Mint Julep

Gee and I always thought the Mint Julep was all about having a cold refreshing drink on a hot summer day using cheap whiskey.

I thought this was a way for Churchill Downs to get $8.50 for 30 cents worth of bourbon and $.03 of mint.
There's no better form of capitalism than creating a tradition.

From the Hypocrites' corner: I drink them every year at Churchill

The $1,000 julep is a cute gimmick for a reasonably good cause, but I have a quarrel with one statement in the article.

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They are often served in silver or pewter cups and are meant to be sipped and savored.

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The mint julep is absolutely not meant to be "sipped." It should be drunk as soon after it is made as possible. That's the purpose of the crushed ice, to chill it quickly. Wait too long and it gets diluted. The reason many people don't like juleps is because they drink them wrong. In addition to diluting the whiskey, time tends to overemphasize the mint. With Derby fast approaching I can't emphasize this strongly enough. If you want to get the most out of your julep experience, watch it being made, or make it yourself (avoid the "mass-produced" variety), and down it immediately. That is how a julep is meant to be enjoyed.

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Originally Posted by cowdery

If you want to get the most out of your julep experience, watch it being made, or make it yourself (avoid the "mass-produced" variety), and down it immediately. That is how a julep is meant to be enjoyed.

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Music to my ears Chuck! I hate sipping cocktails, part of the reason I usually just opt for it unpolluted.

I picked up some fresh mint tonite and think if I get motivated enough I am going to make the simple syrup, if not tonite then tomorrow night.

Last night I tried my second mint julep. This time, I exactly followed the recipe given on the Early Times website. That is:

1. Crush a few fresh mint leaves at the bottom of a glass (mine is a rocks glass),
2. Add 2 oz. Early Times bourbon,
3. Add 1 tablespoon simple syrup,
4. Add 1 tablespoon water,
5. Fill with finely crushed ice and stir gently until the glass becomes frosty.

For the simple syrup:

1. Mix one to one sugar to water,
2. Boil for five min. without stirring,
3. Pour mix over a handful of fresh mint leaves,
4. Crush the mint leaves gently with a spoon,
5. Refrigerate overnight,
6. Remove mint leaves and continue to refrigerate.

It was really very good, I enjoyed this mint julep very much :drink:
My next step will be to try the same recipe with upper shelf bourbons available here. Jim Beam Black is likely to be the first one to try with.

"Minting" the syrup is an ET innovation. It is not standard practice. I also recommend a mint leaf garnish, which serves as more than mere decoration, as it fills the nose with the scent of mint right before you drink.

Simple syrup probably is the best sweetener. Powdered sugar also is good and plain old granulated sugar works fine too.

I would omit the water, as the crushed ice provides all the dilution you need.

I wonder if the mint available to you there is the same type as what grows wild in Kentucky?

Well, I do not know much about the "mint types", frankly. And when it comes to garnishing, actually I did the garnishing with a fresh mint leaf but I forgot to write about it above :) By the way, though I like bourbon neat, I also enjoyed mint julep, and I think I'd enjoy a drink even just with simple syrup, ice and bourbon mix. (even without the mint flavour, I mean).

We have used Bill Samuel's recipie for mint juleps at our last two Derby parties and they have worked well. This is a recipie where you infuse the bourbon with mint and then mix it with simple syrup. It's mighty tasty to me.

Still, it's a strong drink and the non whiskey drinkers in the crowd rarely can handle it. Remember, I live in NC not KY. I figure if I keep having these Derby parties eventually I'll get some folks that can drink 'em.

A good way to make a julep a little easier for the lightweights is to throw in a little Sprite or 7Up. Not much, maybe an ounce or two.

Unfortunately I slept through the Derby getting ready for my first night back to work after another too short vacation but I did see the ESPN piece on the Thousand Dollar Julip. They only had three cups left when the sucke..er philanthropist whipped out ten crisp C bills "from his kid's college fund" and forked it over. After tasting the julip, he remarked that "that Woodford is worth two thousand bucks". I think I'd settle for a single grand for my bottle sitting on my shelf if he's interested....:slappin: :slappin: :slappin: