At the Kentucky Derby, you won't get that option, as Churchill Downs servers rely on a pre-made mint julep mix to swiftly serve 120,000 cocktails on average in two days.

What Is a Mint Julep Cocktail? The Mint Julep is a bourbon cocktail featuring fresh mint, sugar (or simple syrup), and crushed ice served in a frosted silver or metal cup.Originally prescribed as ...

Racegoers who traveled to Churchill Downs from Colorado toast their mint julep bourbon cocktails while watching horse races on the eve of the Kentucky Derby in Louisville, Ky., May 1, 2015.

PHOTO: Racegoers who traveled to Churchill Downs from Colorado toast their mint julep bourbon cocktails while watching horse races on the eve of the Kentucky Derby in Louisville, Ky., May 1, 2015.

As the Kentucky Derby returns for the 151st time, plenty of at-home watch parties feature mint julep on the menu. Paula Deen and a cocktail expert reveal some of the biggest mistakes to avoid.

The iconic mint julep cocktail has been the signature drink of the Kentucky Derby since 1938. This simple four-ingredient drink features bourbon, simple syrup, crushed ice, and sprigs of mint.

It’s impossible to think of another cocktail and sporting event so closely interwoven as the potent, leafy Southern sipper and America’s most famous horse race. “The mint julep has probably ...

The secret behind a good mint julep is Kentucky bourbon and a simple syrup. In the South, folks use the boiled sugar concoction in everything from iced tea to simple cocktails.

The Mint Julep is at least 100 years older than the Kentucky Derby, originating in the U.S. in the mid-to-late 1700s, and has been served at Churchill Downs since the race’s inception in 1875.

The 2025 Kentucky Derby will take place on Saturday, May 3, and whether you watch in person or enjoy the scene from home, chances are you may do so with a mint julep in hand. Mint, sugar, crushed ice ...

PHOTO: Racegoers who traveled to Churchill Downs from Colorado toast their mint julep bourbon cocktails while watching horse races on the eve of the Kentucky Derby in Louisville, Ky., May 1, 2015.