DU Southerners: What, exactly, is a Mint Julep?

[Taverner]

Is it alcoholic?

If so, what weapon is used to add hair to the julep? Everclear? Bourbon? Scotch? Rum?

[RoyGBiv]

1. Mint, sugar, whiskey ...

Bourbon is preferred.

[Shell Beau]

2. Yes it is alcoholic, but I haven't had one before. Just doesn't appeal to me.

:shrug:

[jobycom]

3. Never had, seen, or been in the same room with one.

:shrug:

Perhaps it's a northern southern thing.

[pitohui]

43. it's just very old fashioned EOM

.

[anarch]

4. it's bourbon with mint, sugar, and ice in it

mmmm, bourbon.

[Wapsie B]

5. Actually sounds kinda good to me.

[SacredCow]

6. Bourbon...

Traditionally, they're served in silver cups that are packed with crushed ice and mint leaves.

It's a sippin' drink.

[trackfan]

7. Muddle a couple fresh mint leaves with a small amount of sugar.

Fill the glass with shaved ice. Add about 2-3 jiggers (that's a lot)
of Bourbon, and stir it all quickly to make it very cold. Garnish with a few sprigs of mint that have been dipped in powdered sugar.

That's James Beard's recipe as best I can recall it.

[texas1928]

8. They are a really good drink.

Sugar, granulated kind. Fresh mint leaves. Take the sugar and the mint leaves and put them in a glass. Take a muddler and mash the sugar and the mint leaves together. Helps release the mint. Add a splash of seltzer water. add a nice big handful of ice. and then one pony and a jigger of good bourbon(2 & 1/2 ounces of bourbon). another splash of seltzer water and stir. Then enjoy.

[Taverner]

10. So basically this is a Mississippi Mojito?

:P

[SteppingRazor]

12. It is actually very similar, but with bourbon instead of rum. n/t

[Kali]

25. and lime

[SteppingRazor]

26. True dat. Also, if you wanna get specific, Mint Juleps require water...

while mojitos require club soda. But other than that, it's the same -- mint, sugar, ice and booze.

[texas1928]

13. Mojito's are made with Rum

Not bourbon.

[TommyO]

27. Did you get that from Good Eats

and are you saying it while wearing a white seersucker suit and fake mustache?

[texas1928]

28. Now why would you say that....

I declare, a good southern gentleman never reveals his secrets.








:P




Yes I tried his version and it was mighty tasty.

[TommyO]

34. My TiVo recorded the hi-def version of it a few nights ago

I watched it last night, so it was very fresh in my mind.

I think I'll have to make Mint Juleps and Mojitos when my cousins visit next weekend.

[texas1928]

36. Yeah I was thinking, I have a bottle of Marker's Mark...

Just waiting for me to make a julep. I may have to this weekend while I watch football.

[SteppingRazor]

9. Shaved ice, fresh mint leaves, sugar and the best bourbon you can lay your hands on.

Combine, muddle, and drink on Kentucky Derby Day.

[SacredCow]

11. Dang you all to heck!!!!

There just happen to be bottles of Knob Creek and Maker's Mark at the office (leftover from the tailgate party) and NOW I want a drink....

:toast:

[Taverner]

14. Maker's Mark gives me a headache

Not sure why - it tastes GREAT, but never fails - 20 minutes later I'm popping advil and feeling like I have the flu. No other whiskey does this to me.

[SteppingRazor]

17. Mmmmm... Knob Creek....

[swimboy]

15. One element I haven't seen here yet

Branch water. You use branch water.

[Taverner]

16. What's branch water?

[swimboy]

18. Water that's never been through a pipe

spring water from the branch (creek)

I think this tells you a little bit about the land-holdings of the julep makers.

You are right that it's somewhat like a mojito. You can muddle the mint leaves with the sugar to get a good grind or you can use a sugar syrup.

They're very nice on the first hottish Sunday afternoons of late-April and May.

[trackfan]

19. Branch water = water

Bourbon and Branch Water was the popular drink among politicians in the 50s. I gleaned that from Clark Clifford's autobiography. I was curious as to what Branch Water was, so I looked it up, and every source I could find said it was plain water. The alliteration is the point of the whole thing, I think.

[tjwmason]

20. You'll have to make one for me when I finally get my lazy arse over the pond.

:hi:

[swimboy]

38. Absolutely

and at a moment's notice.

:hi:

[MissMillie]

21. I've always wanted to try one

bourbon, mint, sugar... sounds pretty good.

[northzax]

22. I find the best way to make a batch...

is to make a simple syrup infused with mint, instead of going through the complete muddle everytime.

[NewWaveChick1981]

23. It's a mojito made with bourbon instead of rum.

:P But the Mint Julep came first. :D

[Kali]

24. it's a bastardized mojito

:hide:

[Carrieyazel]

29. Does anybody know what a Lime Rickey is???

I saw Mr. Burns drinking one on the Simpsons recently.

[Kali]

31. gin (or vodka) lime, carbonated water (bitters and/or simple syrup in lots of recipes)

the sweet version is a Collins to me.

[ceile]

30. One of the best drinks EVAH!

drool....

[Bake]

32. It's a waste of perfectly good whiskey! That's what it is!

And nobody down here actually DRINKS 'em. We just sell them at exorbitant prices to Yankees who come down to visit.

Shit, we drink our whiskey the way God intended it -- on the rocks.

Bake

[idgiehkt]

33. hell if I know

po white trash teetotalers raised me. We drank co cola and that was it.

[GOPisEvil]

35. Oversimplified: A mojito with bourbon instead of rum.

Oh yeah, it is THE DRINK of the Kentucky Derby.

[Zomby Woof]

37. Bourbon, mint syrup, and ice

Traditionally, served in a silver tumbler, but good in a chilled glass. It's mostly bourbon, with a fair amount of mint syrup, crushed ice, and mint leaves to top it off.

The best way to make it is to use turbanado sugar to make your syrup, adding fresh mint leaves while stirring the sugar into the boiling water.

This bbq joint around here called Lucille's makes the BEST ones I have ever had outside of homemade. I like 'em with Wild Turkey 101 or Old Grandad. I would never mix a premium whiskey like Woodford Reserve or Knob Creek; I wouldn't even wreck those with ice. So I take the bourbon down one notch in quality (but not down too far).

[cemaphonic]

39. Who are all these crazy people that don't put lime juice in their mojitos?

Mojitos look like they might actually be older than mint juleps though.

[wildhorses]

40. nectar of the gods

to be drank on that most holy of days...the derby. derby pie is also traditional fare..and is the food of the gods ;)

[mzteris]

41. The OFFICIAL Derby Recipe

For nearly a century, the mint julep has been the traditional beverage of Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby. The Early Times Mint Julep Cocktail is a ready-to-serve beverage that has been the "The Official Mint Julep of the Kentucky Derby®" for over 16 years. Over 80,000 Early Times Mint Juleps are served over the two-day period of the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby, requiring 8,000 liters of Early Times Mint Julep Ready-to-Serve Cocktail, 2,200 pounds of freshly harvested mint, and 80 tons of shaved ice.

The Grade II Early Times Mint Julep Stakes on May 24 at Churchill Downs is sponsored by Early Times, the time-honored ingredient in mixing an authentic mint julep. If the Early Times Mint Julep Ready-to-Serve Cocktail is not available from your local retailer, you can make your own with this recipe:

Early Times Mint Julep

2 cups sugar
2 cups water
Sprigs of fresh mint
Crushed ice
Early Times Kentucky Whisky
Silver Julep Cups

Make a simple syrup by boiling sugar and water together for five minutes. Cool and place in a covered container with six or eight sprigs of fresh mint, then refrigerate overnight. Make one julep at a time by filling a julep cup with crushed ice, adding one tablespoon mint syrup and two ounces of Early Times Kentucky Whisky. Stir rapidly with a spoon to frost the outside of the cup. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

[pitohui]

42. i used to grow my own mint

sigh this thread brings back memories