Mint Julep Mocktail

Before you start

A mint julep is little more than bourbon, sugar and mint over mountains of crushed ice, served so cold the cup frosts. Without the bourbon, the challenge is replacing its oak, caramel and vanilla depth. Strong black tea brings the tannin and grip, rich demerara syrup supplies toffee-like sweetness, and a few drops of vanilla extract suggest barrel aging without making the drink taste like dessert.

Two things matter more than any ingredient. The mint should be pressed gently, never shredded, or it turns grassy and bitter. And the ice must be finely crushed and packed high, so the drink chills fast and the cup forms a frosty coat. Most of the mint flavor actually comes from the bouquet at the top, which you smell as you sip.

Ingredients

• Tea4 g (2 tsp loose or 2 tea bags) black tea — Assam or Ceylon
• 150 ml (5 oz) water — just off the boil
• Julep8 to 10 fresh mint leaves — spearmint
• 15 ml (½ oz) rich demerara syrup (2:1)
• 75 ml (2½ oz) strong black tea, chilled
• 2 drops (about ⅛ tsp) vanilla extract — optional
• 2 cups (about 300 g) finely crushed ice
• Garnish3 to 4 sprigs fresh mint — for a full bouquet
• 1 pinch powdered sugar — optional

Method

1. Steep the tea in 150 ml water just off the boil for 4 minutes. Strain, let it cool, and chill until cold.
2. Put the mint leaves and demerara syrup in the julep cup. Press the leaves gently with the muddler three or four times, just enough to bruise them and release their oil.
3. Add the cold tea and the vanilla, if using, and stir to combine.
4. Fill the cup halfway with crushed ice and churn with the bar spoon for 10 seconds, lifting the mint up through the ice. The outside of the cup should start to frost.
5. Pack more crushed ice on top, mounding it above the rim into a dome.
6. Slap the mint sprigs between your hands, tuck them in next to the straw so they sit right under your nose, and dust with powdered sugar if you like. Hold the cup by the rim or base so the frost stays on.

Tips for success

• No Lewis bag? Wrap ice cubes in a clean kitchen towel and hit them with a rolling pin until fine.
• Trim the straw short so you have to put your nose into the mint bouquet to sip.
• Pre-chill the metal cup in the freezer for the best frost.

Substitutions

Black tea

Rooibos gives a caffeine-free, naturally sweet and woody base. Use 5 g and steep for 6 minutes.

Rich demerara syrup

Use 22 ml of 1:1 simple syrup. The drink will be lighter and less caramel-like.

Vanilla extract

A non-alcoholic bourbon alternative replaces the tea for a closer copy. Use 60 ml and keep 15 ml tea for grip.

Variations

Peach julep

Muddle two slices of ripe peach with the mint and add 5 ml more syrup.

Pitcher of juleps

Mix 450 ml cold tea, 90 ml demerara syrup and 6 drops vanilla. Pour 90 ml into each cup over bruised mint and crushed ice.

Troubleshooting

It tastes grassy or bitter

The mint was over-muddled. Press, do not grind, and avoid using stems.

The ice melts into a watery pool

The tea was warm or the ice was coarse. Chill the tea fully and crush the ice finely.

There is no frost on the cup

Glass cups frost poorly. Use a metal cup, chill it first, and keep warm hands off the sides.

Storage

Brewed tea keeps 2 days covered in the refrigerator, and rich demerara syrup up to a month. Build the julep to order, as crushed ice melts quickly.

Safety notes

Each julep uses 75 ml of strong black tea, so it carries a moderate amount of caffeine. FDA cites 400 mg a day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most healthy adults; sensitivity varies.