How to Make a Mint Julep
Mint Julep bourbon cocktail.
A Bourbon Cocktail Made to Your Liking
The Mint Julep is well known as the Kentucky Derby classic libation, but it’s a great bourbon-based cocktail that you can enjoy year round. It’s one bourbon cocktail that I find you can adapt in many ways to suit your own personal tastes.
Ingredients
10 leaves fresh mint (plus a sprig for presentation)
1/2 oz to 1 oz simple syrup
1.5 oz to 2 oz bourbon
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Crushed ice
I put a range for both the simple syrup and the bourbon because this is where you can craft the Mint Julep to your personal tastes.
Frost on the glass is a good sign for a Mint Julep.
The Mint Julep is traditionally made in a stainless steel metal cup, but you don’t have to do that by any means. I used a clear glass here to show the drink itself.
Start by tearing 10 mint leaves in half and placing them in the bottom of your glass. Add the simple syrup and crush the leaves well with a cocktail muddler (or something similar on hand). The goal here is to release as much mint as possible into the syrup.
Add your desired amount of bourbon to the glass. Use a good quality bourbon (I used Michter’s here). Add crushed ice to the glass until you reach the rim. Crushed ice is best, not shaved ice or ice cubes. Crushed ice will actually last the longest before melting and will provide the trademark frost you’re after.
Next, stir the mixture well so that the drink is mixed with the ice and is not sitting on the bottom of the cup. It’s good to keep the mint leaves down there though. Then, top up the glass with crushed ice so that it mounds slightly over the top.
Top view of the Mint Julep.
Add two dashes of Angostura bitters to the top of the ice mound and garnish with a sprig of mint (slap it first in your hand to release the minty goodness for aromatic purposes). Your Mint Julep is now complete.
My personal preference is a bit on the sweeter side, so I make my Mint Juleps with 1 oz simple syrup and 1.5 oz bourbon. Try different proportions to find the one that’s just right for you and enjoy this classic cocktail any time of the year.
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