Fresh Mint Syrup Is The Delicious, Historically Inaccurate Secret Weapon For Your Kentucky Derby Mint Julep

When the horses are at the gate in Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby, there is no better drink to have in your hand than a cold, strong mint julep.

Cocktail historians and experts will be the first to tell you that a proper mint julep should not be made with mint syrup but individually plucked mint leaves lightly muddled in the glass with sugar, the historically accurate and labor-intensive way of making the drink.

The only problem with those objections? The fact that mint syrup is delicious. It is the refreshing scent of a summer herb garden distilled down into a sweetly potent secret weapon. Not only useful for making mint juleps, mint syrup is also delicious when spiked in a cold glass of iced tea or drizzled over ice cream.

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When my garden is overflowing with mint, which happens to grow like a weed, I can never resist harvesting a bunch for this sweet treat. Make a large batch of mint syrup before your Kentucky Derby party and you’ll have more time to focus on the important things, like which horse to bet on.

Mint Syrup

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup raw sugar
• 1 large handful of fresh mint leaves

Bring water to a boil and add sugar. Once dissolved, remove from heat. In the still-warm water, let mint steep for 10 to 15 minutes. Pour through a fine mesh strainer to remove any trace of the mint leaves. Keep refrigerated for a week.

Mint Julep

• 2 ounces Kentucky bourbon
• 1 ounce mint syrup
• Crushed ice
• Fresh mint springs, for garnish

Fill a lowball glass or chilled, silver goblet (if available) with crushed ice. Pour bourbon and syrup into the glass and garnish with a sprig of mint. Enjoy.

Weather.com writer Wyatt Williams is exploring the relationship between weather, food, agriculture, and the natural world.

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