Make Moscow Mule (Delightfully Frizzy)

• Food: Moscow Mule 
• Writer: Nicolas Wilson
• Content-Type: Food Blog

I’m going to tell you everything you need to know about Moscow mule today. Ready?! The fiery ginger beer, vodka, and fresh lime in Moscow mules make for a pleasantly bubbly drink.

Moscow mules are pleasant on hot summer days, but the powerful ginger flavor also makes them perfect for the holidays. I’d drink one any day because it strikes that elusive blend of spicy, sweet, and robust.

Plus, Moscow mules are quite simple to make. You’ll only need three ingredients:

• Ginger beer
• Vodka
• Lime juice

The ginger beer component is what separates a mediocre Moscow mule from a terrific one. So I went out and bought as many ginger beers as I could and tasted them at home. Continue reading to learn about my suggestions!

Ingredients for Moscow Mule

Vodka

For Moscow mules, I like Tito’s brand vodka. Tito’s is a low-cost, high-quality product created not far from home in Austin, Texas.

Because the ginger beer overpowers the other flavors, any decent vodka on your shelf will suffice.

Ginger Beer

Fever-Tree brand ginger beer is the best ginger beer for Moscow mules. “It tastes the most like a Moscow mule,” Mara commented, and I agreed heartily.

Thanks to a blend of three gingers from Nigeria, Cochin, and the Ivory Coast, Fever-ginger Tree’s beer offers the clearest and most distinct fresh ginger flavor.

Fever-Tree was found at Natural Grocers, but it’s also available at Whole Foods, World Market, and Amazon (affiliate link). If you’re interested, our ginger beer tasting notes can be found below.

Lime Juice

Make sure your lime juice is squeezed from fresh limes. Don’t rely on stale bottled water (for anything, ever).

Notes on Copper Mugs

Moscow mules are traditionally served in copper mugs, which give them an extra-cold, refreshing feel. Why? Copper is a good conductor, which means that cold or hot temperatures propagate quickly through it.

While the copper in your mug does not make the drink colder, it does make it appear colder than if you were sipping it from a conventional glass or mug.

If you don’t have any copper mugs, a standard cocktail glass would suffice. If you’re looking for copper mugs, be sure they’re food-safe and that the insides aren’t copper. Copper leaches into acidic meals and can be harmful to your health, ouch!

History of the Moscow Mule

The Moscow mule is said to be a product of American capitalism. Three business owners with an overabundance of vodka, ginger beer, and copper mugs devised a plan to get rid of their excess inventory, and the result was a delectable drink.

The facts are hazy, but Moscow mules helped promote vodka in the United States when it was first introduced in the 1940s.

Moscow Mules with a Few Easy Variations

• Use bourbon/whiskey instead of vodka in the Kentucky Mule or Horsefeather.
• Instead of vodka, make a Gin-Gin Mule.
• Tequila instead of vodka in the Mexican Mule.
• Use rum instead of vodka in a Jamaican or Cuban Mule.
• Instead of vodka, make a Dark ‘n Stormy with Gosling’s spiced rum.

Notes on Ginger Beer Tasting

A number of ginger ales made it in, but for a perfect Moscow mule, you need a powerfully flavored ginger beer! They’re listed in order of best to worst.

1. Fever-Tree Premium Ginger Beer: The most straightforward ginger flavor is found in this ginger beer. It’s amazing how well it burns!
2. Bottoms Up Ginger Beer: This ginger beer lacks the carbonation of the others. It doesn’t have the same amount of ginger flavor as Fever-Tree, but it’s still good.
3. Fentiman’s Ginger Beer: This ginger beer packs quite a punch. It’s yeasty, with a fermented kombucha-like flavor that overpowers the ginger.
4. Reed’s Extra Ginger Brew: This ginger beer has a stronger flavor than ginger ale, but it’s still primarily clear and lacks a strong ginger flavor.

Moscow Mule Cocktail

Discover how to create the greatest Moscow Mule! They’re quite simple to produce. One cocktail is made using this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ounces vodka (I recommend Tito’s brand)
• ½ ounce fresh lime juice (about ½ medium lime)
• 4 ounces ginger beer (I recommend Fever-Tree brand)
• Lime wedge, for garnish

Instructions For Moscow Mule

1. Fill a copper mug or a glass of equivalent size halfway with ice. Combine the vodka and lime juice in a mixing glass. Fill the glass halfway with ginger beer and mix gently with a spoon.
2. Enjoy with a lime wedge as a garnish.

NOTES

• TURN IT AROUND: For a drink that tastes like a mint julep, garnish your Moscow Mule with a sprig of fresh mint.
• RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: For squeezing limes and lemons, I use citrus juicer, and for measuring little amounts of liquid, I like this stainless steel jigger.