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Not a fan of Mint Juleps?  Chances are you haven’t had one made properly. 

With the Kentucky Derby ahead of us I thought it was a good time to provide a classic Mint Julep recipe – a Mint Julep made the RIGHT way.  Smooth and refreshing, this Southern cocktail became the official drink of the Kentucky Derby in 1938.  While this can be one of the easiest drinks to make it can still be screwed up to the point that you ruin the flavor of one of a fine Kentucky bourbon.

A classic Mint Julep should be served in a sterling silver cup, not only as an ode to incredible master silver smiths, but ideally to keep the glass frosted for the duration of the drink.  The design of these silver cups are accredited to Asa Blanchard of Lexington and two brothers – William and Archibald Cooper – from Louisville.  One cup style showcases a beaded rim, while another has bands at the top, both take a similar shape to a bourbon barrel.

Now that you have a bit of history behind the drink let’s proceed-

Classic Mint Julep Recipe – Ingredients

Crushed/Shaved Ice

 2 ounces of Bourbon {a damn good one}

 Mint Leaves + Sprigs

1/2 ounce of Simple Syrup {Sugar + Water}

This is ALL you need…do NOT add limes, do NOT add rose’s lime juice, do NOT skimp on a good bourbon.   Keep it clean, keep it simple, keep it classic.

NOTE: For the crushed ice, I used my vitamix to crush ice cubes to a fine shaving.

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Classic Mint Julep – Directions:

Pour simple syrup in the cup, add 6-8 loose mint leaves. Take a muddler and gently press on the mint leaves to release the flavor.  DO NOT muddle/mix and tear the leaves.  Add the bourbon.  Pack the cup with crushed/shaved ice and add a couple mint sprigs.  Don’t forget the sprigs because a lot of our taste comes from what we smell, so just by taking in the aromas of the mint sprigs will enhance the flavors.

You can add a metal straw, but I used cute paper straws (NOT plastic).

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And there you have it my friends, the classic Mint Julep Recipe – give it a try and let me know your thoughts! Cheers!

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