Blueberry Citrus Julep is a Twist on the Classic Derby Cocktail

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This Blueberry Citrus Julep is the perfect sip when you’re wanting something light and fruity, but still a little serious. No umbrellas or pineapple wedges here. Just a slightly sophisticated drink.

I love a good bourbon cocktail, but traditional mint juleps have never made it into my regular drink rotation. Mostly because I think they could be better! So let’s make them better - starting with blueberry brown sugar syrup instead of simple syrup. And some fresh citrus and bitters to offset the sweetness.

Makes 1 cocktail.

8 mint leaves
0.25 oz fresh lemon juice
0.25 oz fresh orange juice
1 oz blueberry brown sugar syrup (recipe below)
2 oz bourbon
2 dashes orange bitters
1 oz sparkling water/club soda

Place mint leaves, lemon juice and orange juice in a rocks glass.

Muddle to break up the mint leaves.

Add blueberry brown sugar syrup, bourbon, and bitters to the glass.

Add ice.

Top with sparkling water.

Stir gently to combine and garnish with a large sprig of mint and/or slices of orange.

Enjoy!

Blueberry Brown Sugar Syrup

1 cup blueberries
¾ cup brown sugar
1 cup water

Place everything in a small pot over medium heat.

Blueberries, brown sugar and water in a pot

Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes until the mixture foams up and the blueberries start to burst open.

Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.

Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl. Pour blueberry mixture through the sieve, gently pressing the berry to release all of the juice.

Remove sieve and discard remaining berry remnants.

Place syrup in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Make sure your syrup is completely chilled before using.

Tips for Blueberry Citrus Juleps

What can I use instead of brown sugar in the syrup?

You can swap white sugar for brown sugar in the blueberry syrup. If you prefer an all natural sweetener, honey works well in this drink too.

Do I have to use fresh juice?

Yes! With so few ingredients in this cocktail, fresh squeezed is the best for both the lemon and orange juice. You likely need a quarter of a lemon and a quarter of an orange to get the amount of juice you need for one drink.

What kind of bourbon should I use?

Use your favorite! Traditional bourbon or rye bourbon both are delicious in this cocktail. I prefer Bulleit or Buffalo Trace in my bourbon drinks, both of which are good, mid-priced spirits.

What glassware should I use?

Traditional julep cups work great for this drink. I photographed these blueberry citrus juleps in rocks glasses so you could see the cocktail’s color, and a rocks glass is a great substitution if you don’t have silver julep cups.