Four Roses Bourbon tells BourbonBlog.com that mixologists from Louisville’s finest restaurant and bar establishments will create their own take on Derby’s Classic Cocktail, the Mint Julep, during Four Roses’ 9th Annual Rose Julep Recipe Contest on Thursday, April 19 from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Kentucky Derby Museum in this free event open to the public. BourbonBlog.com has been covering this event every years for several years, watch our video coverage from last year’s Rose Julep and see winning recipe at the bottom of this post.
Tonight’s pre-Kentucky Derby event is taking place in conjunction with The Voice-Tribune’s Third Thursday event series, will challenge Louisville-area mixologists to showcase their skills in front of a panel of food and beverage industry judges evaluating each Julep based on taste, presentation and creativity.
Competing restaurants and bars in this year’s competition include:
• Asiatique
• Avalon
• Blind Pig/Meat
• Bourbons Bistro
• Doc Crow’s
• Lilly’s
• Limestone
• Martini’s
• O’Shea’s Irish Pub
• Varanese
• Village Anchor
• Silver Dollar
“Every year I’m impressed by the innovative Mint Julep recipes created by Louisville-area bartenders,” Four Roses Master Distiller Jim Rutledge. “I’m certain this year will be no exception and I look forward to tasting their creations.”
This will mark the first time the Rose Julep Recipe Contest will take place at the Kentucky Derby Museum. Earlier this year, Four Roses sponsored the museum’s latest exhibit, Urban Bourbon. Rose Julep guests will have access to view the Urban Bourbon exhibit, along with complimentary appetizers and a cash bar featuring Four Roses julep specials.
The winner of the Rose Julep Recipe Contest will receive a $500 cash prize, two tickets to the Great Steamboat Race, a silver engraved Mint Julep cup and an engraved plaque to display at their bar or restaurant. Additional prizes will be presented to second and third place winners.
Last year was the fourth consecutive win for restaurant, Varanese, located at 2106 Frankfort Avenue in Louisville. Bartender Rory McCollister claimed the title with his “Triple Crown Mint Julep” highlighted by boiling boar bones to create a root beer simple syrup. McCollister’s Julep was also featured during a dinner at the famed James Beard House in New York City in March.
Triple Crown Rose Julep Recipe
1.5 oz. Four Roses Single Barrel
1.5 oz. rootbeer simple syrup*
mint leaves
ice
rootbeer
ginerale
– In collins glass combine bourbon, simple and mint leaves and muddle to release mint oils.
– Add ice, transfer to mixing tin and shake. Then top with splash rootbeer and 1 oz. gingerale.
– Shake litely and transfer back to glass. garnish with fresh mint.
Serve with a Chocolate Cigar** with Mint Powder ashes*** as shown in photo
*ROOTBEER AND BOAR SIMPLE SYRUP INSTRUCTIONS
– Boil boar bones in rootbeer on low heat until liquid has reduced by half.
– Remove from heat strain liquid allow to cool and then strain again removing all solids.
– Add equal amount of sugar to liguid, and boil low heat to dissolve.
CIGAR INSTRUCTIONS**
springroll shells
chocolate
caramel
– lay out springrool sheet flat. Layeron chocolate and caramel.
– Roll as if it were a cigar.
– Deep fry until golden brown and then trim ends
MINT POWDER INSTRUCTIONS***
Thin mint cookies or mint Oreos
Maltodextrin
-Combine 10cookies and 2 tbs Maltodextrin in Robocoupe.
– Blend until in looks dry or fat is absorbed
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