The state of Kentucky has a rich history in bourbon and distilleries, boasting the production of 95 percent of all the bourbon in the world. With over 9 million barrels of bourbon in the state (two barrels for every one Kentucky resident), it’s no wonder bourbon drinks and the Kentucky Derby go hand in hand.
The 2021 Kentucky Derby will air on May 1 from 12 to 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN and from 2:30 to 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Coverage is also available to stream live on NBCSports.com and on the NBC Sports app. Post time for the 2021 Kentucky Derby is set for approximately 6:57 p.m. ET.
Related: How to watch the 2021 Kentucky Derby
Get ready for the 147th Kentucky Derby with these traditional (and less traditional) bourbon cocktails, mocktails and more.
Mint Julep ingredients, recipe
The Mint Julep is a Kentucky Derby staple. In a regular year when Churchill Downs hosts spectators at 100 percent capacity, over 100,000 Mint Julep drinks are sold on Kentucky Oaks Friday and Kentucky Derby Saturday. This requires around 10,000 bottles of Mint Julep mix, 1,000 pounds of fresh mint and 60,000 pounds of ice.
To make your own Mint Julep at home, you can either purchase premade Mint Julep syrup and add ice and mint to garnish or you can make it entirely from scratch with the bourbon of your choice, simple syrup and mint, like the Kentucky Derby’s own recipe, which uses Woodford Reserve (a product of Versailles, Ky.).
Serve it up in an official Kentucky Derby 147 glass—or the Unofficial Kentucky Derby Losers cup, which honors the 146 horses that have finished in last place.
Related: Enter to win a #DerbyAtHome Mint Julep kit
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What's Derby Day without a classic mint julep?
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) April 27, 2021
Get your cocktail glasses and hats ready for today's edition of @KellyClarksonTV, and don't forget that the @KentuckyDerby comes to NBC this Saturday! pic.twitter.com/EWsnqaOZm5
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Mint Julep Mocktail
Mint Juleps aren’t just for grown ups. Keep the bourbon out and make it a mocktail, like in celebrity chef Alex Guarnaschelli’s kiddie Mint Juleps.
For those with access to Ale-8, a craft soda similar to ginger ale that is sold almost exclusively in Kentucky, make your mocktail even more intensely Bluegrass with Ale-8’s very own mock Mint Julep recipe.
Related: Recipes for traditional Kentucky Derby foods
Oaks Lily
The Oaks Lily isn’t a bourbon drink, but it does have Derby roots. The cocktail, which featured vodka, sweet and sour and cranberry juice, is the official drink of the Kentucky Oaks, which is run the day before the Derby (Friday, April 30, 12-6 p.m. ET, NBC). The official Oaks Lily recipe suggests a stemless wine glass and blackberries and lemon to garnish.
Bourbon Slush
If you’re looking for something a little cooler, try bourbon slush, a frozen, boozy concoction that puts all other slushies to shame. Besides bourbon, you’ll get tastes of tea, lemonade and orange juice.
Old Fashion
Less adventurous bourbon fans can’t go wrong with a simple Old Fashioned, which is a combination of sugar, bitters and bourbon with orange for garnish.
Related: What to know about the 2021 Kentucky Derby
Keeneland Breeze
Journey an hour and a half southeast from Churchill Downs and experience the Keeneland Breeze, named for Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky. This light, citrus-infused drink features bourbon, triple sec and ginger ale.
Black-Eyed Susan
Start prepping for the second leg of the Triple Crown (Saturday, May 15 on NBC) with the Black-Eyed Susan, the official drink of the Preakness Stakes. The Black-Eyed Susan is a sweet and fruity cocktail, and while there are many takes on the drink floating around, Pimlico’s official recipe includes vodka, bourbon and orange juice.
Belmont Jewel
Finish out the Triple Crown with the Belmont Jewel, Belmont Park’s official drink of the final Triple Crown race (Saturday, June 5 on NBC). Less sweet than the Black-Eyed Susan but still citrusy for an early summer feel, the official Belmont Jewel recipe contains bourbon, lemonade, pomegranate juice and orange zest.
Watch the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 1 from 12 to 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN and from 2:30 to 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Full coverage is also available on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.