Love Mint Juleps? You’ll Love This Strawberry-Rhubarb Spin
This strawberry-rhubarb-infused Mint Julep is a fun spin on the classic! Plus, it calls for an easy DIY rhubarb syrup, which can be used in a variety of delicious ways — and makes a great homemade gift.
Few flavor combos conjure spring quite like strawberry-rhubarb, and today, we have a strawberry-rhubarb cocktail recipe inspired by the upcoming Kentucky Derby! This springy spin on the classic Mint Julep comes to us from the team at Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery in Nashville, TN.
Strawberry and rhubarb are the perfect tart-sweet combination for jams and pies, and as it turns out, the same goes for cocktails. “Rhubarb has this beautifully bright, spring flavor with a lot of tart and herbaceous notes, so it balances with the strawberry and the other, sweeter components of the cocktail,” says Erica Dahlgren, Hospitality Manager at Nelson’s Green Brier.
PinWe love the look of copper julep cups! You can find copper-plated stainless steel cups on Amazon for about $16 each. Image: Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery
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The recipe includes instructions for an easy homemade rhubarb syrup (which can also be mixed with sparkling water, lemonade, or iced tea!) and rhubarb bitters.
If you don’t have rhubarb bitters on hand, you can go without them. This will alter the flavor of the cocktail slightly, as bitters work to balance the sweetness of whiskey, but it will still be delicious. Luckily, there’s still time to snag a bottle before Derby weekend — Fee Brothers makes great rhubarb bitters, available at most liquor stores and on Amazon.
Don’t forget the pebble ice if you can get your hands on it — crushed ice if you can’t — and plenty of fresh mint sprigs for garnish!
PinHomemade rhubarb syrup calls for only four ingredients — chopped rhubarb, sugar, water, and a dash of vanilla extract. It’s great for cocktails, mocktails, or even drizzling over cakes and sweet breads!
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Rhubarb Mint Julep
If you're looking for the perfect springy spin in the classic Mint Julep, this is it.
2dashesrhubarb bitters(Fee Brothers brand is great)
Pebble ice and fresh mint sprigs for garnish
Rhubarb Syrup
2cupschopped rhubarb
1cup sugar
1dashvanilla extract
Instructions
Rhubarb Mint Julep
Add strawberries, mint leaves, and rhubarb bitters to a julep tin and muddle gently. Add rhubarb syrup (recipe below) and whiskey. Fill the tin ¾ full with pebble ice and stir gently with a bar spoon. Top with additional ice to create a snow cone top, and garnish with a mint bouquet.
Rhubarb Syrup
To make the rhubarb syrup, combine two cups of chopped rhubarb with two cups of sugar and two cups of water. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Strain the rhubarb and add a dash of vanilla extract. Store in the refrigerator for up to four weeks.
Alissa Harb is StyleBlueprint's Managing Editor, based in Nashville. A lifelong Tennessee native, Alissa has over 14 years of experience in digital media and loves writing about food, travel, and entertaining. She is a lover of dogs, true crime, and ordering for the table.
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Prefer to stick with the original? Learn to make the classic Mint Julep HERE.
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