Best Mint Julep Recipe For Kentucky Derby Parties

The 139th Kentucky Derby is soon and that means three things; gambling, ugly hats and mint juleps.

The Derby has something for everyone. Whether you have tons of money to blow on a huge horse race, like to dress up like a moron or are a raging drunk, the Derby has your back. For some of us, all three activities are fair game for the “Running for the Roses.”

The mint julep is the drink everybody at the Kentucky Derby drinks. They’d been heavily promoting the julep at Churchill Downs since 1938. So if you are going to have a Kentucky Derby Party, you’d better do the julep correctly.

To make sure you don’t look like a horses-ass on Derby Day, FanSided snagged a copy of a 60-year-old bartender’s guide. This is how you do it folks.

1. Fill a 10oz collins glas with finey crushed ice (use a hammer) and place it to one side. (Technically this is supposed to be served in a sliver cup so good luck finding one)

2. Strip the leaves off of 2 sprigs of fresh mint, place the leaves in mixing glass and sprinkle in 1 teaspoonful of granulated sugar. (If you don’t have any mint yet, get your ass to the store on the double. Finding mint today is going to be like trying to find avocados on Cinco de Mayo)

3. Macerate (that’s what she said) with muddler until mint flavor is released from leaves.

4. Add a splash of seltzer and 3oz bourbon whiskey. (At Churchill Downs, they use Woodford Reserve, an expensive ass bourbon. They use it because Woodford Reserve pays them to. If you spend a bunch of money on the bourbon you mix with sugar and mint, you’re either rich, a chump or a rich chump. We recommend Evan Williams Kentucky Bourbon. It’s cheap as hell and says “Kentucky” on the bottle. What else do you want?)

5. Stir gently, then strain into a prepared collins glass (or silver cup, also handy if you need to dispose of a vampire at your Derby party) over ice.

6. Work a barspoon (one of those uncomfortably long spoons with the handle that spirals like the Miller Light vortex bottle) up and down in the mixture, until the outside of the glass begins to frost.

7. Top with a splash of rum, 2 sprigs of fresh mint, a cherry and serve with straws.

Note: Do not touch glass wth warm hands; use a towel while handling, to facilitate frosting. If you’re dead or my ex-girlfriend from college, feel free to wrap your ice-cold hands around the glass.

Happy boozing.