Fresh Georgia Peach Mint Julep's

We still have a bunch of the homemade lemon-mint simple syrup that we used to make the delicious Carolina Cup Mint Julep's. So I thought I would make another version of this drink, and what is better than fresh Georgia peaches? Absolutely nothin'. We bought a few peaches at the farmer's market, and we just muddled them right in with the mint, so they would get crushed up and their natural juices would flavor the drink. I also substituted some of the bourbon with some peach schnapps to really obtain that peachy flavor. These were awesome, and they were the perfect drink for a picnic out at the park, but don't you worry, these would be great for entertaining as well!! Enjoy :)

Fresh Georgia Peach Mint Julep's 

Look at those fresh peaches...

For the Lemon-Mint Simple Syrup:

2C Sugar

2C Water

1 Lemon Zested

½C Fresh Lemon Juice

1 ½C Fresh Mint Leaves, Packed (do not include stems, they cause bitterness)

For the Peach Mint Juleps:

6-8 Fresh Mint Leaves (plus mint springs for garnish)

1 Small Peach, Peeled & Cut into Cubes

1oz Prepared Lemon-Mint Simple Syrup, Chilled

1oz Peach Schnapps

2oz High Quality Bourbon

Crushed Ice

Directions:

1. For the Lemon-Mint Simple Syrup: Heat the sugar, water, and lemon zest in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and add in the fresh mint leaves and let the mint steep for 10 minutes. Next, pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a bottle. Discard the solids. Let the syrup cool completely at room temperature. Stir in the fresh lemon juice. Refrigerate the syrup until chilled. Keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

2. For the Peach Mint Juleps: Lightly muddle the mint leaves and fresh peach cubes with the prepared simple syrup in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add in the bourbon and the peach schnapps and shake to combine. Fill a julep cup or glass with crushed ice. Pour the liquid over the ice. Stir until a frost forms on the outside of the cup. Top with more crushed ice and garnish with fresh mint springs, and then serve with a straw.