half in the United States of America (London)
Documented
The julep is older than the cocktail. In a book published in London in 1803, the English traveller John Davis described Virginians taking a morning dram of spirits steeped with mint and called it a julep. Through the 19th century juleps were made with brandy, rum or whiskey, and cognac and peach brandy versions were fashionable before bourbon took over. Churchill Downs has promoted the julep at the Kentucky Derby since 1938, and it is served there in large numbers every May.
Legend and lore
Many Southern families and towns have claimed the original recipe, and arguments over whether to crush the mint are part of the drink's folklore. None of these claims can be traced to a first maker.
Variations
Bartender's notes
- Crushed ice matters. Wrap cubes in a clean tea towel and break them with a rolling pin if you have no machine.
- Hold the cup by the rim or base so your hand does not melt the frost.
