The Mint Julep

[donk79]

I just had to share this one.

Washington Post's Robert L. Wolke

When sipped with the leisureliness of a southern drawl on a hot summer's eve beneath a fragrant magnolia, few beverages are more refreshing and more insidiously intoxicating than a mint julep, because its seductive sweetness masks the fact that it is virtually straight bourbon. But also intoxicating (to some of us) is the science behind the frosting.

Stripped to its mundane fundamentals, a mint julep is made by pouring bourbon onto some muddled sugar and mint in a metal mug or goblet filled with crushed ice. Now if we were to add plain water instead of bourbon, the ice and the water would soon come to the same temperature: a temperature at which they could coexist without all the ice melting or all the water freezing. (Techspeak: They would come to equilibrium.) That temperature is the freezing point, normally 32 degrees Fahrenheit or zero degrees Celsius.

But bourbon, bless its heart, contains alcohol as well as water. The alcohol lowers the freezing point, just as antifreeze lowers the freezing point of the coolant in your car's radiator. Because the freezing point is now lower, so is the ice-and-water coexistence temperature. If they are still to coexist, then, the ice and water must adjust themselves to this lower temperature by melting some of the ice, a process that absorbs heat. Thus, the mixture becomes colder. . .

The cooling of the goblet's contents by the bourbon's alcohol can be so great that on a humid day moisture in the air will not only condense on the outside of the goblet but actually freeze there, forming a coating of frost.

I don't know whether the artistry is greater in the creation of the drink or in the creation of the description. The spirit (pun unintended, but you note I don't remove it either ) of Lt. Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr. is now my official muse.

[Jason Perlow]

Wow. What a great article. And now I know what to do with all that mint that grows in my backyard, besides make iced tea. And Mojitos.

[fifi]

We need a Buckner fan club. DAMN I'M THIRSTY! Funny thing is, I know where there is a spring and a field of mint like he described. ROAD TRIP!

Thanks for posting that. That is so good, it should probably be moved to one of the general forums (fora?).

[hollywood]

When made with fresh mint and made well, it is a great drink. But then so's a well made Negroni.

I liked this article, but one thing puzzles me. The Jack Daniels is said to be 86 or 90 proof or 43 or 45% alcohol. I get that the alcohol could lower the freezing point, but what about the other 57 or 55% of the Jack? This should have to be taken into account as well--unless the alcohol settles out from the rest in pockets or layers, which I doubt. Seems like more explanation is required. Any physicists around? Any chemists? Do we assume that the nonalcohol portion of the Jack has the same freezing point as water, thus diluting the effect of lowering the freezing point (compared to say using Everclear--190 proof), but still permitting it?

[guajolote]

Do you really want to know the answer to this?

The freezing point of solutions is not linear. For example if water freezes at 0 C and alchohol freezes at -114 C, a solution of half alcohol and half water will not freeze at -57 C.

Here's 2 graphs that kind of explain it. Thermo was a long time ago.

[hollywood]

I'm not sure I get it but those charts are way cool! Thanks. So, it sounds like you have to develop a good stirring technique. Guess it's all in the wrist.

Edited May 5, 2003 by hollywood (log)

[guajolote]

I realize I didn't really answer your questions about concentrations affecting freezing point. I'll just say it's extremely difficult to calculate the difference and will require doing several differential equations.

By the way, I had my first mint julep on Saturday and really enjoyed it. My Dad said it was an Old Fashioned with mint instead of bitters, which I thought was a good description.

[fifi]

quajalote... Really cool graphs. (BTW... How did you do that?) Anyway, my attorney nephew has a set of mint julep cups that he inherited and he is a foodie so I sent him the link. I KNOW that he is going to ask his Auntie how this effect occurs and I will fire up the old laptop and use your graphs. I suspect that I am further removed from thermo than you are. I can speak in concepts but the equations have long since petrified in my brain. (Management petrifies a lot in the brain.)

Mint is growing, the soft moist breezes are coming in off of the gulf and I see a great mint julep in my future.

Hollywood... OK what the f is a Negroni?

[mogsob]

I liked this article, but one thing puzzles me.  The Jack Daniels is said to be 86 or 90 proof or 43 or 45% alcohol.  I get that the alcohol could lower the freezing point, but what about the other 57 or 55% of the Jack?

MY GOD MAN. Jack Daniels is Tennesee whisky, and therefore not fit for human consumption. A true mint julep can only be made with true Kentucky bourbon (where you not paying attention to the General?).

To those who would compare the mint julep to the Old Fashioned, I would say that you have never had a true mint julep, which is nothing like and Old Fashioned. Properly served in a small silver cup, the mint julep is a reminder of a long-lost age when men drank in linen suits and women swooned in the late-afternoon sun. No mere drink this -- a properly made mint julep is nothing short of a means of time travel.

As for the Negroni -- now that is a fit comparison, for as the mint julep can transport you in time, the Negroni can transport you to Rome, which is also a very good thing indeed.

[guajolote]

Wolke gets in trouble for using Tenn. Whiskey in Mint Julep

You have revealed yourself as a damn Yankee of the first order. No self-respecting Kentuckian (or southerner) would dare pour anything but Kentucky bourbon whiskey into a mint julep. Shame on you, sir, for even suggesting otherwise. You compounded your lack of knowledge of good juleps by suggesting in [the April 30] Washington Post that you use a certain creation distilled in a state to the south of the Commonwealth. How dare you, sir! What you suggested isn't even bourbon!

Thanks for that "first order." I have been lashed with wet mint leaves by many readers for suggesting that a mint julep could be made with Jack Daniel's Tennessee Sour Mash Whiskey instead of with a true Kentucky bourbon such as Jim Beam.

[jparrott]

The freezing point of solutions is not linear. For example if water freezes at 0 C and alchohol freezes at -114 C, a solution of half alcohol and half water will not freeze at -57 C.

Here's 2 graphs that kind of explain it. Thermo was a long time ago.

Let me be the first to say the word.

Azeotrope

[Random Alias]

Azeotrope

Azeotrope - a liquid mixture that is characterized by a constant minimum or maximum boiling point which is lower or higher than that of any of the components

Oh.

Now it all makes sense.

[jparrott]

Of course :-).

Such a cool word.

Mixture chemistry is fun.

I forgot the word for a freezing-point-lowered mixture.

I forgot most of the chemistry I got my degree with.

I'm at peace with that.

Can I have another mint julep?

[guajolote]

I forgot the word for a freezing-point-lowered mixture.

Freezing point depression?

[jparrott]

I forgot the word for a freezing-point-lowered mixture.

Freezing point depression?

That's the word for the phenomenon--not for the mixture.

There may not be a word.

I'm not losing sleep over it.

[canoodle]

I have all this fresh mint on my deck...but can't seem to find a great julep recipe. I've tried various recipes and just can't find the superlative one. Does anyone have a reaaaaaly good recipe? Also, I don't have a muddler. Any hints as to what to use in its place?

[oh my garlic]

over the last few weeks we have done some extensive personal R&D on the julep front. i've tweaked a half dozen recipes and come up with this as my superlative:

the syrup:

1 cup sugar

2 cups water

1 cup mint leaves

cheesecloth

wrap the mint leaves in a cheesecloth and soak in a container with just enough bourbon to cover. allow this to sit for two hours--it makes a sort of "tincture".

combine water and sugar in a sauce pan, stir and bring to a boil then turn off the heat--let it cool. add the sugar water to the tincture and put it in the fridge overnight. next day, squeeze the cheesecloth to get all those lovely juices out and discard.

enjoyment time: fill a glass with crushed ice. add one part bourbon** to two parts syrup. garnish with a mint sprig and dust with powdered sugar.

**in this recipe i preferred Early Times over Makers Mark or Jim Beam

[canoodle]

Thanks so much for the recipe. I'll have to try this. I never thought of making a infusion of mint and bourbon. I've been using powdered sugar, water and crushed mint and trying to muddle it in the glass with a pestle. This sounds a lot easier.

Thanks again!!

[grandcru]

Also, I don't have a muddler. Any hints as to what to use in its place?

I have a pie dough tamper that serves great double duty for juleps, caipirinhas and mojitos. The pestle idea is also good, so long as the business end of it is wide enough to handle the mint. Hopefully, there will be enough Indian Summer days this fall on which to put your newly minted skills to work.

[Sweet Willie]

I've made juleps at home and they are good, but they don't come close to savoring one on a hot Derby day looking at those green spires!

[Alex]

I've made juleps at home and they are good, but they don't come close to savoring one on a hot Derby day looking at those green spires!

Amen! My first julep was at the 1973 Derby. The infield at Churchill Downs, Secretariat, juleps, and a road trip to boot -- you couldn't get much better than that!

[tanabutler]

It occures to me that you could use the "tincture" process with rum/mint in mojitos. When I have to make a big batch, rather than individually, I use the blender and do rum/mint in there, and strain through a gold coffee filter (that is never used for coffee, gak!).

It does well in a rush.

I like this tincture thing. Good idea!

[Tracy K.]

Amen! My first julep was at the 1973 Derby. The infield at Churchill Downs, Secretariat, juleps, and a road trip to boot -- you couldn't get much better than that!

Oh Alex, I'm so jealous--to see that beautiful horse...oh wait, you were in the infield drinking juleps....

Technical question: Does it matter what kind of mint to use? So many recipes for anything mint simply call for "mint." Is there a noticable taste difference between peppermint, spearmint, etc.

Plus, would using JD sour mash or Wild Turkey (what I have on hand) be okay, or should I go "official" and buy the Early Times?

Derby Day is just around the corner...plus it's my son's first birthday...so of course the party theme is set. No time to make a sugarpaste grandstand (boo hoo) for the cake.

[beans]

Hi Tracy.

No Jack Daniels! Juleps are always bourbon so I'd go with the Turkey if you wish to use what is on hand.

I order and purchase "mint" without the specification/qualifier of "spearmint" or "peppermint" at both work and for my own personal, home use -- from produce section of the supermarket in a pinch or at the nursery or garden center when I decide to have my garden taken over by the hearty and robust growing herb.

It is that time of year... While I'm not a large fan of the Julep, I do enjoy the occasional seasonal, refreshing libation each and every year.

[Dan Ryan]

A truly magnificent summer drink that beats the shit out of the trendy mojito (which is nevertheless decent enough). I've always made it by muddling the mint leaves in the glass with sugar syrup. Made it with peppermint once, with reduced quantities to account for the extra strength. Beautiful.