Julep
StyleA julep is a bourbon drink built on mint, sugar and crushed ice, packed into a cup until it frosts.
- Bourbon
- about 2.4 oz (70 ml)
- Rich syrup
- 0.33 oz (10 ml)
- Mint
- about 12 leaves
- Kentucky Derby official drink
- since the late 1930s (sources give 1938 or 1939)
- Juleps served over Kentucky Oaks and Derby days
- more than 120,000
- Formula
- 2.4 oz (70 ml) bourbon, 0.33 oz (10 ml) rich simple syrup, 12 mint leaves, over crushed ice
What julep means
The mint julep is the official drink of the Kentucky Derby, a role it has held since the late 1930s. It is the version most people mean when they say julep, so it is the one to learn first. Ask for one there and you get a cup of bourbon, sugar and mint over crushed ice.
The julep has no citrus and no soda. The mint is the flavor, and sweetness comes from 0.33 oz (10 ml) of rich simple syrup, so the drink tastes of bourbon, sugar and mint, with nothing else.
A lot of home bartenders assume a julep has to be made with bourbon. Jerry Thomas's 1862 julep used cognac with a dash of rum, and whiskey became the usual base by about 1900. The word comes from the Persian gulab, meaning rose water, and reached English through Arabic.
How to make a julep
Build the julep in a chilled cup, starting with the mint and syrup and finishing with a packed cup of crushed ice.
- 1.Chill the julep cup first, so the drink starts cold.
- 2.Add 12 mint leaves and 0.33 oz (10 ml) rich simple syrup to the cup.
- 3.Press the mint gently, just to bruise it, since shredded mint turns bitter.
- 4.Add 2.4 oz (70 ml) bourbon, then pack the cup with crushed ice and keep adding ice until frost forms on the outside.
- 5.Garnish with a large mint bouquet beside the straw, so you smell the mint as you sip.
Julep compared
- SmashA smash is a short cousin of the julep. It often has muddled citrus or fruit, and it goes in a rocks glass.
- MojitoA mojito adds lime juice and soda water to rum, sugar and mint. A julep has no citrus or soda.
- CobblerA cobbler is wine or spirit with sugar and fruit over crushed ice. A julep is built around mint.
- Julep cupThe julep cup is the metal cup the drink is served in. It frosts over when packed with crushed ice.
Examples
- Mint Julep
- Georgia Mint Julep
- Prescription Julep
- Brandy Julep
- Gin Julep
Related terms
Ingredients
Put it to use in your next drink
Garçon explains every step as you make the drink.