By Robert Simonson / Photography by Jessica Ebelhar for WSJ

Ask most bartenders in the U.S. about the Mint Julep and they will tell you it's a cocktail they can't give away except on one calendar date: Kentucky Derby day, the first Saturday in May, when they sell them hand over fist.

But even if demand were to arise, bartenders are rarely prepared to make a Mint Julep on any old day. No one would call the ingredients and equipment that the drink requires run of the mill. While most bars have bourbon on hand, the cocktail also demands fresh mint (and lots of it), crushed ice (lots of that too) and a Julep cup, traditionally silver plated.

The Silver Dollar in Louisville, Ky., is something of a unicorn, then, even in bourbon country. The sprawling modern saloon, located in the city's Clifton neighborhood, can fill an order for a Mint Julep any day of the year and typically does so four or five times a week.

Owner Brian Downing considers this a point of pride. "We understand what the Julep is, was and, hopefully, means to people," he said. "We understand it from a tourist perspective. We take that obligation seriously. It's a matter of honor and trust."

A Storied Sip

Accounts of the Mint Julep, one of the oldest American mixed drinks, first appeared in the 1700s in Virginia, where it was a thirst-quencher of the upper classes. By the early 20th century, it had drifted west to Kentucky and taken that state's signature spirit, bourbon, as its base. In 1938, the Kentucky Derby hitched its wagon to the drink, making it the race's official cocktail. It has remained closely linked to the Derby ever since.

On this year's Derby day, May 3, the Silver Dollar will open for business at 9 a.m. Downing expects to serve hundreds of Juleps that day and has no problem with his customers drinking them from the get-go.

"People don't understand it's supposed to be a breakfast cocktail, the first drink of the day," he said. "It's meant to be drunk in the hot sun. It's supposed to cool you down."

Get That Ice

Downing achieves that cooling effect in an unusual way. The Mint Julep famously calls for crushed ice. In recent years, retro-minded mixologists have met this need in a decidedly old-school fashion. They place ice chunks in a white canvas bag -- known in the trade as a Lewis bag, for reasons that remain mysterious -- and apply blunt force by way of a wooden mallet. It makes for quite a show and renders an already theatrical cocktail even more so.

Downing owns Lewis bags but doesn't regularly use them to make Juleps. Instead, he feeds 1 1/2 -inch ice cubes from a Kold-Draft machine into a commercial cheese grater, creating mounds of perfect frozen fluff. Two scoops yield a rounded snowcone-style crown that rises 2 inches above the Julep cup's rim.

Finely shaved ice melts more quickly than crushed ice, and that's exactly what Downing wants. "That first sip is going to be intense," he said. "It is going to be mint, sugar and bourbon exclusively." After that, however, the cocktail will swiftly dilute: "That drink is going to evolve over time. It is going to become more and more refreshing."

Leaf It at That

Downing has his own way of handling the mint, as well. He muddles 6-7 mint leaves at the bottom of the cup and then discards them, as opposed to leaving the mint bits there, as many do.

"We want fresh, clean mint flavor," he explained. "We don't want the swampy-dog character that happens as chlorophyll breaks down."

He then adds Demerara-sugar syrup and two ounces of bourbon. (Downing favors Four Roses Small Batch Select, which clocks in at a potent 104 proof.) He finishes the drink with a cluster of mint -- the larger the leaves, the better -- and a straw.

"It's kind of a joke, the idea that when bartenders don't want to make something, they say, 'We're all out of mint.' That's not hospitable," he said. "Give the people what they want." Mint is available all year-round, after all, and the drink has become an emblem of the city itself, whether or not the horses are running. "This is the capital of American whiskey," Downing said. "To give people that opportunity to have a Julep on their visit to Kentucky -- that is a challenge we have to rise to."

Lewis Bag

While it may not produce the fine snow of the commercial grater used at Louisville's Silver Dollar, a Lewis bag will get you close enough to the crushed-ice ideal. This one from Cocktail Kingdom should last you years. Any mallet you have around the house will achieve the needed violence. $8

Julep Cup

A proper Mint Julep is served in a proper metal cup. This is not only for aesthetics: The metal keeps the drink colder longer. You can invest in a fancy silver-plated cup with an eye toward creating a family heirloom, but this simple stainless steel number by Barfly will also serve you well. $10

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 23, 2025 17:15 ET (21:15 GMT)

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