Mint Julep Day

Mint juleps. jnprice73 / Pixabay.com / 2010 / CC0 1.0

The 30th of May is Mint Julep Day.

A mint julep is an iconic drink in the American south.

There are many variations, but what they mostly have in common is a whiskey such as bourbon, flavoured with a mint-flavoured sweet syrup and served over ice. Different bartenders may put their own twist on the drink.

If you’re a mint julep fan, for the mint, do you prefer spearmint or peppermint?

Mint juleps, since 1939, have been the official drink of the Kentucky Derby, which is run early in May. ^[1]”It wasn’t till 1939 that the mint julep actually became the event’s official drink. ” — Ross, Christopher. Mint julep: The origins of the Derby’s official drink. CNN. 4 September 2020. Accessed April 2021 at https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/cocktail-history-mint-julep-kentucky-derby/index.html

May is the time of the year when, according to Google, web searches on mint julep peak. Most searches are from the United States, then Thailand, then Canada. ^[2]Mint Julep Day: Canadians 3rd in world among cocktail Googlers. Toronto, Canada: CTV News. 30 May 2016. Accessed April 2021 at https://www.ctvnews.ca/lifestyle/mint-julep-day-canadians-3rd-in-world-among-cocktail-googlers-1.2922853

#MintJulepDay #NationalMintJulepDay

Recipe

The mint used is typically spearmint.

The classic recipe used at the races in Kentucky is based on a sugar syrup in which mint leaves are steeped to make a mint syrup:

“According to the recipe used at Churchill Downs, the best julep begins with simple syrup made by boiling equal parts sugar and water, then cooling and refrigerating the syrup in a container with fresh mint. Each cocktail is then made with 2 ounces of bourbon and a tablespoon of mint syrup, poured over crushed ice into a silver julep cup.” ^[3]Mint Julep Day: Canadians 3rd in world among cocktail Googlers. Toronto, Canada: CTV News. 30 May 2016. Accessed April 2021 at https://www.ctvnews.ca/lifestyle/mint-julep-day-canadians-3rd-in-world-among-cocktail-googlers-1.2922853

Mint Julep Recipe ^[4]Aulph, Rebecca Lynn. A minty fresh history of a classic Southern drink on its special day. Deep South Magazine. 30 May 2013. Accessed April 2021 at http://deepsouthmag.com/2013/05/30/raising-a-glass-to-mint-julep-day/

2 cups (450 g ) sugar
2 cups (500 ml) water
Sprigs of fresh mint
Crushed ice
Kentucky Bourbon
Silver julep cups or old-fashioned glasses

Combine the sugar and water together in a pot, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. (You could also use a large microwavable jug, and do this in the microwave. Mind the surge when removing from microwave.) Or, buy a bottle of simple syrup.

Let syrup cool. Add 6 to 8 springs of fresh mint. Cover and place into refrigerator overnight.

To assemble drinks: fill a glass with crushed ice. Add a tablespoon of syrup, and 2 oz / 50 ml of bourbon. Stir, garnish with a sprig of fresh mint, and serve.

Mint julep in a pewter cup. Will Shenton / wikimedia / 2015 / CC BY-SA 3.0

History

It’s not clear why someone chose to designate the end of May as Mint Julep Day, as the big mint julep season is actually at the start of early May, when the Kentucky Derby is on. Mint juleps are a popular drink at the derby.

A lifestyle columnist in the early 1950s mentioned a National Mint Julep Day at the start of May. Writing on the 3rd of May 1953, Joyce Gardner of the Miami Herald said:

“Mint Julep Day: Yesterday was national mint julep day celebrated from coast to coast with parties ranging from a few friends gathering at home to the biggest of them all in Kentucky. One of the pleasant informal get-togethers was at the home of Mrs. Sam Fletcher, where friends joined her in the afternoon to listen to the year’s most glamourous race. Sam will return from Fort Wayne later in the month.

And if you like mint juleps on more than one day, try Natalie and Bill (Dr Wilks Otho) Hiatt’s system. They make a mint syrup of mint leaves cooked with 2 cups of sugar and 1 of water, strain into a mason jar which they keep in the refrigerator. When the julep mood strikes them or a guest, a half jigger of the syrup and a sprig of fresh mint atop the crushed ice does the trick.” — Gardner, Joyce. Hookey-Playing Teacher and Hubby Off to Chicago. Miami, Florida: The Miami Herald. 3 May 1953. Page 16 BR, col 1. [Ed: no mention of any alcohol!]

The earliest print mention of a “Mint Julep Day” on the 30th of May that CooksInfo is aware of dates from 2007 in Kentucky:

“Today is: National Mint Julep Day.” — Louisville, Kentucky: The Courier Journal. 30 May 2007. Classifieds section, bottom.

Sources

Giese, Sven. Tag des Mint Julep – National Mint Julep Day in den USA. 29 May 2018. Accessed April 2021 at https://www.kuriose-feiertage.de/tag-des-mint-julep/