Mint Julep

[ProofPositive]

The last good mint julep I enjoyed was on an afternoon in October of very pleasant mild temperature on a Louisiana sugar cane plantation. One knows when one has had a very good mint julep when one does not recollect how good or bad the second, third and fourth ones were.

[jburlowski]

The last really good mint julep I had was many years ago at Commanders Palace in New Orleans. It was livingly hand-made by a bartender who had (obviously ) many years of experience. Perhaps it was the company of the friends present, but it was an experience that has never been duplicated since.

[BourbonBalls]

Regarding the sugar/water ratio:

What you are making in cooking terms is called a "simple syrup". The classic simple syrup is always a one to one ratio of sugar to water. The water should be boiled for two reasons: to fully melt and make the sugar and water a single liquid with no sugar granuals remaining, and to fully infuse and integrate the mint. The overnite refrigeration seals the deal on that.

You;re right...you adjust the sweetness of the Julep by adding more or less bourbon...not adding more or less sugar to the syrup. Remember, the syrup enhances the beautiful bourbon! Its a bourbon-first, drink afterall. Your really want to taste the bourbon.

What you want to end up with is a true mint syrup not just a hint of a mint, but a totally other concoction away from the mint, water, and sugar.

It's just the basis of good cooking!

[Virus_Of_Life]

Regarding the sugar/water ratio:

What you are making in cooking terms is called a "simple syrup". The classic simple syrup is always a one to one ratio of sugar to water. The water should be boiled for two reasons: to fully melt and make the sugar and water a single liquid with no sugar granuals remaining, and to fully infuse and integrate the mint. The overnite refrigeration seals the deal on that.

You;re right...you adjust the sweetness of the Julep by adding more or less bourbon...not adding more or less sugar to the syrup. Remember, the syrup enhances the beautiful bourbon! Its a bourbon-first, drink afterall. Your really want to taste the bourbon.

What you want to end up with is a true mint syrup not just a hint of a mint, but a totally other concoction away from the mint, water, and sugar.

It's just the basis of good cooking!

Ah, you beat me to it, I was going to throw down my knowledge gained from the cooking channel on the simple syrup.

And now all this reading has me convinced that I need to make a Julep, I had a taste of a mojito (sp?) a while back and loved the mint flavor, so a bourbon based minty cocktail has to be amazing! I have never been much for adding pollution to my alcohol in case you're wondering to yourself "he's never had a mint julep?!?!"

Question: Has anyone ever mad a George T Stagg mint Julep? Does better bourbon make a better julep? Or do you reach a point of diminishing returns where, say, WT101 (or RR) is good enough?

[elkdoggydog]

The sweetness and mint are strong enough in a mint julep that I wouldn't use something REALLY nice in it, but you do want a good flavorful bourbon, imo. I'd go with OGD or WT 101, something with a spicy rye kick to it, which cuts nicely through the sugar and mint. A Stagg mint julep would certainly get its point across, though.

[barturtle]

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

[pepcycle]

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

[cowdery]

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

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

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.

[Virus_Of_Life]

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.

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.

[mrt]

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.

[cowdery]

"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?

[mrt]

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).

[GoodDrinkin]

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.

[cowdery]

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.

[gr8erdane]

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:

[Gillman]

Jerry Thomas' 1862 cocktail text mentioned in another thread today and available in online form contains an interesting section on juleps and "The Real Georgia Mint Julep". In his discussion of the Georgia version, one can see, first, that the mint julep was mythologised and eulogised as early as around 1860. That is, people even then were bemoaning the disappearance ("decadence" as it was quaintly termed) of the "real" julep of the old South. Things aren't what they used to be - even in 1862 - or, weren't what they used to be. (I can't get my tenses right these days). Anyway, SB-ers will be pleased to learn that while Thomas' recipe for the real Georgia version used cognac and peach brandy not whiskey, Thomas appended to that recipe a note on what might be termed the "real real" mint julep. It is a quotation from a Georgia newspaper which called for a julep to be made not just with "whiskey", but "mellow whiskey"! This was Jerry's way of telling us THAT was the original version. And, as the newspaper piece revealed, even then arguments coursed about whether to crush the mint. The Georgia journal advised without equivocation to insert the sprigs in the crevices of the ice and dismissed airily any version made with crushed mint and shaken. So, I give you the real original julep, at the brink of oblivion in 1862 but preserved and sped to us via the miracle of electronic communications in 2006. Only thing is, the real real Georgia version sounds pretty modern: reports of its "decadence" were, um, exaggerated.

As I say, Thomas gives recipes for cognac juleps and other julep-type drinks, including a whiskey version, which call for crushing the mint (the whiskey example appears under the strange name, "crustas") but one can see he had his eye on tradition and gave direction to those who would preserve it.

Jerry would have been an ace at Gazebo.

Gary

[cowdery]

"Any guy who'd put rye in a mint julep and crush the leaves, would put scorpions in a baby's bed."

- Irvin S. Cobb, about H. L. Mencken

[TimmyBoston]

What bourbon do you recommend to make a mint julep?

My favorite is Van Winkle 12 Lot B, but it can be a little too sweet (so often add less sugar), but VW's always good.

[cowdery]

What bourbon do you recommend to make a mint julep?

I make mint juleps pretty rarely and don't have a bourbon preference for making them. If I have Very Old Barton 100 proof on hand (which I don't always, since I have to get it in Kentucky) that's my go-to for a lot of mixing and cooking purposes.

[pepcycle]

Tall glass full of Ice

1 1/2 OZ Mint Julep (premixed)

10 Ounces unsweetened Tea.

Sprig of Mint as garnish

Lemon wedge

Tea, Mint, Ice: This is pretty darned good.

Gillman, did I invent this? (probably not. Hope it doesn't have a stupid name like Old Fart's Tea)

[Gillman]

Never seen it, Ed, it sounds great.

I think it should be named the Mr. Ed.!

Would've been perfect for my cocktail before the Sampler and save some elbow grease. Let's collaborate for the next one.

Gary

[mrt]

I prepared sth. a bit different from the general practice of mint julep tonight. This is not a new recipe, though. I mixed two onces of bourbon with one tablespoon of mint syrup (the minted simple syrup which I had prepared according to the ET recipe a few weeks ago). Then I added cubes of ice. It's really good. No fresh mint leaves in the glass, no crushed ice but ice cubes, but it still tastes very good. Taste is...mint, vanilla (ET), sweet, on the rocks. That's good. Maybe this is something between mint julep and man o'war.

[TimmyBoston]

I figured I'd dig up this thread as the Derby is approaching and with the Derby Juleps always come to mind for me.

Has anyone perfected a new recipe or do any new members have one they'd like to share?

[Ubertaster]

I just had a mint julep last night with a simple recipe. I used 2 teaspoons of Buffalo Trace Mint Julep mixer with 2 ounces of Buffalo Trace. Very nice sipping on the front porch enjoying spring listening to the birds singing. My bluebirds have babies.

bj

[camduncan]

I tried a Mint Julep for the first time a few nights ago at a local bar.

Very impressed. :yum:

I think I'll be attempting to make these at home