One big event that always falls near our anniversary is the Kentucky Derby. The Kentucky Derby is held on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. I’ve never been to the Derby, but I’ve watched it on TV a number of times. One thing that I’ve noticed is that a lot, maybe most, people attending the Kentucky Derby are drinking Mint Juleps. That makes sense because a Mint Julep is a bourbon-based drink and Kentucky is known for its bourbon(s). In fact I just assumed that bourbon was the state drink of Kentucky.
But boy, was I wrong. It turns out that until 2005, Kentucky didn’t have an official state drink. In 2005, Kentucky legislators designated the official state drink as milk! Now how in the world did milk become the official state drink in a state that produces 95 percent of the country’s bourbon? Well, in 2005, then-senator Joey Pendleton — a dairy farmer — introduced Senate Bill 93, that asked legislators to designate milk as the official drink of Kentucky. The bill passed with little to no opposition and was signed into law by Governor Ernie Fletcher.
Not everyone was, or is, happy with the state drink and currently there is a petition being circulated to change it. The petition states its case very clearly: “Milk is boring, bland and contributes next to nothing to Kentucky’s image or economy. Bourbon, on the other hand, is wildly popular around the world, unique to the Commonwealth, a source of pride for its citizens, a major economic driver and conjures an idyllic image of our state in the minds of those who might choose to visit or do business here. This is very stupid.” The petition makes a good point — in 2016 Kentucky ranked 27th among milk-producing states and contributed more than $180 million to the state’s economy. Bourbon, on the other hand, in 2016, contributed $8.5 billion to the economy and generated 17, 500 jobs.
As of today, milk is still Kentucky’s state drink… but I just can’t imagine all those ladies with fancy hats attending the Derby standing around drinking milk. The official drink of the Kentucky Derby is, of course, the Mint Julep, a bourbon-based cocktail. The Mint Julep became the official drink of the Derby in 1939 — after prohibition. After prohibition ended and Mint Juleps were again available at the race track, track managers noticed that people were stealing the julep glasses, taking them home as souvenirs of Churchill Downs. In 1940, the first official Kentucky derby Mint Julep glasses were made and sold as souvenirs. Since then, a different glass has been created annually, and the glasses have become collector’s items. The front of the glass has a new design each year, and the back of the glass lists all the winners of the race. Now the price of the glass is built into the drink. You don’t have to go to the race to get an official glass — you can order one online… just do me a favor, though, and don’t put milk in it.
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