Julep cup

Glassware

Made of silver, pewter or stainless steel, the julep cup holds a Mint Julep over crushed ice.

Also called: julep tin · mint julep cup

Made of: Silver, pewter or stainless steel
Official Kentucky Derby drink: Mint Julep, since 1938
Capacity: 12 to 13 oz (350 to 380 ml)
Used for: The Mint Julep and other crushed-ice drinks, such as the Smash

What julep cup means

The Mint Julep is the drink most people picture in a julep cup, and it has been the official drink of the Kentucky Derby since 1938. Its base is bourbon, with mint and sugar worked into the cup. You will also see the cup in other crushed-ice drinks, such as the smash. Each cup holds about 12 to 13 oz (350 to 380 ml).

A julep cup frosts because the metal takes on the cold of the crushed ice, and moisture in the air freezes on the outside. Hold the cup by the rim or the base, so your fingers do not melt the frost. Frost shows the cup is cold, not that the drink is stronger.

How to serve a drink in a julep cup

Crushed ice does most of the work in a julep cup, so pack it in before anything else goes in.

1.Pack the cup with crushed ice, filling it right to the top.
2.Stir the drink in the cup until frost forms on the outside.
3.Top the cup with more crushed ice and serve it while the outside is still frosted.

Julep cup compared

Julep strainerA julep strainer is a separate tool, once set in the cup to keep crushed ice off the drinker's teeth.
Copper mugBoth are metal and feel icy. The copper mug serves the Moscow Mule, while the julep cup serves the Mint Julep.

Related terms

Ingredients

Put it to use in your next drink

Garçon explains every step as you make the drink.