Ah, the mint julep. It is one of the most iconic cocktails in American drink history. This drink is as refreshing as it is simple. A combination of mint, bourbon, sugar, and a lot of ice have the signs of a great day at one of the busiest sporting events in the United States, the Kentucky Derby.
HISTORY
The drink became the official drink of the Kentucky derby in 1938. It is said that it came from a recipe made originally in Virginia some years before based with either rum or brandy. The julep is served in a metal julep cup (usually copper).
The mint and syrup drink was first seen by farmers taking a dose before going to the fields to work their crops. This was their jolt of coffee back in the day!
The way the drink is prompted to be drank is by holding the metal cup by either the very top or the bottom. This allows for the temperature of the ice to do its job while our hands won’t heat up the cup as we hold it. This is because, during the Derby, the hot sun already begins the melting process, we wouldn’t want to speed it up!
RECIPE
Here is a recipe for a perfectly refreshing mint julep:
2oz (60mL) bourbon
0.5oz (15mL) simple syrup
6-7 fresh mint leaves
Preparation:
Add mint leaves and sugar. Muddle those ingredients together. Then, add the bourbon. Pack half of the cup with crushed ice. Stir gently to start dilution and incorporate ingredients. Then, top off with more crushed ice to finish drink. Garnish with a fresh mint sprig.
The last Kentucky Derby, as many as 120,000 juleps were consumed! That is a lot of juleps!
Jonathan Echavarria 