Presented by Cooks’ World and Pinnacle Wine & Liquor

The first weekend of May is a convergence of near-astronomical events. There’s May Day, the ancient European festival marking summer’s beginning and, in modern times, International Workers Day. Cinco de Mayo is bound to be close to the first weekend of May, if not directly within it (this year, it’s that Sunday).

Then there’s Kentucky Derby Day—little known and even less celebrated outside the United States, but a rite of Spring that involves garish fashion and civil libations. Oh, and horse racing, too. It’s always the first Saturday in May (May 4th this year).

Since 1939, the official Kentucky Derby cocktail is the Mint Julep, one of the simplest cocktails in American mixology yet one of the most fashionable and enjoyable. There’s no need for shakers or fancy bar tools because you build the julep right in the glass or, ideally, a metal julep cup (silver for the rich, pewter or stainless steel for the rest of us). Lacking a traditional julep cup, a mule mug or even a glass tumbler will do (just put it in your freezer ahead of time to chill it). The attraction of metal cups is the icy condensation that forms on the outside and contributes to the drink’s cooling influence in the humid warmth of summer—and I mean all summer. Mint juleps aren’t just for Derby Day.

The ingredients are the picture of simplicity:

• A supply of crushed ice—at least a measured cup for each serving, depending on the size of your serving cup or glass. 
• An ample supply of fresh mint—some leaves for muddling in the bottom of the cup and some springs for a fragrant garnish atop the completed drink. (If your usual grocery store doesn’t have generous bunches of mint, look for a local produce wholesaler who does; that’s how I get mine.)
• A sweetener—preferably a Demerara or other brown sugar simple syrup (two parts sugar to one part water, if you make it yourself as I do). The raw, brown sugars are more pleasing with whiskey than processed white sugars.
• Your favorite bourbon. The icy, watery julep is an excellent place for flavorful, high-proof (even cask-strength) bourbons.

Beyond its refreshing coolness, the pleasure of this drink is its evolution in the cup as you sip. It starts on the boozy side, but as the ice melts and you deplete the whiskey, the sugar and mint become more dominant. When it starts to taste too dilute for your taste, add more ingredients to keep it going, or dump the slush and start afresh.

My preferred recipe follows, but there’s nothing scientific about this drink. Adjust the proportions to your taste.

MINT JULEP
2 oz Bourbon of choice
½ oz Rich (2:1) simple syrup (ideally made with Demerara or a similar brown sugar)
8-10 Fresh mint sprigs
Lots of crushed ice

Place 6-8 mint leaves In a julep cup, mule mug, or glass, and gently bruise them with a muddler or other tool to release their oils and fragrance before adding the other ingredients. Don’t overdo the muddling, or the drink can become bitter.

Fill the cup with crushed ice almost to the rim. Pour the bourbon over the ice, then the simple syrup, and stir gently to integrate the ingredients. Tip: Serve the drink with a metal straw, which also makes a good stirring rod at this stage.

Top off with additional crushed ice, mounding it slightly above the rim. Garnish with two or three mint sprigs (when cutting them, leave enough stem to penetrate an inche or two into the ice).

Serve with a straw (preferably a metal one); the fluid is at the bottom of the cup. 

About our Cocktail of the Week partners—shop local and independent!
Cooks’ World and Pinnacle Wine & Liquor are less than a mile from each other, on Monroe Avenue near Twelve Corners in Brighton.

Cooks’ World, in business since 1978, is Rochester’s premier retailer of dining, kitchen, and cooking products, including a complete selection of glassware, mixology tools, and accessories for wine and spirits lovers. Follow Cooks’ World on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up here to receive Cooks’ World’s daily email specials and other news. 

Pinnacle Wine & Liquor, in business since 1997, offers a thoughtfully curated selection of spirits and wine from around the world, with a savvy staff to assist in your selection and encourage you along your cocktail and wine journey. Follow Pinnacle on Facebook and Instagram. For the inside track on Pinnacle’s spirits sales, send two text messages to (585)765-7546:
— Text the word “bourbon,” to receive weekly text messages offering the chance to buy rare or allocated whiskies or special prices on popular products.
—Text the word “spirits,” to receive roughly monthly offers on fine spirits other than whiskies.