Moscow Mule

The Moscow Mule is a bubbly, bold and invigorating mid-century masterpiece with 3 ingredients.

Just vodka, lime juice, and a ginger beer pour-over and you’ve got an easy drink for any season. If you’re unfamiliar with this ice-cold drink, you probably recognize its signature serving vessel – the copper mug.

What is a Moscow Mule?

The Moscow Mule belongs to a family of drinks called highballs, which simply means the drink is more mix than alcohol.

In this case, the classic formula calls for vodka and lime juice, topped with ginger beer and served over ice in a copper mug. My recipe calls for 3 ounces of ginger beer, but you can add as much or as little as you’d like. A lime wedge and/or a sprig of mint on top and you have the perfect brunch or backyard sipper.

If the spicy bite of ginger beer isn’t for you, substitute ginger ale for the ginger beer and you’ve got a sweeter drink called Vodka Buck.

History of the Moscow Mule

In the 1940s, as vodka became more popular (and more common) in the United States, John G. Martin of Heublein Inc., the company that makes Smirnoff vodka, was having trouble selling it.

According to Gary Regan’s “The Joy of Mixology,” Martin was having a drink with his friend John A. Morgan, owner of the Hollywood Cock ‘n’ Bull Restaurant, one afternoon and they came up with the idea of ​​combining several ounces of Martin’s vodka with homemade Morgan Ginger Beer. They were onto something.

The fact that Morgan’s girlfriend owned a company that made copper mugs, among other products, was a simple coincidence. They marketed the drink as an overall idea and a classic was made practically overnight.

What’s in a Moscow Mule?

The Moscow Mule is a simple marriage of vodka, bright and fresh lime juice and refreshingly tangy ginger beer, that’s it.

You can use bottled fresh lime juice instead, or a sweeter ginger ale, which makes it a good price as it has less (mule) kick, but you have plenty of leeway to choose this to your own taste before you you could really screw it up. And if so? Just make another – you might find you can drink these all day.

To garnish a Moscow Mule, keep it (relatively) simple: a lime wedge or even a lime wheel, and if you really feel like it, a fresh sprig of mint.

Best vodka for a mule

This cocktail is such a mixer that you don’t have to go for premium vodka. A mixed mix like titos but would go Ketel one is both affordable and high quality enough to work as a sipper. Any of these brands would be affordable and easy to find Smirnoff himself, the brain trust behind this classic cocktail.

Best ginger beer for a Moscow Mule

While a half-decent vodka is fine here, this isn’t the time to call in your ginger beer order. There are many, many brands of ginger beer and ale out there, but you want to use a brand with enough bite to offset the lime juice. At the same time, stay away from the many overly sweet (40g + sugar per serving) options.

Both Fever Tree Ginger Beer and Q ginger beer are a good choice, each with real ginger and with a sparse but balanced sweetness. Fever Tree contains three types of ginger, while Q Ginger Beer uses agave for sweetness.

Bundaberg brewed much like regular beer, it’s one of the best traditional options, albeit a little sweeter than the other brands listed.

reeds is similarly sweet, but also one of the hottest. Apart from that, feel free to experiment. Find the best balance of spiciness, sweetness and fizz by trying different ginger beers.

Why are Moscow Mules served in copper mugs?

Here we could tell you that the copper cups keep the drink colder, that the vodka oxidizes the copper resulting in a stronger flavor and aroma, but there is only one reason to use the cup – tradition.

Much like drinking a mint julep in a silver julep cup, it’s just more fun. That’s not to say that solid copper doesn’t seem to get colder when making a mule, but feel free to use any type of glass or mug that you fancy. Whether it’s a rock jar or a mason jar, a highball glass or a beautiful copper mug with a handle that you’ve saved just for that moment.

Best mule variations

• Mexican mule: Tequila, lime and ginger beer. tequila is a mezcal, so this variation is considered a Mezcal mule– You can exchange any Mezcal you like.
• Kentucky mule: Bourbon, lime and ginger beer. Likewise a Irish mule would swap for Irish whiskey.
• Gin Gin Mule: Gin, lime, ginger beer and mint
• Dark and stormy: Dark rum, ginger beer and just a hint of lime
• Strawberry Basil Mule: Vodka, lime, strawberries, basil and ginger beer

More classic cocktail recipes

• Gimlet cocktail
• French 75 cocktail
• Locust Cocktail
• Manhattan cocktail
• Aperole Spritz