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The real mint julep
- Thread starter QTYWW2
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dhermann1
I'll Lock Up
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- Da Bronx, NY, USA
I've made plenty. I always use spearmint, which is super abundant in my part of the world. But I've been told that Virginia Mountain Mint, which is not a true mint at all, but has minty flavor, is the best to use. I've had Va. Mtn mint once and can attest to its deliciousness.
You can make them with mint syrup or with leaves. To make syrup, take a huge amount of mint and some granulated sugar, and some water, and boil it all up.
If you use leaves, take a good fist full (maybe a dozen or more two inch leaves) and tear the leaves off and put them in the bottom of the glass. Then you muddle them. If you have a pestle, that's best. But a teaspoon will work. The idea is to mash the juice out of the leaf. Try not to break the veins, which are more bitter. Just mash the leafy part. I tend to turn these leaves into a mangled looking mess. But that's where the minty flavor comes from.
Then add maybe a half teaspoon of powdered sugar. Don't put too much sugar. Can't stand a sickly sweet julep. Granulated sugar will make a cloying mess. Have to use powdered. (This doesn't apply to making the syrup, however.)
Then add a teaspoon or so of water and mix it up a little. Then fill the glass with cracked ice. Cracked ice is a technique where you take a cube in your hand and whack a flat surface with the end of a large spoon, shattering the ice cube. You should do this in advance, because cracking ice will freeze the heck out of your hand. Cracked ice is much better than crushed, because crushed will melt more quickly. Cracked ice, aside from looking more elegant, has large and small shards, which will melt at different rates.
Anyhow, now you have a glass with mint, powdered sugar, and filled to the top with cracked ice. Then you pour in a GENEROUS shot of bourbon. I've been known to cheat and use sour mash whiskey. It's all the same. This will make the whole concoction settle down a little. Now you fill the glass up to the top again with more cracked ice, and then fill the rest with more whiskey. Then take a nice sprig of mint and stick it in.
With the syrup method you put a teaspoon or so (you'll learn how much you like with experience) of syrup in instead of going through the leaf muddling routine.
Then you sit down and sip. If this procedure is properly followed, you should suddenly realize you can't stand up about half way through the drink.
My favorite bourbons would include Bulleit, Knob Creek, Jim Beam and J W Dant. Favorite sour mash is Dickel, made in Tennessee.
You can make them with mint syrup or with leaves. To make syrup, take a huge amount of mint and some granulated sugar, and some water, and boil it all up.
If you use leaves, take a good fist full (maybe a dozen or more two inch leaves) and tear the leaves off and put them in the bottom of the glass. Then you muddle them. If you have a pestle, that's best. But a teaspoon will work. The idea is to mash the juice out of the leaf. Try not to break the veins, which are more bitter. Just mash the leafy part. I tend to turn these leaves into a mangled looking mess. But that's where the minty flavor comes from.
Then add maybe a half teaspoon of powdered sugar. Don't put too much sugar. Can't stand a sickly sweet julep. Granulated sugar will make a cloying mess. Have to use powdered. (This doesn't apply to making the syrup, however.)
Then add a teaspoon or so of water and mix it up a little. Then fill the glass with cracked ice. Cracked ice is a technique where you take a cube in your hand and whack a flat surface with the end of a large spoon, shattering the ice cube. You should do this in advance, because cracking ice will freeze the heck out of your hand. Cracked ice is much better than crushed, because crushed will melt more quickly. Cracked ice, aside from looking more elegant, has large and small shards, which will melt at different rates.
Anyhow, now you have a glass with mint, powdered sugar, and filled to the top with cracked ice. Then you pour in a GENEROUS shot of bourbon. I've been known to cheat and use sour mash whiskey. It's all the same. This will make the whole concoction settle down a little. Now you fill the glass up to the top again with more cracked ice, and then fill the rest with more whiskey. Then take a nice sprig of mint and stick it in.
With the syrup method you put a teaspoon or so (you'll learn how much you like with experience) of syrup in instead of going through the leaf muddling routine.
Then you sit down and sip. If this procedure is properly followed, you should suddenly realize you can't stand up about half way through the drink.
My favorite bourbons would include Bulleit, Knob Creek, Jim Beam and J W Dant. Favorite sour mash is Dickel, made in Tennessee.
Last edited:
dhermann1
I'll Lock Up
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- 9,154
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- Da Bronx, NY, USA
Yeah, it is. I of course forgot to mention Maker's Mark as a favorite bourbon. :eusa_doh:
Oldsarge
One Too Many
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I vote for Woodford Reserve and I fully agree, can't stand a sticky sweet julep.
dhermann1
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 9,154
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- Da Bronx, NY, USA
Most bars won't carry the mint syrup or leaves. My description is long winded, but trust me, it's a simple process. And it's thoroughly worth it. Again, two key things are cracked ice instead of crushed, and real mint but NOT TOO SWEET.
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