Independent Atlanta bartender Tiffanie Barriere prepares a mint julep at Parlor.

Independent Atlanta bartender Tiffanie Barriere prepares a mint julep at Parlor. / GPB

This weekend, it's all about the hats, the horses and the bourbon.

On Saturday, the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Lousville will take place.

Whether you'll be at the race itself or here in Atlanta watching on TV, many people will be sipping on a mint julep.

GPB's Leah Fleming travels to Parlor in Atlanta to learn more about the history of the mint julep

Not only has the mint julep been the official drink of the Kentucky Derby for nearly a century, but it is also rooted deeply in Southern culture.

GPB's Leah Fleming traveled to Parlor, a pre-prohibition style cocktail lounge in Atlanta, to meet with independent bartender Tiffanie Barriere and learn some history about the mint julep.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIg5jfgJD1g

 

Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Recipe

  • 3 oz. Bourbon Whiskey
  • 0.75 oz. Simple Syrup
  • 8-10 mint leaves
  • 3 mint sprigs, far garnish

 

  1. Pack mint julep cup with crushed ice.
  2. In a mixing glass, combine bourbon, syrup, and mint leaves.
  3. Lightly bruise mint leaves with a muddler, strain contents into julep cup.
  4. Garnish with 3 generous sprigs of mint.
  5. *Make sure to slap mint and insert straw into ice near mint.

Tiffanie spoke more about the black connection to bartending and alcohol in the Bitter Southerner Podcast, hosted by Chuck Reece:

Tags: Mint Julep  Kentucky Derby  Atlanta  Georgia  Macon  Savannah