Mix up your Mint Juleps: five ways to make the Derby's classic cocktail

Want a little variety with your Mint Julep as you watch the Kentucky Derby? Here are five recipes to mix it up with your favorite Derby cocktail.

The Mint Julep has become as synonymous with the Kentucky Derby as peanut butter is with jelly. So as you prepare to watch yet another historic run on May 6 at the Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville, why not mix things up?

Over 120,000 Mint Juleps are served over Kentucky Derby Weekend, and that doesn’t even touch on the thousands being downed around the country as displaced Southerners watch their chosen horse round the corner toward that beloved finish line. To those from Kentucky, and those who wish they were, a Mint Julep is more than just a drink—it’s a symbol of tradition for one of the most emotional sports days of the year.

Louisville on Derby Day offers plenty to do besides the Derby

And while we’re big fans of the classic—I mean what’s not to love about seeing a mound of crushed ice in a silver Julep cup with that fresh mint sprig?—we’re also intrigued by the idea of slowly sipping on a bourbon beauty with a few extra ingredients. Champagne Mint Julep, anyone? Or how about a Sweet Tea Mint Julep garnished with a lemon wedge? I’ll take two of those, please!

Thanks to our friends at Maker’s Mark, we’ve got five ways to stir up a Mint Julep that will help you get ready for a weekend full of “My Old Kentucky Home,” wide-brim hats and plenty of those cocktails we know all too well.