With a bubbly and citrusy bite, the Moscow Mule is a refreshing tipple that packs quite the kick.
We’ve all seen tonight’s cocktail while out drinking. A copper mug, packed with ice, a lime wedge and mint garnish peeking out from the top of it. I had a friend back in New York that was quite the connoisseur of mixed alcoholic beverages, and they would often tell me to try a Moscow Mule. One night, while at a watering hole that’s no longer there, I saw the drink listed as that evening’s spotlight cocktail. The recipe was a simple one… vodka, lime juice and ginger beer, stirred together and served on the rocks with a fresh sprig of bright mint. It was fizzy, flavorful, and a little spiky on the tongue. I enjoyed myself so much a second round was ordered.
The Moscow Mule has an interesting history. You hear the drink’s name and any number of images or ideas might race across your mind. For a start, this mixture doesn’t hail from any part of Russia, let alone Moscow, and there aren’t any actual mules or other livestock mixed in. It was first served on the West Coast of the United States, in Hollywood, California during the 1940s.
Back then, there was a fella by the name of John G. Martin, who in the 1930s purchased the, at the time, failing Smirnoff vodka company. Martin had no clue what to do with his surplus of the then-unpopular spirit. At the Cock’n Bull bar on Sunset, owner Jack Morgan found himself with a storeroom full of ginger beer, wondering how he was going to move his stagnant inventory. Both John and Jack were friends, and both were well aware of the other’s plight. What could they do?
As fate would have it, Russian immigrant Sophie Berezinski was pounding the pavement of her new city, Los Angeles, trying to sell her stock of copper mugs she had made back in her father’s factory in Moscow. One day in 1941, she walked into the Cock’n Bull.
The rest, as they say, is history.
What is the Best Vodka to use in a Moscow Mule?
If you want to go the traditional and historical route with this cocktail, a bottle of Smirnoff will do nicely. This brand has been around for decades and mixes beautifully in any drink that calls for the spirit. Naturally, you can go with vodkas from other countries, but would you still call it a Moscow Mule if the base is distilled in Finland? Technically, vodka as we know it today originated in Poland, despite its strong association with being a Russian liquor. So I say call it what you like.
Equipment
- A copper mug
- A jigger
- A citrus juicer
- A bar spoon
- Knife and cutting board
Ingredients
- 2 oz. of vodka
- 1/2 oz. of freshly squeezed lime juice
- 4 oz. of ginger beer
- Ice cubes
- Lime slice as garnish
- Fresh mint leaves for garnish optional
Instructions
- Add ice cubes to a copper mug
- Pour the vodka into the mug.
- Add freshly squeezed lime juice.
- Fill the mug with ginger beer and carefully stir to combine.
- Embellish your drink with a slice of lime and, if you’d like, fresh mint leaves.
Nutrition
FAQs & Tips
You can enjoy your Mule in a rocks or Old Fashioned glass if you like, but the best way to drink this cocktail is in a copper or steel cup, with a lime wedge on the rim and a sprig of mint popped on top.
It is best to mix and serve this drink right away. The recipe and its use of ginger beer doesn’t lend itself to saving or storing.
Depending on the vodka and ginger beer you use, a typical serving of a Moscow Mule can be anywhere between 120-180 calories.
In some bars, it is more common these days to be served this drink in a stainless steel version of the traditional mug. Using copper ones in the short term is safe, but over time can be harmful to your health.
Moscow Mule Variations
The reason why this drink and others like it are called a Mule is because it kicks like one. The simple combo of a robust ginger beer with lime juice, along with a base spirit, does indeed pack quite the wallop. If this sounds like your idea of the perfect cocktail for a night out, we here at Twist & Toast have a few other Mules you can test drive this evening.
- Mexican Mule – This tequila-based riff on the classic Mule brings a little spice to your sipping.
- Mezcal Mule – Make your next Mule a smoky and sweet affair by using mezcal in place of vodka.
- Kentucky Mule – If your Mule is from Kentucky, then bourbon is the spirit.
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