23-04-2025
Check Out This Sweet Tea-Inspired Mint Julep Riff At This Louisville Bar
Donerail spirted-free cocktail at Moonsong.
In Louisville, Kentucky, a city synonymous with bourbon and Southern hospitality, a new kind of Mint Julep has arrived—and it's just in time for the Kentucky Derby.
At Moonsong, the restaurant and bar inside Tempo by Hilton Louisville Downtown NuLu, in Kentucky, guests are sipping on an innovative twist on the traditional Derby Day drink. Dubbed the 'Donerail,' this cocktail reimagines the iconic Mint Julep by blending it with another Southern staple: sweet tea.
'Since there is no 'Derby Day' without a Mint Julep, we wanted to provide our Tempo by Hilton properties with a few options when it came to the signature drink,' says Kevin Quinn, Director of Brand Food & Beverage Programs for Hilton. 'The name is an ode to the 1913 Kentucky Derby winner–the biggest longshot victory in Derby history–and we chose to honor this legend by crossing the Julep with a sweet tea, the beloved beverage in the American South.'
The Donerail is available in both 'Spirited' and 'Free-Spirited' (non-alcoholic) versions, part of a larger program designed by Tempo by Hilton to ensure that every guest—drinker or not—enjoys a premium cocktail experience. 'For us, providing a unique bar program that enables guests to flex between spirited and free-spirited cocktails is one of the many ways we strategically built the Tempo brand to meet the needs of today's modern traveler,' he says.
Kentucky Derby-inspired cocktails.
The boozy Donerail features black tea-infused Maker's Mark bourbon, oleo saccharum, and fresh mint. The tea used is Bluestone Lane's Melbourne Brekky Tea, a full-bodied, organic Ceylon blend. 'This drink is a great example of our collaboration with Bluestone Lane,' says Quinn. 'It's a smooth, full-bodied and malty blend that pulls into the bourbon infusion perfectly.'
But what really sets the Donerail apart is its spirit-free counterpart. Crafted using Lyre's American Malt, it's a zero-proof option that doesn't skimp on complexity or mouthfeel. 'We've found a very happy home partnering with Lyre's,' says Quinn 'We really could not find another alcohol-free alternative that would better enable us to mirror our 'Free-Spirited' drinks to their 'Spirited' counterparts.'
(Original Caption) Churchill Downs, Kentucky: Roscoe Goose, 70, (L) describes his 1913 Derby win on ... More Donerail to Jimmy Winkfield, 79, who rode Derby winners in 1901 and 1092, finished third in 1900 and second in 1903. Goose's win paid the largest mutual in Derby history, $184.90. Winkfield, now a Paris trainer, finished in the money every time he rode in the Derby.
To replicate the boldness of the tea-infused bourbon, the team simply brews the Melbourne Brekky Tea with more potency. 'We utilize the same tea but brewed with more strength than if you were to enjoy it on its own,' says Quinn. 'We do this to mimic the strong notes of black tea that is pulled through in the bourbon infusion.'
Guests can find the Donerail at Moonsong in both the Louisville and Raleigh Tempo by Hilton properties, as well as at Highball in New York and Lovelorn Lounge in Nashville. It's part of a special Kentucky Derby menu running from April 21 through May 3, which includes three Julep options: the classic Mint Julep (with spirited and non-alcoholic versions), a Peach Julep, and the star of the show, the Donerail.
Donerail spirited-free cocktail.
And yes, it's served in a traditional julep cup. 'The Donerail, while not a traditional Mint Julep, should still be served in the traditional Julep, naturally,' says Quinn 'I am thrilled that the Donerail, as well as our other 'Free-Spirited' Mint Julep offerings, can fill a white space that currently exists for revelers that want to celebrate Kentucky Derby festivities without imbibing alcohol,' says Quinn. 'It is truly important to us that the 'Free-Spirited' selections mirror the 'Spirited' cocktails in every way – presentation, flavor profile, mouthfeel, and sophistication.'
