In town for the Kentucky Derby? Here are 10 places to get a mint julep in Louisville
If you’ll be in Louisville for the 150th Kentucky Derby, you might be in the mood for a mint julep. This is the town where you’ll see a “You’re the mint to my julep” mural, where you can join a tour via a company called Mint Julep Experiences or graduate from Mint Julep University.
At its most basic, the mint julep is a cocktail made with bourbon, mint and simple syrup. You can find iterations at various bars, but if you've never had one, go for the classic.
Still, mint juleps don’t grow on trees year-round around here. Some bars proudly do not serve the cocktail long associated with Kentucky and its famous horse race, even during Mint Julep Month, celebrated each April in Louisville.
As the historic running of the Derby gets closer to kicking off, you can expect plenty of places to get in on the julep game. Here are several bars to taste a little bit of Louisville lore.
Angel's Envy Distillery
500 E. Main St., angelsenvy.com/us/en/bourbon-distillery-tours-louisville
Angel's Envy opened the first full-production whiskey distillery along Whiskey Row in the heart of downtown Louisville in 2016. Since then, it's been a tourist destination and its Toasting Bar, one of the newer features at the distillery, is no exception.
Sip on a Ramble On at Angel's Envy this Mint Julep Month, a take on a Bramble cocktail influenced by a Kentucky-style mint julep and inspired by Led Zeppelin's 1969 hit, "Ramble On."
The Brown Hotel
335 W. Broadway, brownhotel.com
Visiting the century-old Brown Hotel in downtown Louisville will inevitably bring up stories about the Hot Brown, the famous sandwich invented here, made with roast turkey, lightly charred tomatoes, creamy Mornay sauce, crisp bacon, and melted cheese. There’s something else to try, though.
The Brown Hotel is known to make a mean mint julep, with a side of history. Its version, priced at $14, is made with Jim Beam bourbon, simple syrup, and fresh mint. Enjoy sipping this classic cocktail while taking in the tradition seeping through the walls of the hotel that opened in 1923.
Buzzard's Roost
624 Main St., buzzardsroostwhiskey.com
This new addition to Whiskey Row in downtown Louisville will add a Cucumber Mint Julep to its bar menu starting April 10. If you want to dig deeper into the julep journey, the distillery offers a “Superfecta Cocktail Class,” in which you can learn the process of making three variations of the julep.
For more information on the class, which costs $75, visit buzzardsroostwhiskey.com.
Derby Cafe & Bourbon Bar
704 Central Ave., derbymuseum.org/plan-a-visit/derby-cafe.html
After learning about all things Derby during a tour of the Kentucky Derby Museum, enjoy your newfound knowledge by sipping something from the museum’s cafe and bar, where the $16 mint julep is printed on the top of the cocktail menu. This traditional take comes with Old Forester, house-made mint syrup, and fresh mint. You’ll be close to where the action happens, with Churchill Downs just a few steps away.
The cafe is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Doc Crow's Southern Smokehouse & Raw Bar
27 W Main St., doccrows.com
Doc Crow’s brings its own spin with a Mint Julep Lemonade, made with Elijah Craig small batch, lemon juice, and simple syrup. The $14 drink is served, of course, over crushed ice. This spacious Southern eatery is worth a visit for more than just a cocktail, as it serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Down One Bourbon Bar
321 W Main St., downonebourbonbar.com
While the mint julep isn’t on the official menu at Down One, you just have to ask. The cocktail is always available at this cozy bar and restaurant next to KFC Yum! Center, which also boasts a super long list of bourbon options. The house mint julep costs $12 and is made with fresh mint and handmade simple syrup.
You can learn more about the classic cocktail during a Derby-themed Cocktail Class at Down One Bourbon Bar on April 30. A $40 ticket includes three cocktails and light appetizers. You'll learn to make an Old Forester Mint Julep, a Tito’s Lily, and a Woodford Spire, all drinks served during Kentucky Derby Week at Churchill Downs.
Old Forester Distillery
119 W. Main St., oldforester.com/distillery/
Celebrate Mint Julep Month at the Old Forester Distillery, home of the Official Mint Julep of the Kentucky Derby. This year, sip on the classic or try one of three new riffs featured all month at George’s Bar.
The traditional mint julep, $16, is made with Old Forester 86 Proof, simple syrup, and fresh mint leaves. The distillery is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Old Seelbach Bar
500 S. 4th St., seelbachhilton.com/dining
There’s more than one reason to visit Old Seelbach Bar, one of which is you can recreate a photo of F. Scott Fitzgerald on the steps. The historic hotel bar with a deep bourbon collection and ties to the early 1900s is a great idea if you're visiting Louisville, but no bets on whether it’ll live up to "The Great Gatsby."
The bar’s mint julep might be the icing on the cake.
ON3 Bar
528 W Main St., evanwilliams.com/visit-us
Here’s another option on Whiskey Row, the one-block entertainment district once home to Kentucky's thriving bourbon industry. The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience has re-staked its claim there as “the first distillery to return to downtown since Prohibition.” In honor of Mint Julep Month, ON3 Bar will feature a traditional version of the drink along with a mint julep with a lavender twist.
Paseo
900 Baxter Ave., paseolouisville.com
This new-ish restaurant in the Highlands neighborhood plans to offer a Moroccan Mint Julep, made with Angel’s Envy bourbon, fresh Moroccan Mint Tea, and Demerara Simple Syrup. The $15 drink will be served frozen, which should pair nicely with a view of the restaurant’s next-door pool. Both are part of The Myriad Hotel.
Reach food reporter Amanda Hancock at ahancock@courier-journal.com.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Where to get a mint julep in Louisville for the Kentucky Derby
