Ingredients

• • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 6 mint leaves
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 4 cups ginger ale
  • Lime and lemon wedges
  • Mint leaves for garnish

Make Mint Syrup

• Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat the saucepan over medium heat for a few minutes, or until the sugar has completely dissolved. Pour the sugar water into a glass container.

  Wash the mint leaves and tear each one into a few pieces. Add the mint and the lemon juice to the sugar mixture.

  Cover the container and refrigerate it for one hour. If the ginger ale isn't yet refrigerated, put it in the fridge now, too.

Assemble the Drinks

• Traditionally, mint juleps are served in silver cups, but you can use highball glasses or any kind of glass tumbler -- or, if you're serving kids, plastic cups.

  Fill each cup halfway with ice. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the chilled mint syrup into each glass. Pour in about 3/4 cup of ginger ale, or enough to top off the glass. Squeeze a lemon or lime wedge, or one of each, into the glass and add a few mint leaves. Stir everything together and taste.

  If the ginger ale tastes overpowering to you, add another tablespoon of the mint syrup and stir. Adding the juice of more citrus wedges may also help balance the drink to your tastes.

Sweeten the Pot

• Cut some of the spiciness of ginger ale by adding sweet and fruity additions to your virgin mint juleps.

  • Top off each glass with a splash of lemon-lime soda or lemonade.
  • Place a few peach slices or fresh berries in the bottom of the glass. Pour the mint syrup over them and push down with a muddler or long spoon to gently crush the fruit. Then add the ice, ginger ale and garnishes.
  • Substitute cherry juice for half of the ginger ale and garnish the drinks with mint and maraschino cherries.
  • Make a raspberry julep slushy. In a blender, puree a handful of frozen raspberries with ice, mint syrup and ginger ale.