Our good friend Pete Wagner, Ambassador to Brown-Forman for the State of Ohio, stopped by the Qfm96 studio for an “I’d Tap That” edition of the Joe Show Drive at 5. Pete came to talk about the Kentucky Derby, which is scheduled to run at its normal time this year at 50% capacity on Saturday, May 1st. Pete treated Archie to 4 of the official cocktails of the Kentucky Derby that you can make easily at home. You can’t have the Derby without the traditional “Mint Julep” made featuring Old Forester, simple syrup, and fresh mint leaves. For those that aren’t fans of mint, you can sip on the “Woodford Spire” – named for the twin spires atop Churchill Downs – featuring Woodford Reserve, fresh lemonade, and cranberry juice. And for those of you who don’t like bourbon, you can enjoy the Oaks Lily made with Finlandia Vodka, sweet and sour mix, and cranberry juice. Finally, Pete spared no expense by telling us how to make the famed “$1,000 Mint Julep” – this year containing Woodford Reserve, cherry juice, mint, and vanilla bean pod. Check out all the recipes below so you can enjoy the official drinks of the Kentucky Derby while you watch with friends or at home.
Mint Julep
- 2oz Old Forester
- .75oz simple syrup
- 8-10 mint leaves
- 3 mint sprigs for garnish
- crushed ice
Woodford Spire
- 1.5oz Woodford Reserve
- 2oz lemonade
- 1oz cranberry juice
- lemon twist garnish
- crushed ice
Oaks Lily
- 1.25oz Finlandia Vodka
- 1oz sweet and sour mix
- .25oz Triple Sec
- 3oz Cranberry Juice
- crushed ice
$1,000 Mint Julep
- 2oz Woodford Reserve
- .5oz cherry juice
- .5 vanilla bean pod (cut into small segments)
- 1tsp powdered sugar
- mint sprig, cherry, and vanilla bean pod for garnish
- crushed ice
**Please remember to drink responsibly