Mint Julep – Kentucky Derby

I’m going to give you the fast version first that non-craft bars and bartenders can get away with if nobody expects much from you, but it will still give you more than what most of the others at dive bars and low quality corporate bars are serving, and THEN I’ll give you the real BARTENDER version from WAY before prohibition when Bartenders made Newspaper Headlines and were more famous than chefs:

Glassware: Rocks
Mixing Method: Build in Glass – CRUSHED ice

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz. Bourbon
1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
4 “Slap Muddled” Mint Leaves¹ 

Garnish: Mint Sprig


NOW HERE’S THE 
MINT JULEP VERSION YOU NEED TO KNOW TO GET IT EVEN HALFWAY RIGHT:

MINT JULEP:

Glassware: Pewter, Silver, Gold Mug
Method: Multi-Step – Advanced …. what you might want to call call “Mixology” (aka Advanced Bartending)
Ice: PULVERIZED/FRAPPE’D in a Lewis Bag with a big, heavy Wood Mall (or use a White Rubber Mallet – available at Lowe’s and Home Depot. White so it won’t turn everything it hits black) ²
Ingredients:

THIS drink is OLD old, dating back to ancient Persia before it was made with liquor at all, and from Persia, to England, and from those old English variations came to America in colonial days, and were made with all kinds of stuff, including Brandy in the USA back in the 1860’s (with berries added)… etc, but WE are making ours with BOURBON, MINT, and SUGAR (Simple Syrup) nowadays.

Sooo… up to:
5 oz of Bourbon (if there’s no limit, but for most bars 2~ oz will do fine.)
1 to 1 1/2 oz Simple Syrup (Rich Simple Syrup if possible, and using Demerara Sugar is preferred for the “WOW!”… but again, this is advanced bartending. Regular Simple Syrup will not disappoint anyone – it just won’t be as Kick Ass!)  
MINT LEAVES: As many as you can! Minimum 5. ³
Now GENTLY shake/muddle the mint leaves and bourbon in a Boston Shaker (tin and glass, unless all you have is a shaker tin and a short shake tin, English style), again GENTLY – you just want to combine the GENTLY shake-mudded Mint Leaf Oil with the delicious bourbon and Demerara Rich Simple Syrup. Shake about 10 times. Let the ice do the work.
STRAIN this Elixer over the frappé’d-ice dome you created in the metal mug.
Punch a hole in the dome to insert the straw.
Punch another hole in the dome to insert the bushy mint sprig slapped to release its rich minty aroma. 
Ready, Get Set, SERVE!

1. DO NOT MUDDLE, BLEND, OR SHAKE THE MINT LEAVES. Why? The Science: Mint’s “Mintiness” lies in the small oil gland hairs called trichome (also see indumentum) growing from the surface of the underside of the leaf, and not from within the interior of the cell walls where all of the bitter flavors of the plant are located (in mint family the leaves are covered in fine trichome hairs or indumentum, which contain the essential oils.). It is during the rapid growth phase that the most mint is available. Once max growth occurs mint oil levels quickly decline from their peak. Mint has a variety of uses. The plant is usually steam-distilled for its oil which is located in glands on the undersides of the leaves. The oil is used to flavor a variety of foods such as gum or candy and is also used in perfumes, cosmetics and health care products. Chlorophyll itself (the green molecule found in plants that absorbs sunlight during photosynthesis and converts it to energy) is not bitter or bad for you, though that is a commonly held myth among bartenders. Also, according to WebMD “People use chlorophyll as medicine, so chlorophyll may even be desirable in a Mint Julep, were it not for the tannins and other bitter compounds. Common sources of chlorophyll used for medicine include alfalfa, algae, and silkworm droppings. Chlorophyll is used for bad breath and reducing colostomy odor. Chlorophyll is also used for constipation, ‘detoxification,’ and wound healing.” So while the Chlorophyll may add a nice green, it doesn’t taste bad, and can’t hurt the drink – it is the other parts of the cell interior that will add bitterness; likely the Tannins known to be found in Mint Leaves. Tannins, a group of alcohol soluble bitter and astringent compounds, can be found abundantly in nature. They’re present in the wood, bark, leaves and fruit of certain plants (and in the twigs of certain trees, specifically Chestnut and Oak trees). If chlorophyll itself were bitter then Sweet Peas would be bitter, and they’re not. If you crush the mint leaves, you unbalance the flavors in the drink; adding more sweetener only masks it. The longer the Tannin leaks through the crushed and ruptured cell walls the more bitter the drink becomes, and this happens rather quickly.[↩]
2. How to make PULVERIZED/FRAPPE’D ice using a Lewis Bag and a Mallet:
   

   Durable Canvas bag and a Heavy Mallet “Lewis Bag” combination, with ice.

   
   Prepare the Ice: Ensure that your ice is solid and not starting to melt.
   Fill the Lewis Bag: Place the ice cubes inside the Lewis bag. Do not overfill; leave some space for the ice to move around. NOTE: A “Lewis Bag” is NOTHING SPECIAL! True, it’s a durable, clean canvas bag, but the ORIGINAL bag used by pre-prohibition bartenders was a brand new canvas Bank Bag made for transporting coins (Silver dollars, half dollars, quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies. – it’s JUST a canvas bag – and you can buy them online for a few bucks!)
   Seal the Bag: Fold the top of the Lewis bag to secure the ice inside.
   Crush the Ice: Place the bag on a sturdy, flat surface like a countertop or a cutting board. Using a wooden mallet, pound the bag firmly. Start with gentle hits and gradually increase the force.
   Check Consistency: After a few hits, check the consistency of the ice. Continue pounding until you achieve the desired fine, snow-like texture.
   Serve: Once pulverized, pack the frappé’d ice into your Mint Julep Mug or Glass and create a snow-cone like mound on top.
   
   

   Strain your freshly made Julep over the top of the Frappé’d ice, add a bushy, slapped mint sprig (for overwhelming aroma), a SHORT straw (so they have to get their face into the mint sprig garnish and SMELL it!!!) and VOILLA!! Enjoy your perfectly crushed ice your Mint Julep![↩]

3. I will use 8, or 10 mint leaves – “Teenager” sized – not too small, not too large, for the most potent mint flavor and aroma.[↩]