Mint julep

Mint julep is traditionally prepared from four components: mint leaves, bourbon, sugar syrup and crushed ice. Traditionally, select mint is used, used in the southern states and in Kentucky in particular. The right cocktail recipe is usually a controversial topic, as the methods can vary considerably from one bartender to another. Mint julep belongs to a loosely bonded family of drinks called “smeshi” (among other examples of brandy smesh and mojito ), in the preparation process of which fresh mint and other ingredients are kneaded or crushed to give the finished drink a distinctive flavor. Oilcake releases essential oils and juices into the mixture, enhancing the flavor of the added ingredient (s).

Traditionally, mint juleps are often served in silver or tin cups and held only at the bottom and top edges of the cup. This allows frost to form on the outside of the cup ^[2] . A traditional hand placement could arise to reduce the amount of heat transferred from the hands of a silver or tin cup. Today, mint juleps are most often served in a tall, old-fashioned glass, a Collins glass, or a highball with a straw.

Mint julep was first cooked in the southern part of the United States , probably in the 18th century.

A few signs of mint julep spoke about who made it as an elite, in addition to the simple opportunity to offer a drink. First, the presence of ice meant either the possession of an ice storage facility, or the availability of funds to buy ice, an expensive commodity in the American south. Secondly, the traditional silver (not silvered) cup is a sign of wealth. Thirdly, a servant was needed who would make and serve a drink; faithful servant who could have access to the ice storage, whiskey, silver; an experienced servant who could cool the cup properly.

US Senator from Kentucky Henry Clay presented the drink at the Round Robin Bar at the famous Willard Hotel during his stay in Washington , DC ^[3] . The term "julep", as a rule, is defined as a sweet drink, in particular, is used as a medicine. The word itself comes from the Spanish julepe , which came from the Andalusian dialect of Arabic and means "rose water".

The mint julep was originally described and mentioned in the literature as early as 1784: “... a stomach disease with frequent urging to vomit and, at times, difficulty in swallowing. Then I prescribed her gag, some powders and a mint julep. ” ^[4] The mention of mint julep in print took place in the book by John Davis, published in London in 1803, where it was described as“ a drunk alcohol in which mint, taken in the morning by the Virginians ” ^[5] . However, Davis did not specify which alcoholic drink was used.

During the 19th century, Americans drank not only bourbon-based juleps, but also gin- based juleps made with jenever .

The book of the British captain Frederick Marriet “The second series of the diary in America” of 1840 describes on page 41 “a real mint julep”, thus:

There are many varieties of [mint julep], such as those that consist of Bordeaux , Madera, and others; but the ingredients of this mint julep are as follows. I learned how to get them, and I managed very successfully. Put about a dozen sprigs of tender mint shoots into a glass, put a spoonful of white sugar on them, as well as an equal proportion of peach and ordinary brandy, so as to fill it with one third, or perhaps a little less. Then take grated or crushed ice and fill a glass. Gourmets rub the edges of a glass with a piece of fresh pineapple, and the glass itself is often covered with ice cubes outside. As the ice melts, you drink ^[6] .

The Jerman Thomas edition of The Barman's Guide: How to Mix Drinks or a Companion Bonvivana, dated 1862, includes five mint julep recipes (as well as an illustration of how it should be served) that allow cognac, brandy, gin, whiskey, sparkling wine Moselle to choose from ^[7] . Thomas notes the mint julep as "... a particular American drink ... [Later] he was introduced to England by Captain Marryet."

In 1916, the traditional Virginian recipe, according to which cocktails were prepared at The Greenbrier Hotel, was described as follows:

... the famous old bar room, to which led a spiral staircase. Here, in this dark cool room filled with the smell of large masses of fragrant mint that lie on the mountains of crushed ice, in the old days were made white peppermint white sulfur and Virginia punch, thanks to which this place was known all over the world. Mint juleps were not complex mixtures like today. They were made from the purest French brandy, limestone water, old-fashioned carved heads of sugar, crushed ice and young mint, the foliage of which touches your ears ... ^[8]

Recently, however, bourbon-based juleps have definitely supplanted gin-based juleps ^[9] .

Since 1938, Mint Julep has advertised Churchill Downs with the Kentucky Derby. Each year, nearly 120,000 juleps were served at Churchill Downs during the two-day period of the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky derbies, almost all of them were served in special collectible glasses of the Kentucky derby ^[10] .

By agreement between Brown-Forman and Churchill Downs , which has operated for more than 18 years, the Mint Julep cocktail from the Early Times was appointed the “official mint julep of the Kentucky derby”. Moreover, the Early Times was sold in the United States as Kentucky whiskey, not bourbon, as it was settled in used rather than new oak barrels ^[11] . However, starting in 2015, the “official drink of the Kentucky Derby” was the Old Forester , also produced at Brown-Forman , and sold as a mint julep Old Forester , a ready-to-drink cocktail ^{[12] [13]} .

Since 2006, the Churchill Downs Kentucky Derby has also been producing premium mint juleps to order worth $ 1,000 each. These mint juleps were served in gilded bowls filled with silver straws, made on the basis of Woodford Reserve bourbon, mint from Ireland , ice cubes from spring water of the Bavarian Alps and sugar from Australia . The proceeds were used for charity purposes, intended for retired race horses. The Woodford Reserve , Early Times and Old Forester are sister brands produced by Brown-Forman and, in accordance with the terms of the current marketing agreement with Churchill Downs , Woodford Reserve is called the “official bourbon” derby.

In May 2008, Churchill Downs introduced the world's largest glass of peppermint julep. Churchill Downs, together with Brown-Forman, commissioned Weber Shandwick to make a glass 1.8 (2.3 m high with sprigs of mint). The glass was made from food grade acrylic FDA in the form of the official 2008 derby glass. It had a volume of 780 liters, from the Early Times mint juleps were poured into the derby with the help of a complex pumping system, hidden inside the “stir straws”.

• Domine, David. Adventures in New Kentucky Cooking with the Bluegrass Peasant (Kuttawa, KY: McClanahan Publishing House), 2007. ISBN 0-913383-97-X .
• The Mind Julep: The Dreaming of the Dosimets, The Old Dream of the Soul Smith, Down in Lexington, Kentucky (Lexington, KY: The Gravesend Press), 1949. [reprinted in 1964]
• Nickell, Joe. The Kentucky Mint Julep (Lexington, KY: The University Press of Kentucky), 2003. ISBN 0-8131-2275-9 .

• Website of the International Bartenders Association (eng.)
• Cocktail Mint julep on the IBA website (English)
• Cocktail Mint julep on the site of the Barmen Association of Russia
• History of the mint julep
• The Greenbrier and the Mint Julep
• The Buckner Mint Julep Ceremony
• Vicksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau - Fun Facts (Unc.) . Archived January 22, 2008. Includes claim that the Mint Julep originated at Mint Springs in the Vicksburg National Military Park.