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Since becoming the official drink of the Kentucky Derby in 1938, the Mint Julep can be credited for the spike in bourbon sales every first weekend in May. Nearly 120,000 Mint Juleps are served at Churchill Downs on Derby weekend. But this weekend, there is no need for a fancy hat or a trip to Kentucky. Instead, you can stay right here in Kansas to enjoy this classic beverage with corn-based spirits from our great state thanks to Boot Hill Distillery.
Distillery owner Hayes Kelman, and his wife Shelby, are both members of the Kansas Corn Growers Association, alumni of the Kansas Corn Corps Program and southwest Kansas farmers. So you could say we are a little biased when it comes to our choice in Kansas-made whiskey. But their story is also pretty cool.
Boot Hill Distillery’s story began in 2014, when southwest Kansas farmers Roger and Hayes Kelman decided to invest in Kansas’ first Soil to Sip distillery. When considering location, Dodge City’s history made the wild west cowtown the clear choice for the craft distillery. The father and son wanted to add value to the grains grown on their fifth-generation family farm, and now, Boot Hill Distillery exclusively uses grain grown on Kelman Farms, 50 miles west of the Distillery, to manufacture its spirits. The building’s location atop the original Boot Hill Cemetery weaves past to present, and today, a different type of spirit inhabits Boot Hill.
“We often think about the corn Kansas farmers grow being fed to beef cattle for perfectly marbled steaks or used to produce ethanol for sustainable fuel in our vehicles,” says Hayes, “but our favorite use of corn can be found in your glass of bourbon. Kansas farmers grow some of the best corn available, and we are proud to use only Kansas grown grains in all of our products.”
In 2021, Boot Hill Distillery took home prizes from the Heartland Whiskey Competition, winning Best in State for their Wabash Reserve Bourbon Whiskey. This competition is a judged, biennial competition overseen by the American Craft Spirits Association. We are sponsors of the Kansas Best in State Award, which Boot Hill Distillery has won for the last 3 competitions. In 2019, they won the award for Best Corn Whiskey overall at the competition for their Boot Hill Distillery Moonshine.
They have shared with us their Mint Julep recipe so you can make it at home or you can buy these cocktails pre-mixed! Click here to see if a liquor store near you carries Boot Hill Distillery products.
Gently muddle the 5 mint leaves with the simple syrup in a Mint Julep cup. Add the whiskey, then fill the glass with crushed ice. Garnish with mint sprig and serve.
NOTE: While the original Mint Julep recipe calls for bourbon, this one uses red eye whiskey, one of the first spirits distilled by BHD and a favorite among their fans.
