Hi Everyone! It’s Debs from Salted Mint. Today I’m sharing a modern take on a classic cocktail. This peach and ginger mint julep is the perfect spring cocktail for sipping on warm afternoons and evenings!
Okay. So there’s a couple things we need to talk about in relation to these juleps. Firstly, if you’re southern… sorry. I may have played fast and loose some of the elements of this Kentucky Derby classic. But those typical julep glasses are just a little too chunky for the prettiness of this cocktail! I think that we can all agree… these glasses are stunning and the perfect way to serve these juleps.
Secondly, I’m not sure how you all feel about flowers being served in your drink, but trust me. This is definitely a trend you’ll want to run with this summer. Instant elegance.
Now let’s have a quick chat about ingredients. A classic mint julep is usually just four simple ones: mint leaves, bourbon, simple syrup (sugar and water) and crushed ice. All this recipe takes is mint, bourbon, crushed ice, ginger ale and some peaches. Nectarines work perfectly if peaches aren’t available.
The beauty of this cocktail is that it’s really simple – no fancy bar equipment was used in the making of this peachy mint julep. Instead, all that needs to happen is that you need to chop some peaches. That’s the extent of the labor involved. So, it’s perfectly perfect for mother’s day, Kentucky Derby day, or pretty much any day that calls for a cold glass of something pretty!
Modern Peach & Ginger Mint Julep // serves 4
- 4 cups crushes ice
- 2 peaches, chopped
- 1 cup bourbon
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 bunch mint, torn
- 2 cups ginger ale
Method
- In a large pitcher, place the ice, chopped peaches, sugar and bourbon. Leave to macerate for 15 minutes.
- Add the torn mint leaves and the ginger ale. Mix with a wooden spoon.
- Pour the julep into glasses. Serve with some of the peaches and mint. Garnish with fresh flowers.
When I was thinking about creating a modern julep I though about 3 things:
- It should be pretty and elegant.
- It needs to be simple to make for a crowd to keep entertaining simple.
- Every spring cocktail needs to make the most of all the gorgeous fruit coming into season!
And for a bonus, there was a 4th consideration… I’m a bit of a lightweight when it comes to strong alcohol and I needed the sweet bite of the ginger ale to balance out the smokiness of the bourbon. And I love the bubbles!
So I swapped the traditional simple syrup in favour of some carbonated ginger sweetness.
Cocktail Notes: The only real thing that I would advise when making this mint julep, is to add the fruit, a pinch of sugar and the bourbon and let all that sit together for about 15 minutes before you add the mint and ginger ale. This just gives the peaches a head start to soften up and start releasing all their juices.
If you are in a rush and need to skip that step, these juleps will still be amazing, but possibly not quite as peachy as they could be.
Considering a Derby party this year? You should also check out our post for some fun ideas for Derby Party, and our Cucumber Mint Julep Granita recipe too!
