Riverstone Wine Spirits & Brew

Mixology: Mint Julep - Kentucky Derby

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 18:59:26 GMT

Many people look forward to this time of year. It’s the time of big hats, pretty sundresses, big money, and horse races. If you’re part of the demographic who partakes in this social status event each year, you may have fallen in love with the age-old drink that accompanies the event each year. The Mint Julep drink has been a Kentucky Derby favorite for decades. In fact, over 80,000 of these drinks are served at the derby itself each year. If you’re planning on hosting a derby party at your home, here’s the best recipe you’ll find for a Mint Julep without having to hire an expensive bartender.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Leaves from 4-6 mint sprigs

2 sugar cubes or ½ ounce of simple syrup

2 and ½ ounces of bourbon whiskey

How To Make The Drink

Place the mint and simple syrup or sugar into a julep cup.

Mix well to dissolve the sugar and to release the oil and aroma of the mint.

Add the bourbon.

Fill with crushed ice and stir well until the glass becomes frosty.

Garnish with mint sprig.

And just like that, you’re going to be deemed the best derby host in Cleveland when you serve up these Mint Juleps. Chances are that this occasion won’t be the only time of year that you’ll be enjoying a tasty Mint Julep after giving this recipe a whirl. Enjoy and drink responsibly.

Mixology: Pineapple Rum Punch

Tue, 09 Jul 2019 19:18:00 GMT

While some of us get to travel to exotic locations this summer, others of us can only dream of far away beach vacations and island paradises. For those of us stuck at home this extraordinarily hot summer, we’ve put together a simple drink to at least help you feel like your toes are tucked in the cool sand of an island getaway – Pineapple Rum Punch. Ingredients are listed below, simply put them all together, mix thoroughly, and play ocean sounds on your phone.

4 1/2 Cups Pineapple Juice

1 1/2 Cups Orange Juice

1 Cup Peach Mango Juice

2 Cups Rum

3 Tablespoons Grenadine

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Tasting: Els Iced Coffee

Fri, 31 May 2019 07:45:00 GMT

When: Friday May 31 5-7pm

Feeling a little tired going into the weekend? We’ve got what you need this Friday – Ice Coffee with a Kick! Come on down and try some drinks we’ll be mixing up with Els Iced Coffee before that long drive home.

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Tasting: Beat the Heat Cocktails

Fri, 31 May 2019 07:40:00 GMT

When: Saturday June 1st 1-4pm

We’ll be mixing up some cool cocktails this Saturday. It’s supposed to be in the high 80s and humid so take a break from mowing the yard, organizing the garage, or whatever you’re doing and learn how to make some refreshing cocktails to help you beat that heat this summer. It’s only going to get worse.

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Tasting: Yee-Haw Beer

Fri, 31 May 2019 07:30:00 GMT

When: Friday June 7th 5-7pm

Whether you’re an exacting aficionado of obscure flavors, styles and techniques or someone who simply savors a couple cold ones with friends, we bet you’ll love Yee-Haw Beer. Born in Johnson City, TN this beer is considered locally brewed (being from TN) and often dispenses with fancy names (which we love) making it easy to find exactly what you want. Instead of sifting through beers named “seriously bad elf” or “mama’s lil yella pils” (don’t get us wrong we love those beers), you can just pick up a Yee-Haw Kolsch or Yee-Haw IPA. Simple. Like good beer should be.

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Tasting: Uncle Val’s Gin

Fri, 31 May 2019 07:27:00 GMT

When: Saturday June 8th 1-4pm

Uncle Val’s is a small-batch botanical gin inspired by Zio Valerio’s love of gardening and native tuscan cuisine. The botanicals are not only Uncle Val’s favorite cooking ingredients, but also happen to make an exceptionally unique and smoothly delicious gin.

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Tasting: McManis Wines

Fri, 31 May 2019 07:25:00 GMT

When: Friday June 14th 5-7pm

Surrounded by lush vineyards, the McManis Family Vineyards winery is located on a 40-acre site near the town of Ripon, in California’s abundant northern interior. Constructed in 1998, the large-capacity winery is dedicated to producing high quality wines with “small winery” methods.

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Tasting: Testamento Wines

Fri, 31 May 2019 07:20:00 GMT

When: Saturday 6/15 2-5pm, 2019

Testamento Wines hail from Argentina. You can find them in our New World section back near the coolers. We’ll be tasting several wines from this winery, some from their classic line and some from their estate line. Be sure to stop by and check them out!

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Tasting: Ferrari Carano

Fri, 31 May 2019 07:15:00 GMT

When: Friday June 21 3-6pm, 2019

Located in Dry Creek Valley and home to Ferrari-Carano’s Villa Fiore Wine Shop & Tasting Room, the Estate Winery was built in 1981 and focuses on producing Ferrari-Carano’s stellar white wines. At Ferrari-Carano, we harvest our grapes at night, when temperatures are the coolest, giving us crisp and intense fruit flavors.

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Tasting: JW Kelly Whiskey & Big O Ginger Liqueur

Fri, 31 May 2019 07:10:00 GMT

When: Saturday June 22nd 1-4pm, 2019

The spirit of J.W.Kelly’s original bourbon, born in 1866 in Chattanooga TN, is captured by marrying 5-, 6-, and 8-year-old aged barrels of bourbon, hand selected by the JWK crew. This Old Milford Straight Bourbon Whiskey is handcrafted in 3,000-gallon pot stills to give it bold and unique characteristics.

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Tasting: Castle & Key Vodka and Gin

Fri, 31 May 2019 07:00:00 GMT

When: Friday June 28th 5-7pm

All Castle & Key spirits are a testament to our principled approach. Locally-sourced ingredients inspire our process and our product. We make everything that we sell, from carefully selected grains. We do not use bulk vodka to create our spirits. We choose to do things the thoughtful way – even though it’s not the easy way – because waiting to sell products we make is worth it. And that matters.

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