Ingredients

  • 1 Angostura soaked sugar cube
  • 1 barspoon soda
  • 8-12 mint leaves
  • 60ml bourbon

Process Steps

  1. Place a sugar cube on a napkin and soak it with Angostura bitters
  2. Drop the soaked sugar cube in a julep tin or rocks glass
  3. Add a bar spoon of soda and muddle
  4. Bash the mint leaves and add them to the julep tin along with the bourbon
  5. Add crushed ice and churn
  6. Top with a dome of more crushed ice
  7. Garnish with a mint sprig

The Mint Julep is a bourbon cocktail well known as the Kentucky Derby's trademark drink. The ingredients for this cocktail are whiskey, Angostura bitters soaked in sugar cubes, mint leaves and a spoonful of soda. It is best to drink in a rocks glass or a silver julep cup.

The Mint Julep gained popularity in the 18th century in the Southern United States, and was first featured in print in the 1830s in John Davis' book, Travels of Four Years and a Half in the United States: 1798-1802. There he states that the Mint Julep is a "dram of spirituous beverage steeped in mint, enjoyed by Virginians in the morning." The Mint Julep has remained famous since its creation. Following the mid-nineteenth-century phylloxera epidemic, which devastated France's grapevines and briefly interrupted the state's Cognac trade, whiskey became the chosen liquor for the julep. The Mint Julep cocktail has a minty, crisp flavour with a slight sweetness to it. This beverage is best recommended for those who enjoy drinks that taste like minty mojitos.

What are the ingredients for a Mint Julep?

Listed below are the ingredients for a Mint Julep cocktail.

  • 1 cube of Angostura soaked in a sugar cube: A sugar cube is compacted sugar used for sweetening. Most sugar cubes are made from white sugar, however brown sugar, Demerara sugar and others can also be used. Herbal-based Angostura provides cocktails with a spicy flavour and aroma.
  • 1 tablespoon of soda: Soda is carbonated water used to make drinks.
  • 8-12 mint leaves: Mint has soft, delicate leaves. It is a leafy plant known for its chilly sensation in the mouth, which freshens breath.
  • 60ml bourbon: Bourbon is an American whiskey style made from a mash of maize and other grains.

1. 1 cube of Angostura soaked in a sugar cube

Angostura bitters soaked in sugar cubes must be added to the cocktail in order to achieve the desired balance between bitter and sweet. Angostura usually has 35-45% of alcohol content per volume with 12 calories. While the sugar does not contain any alcohol content, it does have a number of 16 calories.

2. 1 tablespoon of soda

A tablespoon of soda is essential to add to the Mint Julep cocktail. Soda will help in the dissolution of the sugar, removing any traces of it. Soda does not contain any alcohol content and has zero calories.

3. 8-12 mint leaves

The Mint Julep cocktail makes use of 8-12 mint leaves. This is an important ingredient in the creation of the cocktail because it enhances the drink's flavour and aroma. Mint leaves contain a low number of calories. The type of mint leaves that are mostly used by bartenders and can be found in the local supermarket are spearmint leaves.

4. 60ml bourbon

The most important ingredient for making the Mint Julep cocktail drink is bourbon. The Mint Julep commonly features Woodford Reserve bourbon, which has a sweet caramel flavour and a smooth, rich flavour. A single shot of bourbon is about 105 calories and 40-50% alcohol by volume. There are some bourbon whiskey brands that are best to use for making the Mint Julep cocktail drink. They include Booker's Bourbon, Wild Turkey Rare Breed, Pure Kentucky XO, Old Forester Signature, Four Roses Single Barrel, Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Old Bardstown.

How to make a Mint Julep?

Preparing a Mint Julep has never been easier thanks to this recipe, so don't miss it and make the most out of your cocktail!

1. Place a sugar cube on a napkin and soak it with Angostura bitters.
2. Drop the soaked sugar cube in a julep tin or rocks glass.
3. Add a bar spoon of soda and muddle.
4. Bash the mint leaves and add them to the julep tin along with the bourbon.
5. Add crushed ice and churn.
6. Top with a dome of more crushed ice.
7. Garnish with a mint sprig.

1. Place a sugar cube on a napkin and soak it with Angostura bitters.

Soak a sugar cube in Angostura Aromatic Bitters on a napkin. It is essential to use three dashes of bitters, as less will not produce the desired flavour. The sugar cube enhances the flavour of spirits and imparts a mild flavour into the drink.

2. Drop the soaked sugar cube in a julep tin or rocks glass.

In the bottom of a julep tin or rock's glass, place the soaked sugar cube. This is an important step because it will help to bind the cocktail ingredients and enhance the drink’s flavour.

3. Add a bar spoon of soda and muddle.

Stir with a splash of soda until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved in the soda and bitters. This step is essential for the preparation of the cocktail drink since it helps to dissolve some of the ingredients, leaving no substances behind.

4. Bash the mint leaves and add them to the julep tin along with the bourbon.

Add 8-12 mint leaves and bourbon whiskey to the bottom of the julep tin and lightly mix everything together. This step is required because a Mint Julep would be impossible to make without these two ingredients.

5. Add crushed ice and churn.

Add crushed ice and gently churn with a long-handled spatula. This step is required for producing a traditional Mint Julep cocktail.

6. Top with a dome of more crushed ice.

Add more finely crushed ice on top, with some huge pebble-sized bits thrown in for good measure. This step should be followed to keep the cocktail chilled and frosted on the outside.

7. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Before garnishing, firmly slap the mint frig against the back of the hand to release its natural oils. This will make the drink more aromatic. This will not only add aroma to the cocktail drink, but it will also offer visual appeal.

What nutritional benefit can you get from drinking a Mint Julep?

Mint Juleps, which are a high source of vitamins C and A, are said by some experts to be able to calm an upset stomach, relieve the nasal symptoms that are linked with a cold or allergies and alleviate nasal congestion. According to the findings of a number of studies, the oil extracted from mint leaves is a good treatment for irritable bowel syndrome. The oil from mint leaves has 82 calories.

What are the different variations of Mint Julep?

There are multiple variations of the Mint Julep cocktail drink, including Champagne Julep, Black Julep, Rye Cola Mint Julep, Recibido Julep, Ginger Mint Julep, Rye Whiskey Thyme Julep, Autumn Julep, Whiskey Smash and White Dog Julep. To variate a Mint Julep cocktail drink, the bartender should change some of the ingredients. Combining maple syrup and mint is a fascinating combo. Adding a dash of maple syrup, or any other flavoured syrup to the Mint Julep alters the flavour. Some similar drinks to the Mint Julep cocktail are the Mojito, Paloma Clientele and Rum Swizzle.

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