Kentucky Derby Mint Julep (Printable)

A fresh, minty twist with sparkling water and lemon for warm, festive occasions.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Mint Syrup

01 - 1/4 cup water
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, plus extra for garnish

→ Mocktail

04 - 1 cup crushed ice
05 - 1 cup cold sparkling water or club soda
06 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
07 - 2 tablespoons mint syrup
08 - Fresh mint sprigs for garnish

# How To Make It:

01 - In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add mint leaves, and steep for 5 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and allow to cool completely.
02 - Fill two julep cups or highball glasses with 1 cup crushed ice each.
03 - Pour 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of cooled mint syrup over the ice in each glass.
04 - Top each glass with 1/2 cup of cold sparkling water or club soda. Stir gently with a bar spoon to combine all components.
05 - Generously garnish each glass with fresh mint sprigs. Serve immediately with a cocktail straw.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The mint syrup tastes infinitely better than anything bottled, and you control exactly how sweet it is.
  • It transforms a simple drink into something that feels festive and special without any fuss or alcohol.
  • Fresh mint from a garden or farmers market makes this taste like summer in a glass.
02 -
  • If your mint syrup tastes bitter, you steeped it too long—five minutes is genuinely the magic window, and going longer means the mint turns harsh instead of bright.
  • Crushing the ice yourself (wrap it in a kitchen towel and go at it with a rolling pin) actually tastes better than store-bought crushed ice, which can sometimes have a stale quality.
03 -
  • Chill your glasses in the freezer for five minutes before you make the drink if you want it to stay impossibly cold all the way to the bottom.
  • The trick that actually matters is tasting as you go—add your syrup, take a sip, then decide if you want it sweeter or more minty before you pour in the sparkling water.
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