Moscow Mule – This is How You Make it Great

Moscow Mule


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Moscow Mule

When the Moscow Mule showed up on Better Call Saul I knew it was time to stock up on ginger beer. That scene and the current trendiness of copper accents have created an explosion in the popularity of this cocktail. It doesn’t hurt that a variety decent ginger beers are suddenly widely available.  Maybe we can just attribute it to the fact that it is a delicious and approachable classic cocktail.

What is a Moscow Mule?

Are you looking for a refreshing drink to enjoy this summer?

A Moscow Mule is the perfect drink to cool down with on a hot day. It’s made with vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice. The result is an incredibly refreshing cocktail that will make your mouth water every time you take a sip!

You can serve it in copper mugs or glasses if you want to add some flair to your drinks. This recipe is so simple anyone can make it at home without any fuss! All you need are three ingredients and five minutes of your time. Then just sit back and relax as everyone enjoys the deliciousness of this classic beverage!

Make yourself one today by following our recipe here!

History

The Moscow Mule is one of the few classic cocktail recipes created as a liquor marketing exercise. In fact, the Moscow Mule is often said to be the reason vodka is the best-selling spirit in the world. For all it’s success, the story is one of the least romantic tales in the liquor industry.

The story is John Martin, the American distributor of Smirnoff was drinking with Jack Morgan, owner of Cock ‘n’ Bull brand ginger beer. They decided to mix Smirnoff with some Cock ‘n’ Bull ginger beer  and a squeeze of lemon. The rest, as they say, is history.

Of course, there is another story. This is drunk history after all.  Facts are often blurry when history and booze mix. In the alternate version, Wes Price created the drink. Price was the head bartender at Morgan’s Cock and Bull restaurant in Los Angeles. He said he just wanted to clear out dead stock of Smirnoff in the basement. Knowing how dead stock  is the mother of invention, and credit tends to accrue to the top of the food chain, this version seems pretty plausible to me.

In any case, Martin was certainly responsible for the popularity of the drink. In an effort to sell more vodka he traveled the country taking polaroids of bartenders holding a copper mug and a bottle of Smirnoff. He would then show the photos to the next bartender down the road as evidence of the popularity of the Mule. Kind of a proto-Instagram.

Style of Cocktail

The Moscow Mule belongs to the family of cocktails that includes mules, bucks, smashes and juleps. Mules and bucks are cocktails made with any spirit and ginger beer. They usually contain herbs, most often in the form of mint and some lime juice.

So, basically they are smashes or juleps that have had ginger beer added. This is a pretty loosely defined category. Which makes it ripe for exploration. Start with ginger beer and your favorite spirit. See where it takes you.

Ingredients

Vodka

Vodka was for a very long time been defined as a neutral, odoroless, flavorless spirit. Until recently the best vodka was highly regarded for it crystalline purity. Wit the advent of craft distilling and some larger producers pushing the boundaries of what vodka can be everything has changed.

Today, you will find a wide variety of vodka distilled from many different fermentable sugars. There is also a movement to ensure that the base ingredients are distinguishable in the final spirit.

That means there is a possibility you might find just the right pairing for your lime juice and ginger beer. But, lets face it. Vodka and lime juice with spicy ginger beer? I’m afraid the subtleties of most vodkas are just going to get lost here. Go for a decent neutral vodka. Make it Russian if you want to stick with the theme. Mostly, just don’t overthink it and use what you have on hand.

Ginger Beer

Ginger beer is a carbonated drink that is made with ginger, sugar, and water. You’ll find both alcohol and non-alcohol versions. The alcoholic versions Either one works for this recipe, but keep in mind adding extra alcohol will give your Moscow Mule extra kick.

I prefer the brewed, alcoholic version. The yeasty flavors give it extra depth and complexity. It also tends to have a better ginger flavor. My favorite is Royal Jamaican. It can be hard to come by, so I stock up whenever I find it.

For non-alcoholic versions there are many popular ginger beer brands. Fever Tree ginger beer, Bundaberg ginger beer. If you want to really be authentic to the history of this drink see if you can track down a bottle of Cock and Bull.

What is key here is getting a good spicy ginger beer. Ginger ale just won’t cut it. It tends to be overly sweet and doesn’t have the kick you’re looking for in a Mule.

Finally, you can also brew your own ginger beer at home. If you are feeling crafty and you have been curious about brewing your own alcohol this is the place to start. The process is much more simplified that brewing beer and you and you can do it with stuff you probably already have around your house.

Crushed Ice

Crushed ice is an important ingredient in mules, bucks, smashes and juleps. Crushed ice is a great way to keep your ginger beer, vodka and lime juice mind blisteringly cold. You can buy crushed ice from most convenience stores, or you can make it yourself by putting ice cubes in a Lewis bag and crushing it with a mallet.

A Lewis bag is a great way to crush ice for drinks. All you need to do is put some ice cubes in the bag and hit them with a mallet until they’re crushed. This can be a great way to make party cocktails without having to spend time blending ice in a blender.

Fresh Limes

Fresh lime juice. Pretty simple. Squeeze your limes. Make sure your fruit is fresh. You are good to go.

Tools

Copper Mug Notes

Is the copper mug necessary? Absolutely not. There are people who claim that copper has some mystical flavor enhancing abilities. While this may be true in the distillation process your little mug isn’t doing much. If you have them and love them go ahead and use them, but a collins glass will work just fine.

Cocktail Shaker

The Moscow Mule contains lime juice, which means you are going to shake it. shaking it will also chills your drink ahead of time, which help preserve your crushed ice when you pour it on top.

Moscow Mule Recipe

Moscow Mule

The Moscow Mule is a classic cocktail enjoying a revival for a reason. It is both cool and refreshing with a nice zesty heat. While it is a great summer drink it works well in all seasons. You can adapt the classic mule with various herbs and spices for a lot of different occasions.

  • 2 oz vodka
  • 1 oz fresh lime juice
  • 4 oz ginger beer
  • lime wheel and fresh mint to garnish
  1. Fill cocktail shaker with ice.
  2. Pour ingredients into shaker and shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds.
  3. Strain into Collins glass or copper mug filled with crushed ice.
  4. Garnish with mint sprig and line wheel.
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