The following is an extended version of the article that appears in our May 2021 issue.
Photo via Getty Images
The mint julep and its trademark crushed ice and silver goblet are as American as apple pie and fields of corn.
Nowadays, the drink is most often associated with the Kentucky Derby, held on May 1 this year, but it was originally perfected by bartending pioneers right here in Virginia.
In the 1820s, as cocktail culture was in full swing worldwide, Richmond became known for its mint juleps, with three bartenders at the forefront — two of whom were enslaved. Jasper Crouch, a self-described “free person of color,” was the first recognized julep aficionado, while Jim Cook and John Dabney perfected the cocktail together at the Ballard House hotel, adding to its glory with towering sculptures of fruit and crushed ice. Their success behind the stick eventually enabled them to buy their own freedom.
‘Just One Mint Julep’
While the toned-down version of the mint julep that became synonymous with the Louisville horse race is easy to make, getting it right is an art.
Basic mint julep recipe: Bourbon + sugar + mint swizzled with crushed ice
Today, bartenders often use mint-infused syrup to punch up the flavor, but they don’t stop there. At Julep’s New Southern Cuisine, Ty Calaneo mixes the Maryland Jewel-Up, replacing bourbon with rye and adding a touch of caramelized orange zest.
In Ashland, Kim Puryear of Jake’s Place makes a variation using chocolate mint grown on the property, along with Culpeper-based Belmont Farm moonshine.
For homebound parties, Jamie Allan of Linden Row Inn’s Parterre offers DIY julep kits — cups included — and says it’s about keeping it simple, while letting the classic flavors shine.
Caution: Careful you don’t overmuddle the mint. Tap the delicate herb just enough to bruise without tearing. Release the fragrant oils, but not the bitter green chlorophyll.
Classic Mint Julep Recipe
10-15 fresh mint leaves
2-3 ounces bourbon
1/4-1/2 ounce simple syrup
In a julep cup gently muddle the mint. Add bourbon and simple syrup to taste. Add crushed ice and swizzle until the metal sides frost up. Top with a mound of crushed ice and a straw. Garnish with a large mint sprig. Optional: Dust with powdered sugar.
Maryland Jewel-Up
Ty Calaneo, @julepsinrva
Ty Calaneo had his first mint julep on a patio in New York City after a strenuous brunch shift. One of his coworkers — a Southerner — bought a round of juleps for the table. A few years later, after he moved to Richmond, he wound up taking a job at Julep’s, where he refined his bartending skills and added a number of creative variations to his repertoire, including this one, which is served up instead of on crushed ice.
2 3/4 ounces Old Overholt rye
1/2 ounce mint and burnt-orange syrup
Stir with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with one mint leaf
For the mint and burnt-orange syrup
Over medium heat, stir 1 cup sugar into 1 cup water until clear. With a sharp peeler, skin one orange (without any of the bitter white pith). Use a match to toast the orange skins and infuse in the syrup overnight. Strain through cheesecloth to remove any particulates.
Lemonade Julep
Kim Puryear, @jakesplace511
For those who don’t enjoy straight bourbon, Kim Puryear serves this lengthened variation with lemonade and limeade, finished with chocolate mint from the garden. She also offers it as a zero-ABV option (using Torani nonalcoholic creme de menthe syrup).
1 1/2 ounces Belmont Farm Virginia Lightning moonshine
2 ounces creme de menthe
2 ounces lemonade
2 ounces limeade
Swipe the rim of a Mason jar or pint glass with a cut lime and roll it in sugar. Build ingredients in the glass. Add crushed ice and swizzle until frosty. Garnish with a sprig of chocolate mint and a lime wheel.
Blackberry Mint Julep
Jamie Allan, @parterre_rva
Bartender Jamie Allan put together a mint julep kit, sponsored by Elijah Craig, for at-home swizzling, with cups, mint, and everything needed for raising a toast to this long-standing American tradition. Well, almost everything — it’s BYO fancy hat.
3-4 blackberries
10 mint leaves
2 ounces Elijah Craig bourbon
1/4 ounce simple syrup
1 dash angostura bitters
In a julep cup gently muddle the mint and blackberries. Add bourbon, simple syrup and bitters. Add crushed ice and swizzle until the metal sides frost up. Top with a mound of crushed ice and a straw. Garnish with a large mint sprig and a blackberry. Optional: Dust with powdered sugar.
Paul Blumer is a writer and emeritus craft bartender.
