NYRA Bets wants to know How to Make Kentucky Derby Cocktails

A message from our sponsor:

Bet the Kentucky Derby with NYRA Bets! New players who join today will receive a free $25 bet, and also earn up to a $200 deposit match new member bonus!

NYRA Bets is the official betting partner of Saratoga and the Belmont Stakes. Available nationwide in 30 states, NYRA Bets offers best-in-class HD live video and replays, online contests to compete with other NYRA Bets players, exclusive promotions that give back more, and expert picks and analysis. With an easy to use, free to download app, betting the Kentucky Derby online with a free $25 bet has never been easier.

Sign up here and get your free $25 bet now!

---

Celebrate responsibly by indulging in only the most delicious Kentucky Derby cocktails ahead of the 147th run for the roses.

Traditional Mint Julep

• Crushed Ice
• 2 oz. water
• 2 oz. bourbon
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 4 mint leaves

Mint Juleps aren’t for everyone. Don’t let a bad one sour your first Mint Julep experience. That bad one very well could come from Churchill Downs. Get some supplies together at home and try it before you buy it. It’s pretty simple if you can heat water.

The recipe above is for folks who want to hastily throw together a julep. Do the right thing and concoct a big batch of simple syrup ahead of time by using a one-to-one ratio. Just pour a cup of water into a hot pan, add the sugar and heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once the simple syrup cools, muddle it with the mint leaves in the bottom of a glass, add a couple shots of bourbon and you got yourself a cocktail. Feeling extra froggy? Throw in some fresh fruit to personalize your mint julep experience.

The Woodford Spire

• Crushed ice
• 1.5 oz. of Woodford Reserve
• 2 oz. lemonade
• 1 oz. cranberry juice
• Lemon twist garnish

If strong bourbon isn’t your thing, adding fruit to your mint julep might not sweeten up the cocktail enough. In that case, try this cranberry lemonade Woodford concoction.

Oaks Lily

• 1 part vodka
• 1 part Sweet n Sour
• 3 parts cranberry juice
• 1/4 part Triple Sec

My wife’s favorite drink, the ratios above are different than the official recipe.  The trick is to make it with the frozen cranberry juice (and be liberal with the Triple Sec). A lily should be lighter than a cranberry vodka. If you really want to make it refreshing, pour it in a blender and add ice to make a tasty frozen lily.

Mrs. Tyler’s Bourbonade

• 2 cups unsweetened ice tea
• 1/2 cup sugar or Splenda
• 1 12 oz. can of frozen lemonade
• 1 12 oz. can frozen limeade
• 1 750 ml bottle of bourbon
• 7 cups water

Cranberry lemonade? Who needs that when you can just have Bourbonade. Mrs. Tyler Thompson’s homemade summer cocktail recipe will give you one gallon of deliciousness that can be used to toast to Derby Day or any day.

Gins and Roses

• .5 oz lemon juice
• .5 oz Rose & peppercorn infused syrup
• .5 oz Aperol
• 1.5 oz gin

Cheers!