The Mint Julep

[slkinsey]

Re the ice size: Jerry Thomas says:

<blockquote><b>Mint Julep.</b>

(Use large bar-glass.)

Take 1 table-spoonful of white pulverized sugar.

½ table-spoonfuls of water, mix well with a spoon.

1 ½ wine-glass full of brandy.

Take three or four sprigs of fresh mint, and press them well in the sugar and water, until the flavor of the mint is extracted ; add the brandy, and fill the glass with fine shaved ice, then draw out the sprigs of mint and insert them in the ice with the stems downward, so that the leaves will be above, in the shape of a bouquet; arrange berries, and small pieces of sliced orange on top in a tasty manner, dash with Jamaica rum, and serve with a straw.</blockquote>

Note: "fine shaved ice."

Erik: Looking at the picture of your Julep, I'd say it could benefit from around triple the amount of ice. This is a hard drink to make in what is, for this drink, an oversized glass, though.

Edited May 7, 2007 by slkinsey (log)

[eje]

[...]

Erik:  Looking at the picture of your Julep, I'd say it could benefit from around triple the amount of ice.  This is a hard drink to make in what is, for this drink, an oversized glass, though.

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Yeah, I don't have any 8oz tumblers which would work with any of my mixing tins.

Guess I could have just mixed and poured into a glass.

Next time, proper glasses and proper mint!

[eje]

Re the ice size:  Jerry Thomas says:

Mint Julep.

(Use large bar-glass.)

Take 1 table-spoonful of white pulverized sugar.

½ table-spoonfuls of water, mix well with a spoon.

1 ½ wine-glass full of brandy.

Take three or four sprigs of fresh mint, and press them well in the sugar and water, until the flavor of the mint is extracted ; add the brandy, and fill the glass with fine shaved ice, then draw out the sprigs of mint and insert them in the ice with the stems downward, so that the leaves will be above, in the shape of a bouquet; arrange berries, and small pieces of sliced orange on top in a tasty manner, dash with Jamaica rum, and serve with a straw.

Note: "fine shaved ice."

[...]

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Interesting that Thomas seems to garnish the drink with the bruised mint, not to mention "berries and small pieces of sliced orange". Is there an illustration of the proper garnish for a julep in the book? Maybe my glass wasn't so outsized, after all!

Edited May 7, 2007 by eje (log)

[slkinsey]

In JT's book, the difference between a Julep and Smash seems to be primarily the size of the glass, with the former calling for "large bar glass" and the latter for "small bar glass" (he writes: the smash is simply a Julep on small plan"). The Juleps seem to call for approximately 50% more liquor, so I'd assume that a small bar-glass is around 50% smaller. I somehow doubt that JT's large bar glass was the familiar pint glass we see today.

Edited May 7, 2007 by slkinsey (log)

[eje]

In JT's book, the difference between a Julep and Smash seems to be primarily the size of the glass, with the former calling for "large bar glass" and the latter for "small bar glass" (he writes: the smash is simply a Julep on small plan").  The Juleps seem to call for approximately 50% more liquor, so I'd assume that a small bar-glass is around 50% smaller.  I somehow doubt that JT's large bar glass was the familiar pint glass we see today.

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Yep, I doubt Mr. Thomas was using Speakeasy Pint glasses, too.

However, I seem to recall either Chas Baker or David Embury recommending a julep glass no smaller than 14 ounces. I'll have to track down the reference when I get home tonight.

Anyone know what specific glassware "Large Bar Glass" might refer to? Double Old-Fashioned?

[eje]

I'm not 100% sure that a "large bar-glass" didn't refer to the glass portion of a boston shaker or similar.

For example, in the Coffee Cocktail, the instructions seem to indicate to build the drink and shake in a "large bar-glass", then strain into a "medium bar goblet".

Coffee Cocktail.

(Use a large bar-glass.)

Take 1 tea-spoonful powdered white sugar.

1 fresh egg.

1 large wine-glass of port wine.

1 pony of brandy.

2 or 3 lumps of ice.

Break the egg into the glass, put in the sugar, and lastly the port wine, brandy and ice. Shake up very thoroughly, and strain into a medium bar goblet. Grate a little nutmeg on top before serving.

The name of this drink is a misnomer, as coffee and

bitters are not to be found among its ingredients, but

it looks like coffee when it has been properly concocted,

and hence probably its name.

Other cocktails served in the same "large bar-glass" they are mixed in include punches and cobblers.

Edited May 7, 2007 by eje (log)

[slkinsey]

Was the Boston shaker in use back in those days? These days the glass portion of a Boston shaker is approximately a heavy pint glass. I have a hard time believing this was equivalent to a large bar glass 150 years ago.

[eje]

Was the Boston shaker in use back in those days?  These days the glass portion of a Boston shaker is approximately a heavy pint glass. I have a hard time believing this was equivalent to a large bar glass 150 years ago.

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Well, he's saying to use some sort of "large bar-glass", make a cocktail in the glass, and then "shake" it in the glass, and then strain it into another glass.

I dunno how you could do that, unless you employed something like a Boston Shaker.

Did "shake" or "bar-glass" mean something else back then?

I dunno about back then or NY; but, I don't think anyone started drinking beer out of tempered pint glasses in Wisconsin until the 1990s. Strictly those thin 12 oz glasses when I was growing up. Mugs, if you were lucky enough to go to a German Bar or restaurant.

Weren't the tempered bar glasses behind the bar as mixing glasses first, and then put to use for serving beer, later?

[eje]

[...]

However, I seem to recall either Chas Baker or David Embury recommending a julep glass no smaller than 14 ounces.  I'll have to track down the reference when I get home tonight.

[...]

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Embury, in "The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks", gives his 7 specific tips for successful Juleps. I've slightly edited them, and include one of the three Julep recipes from the book below.

1.  Use very tall 14- or 16-ounce containers, whether of glass or of silver...

2.  Unless the drink itself is to be chilled...thoroughly pre-chill the glasses...for at least a half-hour...

3.  Use fresh mint and (except as garnish) only the small, tender leaves at the end of each sprig...

4.  Use only the best-quality bonded bourbon--the older the better.  If you want to make a Rye Julep, or a Rum Julep, or a Gin Julep, or a Brandy Julep, well and good, but you will be on your own.  I am not a Kentucky colonel--in fact have only been to Kentucky once--but am firmly convinced that all other Juleps are only inferior imitations of those made with good Kentucky bourbon.

5.  Use sugar syrup, not dry sugar...  (Embury recommends a 3-1 syrup- eje)

6.  For the garnish use nothing but tender, young, sprigs of mint...

7.  Use shaved or finely crushed ice--not merely cracked ice.  If you have a mechanical crusher...set it for the finest crush.  If you use a canvas bag and mallet, pound until the ice is like snow.  Discard all lumps.

Julep No. 1 (Noted in the table of contents as the "Author's Favorite". - eje)  In a bar glass place, for each drink, 1 Tablespoonful sugar syrup, about a dozen tender young mint leaves, and 2 or 3 good dashes of Angostura.  If you don't like bitters, leave them out, but, in my opinion, they add enormously to the character of the drink.  Bruise the mint gently with a muddler and blend the three ingredients by stirring and pressing gently for several minutes.  Do not crush the leaves, for this releases the bitter, inner juices.  Pour about 2 ounces of bourbon for each drink into the bar glass and stir all thoroughly together.

Remove the Julep glasses from the refrigerator, pack them with the crushed ice (don't let bare hands touch the glasses) and strain the contents of each bar glass into them.  With a long bar spoon churn the contents of the glasses up and down for a few minutes.  Add more ice and fill each glass to within about 3/8" to 1/4" of the top with bourbon and repeat the churning process until the glasses start to frost.

Insert long straws in the glasses, decorate with sugared mint sprigs, and serve.

My god, but he could be a particular cuss. The very definition of a bar bore. He's certainly no Judge J. Soule Smith!

[Splificator]

Was the Boston shaker in use back in those days?  These days the glass portion of a Boston shaker is approximately a heavy pint glass. I have a hard time believing this was equivalent to a large bar glass 150 years ago.

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Actually, the Boston Shaker as thing, if not as name, goes back to the 1840s. And the old mixing tin I have perfectly fits a modern pint glass. There were smaller sizes, though, which fit an 8 oz and a 12-oz glass. So that pint-sized Julep would not have caused eye-goggling or undue comment.

And I'll add that I've tried peppermint more than a few times in Juleps but found it too pungent for my taste. If you really, really like mint, you'll really, really like peppermint. i like mint well enough, but I guess not that much.

[slkinsey]

Hmm. That's interesting. If you consider that JT was really talking about making a Julep in a pint glass, with only around 3 ounces of spirits plus a dash or two of rum for aroma, it would have been a pretty weak drink. Or, I suppose, most of the top half of the glass would have been ice with no liquor and the customer would have simply sipped only the part on the bottom?

[Splificator]

Hmm.  That's interesting.  If you consider that JT was really talking about making a Julep in a pint glass, with only around 3 ounces of spirits plus a dash or two of rum for aroma, it would have been a pretty weak drink.  Or, I suppose, most of the top half of the glass would have been ice with no liquor and the customer would have simply sipped only the part on the bottom?

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Good point. My old shaker is from the 1880s, when they were available in different sizes, and it's probably the largest. The "large bar glass" JT used in the 1860s was, as far as I can determine, in the 12-oz range, while the "small bar glass" held 6-8 oz. These things don't seem to have been fully standardized, though, until later.

[slkinsey]

So, this raises an interesting question: are we making our Juleps too strong? Dave, your recipe calls for 3.5 ounces of booze in an 8 ounce glass. Jerry calls for 3 ounces in a 12 ounce glass. How would that work? Would it have been the case that there was a lot more melting (and thus a weaker overall drink) back in the 18C? Or would the strength have been about the same, and there would have been several inches of "dry" crushed ice on the top of the drink?

[Splificator]

So, this raises an interesting question:  are we making our Juleps too strong?  Dave, your recipe calls for 3.5 ounces of booze in an 8 ounce glass.  Jerry calls for 3 ounces in a 12 ounce glass.  How would that work?  Would it have been the case that there was a lot more melting (and thus a weaker overall drink) back in the 18C?  Or would the strength have been about the same, and there would have been several inches of "dry" crushed ice on the top of the drink?

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Too strong? No such thing.

What with the water used for dissolving the sugar and leaving room for the berries and pieces of orange, the 12-oz glass seems to fill up pretty well. And with shaved or finely-cracked ice, the liquid seems to go pretty much all of the way up the glass. I don't get the 'dry' crushed ice effect, even when I make these in pint glasses.

But there's definitely a lot of water blended in with the booze; back then, this would've been a kindness--their brandies were stronger than the universal 80 proof we get now. But even with that 80-proof, these don't come off as weak.

[slkinsey]

Too strong? No such thing.

Heh. I agree.

Seems like, from what you describe, that extra-fine ice would be important if you're going to make it in a 12 ounce glass.

[bostonapothecary]

Too strong? No such thing.

Heh. I agree.

Seems like, from what you describe, that extra-fine ice would be important if you're going to make it in a 12 ounce glass.

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mechanics of it all.....

if its too cold is your tongue too numb to taste any of it....like an over chilled white wine??

isn't the theory of adding sugar to a fine spirit to stretch the flavor on your tongue so you can have more time to experience the nuance?

[eje]

Well, Juleps were "breakfast" drinks, were they not?

their brandies were stronger than the universal 80 proof we get now

Ahem, if you were getting actual brandy, and not Mr. Thomas' signature "Essence of Cognac"!

[slkinsey]

if its too cold is your tongue too numb to taste any of it....like an over chilled white wine??

I think the evidence is that it's still possible to taste a Julep just fine even after it has reached a low thermal equilibrium. Certainly there is an effect in which flavor sensations are changed by low temperatures, and overall "more" things will be tastable at warmer temperatures. But that's not always a bad thing.

isn't the theory of adding sugar to a fine spirit to stretch the flavor on your tongue so you can have more time to experience the nuance?

I don't think so... Do people really think that adding sugar to room temperature cognac would give tasters "more time to experience the nuance"? I've never heard that theory.

One reason to add sugar to cocktails is that perceptions of sweetness are inhibited by low temperatures. Therefore, a spirit that tastes balanced at room temperature may not hafe sufficient sweetness to be balanced when it is chilled. This is easily observable at home. Take a couple ounces of rye whiskey and tip in a short dash of bitters. Taste it at room temperature. It tastes just right. Now, dump the rest of the whiskey and bitters mixture into a shaker of ice and shake the crap out of it. Strain and taste it again. Suddenly it doesn't have enough sweetness to be balanced. This is why a Whiskey Cocktail includes teaspoon or so of thick simple syrup -- to bring the chilled drink back into balance. When the cocktail warms up, voilà!: it is now too sweet.

[bostonapothecary]

if its too cold is your tongue too numb to taste any of it....like an over chilled white wine??

I think the evidence is that it's still possible to taste a Julep just fine even after it has reached a low thermal equilibrium. Certainly there is an effect in which flavor sensations are changed by low temperatures, and overall "more" things will be tastable at warmer temperatures. But that's not always a bad thing.

isn't the theory of adding sugar to a fine spirit to stretch the flavor on your tongue so you can have more time to experience the nuance?

I don't think so... Do people really think that adding sugar to room temperature cognac would give tasters "more time to experience the nuance"? I've never heard that theory.

One reason to add sugar to cocktails is that perceptions of sweetness are inhibited by low temperatures. Therefore, a spirit that tastes balanced at room temperature may not hafe sufficient sweetness to be balanced when it is chilled. This is easily observable at home. Take a couple ounces of rye whiskey and tip in a short dash of bitters. Taste it at room temperature. It tastes just right. Now, dump the rest of the whiskey and bitters mixture into a shaker of ice and shake the crap out of it. Strain and taste it again. Suddenly it doesn't have enough sweetness to be balanced. This is why a Whiskey Cocktail includes teaspoon or so of thick simple syrup -- to bring the chilled drink back into balance. When the cocktail warms up, voilà!: it is now too sweet.

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very interesting.... so the colder the better to negate any cloying effect.... but it still stretches the sensation on the tongue giving you time to taste more..... i always thought that is what the sazerac and the mint julep were all about when using really fine spirits....

[slkinsey]

I'm still not sure I buy the "stretching the sensation" thing. You're saying that you think the addition of sugar lengthens the duration of time the flavor is sensed? The duration of the finish? Both?

[ThinkingBartender]

Just remembered a variation of the Mint Julep that I came up with in 2004 (Riverwalk):

Ginger and Lemongrass, Mint Julep.

(Needs a catchier name, rather than the above genus-type descriptive name!-)

2 1/2 shots of Makers Mark,

1 shot Ginger and Lemongrass Cordial

6-8 Mint Leaves (fragrant),

Add the Mint Leaves and Cordial to a 12oz tall glass, gently bruise the mint. Fill the glass with crushed ice. Add the Bourbon. Garnish with a mint sprig. two straws.

Cheers!

George

[Splificator]

Seems like, from what you describe, that extra-fine ice would be important if you're going to make it in a 12 ounce glass.

It is in fact essential. Lacking a huge block of ice to shave, I rely on the ol' Lewis bag or one of a number of canvas sacks I've managed to accumulate (Tony Abou Ghanim's new TAG Bar line has a great one--bigger than the Lewis, but not so large as to be unwieldy). Just put the ice in and whack the bejeezus out of it. You want it to become as fine as snow, with lumps no bigger than 1/4 inch or so.

[slkinsey]

Dave! That's no solution. Clearly you need a dedicated freezer in which to make gigantic blocks of ice.

[ThinkingBartender]

Dave!  That's no solution.  Clearly you need a dedicated freezer in which to make gigantic blocks of ice.

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You mean you don't already?

A domestic freezer filled with old ice-cream containers (filled with water).

[Splificator]

Dave!  That's no solution.  Clearly you need a dedicated freezer in which to make gigantic blocks of ice.

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Funny, that's what I keep telling my wife.