Opened back in February, Julep is a new restaurant on Larimer Street in RiNo bringing a southern flair to the Denver dining scene. Originally open for dinner only during the darks days of winter, Julep started an afternoon happy hour for the bright days of summer and Denver drinkers couldn’t be happier.

The happy hour menu at Julep is short and simple and full of Southern tastes that Denverites will enjoy. Featured cocktails are French 75 and the namesake Mint Julep both for only $8. The Mint Julep is made with Buffalo Trace Bourbon, muddled mint and sugar. Served in the traditional manor, over shaved ice, you could call it an adult snow cone. A metal cup with the ingredients is loaded with ice and sculpted into an icy globe of goodness at the top. Bartender Brigit then wraps the cup in a black napkin to keep your hands from the chill while you chill out on this thirst-quencher. Brigit calls the drink a “marathon cocktail” because the crushed ice forces you to sip the drink slowly. She even allows guests to keep adding ice to “re-saturate” the cocktail as they go. As any whiskey drinker will tell you, while ice dilutes bourbon, but it also mellows the harsher aspects of the spirit such as heavy smokiness and roasted bitterness. The first sip of the Mint Julep is bourbon forward, but as the ice melts the cocktail calms down to more of a Southern Sweet Tea taste and texture.

Julep’s French 75 is a little different from the traditional. Normally made with gin, Julep’s is made with Maison Rouge Cognac VSOP along with lemon, simple syrup, and topped with Brut Cava bubbly. This effervescent cocktail has a lemony scent and taste with airy bubbles and a slight smoke finish from the cognac. Both cocktails will quench nicely while enjoying Julep’s patio on a warm summer evening.

Julep’s happy hour beers are Utica Club for $3 and Elevation Pilsner and Great Divide DPA for $4. On the regular menu beers are an interesting mix of Colorado and regional craft brews next to renowned international beers and run between $4 and $10. The regular wine list features 13 reds, whites and bubblies by the glass and select wines by the glass are only $7 during happy hour.

Happy hour has a $5 Snack menu featuring Southern favorites like house-cured Beef Jerky and Boiled Peanuts. The Deviled Eggs are five halves of chilled creamy, mustard-y egg deliciousness, refreshing on a hot day. Also on the menu is a Pimento Pecan Cheese Ball plate served with Triscuits. Perfect for two people, the spicy pimento and Tasso ham in the cheese compliments with any sweet cocktail and the pecans add more crunch and texture. More of an East Coast staple dish are Scrapple Fries that come with a cup of mushroom ketchup for dipping. While the dip is the color of mushrooms, not so appealing, the taste is all smooth, cool ketchup, which is appealing. Because Julep butchers its own meat, the scrapple is made in house so you know it’s fresh. Don’t know what scrapple is? You can Google it, but I suggest you try Julep’s first to taste how delicious it is before doing so.

Happy hour at Julep is Wednesday through Friday from 4 to 7 PM. Dinner is served 5-10 PM Wednesday through Thursday, 5 to 11 PM Friday and Saturday and 5 to 9 PM on Sunday. Brunch is served three days a week, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from 11 AM to 3 PM. Julep is located at 3258 Larimer Street.