Episode 24 - The Triple Crown - Cocktails with Mint! - The Julep, Mojito and Southside

It’s horse racing time!  The Kentucky Derby!  And you know what that means don’t you?  Mint Juleps!  So many mint julep recipes to choose from and so little time.  So many to choose from in fact, that the Gentlemen of Elegant Leisure chose only one and further chose to do two other drinks that feature mint and the muddling thereof!

Every good bartender should know how to properly muddle mint and we want you to know too.  And who better to teach this than the always amazing Dale DeGroff?  All of our drinks in this episode come from The Essential Cocktail and if you don’t own this book yet, get it!  Follow his directions to the letter and you will have a fantastic drink.

Mint Julep
by Dale DeGroff - The Essential Cocktail - The Art of Mixing Perfect Drinks 2008

2 sprigs of mint (preferably perky looking spearmint)
3/4 ounce simple syrup
2 1/2 ounces bonded bourbon (We used Woodford Reserve)
Powdered sugar, for dusting, optional

Gently bruise 1 of the mint sprigs in the bottom of a mixing glass with the syrup.  DON’T shred the leaves.  Use just enough pressure to release the mint’s oils.  Add the bourbon then strain it all into a highball glass (or your special silver julep chalice) filled with crushed ice.  With a barspoon, swirl the drink until the outside of the glass frosts.  This can take a while.   Top off the glass with some more crushed ice and give it another quick stir.  Garnish with the other mint sprig and dust the drink with powdered sugar to give it an even more frosty appearance if you like. Drink with the fanciest straw you own.

Oh man.  Is that tasty or what?  Now you know why they’ve been drinking these since the late 1700’s.  

What’s next you ask?  Hold your horses!  It’s the Kentucky Derby after all!

Did you place your bets?  $10 across the board on Irish War Cry?  (written at 2:25 pm Pacific time May 6)  Good for you!  Now, how would you like a Mojito?  That’s right, we’re moving from bourbon and mint to rum in mint.  

And they’re off!

Mojito
by Dale DeGroff - The Essential Cocktail - The Art of Mixing Perfect Drinks 2008

2 sprigs of tender, young mint
1 ounce simple syrup
3/4 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice
1 1/2 ounces white rum
2 dashes Angostura bitters, optional
1 1/2 ounces club soda

In the bottom of a highball glass, bruise the leaves from 1 of the mint sprigs with the simple syrup and the lime juice.  Add the rum and bitters, if required; top with no more than 1 1/2 ounces of club soda and stir.  Garnish with the other sprig of mint.

In the printed recipe there is no ice mentioned.  In the picture in the book, there is ice.  We stirred it like the Mint Julep, with crushed ice in the glass.  We suggest you do too.  Make it just like the Julep and strain it so you don’t get crushed mint bits in your drink.

We loved this drink too.  The addition of the lime juice and club soda changes the drink quite dramatically.  Is it better than the Mint Julep?  We don’t think it can actually be better.  One might like it more or less but both drinks are equally fantastic.  

The Kentucky Derby is the first race of what they call The Triple Crown so with that in mind, we’ve got a third drink to make this episode our own little Triple Crown.

Gin anyone?  That’s right the Southside is a minty gin drink that is going to complete our minty collection.  

Southside
by Dale DeGroff - The Essential Cocktail - The Art of Mixing Perfect Drinks 2008

2 sprigs of mint
3/4 ounce squesh freezed lemon juice (Jason was two drinks deep by this point)
1 1/2 ounces gin
1 ounce simple syrup
1 1/2 ounces club soda

Prepare as you would a mojito.  Gently muddle 1 of the mint sprigs with the lemon juice in the bottom of a mixing glass.  Add the gin and syrup and shake well.  Pour over crushed ice in a goblet and stir until the outside of the glass frosts.  Top with a splash of soda and garnish with the other mint sprig.

Now, if we had made this one before the mojito we would have seen where he said “Prepare as you would a mojito”.  Either way, this entry in to the gin category is so good.  You’ll never want a Gin and Tonic again.  “Make me a Southside!”, you’ll cry as you spend the fortune you won at the track.

Until next time, TIP BIG!