The mint julep is the official drink of the Kentucky Derby.

Mint Julep Kentucky’s Cocktail

The mint julep Kentucky cocktail is the official drink of the Kentucky Derby.  I have watched numerous Kentucky Derby races over the years on television and I had never drunk a mint julep.  Well, boom!  A light bulb went off, this will be the year to have my first mint julep in celebration of the Kentucky Derby.

I did a little research and found it takes very few ingredients to make a mint julep Kentucky’s cocktail.  All you need is sugar syrup (preferably made in advance), crushed ice, bourbon and lots of mints.  The drink is pretty simple to make.

Muddle some mint in a glass to make the mint julep.

How to Make A Single Mint Julep

  1. Muddle 7 to 8 mint leaves in a glass along with the simple syrup, being careful not to overly bruise the leaves.  Muddling releases the oils from the mint.  If you don’t have a muddler use the back of a spoon.
  2. Fill the glass with crushed ice and bourbon.
  3. Stir the mint julep, Kentucky cocktail and add more ice if needed.
  4. Garnish with a mint sprig and enjoy the official drink of the Kentucky Derby.

Bourbon, simple syrup, mint and crushed ice is all it takes to make a mint julep Kentucky cocktail.

A word of caution this drink can be pretty strong.  I am a novice when it comes to certain strong spirits (alcohol), bourbon being one of them.  One site I visited called How To Make A Mint Julep actually suggest you add a splash of seltzer water to the drink.  That definitely works best for me.

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Mint Julep Kentucky Cocktail
 
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Bourbon, simple syrup, mint and crushed ice are all it takes to make a mint julep Kentucky cocktail. The Mint Julep is the official drink of the Kentucky Derby.
Author:
Recipe type: Beverages
Cuisine: American
Serves: 1 Servings
Ingredients
  • 2 ounces Kentucky bourbon
  • 8 mint leaves
  • 1-ounce simple syrup
  • crushed ice
  • splash of seltzer water (optional)
  • mint sprigs to garnish the cocktail
  • SIMPLE SYRUP
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 8 ounces water
Instructions
  1. Muddle 7 to 8 mint leaves in a glass along with the simple syrup, being careful not to overly bruise the leaves. Muddling releases the oils from the mint. If you don't have a muddler use the back of a spoon.
  2. Fill the glass with crushed ice and bourbon.
  3. Stir the mint julep, Kentucky cocktail and add more ice if needed.
  4. Garnish with a mint sprig and enjoy the official drink of the Kentucky Derby.
  5. SIMPLE SYRUP
  6. Add the two ingredients in a saucepan.
  7. Stir the mixture and bring to a boil.
  8. Cool the simple syrup and use when needed.

 

Bourbon, simple syrup, mint and crushed ice is all it takes to make a mint julep Kentucky cocktail.