Official Kentucky Derby Cocktail: Mint Julep Recipe

Grab your wild hats, wallets, and mint leaves, the Kentucky Derby is right around the corner.

I’ll admit I’m still somewhat new to this minty concoction. It’s a cocktail I make maybe once every few years. The mint julep is a classic cocktail that has long been a Kentucky Derby tradition. About 120,000 of these are spun up at the Derby over the two-day event. 120,000… That’s almost 1,900 gallons of bourbon. 9,375 bottles of bourbon on a weekend (yes, I did the math).

Ingredients in a Mint Julep

The classic mint julep recipe is really simple. They’re made with bourbon, simple sugar, a few mint leaves, and of course the iconic head of crushed ice.

How to Make a Mint Julep

After some trial and error, I arrived at my “ideal” recipe, while still adhering to the classic ingredients (bourbon, sugar, mint). The mint julep is a refreshing, spirit-forward cocktail with a touch of sweetness and fresh minty flavor.

A mint julep is mixed right within it’s serving glass or metal julep cup.

First, muddle the mint into the sugar to infuse the sugar with fresh mint flavor.
Add bourbon and stir to mix. Fill the glass/cup with half a cup of ice and stir with a bar spoon until julep resembles a slushy.
Top with more crushed ice and garnish with mint leaves.

I use a ratio of 2 1/2 ounces of bourbon to 3/4 ounce of simple syrup. I would say this is probably the most crowd-pleasing ratio, if you prefer a stronger tasting cocktail, use less simple syrup. It’s served in a glass full of crushed ice—almost like a boozy slushy.

Crushed Ice

Mint juleps are always served with LOTS of crushed ice. It’s probably the cocktail’s most defining characteristic. If you don’t have a fancy ice maker that can serve crushed ice (I don’t), you can crush your own in a Ziploc bag using a rolling pin. That’s my million dollar crushed ice hack for you.

If you love bourbon and are a fan of fresh mint, the mint julep is the perfect spring cocktail to celebrate with at your Derby party or drown your sorrows after losing all your money on a horse.