It’s hot, and you don’t like to drink the chilled rice-based swill that passes for “beer”. What do? Perhaps the mint julep…is right for you.
Mint julep recipes are highly variable, but have several things in common: mint, sugar, bourbon, and ice. The IBA recipe:
6 cL Bourbon whiskey
4 mint leaves
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
2 teaspoons water
In a highball glass gently muddle the mint, sugar and water. Fill the glass with cracked ice, add Bourbon and stir well until the glass is well frosted. Garnish with a mint sprig.
Aside from the fact that this is a triple-strong drink — which may or may not be what you want — it’s light on the mint. I’m not sold on powdered sugar either. By the way, in this and other julep recipes it’s assumed that the highball glass is metal, hence the “until frosted” direction. Don’t wait for glass glasses to frost. Silver straw optional.