RECIPE: Mint Juleps by the Batch (2024)

RECIPE: Mint Juleps by the Batch (1)

I've come to realize that the Kentucky Derby is a pagan holiday: On the first Saturday in May, a lot of people don ritual costumes, sing ritual songs, and drink ritual libations while they attempt to foresee the future by interpreting a coded and vague bit of poetry written into the past performances in the pages of the Daily Racing Form. Like other holidays rooted in the natural anxiety of changing seasons and uncertain futures, it is best enjoyed by groups. Don't sit alone swilling bourbon and wiring more and more money to your bookie, you'll go completely crazy. Spring is in the air. The high holy day of the Derby is a social celebration. It's time to gather friends and set up a betting pool.

Even up North, the mint has grown enough to warrant harvesting. Its gentle leaves are begging to be muddled. I've come to think that mint juleps are best made one at a time, or in small numbers at most, from fresh mint and sugar topped with bourbon, and packed with pillowy crushed ice and garnished with a lot more fresh mint. Sadly, however, doing that for a Derby party of even six people would mean that you'd be at the mixing station almost constantly. Mint Juleps are delicious drinks, and people drink them quickly. Even the host of the party needs some time to handicap the race, call in some bets, and watch the post parade.

The solution is to batch them. Start with minted simple syrup.

* * *

  1. The day before you need the drinks, make a batch of simple syrup by combining one cup each of sugar and water in a sauce pan, and bringing it to a boil over medium heat. Some recipes call for five minutes of boiling, but whenever the syrup is clear and the sugar is dissolved, you are finished. Cut the heat and let it cool.
  2. Rinse a bunch of mint and pluck the leaves. Take the cooled -- or mostly cooled -- syrup and pack it with mint leaves plucked from their stems. The stems can add woody, soapy flavors, so take the extra time to pluck. Leave the syrup and mint in a jar in the fridge overnight.
  3. The ratio of mint syrup to bourbon is largely up to you and depends, after all, on how sweet you like your drink. I like three ounces of bourbon to one ounce of syrup. Which means that one cup of minted simple syrup is enough for a 750 ml bottle of bourbon.
  4. Strain a cup of mint syrup into a carafe and pour in a bottle of bourbon, give it a stir. (If you need it to be portable, buy a liter bottle of bourbon, fill up a flask and then fill the bottle back up with the mint syrup.) Now crush a whole heaping mountain of ice and keep a bunch of mint in a glass for garnish. Scoop ice, pour julep, garnish with mint, gamble away savings.

RECIPE: Mint Juleps by the Batch (2)

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RECIPE: Mint Juleps by the Batch (2024)

FAQs

What mint variety is best for Juleps? ›

Overall, the most common mint for juleps is spearmint, which harmonizes nicely with both the sugar and the bourbon. In a bow to tradition and the Derby, one variety of spearmint, with especially large leaves, was named 'Kentucky Colonel', however, any spearmint will work well in the drink.

Why crushed ice in mint julep? ›

Because the crushed ice has more surface area than cubes of ice, it melts a bit more into the cocktail over time, making the drink especially delicious. "That's one of the things that make mint juleps so refreshing, because otherwise it's just a straight spirits cocktail," says Wachtel.

Is spearmint or peppermint in mint juleps? ›

A mint julep is traditionally made with four ingredients: mint leaf, bourbon, simple syrup, and crushed ice. Traditionally, spearmint is the mint of choice used in Southern states, and in Kentucky in particular.

What do mint juleps taste like? ›

This makes sense, as a mint julep is typically made by combining bourbon, mint and a simple sugar syrup over ice. When the mixture is off, it can taste like someone raided the liquor cabinet and muddled the spoils with toothpaste and table sugar.

What kind of bourbon do you use for mint julep? ›

For generations, Louisville insiders have enjoyed mint juleps made with Louisville's Hometown Bourbon™ – Old Forester. In honor of that grand tradition, we created the Old Forester Mint Julep, named the Official Drink of the Kentucky Derby.

Which mint has the strongest flavor? ›

Peppermint produces the strongest mint flavour. If mint is considered a “cold” flavor, which flavor is the “hot” flavor? As for vegetables, mint is considered “cold” and pepper is considered “hot”.

What can you use instead of mint in mint julep? ›

By: Sprigg And Spirit. Turmeric, related to ginger, gives an earthy flair to this julep. The rose adds sugar and perfume, while the basil makes an excellent alternative to the typical mint garnish.

How do you shave ice for mint julep? ›

Place a few cubes inside of the Lewis bag or in between two kitchen towels and crush the ice with a meat tenderizer, ice mallet, or a heavy pan if you don't have either. Add the crushed ice into the julep cup until about half full. Give a quick stir for about 10 seconds. Add more ice until the cup is nearly full.

What's the difference between a mint julep and a mojito? ›

The Difference Between Mint Julep and Mint Mojito

A mint mojito is a shaken Cuban drink made with white rum, mint, sugar, soda water, and lime. A mint julep is usually built right in a cocktail glass or silver julep cup and contains mint, simple syrup, and a spirit (nowadays bourbon).

Why are mint Juleps so expensive? ›

The $1,000 mint juleps are sold in specially crafted cups that feature red rubies in the shape of a horseshoe. Only 148 cups were made. Of them, 18 gold-plated ones cost $2,500 while 130 silver ones cost $1,000.

What is the fuzzy mint called? ›

Mentha suaveolens, the apple mint, pineapple mint, woolly mint or round-leafed mint (synonyms M. rotundifolia, Mentha macrostachya, Mentha insularis), is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae. It is native to southern and western Europe including the Mediterranean region.

What is the best mint for cocktails? ›

Spearmint (Mentha spicata)

The go-to for cocktails, spearmint adds a light, bright sweetness to spirits, balancing and enhancing their flavours. Mojito Mint and Kentucky Colonel are noteworthy cultivars with specific cocktail applications.

Who drinks mint julep? ›

Sure, the first thing you might think of when you hear the name is the Kentucky Derby which has embraced the cocktail as its official drink since 1930. And with that, as well as a number of literary references, the Mint Julep has been seen as an iconic mainstay in the American South.

What alcohol is in a mint julep? ›

The Mint Julep is a bourbon cocktail best known for being the signature drink of the Kentucky Derby. But this refresher composed of bourbon, sugar, mint and crushed ice shouldn't be reserved for only one day a year.

What was the original mint julep? ›

The earliest ancestor of the Mint Julep was merely rum, water, and sugar. Mint wasn't added for quite some time, but it was later found to aid in helping the rum go easy on the stomach when mixed together.

What is the best mint for drinking? ›

7 Types Of Mint For Your Cocktails
  • Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) ...
  • Moroccan Mint (Mentha spicata var. ...
  • Spearmint (Mentha spicata) ...
  • Mojito Mint (Mentha nemorosa) ...
  • Chocolate Mint (Mentha piperita) ...
  • Orange Mint (Mentha piperita citrata) ...
  • Pineapple Mint.

Is julep mint the same as spearmint? ›

Julep Mint (mentha "mint julep mint") - Interesting spearmint variety with small aromatic leaves smelling much like mint julep.

What kind of mint is best for mint tea? ›

spearmint. This ever-popular mint should have a spot in every garden and tea pot! More mellow than peppermint (thanks to its lower menthol content), spearmint's natural sweetness makes it a perfect single-herb hot or iced tea.

What is the best mint for drinks? ›

Spearmint is the most common type of mint used in American cocktails (there are hundreds of species within the family), though Voisey says the plant grows pretty much anywhere in the world.

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